Classic Cook Books
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page 193
There is an art in doing up muslins, which will take but little time when once
it is acquired. The same directions answer for clear starching crape, (which
must first be bleached as flannels are done,) and add some drop lake to the blue
coloring. In cold weather, to rub your hands over with a little clean tallow
prevents them from chapping, and will not alter the appearance of the muslin.
To make Corn Starch.
Gather the corn when it is a proper age for table use; have a large tin grater,
and grate the corn into a clean vessel, into which drop the cobs as you grate
them until the vessel is about half full; rub the cobs and squeeze them dry as
possible, and put them into another vessel of clean water; rub and squeeze them
again; the third rinsing will take all the starch out; let it settle, and then
pour all the starch together and strain it through a coarse cloth, and then
through a flannel, and let it settle until the next morning, when you will find
a thick yellow substance under the water, covering the pure white article in the
bottom of the vessel; remove the yellow substance and pour clean water on the
starch and stir it up; as soon as it settles thoroughly again, pour off the
water and put the starch on dishes, and set it in the sun to dry. When you want
to use it, moisten it with cold water and pour boiling water on, till it is the
right consistency for use. It requires no boiling.
Potato Starch.
Pare the potatoes and scrape or grate them in a pan of water; when this is done
stir them well, and let them stand a few minutes to settle; pour off the water
and
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Classic Cook Books
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