Bonne Femme
The name given to a remarkable soup in which an attempt has been made to paint the character of a good woman. Why not? Beethoven in his Pastoral Symphony has by music alone set before us a landscape; and why should not a cook be able in a soup to symbolise womanhood? The two most important symbols which he selects are the acidity of sorrel and the softness of cream. There is a gracious sauvity in the soup, with a subacid flavour to remind one pleasantly of the little gleams of temper without which this exquisite creation could not be a woman. There is an addition of fowl or chicken broth in memory of Dame Partlet and her sisters, who love, honour, and obey the sultan of the hen-roost. And there is a good allowance of butter, to symbolize the adulation of courtship and the praises which the poet says are the wages of the sex.
Take a pound of sorrel and cut it first into narrow ribbons; then slantwise into diamonds. Put it into a stewpan and stir it on the fire, with alb. of butter, with salt, and it may be with one ounce of flour. Then add five or six pints of fowl or chicken broth, and let it simmer gently for half an hour. Take it off the fire, and add a leason of six yolks of eggs and a tumblerful of good cream. Finish it with a bit of butter and serve it with crusts.
Bonne Femme Maigre. - Omit the flour, put water for broth, and use cream of rice instead of cream.