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CHAPTER XXXVI: Wash

Wash clams with a small brush, and put in a kettle with cupful water. When the clams at the top have opened, take them out with a skimmer, and when cool enough to handle, take the clams from the shells; remove the thin skin; cut off all the black end (cut the "leather straps" into small pieces), leaving the soft part whole. Let the clam liquor set, and pour it off carefully. Use half water and half clam liquor.

Fry the pork and onion; add the potatoes, which have been soaked and scalded, and boiling water to cover.

When the potatoes are soft, add the clam liquor, seasoning, and clams; when warmed through, add the hot milk, and turn into the tureen over broken crackers.-MARY J. LINCOLN.

Old-Fashioned Bean Soup (New England recipe). 2 cupfuls white beans, 3 pints cold water, 4 ounces lean salt pork, 1 cupful chopped celery, carrot, 1 onion.

Soak beans for several hours in cold water; then drain and put them with the pork over the fire; wash and scald in boiling water; add to the beans as soon as they boil celery, carrot, and onion; cover and cook till the beans are tender; then strain the soup, season to taste with salt, and serve with small pieces of toasted bread. This soup may be served without being strained-some people prefer to have the beans whole in the soup. A little beef extract and cupful cream is always an improvement, but the soup is very nice without them.

Herb Soup. 1 cupful finely shredded spinach, ½ cupful shredded sorrel, 1 blanched and sliced leek, White heart leaves head lettuce, 4 potatoes, 3 teaspoonfuls salt, MRS. CURTIS'S COOKBOOK 4 tablespoonfuls butter, 1 tablespoonful chervil, 2 quarts boiling water, pint croutons.

Have the sorrel, spinach, and lettuce fresh, tender, and free from tough midribs. Wash and shred.

Cut the washed leek into thin slices.

Put in the stewpan with the butter and cook fifteen minutes, being careful not to brown. Now add the potatoes, salt, and boiling water. When the soup begins to boil, draw the stewpan back where the contents will cook gently for one hour. At the end of this time, crush the potatoes with a fork, add the chervil, and simmer five minutes longer. Turn into the soup tureen, add the croutons, and serve.

If preferred, the soup may be rubbed through a purée sieve, returned to the fire, and when boiling hot be poured on the yolks of 2 eggs which have been beaten with 2 tablespoonfuls milk.

This soup may be varied indefinitely.

Any number of green vegetables can be employed in making it, care being taken to use only a small quantity of those of pronounced flavor. MARIA PARLOA.