There are few who do not thoroughly enjoy a dish of well made ice cream or a glass of some refreshing iced beverage.

The addition of an ice house to the farm equipment is the connecting link which will supply these luxuries. Few entertainments are complete with ice cream omitted, and as it falls to the lot of the charming wives and daughters to dispense the cordial hospitality for which American farmers are famous, a few choice recipes are presented here for their consideration. The ice crusher illustrated in Fig. 93 is very convenient for breaking ice for the freezer or for iced drinks. It is an improvement over the common method of breaking the ice in a bag with a mallet.

Recipes for ices are not numerous, because many dainties are compounded by secret formulas for which confectioners sometimes have to pay dearly. Again, one who knows how to make good, plain, old-fashioned ice cream, generally knows how to add the different fruits and flavors. But the following have been compiled with great care, many of them are new or heretofore secret, and they are sufficient in number to give the housewife, caterer or confectioner every possible delicacy in the way of ices, exclusive of intoxicating drinks.

Ice Creams and Ices.—Pour the mixture to be frozen into the tin can; put beater in this and put on cover. Place in the tub, being careful to have the point on the bottom fit into the socket in the tub. Put on the cross piece, and turn the crank, to see that everything is right. Next comes the packing. Ice should be broken in large pieces, put into a canvas bag and pounded fine with a mallet, or put in a tub and shaved fine with the ice shaver. Put a thick layer of it into the tub, then a good layer of coarse salt; continue this till the tub is full; pack down solid with paddle or common stick. After turning the crank a few times add more salt and ice, and pack down again, till the tub is full. For a gallon can three pints of salt and, perhaps, ten quarts of fine ice, will be required. The water must not be let off, as it is one of the strongest elements to help the freezing. If more salt than the quantity given is used the cream will freeze sooner, but will not be so smooth and rich as when less is used. Turn the crank for twenty minutes, not so fast at first, but very rapidly the last ten minutes. It will be hard to turn when the mixture is frozen. Let off the water carefully, turn back the cross piece, wipe the salt and water from the cover, take off cover, not displacing the can itself. Remove the beater and scrape the cream from it. Work a large spoon up and down until the cream is light, and the space left by the beater is filled. Cover the can, cork up the hole from which the handle of the beater was taken, add more salt and ice till the can is well covered; set in a cool place (covered with a bit of old carpet), until time for serving. It is better for standing a couple of hours. When ready to serve, dip the can for a few seconds in hot water, wipe it, and turn on a platter. Rest it for a moment, and lift a little. If the cream is to be served from a mould, remove it when you do the beater; fill the mould, and work the cream up and down with a spoon. This will press the cream into every part and lighten it. Cover the top of the mould with a thick white paper, put on tin cover, and bury in fresh salt and ice.

How to Serve Creams and Ices.—Much pride is taken by good cooks in the way they serve their dainties to their friends. Creams and ices look prettier served on pretty plates. If these are lacking, lay a flower on each plate, or in some way beautify it. A quaint way of serving cream was noticed not long since. Calla lilies had been robbed of their stamens and their cups filled with the cream.

ICE CREAMS.

Vanilla Ice Cream.—One quart of rich cream, one cup of milk, one cup of sugar, one and one-half teaspoonfuls of vanilla. This recipe nearly doubles itself if the cream is very rich.

Strawberry Ice Cream.—One quart of strawberries, one pint of sugar, one-half pint of milk, one and one-half pints of cream. Mash the berries and sugar together through a fine strainer into the freezer, after the rest of the mixture has been freezing about eight minutes.

Brown Bread Ice Cream.—Dry the crust of brown bread in a warm oven. Roll fine and sift. Add one pint of the crumbs to the preparation for vanilla ice cream. The vanilla and one-fourth of the sugar must be omitted.

Cocoanut Ice Cream.—One quart of cream, one pint of milk, three eggs, one and one-half cupfuls of sugar, one cupful of prepared cocoanut, the rind and juice of one lemon. Beat together the eggs and grated rind and put with the milk in a double vessel. Stir till the mixture begins to thicken. Add the cocoanut and put away to cool. When cold add sugar, lemon juice and cream. Freeze.

Fig Ice Cream.—One quart of milk, two tablespoonfuls of corn starch, one of gelatine, one pint of cream, a cupful and a half of sugar, three eggs, two cupfuls of figs cut fine, one tablespoonful of vanilla. Put the milk in a double boiler, reserving half a cupful. When it is boiling pour in the corn starch, which has been mixed with the cold milk. Cook ten minutes. Beat the eggs and sugar together; pour the cooked mixture on this, stirring all the time. Return to the fire, add the gelatine, which has been soaking in four tablespoonfuls of cold water, and cook three minutes. Set away to cool. When cold add the cream and vanilla, and freeze. When the cream has been freezing ten minutes, take off cover and stir in the figs. Cover again and finish freezing.

