GRUEL, &c.

ROBINSON'S Embden groats prepared by Keen, Robinson, and Bellville, are the only kind of which gruel can be properly made. They are entirely free from the acrid flavour which is so disagreeable in inferior preparations of oat-meal, and make a most nourishing and digestible gruel. Have either a very nice bright tin saucepan or a welltinned and perfectly clean copper stewpan; put in cold water, and to every quart allow two ounces of groats. Let the gruel boil gently for four hours, stirring frequently to prevent any sticking to the stewpan; a little water may be added from time to time so as to keep the original quantity. Have a hair sieve of a size to stand conveniently just inside the rim of a basin. When a large quantity of gruel is required it is a good plan to have four strips of wood nailed together to form a rest for

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the strainer so that it can stand over large basins without touching the contents. Use two wooden or silver spoons, one to rub the gruel through the sieve, the other to remove that which hangs beneath it. Do not use the first spoon for the latter part of the operation, as by so doing you may get some of the grain into the gruel and destroy its smoothness. When you have rubbed as much as possible through the sieve, beat the gruel until quite smooth, it should be as thick as good cream; put it into a clean stewpan, let it boil, and serve plain; or as follows: beat up the yolk of an egg, pour the boiling gruel on to it, serve either with salt or sugar, and, if allowed, a little wine or brandy. Milk or cream may be added in any proportion, but should not be allowed to boil. Beef-tea or extract of beef may also be used in cases where savoury food is preferred.

Caudle.

Prepare the Gruel, as in the foregoing recipe; it should be thick. Whilst boiling hot stir in to each pint a table-spoonful of brandy, a wine glass of

sherry, sugar to taste, and a grate of nutmeg and ginger.

For the poor ale may be substituted for wine, and in cases where it is desirable a little gin be added.

Oatmeal Gruel.

This is not adapted to cases of great weakness, but is useful in temporary illness, and is much in favour with the poor in rural districts. Unless long and properly boiled, oatmeal gruel is very indigestible.

Take two tablespoonfuls of fine Scotch oatmeal, and mix it smooth in two or three tablespoonfuls of cold water; stir it in to a pint and a half of milk or water, boil gently for at least an hour, stirring frequently. If the digestion of the patient is weak, the gruel should be strained before serving.

Oatmeal Gruel.

(Scotch Recipe.)

Put two ounces of oatmeal in a bowl, pour on it half a pint of cold water, stir a little, let it stand a

minute, then pour half a pint of boiling water over the mixture, stirring quickly as you pour.. Next pour the gruel through a strainer into a small saucepan, taking care the rough part of the meal remains in the strainer. Boil the gruel ten minutes, add to it a tablespoonful of sugar and a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and serve.

Barley Gruel.

Barley Gruel is an important article in the invalid's dietary. It is generally made too hastily, and thus much of its virtue is lost.

Take two ounces of pearl barley, wash in clean cold water, then boil it for five minutes in a pint of water. Pour this water away, and put a quart of boiling water to the barley; let it boil for three hours, strain, and add any flavour; if that of lemon peel is desired, cut it very thinly, and infuse for ten minutes in enough cold water to cover it-stir the liquid into the barley gruel. Equal quantities of milk and barley gruel make a very nourishing drink, especially useful in feverish cases. Barley gruel should not be mixed with milk or syrup before