The Virginia Housewife

page xii

for each dish, measured to the cook. The mistress must tax her own memory with
all this: we have no right to expect slaves or hired servants to be more
attentive to our interest than we ourselves are: they will never recollect these
little articles until they are going to use them; the mistress must then be
called out, and thus have the horrible drudgery of keeping house all day, when
one hour devoted to it in the morning, would release her from trouble until the
next day. There is economy as well as comfort in a regular mode of doing
business. When the mistress gives out every thing, there is no waste; but if
temptation be thrown in the way of subordinates, not many will have power to
resist it; besides, it is an immoral act to place them in a situation which we
pray to be exempt from ourselves.

The prosperity and happiness of a family depend greatly on the order and
regularity established in it. The husband, who can ask a friend to partake of
his dinner in full confidence of finding his wife unruffled by the pretty
vexations attendant on the neglect of household duties- who can usher his guest
into the dining-room assured of seeing that methodical nicety which is the
essence of true elegance,- will feel pride and exultation in the possession of a
companion, who gives to his home charms that gratify every wish of his soul, and
render the haunts of dissipation hateful to him. The sons bred in such a family
will be moral men, of steady habits; and the daughters, if the mother shall have
performed the duties of a parent in the superintendence of their education, as
faithfully as she has done those of a wife, will each be a treasure to her
husband; and being formed on the model of an exemplary mother, will use the same
means for securing the happiness of her own family, which she has seen
successfully practised under the paternal roof.

THE
VIRGINIA HOUSEWIFE:
OR,
METHODICAL COOK.

SOUPS

ASPARAGUS SOUP.
TAKE four large bunches of asparagus, scrape it nicely, cut off one inch of the
tops, and lay them in water, chop the stalks and put them on the fire with a
piece of bacon, a large onion cut up, and pepper and salt; add two quarts of
water, boil them till the stalks are quite soft, then pulp them through a sieve,
and strain the water to it, which must be put back in the pot; put into it a
chicken cut up, with the tops of asparagus which had been laid by, boil it until
these last articles are sufficiently done, thicken with flour, butter and milk,
and serve it up.

BEEF SOUP.
TAKE the hind shin of beef, cut off all the flesh off the leg-bone, which must
be taken away entirely, or the soup will be greasy. Wash the meat clean and

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