Chocolate Ice Cream.—One quart of cream, one pint of milk, one even pint of powdered sugar, one tablespoonful of vanilla, six eggs, one teacup grated chocolate. Mix sugar, chocolate, cream and milk, and bring to the boiling point in a porcelain kettle; then draw the kettle to the back of the stove, and stir in the mixture, six yolks and four whites, which have been beaten separately and together. Draw the kettle forward again, stir constantly till the mixture looks like thick cream, then take it from the stove and add the remaining whites, which have been well beaten. When slightly cooled add vanilla. When cold pour in freezer and freeze. This quantity is enough for twelve persons. Chocolate must be dissolved in a little boiling water.

New York Ice Cream.—One full quart of cream, one coffee cup of powdered sugar, four eggs, three teaspoonfuls of vanilla. Beat the yolks and whites separately, then put together and stir in one pint of cream. When it reaches the boiling point draw cream to back of stove until the whole is well mixed, then draw forward, stir until it thickens, about three minutes. Cool, add the other pint of cream, then the vanilla. Freeze.

Neapolitan Cream.—Make a vanilla, a chocolate and a strawberry cream; freeze in separate freezers, and fill a mould the form of a brick in three smooth layers of equal size.

Coffee Ice Cream.—Make the same as vanilla, with the addition of coffee, of which take a cupful ground moderately fine, put over it just enough water to keep it simmering until strong, then pour through a bit of cheesecloth, and when cool into the cream ready for freezing.

Walnut Ice Cream.—One pint of the meat of walnuts (American are the best), pounded fine in a mortar, one pint of milk, one quart of cream, two small cupfuls of sugar, four eggs and a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt. Beat eggs with one cupful of sugar; put them and the milk into double boiler and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Then add salt and put away to cool. When cold add the rest of the sugar, cream and nut meats, and freeze.

Tea Ice Cream.—One and one-half pints of rich cream, one pint of sugar, one cup of good strong green tea, yolks of eight eggs. Mix in inner vessel until it thickens. Strain through sieve and freeze.

Orange Ice Cream.—One and one-half pints of milk or cream. One pint of sugar. The rind of two oranges rubbed on loaf sugar. The juice of six large oranges. Yolks of eight eggs. A pinch of salt. Mix the ingredients in an inner vessel. Stir well until the mixture thickens. Pass through fine sieve. Freeze.

Cinnamon Ice Cream.—One and one-half pints of rich cream. One pint of sugar. Yolks of eight eggs. A good sized stick of cinnamon, bruised. Cook in inner vessel until mixture thickens. Strain, cool and freeze.

Vanilla Ice Cream.—One and one-half pints cream. One pint of sugar. One vanilla bean. Yolks of seven eggs, and a pinch of salt. Break up the bean in the mixture, and proceed as in Cinnamon Cream.

Almond Cream.—One pint of cream. One cup of sugar. One-quarter pound of blanched almonds, well chopped. Stir over fire, and add well beaten yolks of four eggs. Flavor with extract of rose. Pour into dish and pile on meringue. Place on ice until time to serve.

Tapioca Cream.—Soak two tablespoonfuls of tapioca over night in just enough water to cover it. In the morning boil one quart of milk with the soaked tapioca by placing it in a tin can or pail set in water to boil. Add two-thirds of a cup of granulated sugar and a pinch of salt. Beat the yolks of three eggs. When the milk has boiled eight minutes stir in the yolks. Remove from the fire and stir rapidly for five minutes, so that it will not curdle. Flavor with vanilla. Pour into pudding dish. Beat whites well. Pour over the top of cream. Sift with a little powdered sugar, brown a minute or two in oven. Serve ice cold.

Swans’ Down Cream.—Whip stiff one put of rich cream. Beat to a froth the whites of three eggs; sweeten with a small cup of sugar and flavor with vanilla. Beat all together. Pour into a glass dish and set into a bowl of crushed ice to send to table. Eat with sponge cake.

Peach Ice Cream.—One quart of cream. One cup of milk sweetened. Whites of three eggs. One pint of sliced peaches. As soon as the cream begins to freeze well add the sweetened peaches which have been run through a sieve. Freeze seven minutes and add the beaten whites. Freeze well.

