Plain Water Socles, Colored

Procure a box sufficiently wide and deep to contain all the molds needed for making the socles and sherbets; into it put a mixture of salt and ice equivalent to the quantity used for packing freezers; into this imbed the molds in such a way that they are not too close to one another, having all their sides well surrounded by the ice, so that when the water is poured into these molds their surfaces will be perfectly horizontal; for this examine the basket shown in Fig. 621. The mold for this basket is made in two pieces; imbed the bottom or foot in the salted ice; into it pour water colored green or blue and as the foot is to be of uniform tint fill it entirely, then leave to freeze. Now place the upper part of the mold in salted ice, pour in water to reach halfway, having mixed a little milk into it to render it opaque. Cover the box with a raised edge sheet of zinc and fill this with more salted ice and let freeze. As soon as the whitened water is frozen fill the remainder of the mold with red water. These colored waters should be used perfectly cold and the last ones poured in only after the first ones are congealed. The colors may be varied according to the taste of the one preparing the socles and glasses. It is most important to remember that no salted water whatever must penetrate into the molds, otherwise it will melt and eat away the ice already congealed and deteriorate the beauty of these socles and glasses. The unmolding is the same as for ices. Socles are to be dressed on folded napkins and glasses on lace papers. Ices can also be dressed on blocks of ice cut any desired size and shape. To keep these blocks together, iron rods can be procured, having on one end a sheet iron ring and on the other a nut screw to hold the whole together. These rods are to be inserted in a hole through the center of the socle formed with a tube foot in the center of the mold and held in place with butter, being careful to have it water-tight, so the liquid cannot penetrate. They can be decorated with grasses and flowers maintained by wires introduced into the water when it first begins to congeal. Blocks of all sizes can be made in square, oblong, round or oval molds, having a hollow formed in the middle; for these special molds must be procured.