The Thursday News - Food Network 1800

 LINCOLN, RUTLAND & STAMFORD MERCURY

31st January 1800

The POTATOE SOUP recommended by Mr TURNOR at Bourn Sessions, is prepared as follows: (see pamphlet entitled "Information for Overseers": Put an Ox´s Head, well washed, into 13 gallons of water, add a peck and a half of pared potatoes, half a quartem of onions, a few carrots and a handful of pat herbs, thicken it with two quarts of oatmeal (or barley meal) and add pepper and salt to your taste. Set it to stew with a gentle fire early in the afternoon, allowing as little evaporation as may be, and not skimming off the fat, but leaving the whole to stew gently over the fire, which should be renewed and made up at night. Make a small fire under the boiler at seven o´clock in the morning, and keep adding as much water as will make up the loss by evaporation, keeping it gently stewing until noon, when it will be ready to serve for dinner. The whole may be divided into 52 messes, each containing (by a previous division of meat and fat), a piece of meat and fat and a quart of savoury nourishing soup. The expenses of the meals are: Ox´s Head 2 shillings and 6 pence; Potatoes, onions, etc 1 shilling and 1 penny; 2 Qts of Oatmeal 11 pence; Cost exclusive of fire and cooking: 4 shillings and 6 pence.