ICED DISHES.

Lemon Ice.—Eight lemons, two quarts of water, one and one-half pounds of sugar, whites of four eggs. This makes three quarts to freeze.

Tutti Frutti.—When rich vanilla cream is partly frozen add English currants, chopped citron, chopped raisins and candied cherries. The rule is generally the same quantity of fruit as cream. Mould and place in pounded ice and salt until ready to serve. A sufficient time must be allowed for the cream to harden. Blanched almonds chopped fine makes a nice addition.

Frozen Pudding.—One generous pint of milk, two cupfuls of granulated sugar, a scant half cupful of flour, two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of gelatine, one quart of cream, one pound of French candied fruit (half a pound will do), four tablespoonfuls of wine. Let the milk come to a boil, beat the flour, one cupful of sugar and the eggs, and stir into the boiling milk. Cook twenty minutes, and add the gelatine, which has been soaking an hour in enough water to cover it. Set away to cool. When cold, add wine, sugar and cream. Freeze ten minutes, then add the candied fruit and finish freezing. When ready to serve dip tin in warm water, turn out the cream and serve with whipped cream heaped around.

Nesselrode Pudding.—One pint of shelled almonds, one pint and a half of shelled chestnuts, one pint of cream, a pint can of pineapple, the yolks of ten eggs, half a pound of French candied fruit, one tablespoonful of vanilla, four of wine, one pint of water, one of sugar. Boil the chestnuts half an hour, then rub off the black skins and pound in a mortar until a paste. Blanch the almonds and pound in same manner. Boil the sugar, water and juice from the pineapple for twenty minutes in a saucepan. Beat the yolks of the eggs and stir them into the syrup. Put the saucepan in another of boiling water, and beat the mixture with an egg beater until it thickens. Take off, place in basin of cold water, and beat ten minutes. Mix the almonds and chestnuts with the cream, and rub all through a sieve. Add the candied fruit and pineapple cut fine; mix this with cooked mixture; add the flavor and half a teaspoonful of salt. Freeze the same as ice cream.

Lemon Sherbet.—The juice of five lemons, one pint of water, one tablespoonful of gelatine. Soak the gelatine in a little water. Boil one cup of water and dissolve the gelatine in it. Mix together the sugar, water, gelatine and lemon juice. Turn into can and freeze. This is light and creamy.

Lemon Sherbet.—One pint and a half of sugar, three pints of water, the juice of ten lemons. Boil the sugar and water together twenty-five minutes. Add the lemon-juice, strain and freeze. This makes a smooth, rich sherbet.

Orange Sherbet.—Make the same as lemon sherbet, but use the juice of twenty oranges instead of ten lemons. Boil the syrup for this dish thirty minutes.

Pineapple Sherbet.—A pint and a half can of pineapple, or, if fresh fruit is used, one large pineapple, a scant pint of sugar, a pint of water, one tablespoonful of gelatine. Soak the gelatine an hour in enough cold water to cover it. Cut the hearts and eyes from the fruit, chop it fine and add to it the sugar and juice from the can. Have half the water hot and dissolve the gelatine in it. Stir this and the cold water into the pineapple. Freeze. This sherbet will be white and creamy.

Strawberry Sherbet.—Two quarts of strawberries, one pint of sugar, one pint and a half of water, one tablespoonful of gelatine. Mash the berries and sugar together, and let them stand two hours. Soak the gelatine in cold water to cover. Add one pint of water to the berries, and strain. Dissolve the gelatine in half a pint of boiling water; add this to the strained mixture, and freeze.

Strawberry Sherbet No. 2.—One pint and a half of strawberry juice, one pint of sugar, one pint and a half of water, the juice of two lemons. Boil the water and sugar together for twenty minutes, add the lemon and strawberry juice. Strain and freeze.

Raspberry Sherbet.—This sherbet is made the same as the strawberry. When raspberries are not in season, use the canned or preserved fruit and a smaller quantity of sugar. The juice of a lemon or two is always an improvement. This sherbet can also be made by following the second rule for strawberry sherbet.

Currant Sherbet.—One pint of currant juice, one pint and a half of water, the juice of one lemon, one pint of sugar, one tablespoonful of gelatine. Have the gelatine soaked in cold water and dissolve it in half a pint of boiling water. Mix it with the pint of cold water, the sugar, lemon and currant juice, and freeze.

Frozen Strawberries.—Two quarts of fresh berries, one pint of sugar, one quart of water. Boil the water and sugar together half an hour, then add the berries, and cook fifteen minutes longer. Let this cool, and freeze. When beater is taken out add one pint of whipped cream. Preserved fruit may be used in this case, to each quart of fruit one quart of water, and freeze.

