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Souse, or Pig's Feet

Clean the feet carefully, and pour over them hot water sufficient to cover. Boil slowly until the meat will separate from the bones; then take them up carefully on a skimmer, and place them in a stone jar, taking out the largest bones. Set the water aside in a cool place to be used later.

Allow one quart of strong vinegar to four good-sized feet and uppers (which are always sold with the feet). Place the vinegar on the fire, adding four bay leaves; one tablespoon of whole cloves; one tablespoon of broken cinnamon; one-fourth of a teacup of salt; two teaspoons of pepper; one-half onion, cut in eighths; one blade of mace.

Steep all these slowly in the vinegar for forty-five minutes, being careful that the vinegar does not boil rapidly at any time. Remove from the water in which the feet were boiled all the fat, which by this time will have formed in a cake on the top, and save it for cooking purposes. Add one quart of the water to the vinegar unless the latter is not very strong, in which case less water must be added, so that the vinegar will not become too much diluted. Strain the liquid through a sieve to remove the spice, etc., and pour it over the meat in the jar, helping it through the meat with a knife and fork, until the whole is thoroughly mixed together. Set the jar in a cold place for two days, when the souse will be ready for use.