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Bouquet Garni

Twenty-eight vegetables which are divided into three groups. First, herbs for soup making. Second, herbs for • flavoring, seasoning or dressing, and third, garnishing herbs. And it is not too much to say, that the intelligent use of these plants, characterizes cooking at its best. Sorrel, lettuce, white, orach (or goosefoot) spinach, and green purslane, are the vegetables known as herbs potagires. The broad-leaved French sorrel is delicious, cabbage lettuce, white beets and spinach, made use of in purées, are favorites, and are daily employed for soup making in French kitchens. The second group consists of parsley perhaps the most generally liked of any herb, tarragon, chervil, chives, without which a Frenchman considers a salad incomplete, Shallots, rumes and winter savory, fennel, dill, thyme and sweet basil. Tarragon may be purchased by the root of any good seedsman, and is easily grown. Its leaves freshly gathered and a quart of good cider vinegar poured over them make the famous tarragon vinegar, which is the basis of so many nourishing sauces; let the mixture stand two weeks before pouring off, then it should be strained and squeezed through a flannel bag, bottled, corked and kept in a cool place. Anyone who has tried this once will never be without it.

Curled chervil is more beautiful than parsley, and for the flavoring and garnishing of meats and vegetables has no equal in perfume and relish. It is in great demand on the continent for soups.