Frozen Raspberries.—Prepare raspberries the same as strawberries. When cold add the juice of three lemons, and freeze.

Frozen Apricots.—One can of apricots, a generous pint of sugar, a quart of water, a pint of whipped cream—measured after being whipped. Cut apricots in small pieces, add sugar and water, freeze.

Frozen Peaches.—One can of peaches, one heaping pint of granulated sugar, one quart of water, two cupfuls of whipped cream. Boil sugar and water together for twenty minutes, then add peaches, and cook twenty minutes longer. Rub through a sieve, and when cool, freeze. When the beater is taken out stir in the whipped cream with a spoon.

Biscuit Glace.—One pint of cream whipped to a froth, a dozen and a half macaroons, three eggs, half a cupful of water, two-thirds of a cupful of sugar, a teaspoonful of vanilla. Boil the sugar and water together for half an hour, beat the eggs and stir into the boiling syrup. Place the saucepan containing the mixture in another of boiling water, and beat for eight minutes. Take from the fire, place the saucepan in a pan of cold water, and beat mixture until cold. Then add flavor and whipped cream. Stir well and fill paper cases. Have the macaroons rolled fine and browned. Put a layer of crumbs on the cream in the cases. Place these in an ice cream mould, cover well and bury in ice and salt for at least two hours. Serve on fancy plates.

Glace Meringue.—One quart of cream, one large cupful of granulated sugar and six tablespoonfuls of powdered, one tablespoonful of vanilla, the whites of six eggs, one cupful of milk, one tablespoonful of gelatine, soaked an hour in four of cold water. Let the milk come to a boil, and stir the gelatine into it. Strain into the cream, add the vanilla and granulated sugar; turn into the tin and freeze. When the mixture is frozen (it will usually require twenty minutes), take out the beater and pack the cream smoothly, being careful to have the top perfectly smooth. Set away until serving time. It should stand, at least, an hour. When ready to serve, beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and gradually beat into this the powdered sugar. Turn the cream out, and cover every part of it with the meringue. Brown in a hot oven and serve immediately. If the dish is flat put a board under it; this keeps the heat from the bottom. Glace meringue is a beautiful dish.

Bombe Glace.—One quart of strawberry or raspberry sherbet, one pint of sugar, one pint and a half of water, the yolks of eighteen eggs, one large tablespoonful of vanilla. Boil the sugar and water together twenty minutes, beat the yolks of the eggs very light. Place the saucepan with the syrup in another pan of boiling water; stir the eggs into this syrup and beat with a whisk for ten minutes. Take from the fire, place the basin in a pan of cold water, and continue beating for ten or fifteen minutes. Pack an ice cream mould in ice and salt. Take the sherbet from the freezer and spread on the sides and bottom of the mould. When it is hard put the cooked mixture in the center, being careful not to disturb the sherbet. Cover with a piece of thick white paper. Put on the cover, and cover the top of the mould with salt and ice. Bombe glace can be made with any kind of sherbet, having the center part flavored to correspond with the sherbet. The handsomest dishes are, of course, made with the brightest colored sherbets.

Plain Blanc Mange.—To one quart of boiling milk add two tablespoonfuls of corn starch dissolved in a little cold milk. Sweeten and let it boil long enough to thicken. Pour into cups, and when cold serve in glass dishes with a sweet jelly and rich cream. This makes a very simple and wholesome dish. Always cook custards in inner vessels, as they are not so apt to scorch. A frozen custard is a delight in hot weather.

Pineapple Water Ice.—One pound of pineapple, peeled, sliced and reduced to a pulp by pounding. Rub through a fine sieve. Wash the dregs with half pint of cold water. Add one pint of syrup (made by boiling one pint of water with quarter of a pound of sugar) and juice of one lemon. Freeze.

Raspberry Ice.—One and one-half pints of raspberry juice, made by pressing the fruit through a sieve. One pint of syrup. One glass of currant juice, or juice of half a lemon. Freeze.

Cherry Ice.—Two pounds of cherries picked, pounded and boiled with a gill of water in a porcelain vessel. Rub through a sieve. Add one pint of thick syrup, one pint of cream, and a few drops of essence of the kernels. Mix. Freeze twenty minutes.

Blackberry Ice.—Put as many blackberries as you wish to stew, and sweeten to taste. When done put in a bag and strain. When cold, freeze.

Macaroni Custard.—Take one quart of milk, set it on to boil. Mix one-half tablespoonful of butter and three of flour, and stir into the boiling milk. Beat the yolks of six eggs with one-half cup of sugar. Stir into the milk, and take from fire to cool. Flavor with vanilla, then crumble one dozen fresh macaroons over the top and pile on the meringue. Serve ice cold.

Boiled Custard.—One quart of milk, two eggs, one tablespoonful of corn starch, one teacup of sugar. Flavor with vanilla. Boil milk and sugar, then add starch and eggs well beaten together. Place on ice before serving.

Floating Island.—One quart of milk, four eggs—whites and yolks beaten separately—four tablespoonfuls of sugar, two teaspoonfuls vanilla, one-half cup of currant jelly. Heat the milk to scalding, but not boiling. Beat the yolks, stir into them the sugar and pour upon them gradually, mixing well a cup of hot milk. Return to saucepan and boil until it begins to thicken. Pour into glass dish. Heap upon the top meringue of whites whipped very stiff, into which you have beaten the jelly, a teaspoonful at a time. Serve ice cold.

Blanc Mange.—Sweeten one quart of cream and flavor to suit the taste. Dissolve one tablespoon of gelatine in hot water and pour into the cream. Set on ice and serve with whipped cream.

Corn Starch Blanc Mange.—Dissolve three tablespoonfuls of corn starch in one pint of milk. Add three teaspoonfuls of sugar and three beaten eggs. Put this mixture into a pint of boiling milk. Flavor to taste. Pour into cup. Serve with jelly and whipped cream.

Velvet Blanc Mange.—Two cups of sweet cream. One-half cup of gelatine dissolved in hot water. One-half cup of powdered sugar. One small glass of white wine. Flavor with almond extract. Boil cream, sugar and gelatine until it is smooth, then take it from the fire and flavor by adding the wine last. Stir well and put in fancy mould on ice. Serve with cream.

Lemon Jelly.—To a package of gelatine add one pint of cold water and the juice of four lemons. In an hour it will be sufficiently dissolved to add a pint of boiling water and three scant cups of sugar. Let it just come to a boil. Strain through cheese cloth into fancy moulds. Set on ice, and serve with rich cream.

Strawberry Ice.—Crush three quarts of strawberries with two and one-half pounds of sugar. Let them stand an hour. Squeeze through a straining bag. Add an equal amount of water to the juice, and when half frozen add the beaten whites of three eggs. Any juicy fruit may be prepared in the same manner, currants and raspberries being especially good.

Snow Pudding.—Dissolve in one pint of boiling water half a box of good gelatine. When cold add juice of one lemon and small cup of sugar. Strain well and add the well beaten whites of three eggs. Mix well and pour into mould. When ice-cold serve with a custard made of the yolks of eggs and a pint of cream or milk. Sweeten and flavor to taste.

ICED BEVERAGES.

Iced Coffee.—One quart of strong coffee, one quart of cream, one and three-fourths of a pint of granulated sugar. Freeze.

Iced Teas are now served to considerable extent during warm weather. They are used without milk, and the addition of sugar serves only to destroy the finer tea flavor. It may be prepared early in the day, taking care to make it stronger than when served hot. Place in refrigerator, and when ready to serve, have crushed ice in the tumblers, which are nicer for the purpose than cups, as the tea looks pretty poured through the ice.

Lemonade.—Juice of half a lemon to each goblet of water. Sweeten to taste and pour over crushed ice.

Jelly Water.—Sour jellies dissolved in water make delicious drinks for fever patients. Best always to boil the jelly in water, then cool. In this way the jelly does not become lumpy.

A Cooling Drink.—Pour three quarts of water on an ounce of cream of tartar. Stir in it the juice of a fresh lemon and the peel cut in very thin strips without a particle of pulp. Sweeten to taste. Let stand till cold and clear. Pour off without disturbing sediment at the bottom. A tumblerful iced is a pleasant and healthful beverage for a warm day.

Egg Lemonade.—White of an egg, juice of one lemon, one tablespoonful sugar, one tumbler of water. Beat well together. Serve cold.

Gum Arabic Water.—One teaspoonful gum arabic. One tumbler cold water. Allow it to stand long enough to dissolve. Flavor with jelly, lemon, or any fruit syrup.

Sago Milk.—Three tablespoonfuls sago, soaked in a cup of cold water one hour. Add three cups of boiling milk. Sweeten and flavor to suit taste. Simmer slowly half an hour. Eat warm. Tapioca milk is prepared in the same manner.