essays-1-第51部分

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When　the　Indian　meal　is　previously　prepared　by　boiling；　in　the　manner　here　described；　a　most　excellent；　and　very　palatable　kind　of　bread；　not　inferior　to　wheaten　bread；　may　be　made　of　equal　parts　of　this　meal　and　of　common　wheat　flour。

But　the　most　simple；　and　I　believe　the　best；　and　most　economical　way　of　employing　Indian　Corn　as　Food；　is　to　make　it　into　puddings。There　is；　as　I　have　already　observed；　a　certain　rawness　in　the　taste　of　it；　which　nothing　but　long　boiling　can　remove；　but　when　that　disagreeable　taste　is　removed；　it　becomes　extremely　palatable；　and　that　it　is　remarkably　wholesome；　has　been　proved　by　so　much　experience　that　no　doubts　can　possibly　be　entertained　of　that　fact。

The　culture　of　it　required　more　labour　than　most　other　kinds　of　grain；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　the　produce　is　very　abundant；　and　it　is　always　much　cheaper　than　either　wheat　or　rye。　The　price　of　it　in　the　Carolinas；　and　in　Georgia；　has　often　been　as　low　as　eighteen　pence；　and　sometimes　as　one　shilling　sterling　per　bushel；but　the　Indian　Corn　which　is　grown　in　those　southern　states　is　much　inferior；　both　in　weight　and　in　its　qualities；　to　that　which　is　the　produce　of　colder　climates。Indian　Corn　of　the　growth　of　Canada；　and　the　New　England　states；　which　is　generally　thought　to　be　worth　twenty　per　cent。　more　per　bushel　than　that　which　is　grown　in　the　southern　states；　may　commonly　be　bought　for　two　and　sixpence；　or　three　shillings　a　bushel。

It　is　now　three　shillings　and　sixpence　a　bushel　at　Boston；　but　the　prices　of　provisions　of　all　kinds　have　been　much　raised　of　late　in　all　parts　of　America；　owing　to　the　uncommonly　high　prices　which　are　paid　for　them　in　the　European　markets　since　the　commencement　of　the　present　war。

Indian　Corn　and　rye　are　very　nearly　of　the　same　weight；　but　the　former　gives　rather　more　flour；　when　ground　and　sifted；　than　the　latter。I　find　by　a　report　of　the　Board　of　Agriculture；　of　the　10th　of　November　1795；　that　three　bushels　of　Indian　Corn　weighed　1　cwt。　1　qr。　18　lb。　（or　53　lb。　each　bushel）；　and　gave　1　cwt。　20　lb。　of　flour　and　26　lb。　of　bran；　while　three　bushels　of　rye；　weighing　1　cwt。　1　qr。　22　lb。　（or　54　lb。　the　bushel）；　gave　only　1　cwt。　17　lb。　of　flour　and　28　lb。　of　bran。　But　I　much　suspect　that　the　Indian　Corn　used　in　these　experiments　was　not　of　the　best　quality＇13＇。

I　saw　some　of　it；　and　it　appeared　to　me　to　be　of　that　kind　which　is　commonly　grown　in　the　southern　states　of　North　America。　Indian　Corn　of　the　growth　of　colder　climates　is；　probably；　at　least　as　heavy　as　wheat；　which　weights　at　a　medium　about　58　lb。　per　bushel；　and　I　imagine　it　will　give　nearly　as　much　flour＇14＇。

In　regard　to　the　most　advantageous　method　of　using　Indian　Corn　as　Food；　I　would　strongly　recommend；　particularly　when　it　is　employed　for　feeding　the　Poor；　a　dish　made　of　it　that　is　in　the　highest　estimation　throughout　America；　and　which　is　really　very　good；　and　very　nourishing。　　This　is　called　hasty…pudding；　and　it　is　made　in　the　following　manner：　A　quantity　of　water；　proportioned　to　the　quantity　of　hasty…pudding　intended　to　be　made；　is　put　over　the　fire　in　an　open　iron　pot；　or　kettle；　and　a　proper　quantity　of　salt　for　seasoning　the　pudding　being　previously　dissolved　in　the　water；　Indian　meal　is　stirred　into　it；　by　little　and　little；　with　a　wooded　spoon　with　a　long　handle；　while　the　water　goes　on　to　be　heated　and　made　to　boil；　great　care　being　taken　to　put　in　the　meal　by　very　small　quantities；　and　by　sifting　it　slowly　through　the　fingers　of　the　left　hand；　and　stirring　the　water　about　very　briskly　at　the　same　time　with　the　wooden　spoon；　with　the　right　hand；　to　mix　the　meal　with　the　water　in　such　a　manner　as　to　prevent　lumps　being　formed。　The　meal　should　be　added　so　slowly；　that；　when　the　water　is　brought　to　boil；　the　mass　should　not　be　thicker　than　water…gruel；　and　half　an　hour　more；　at　least；　should　be　employed　to　add　the　additional　quantity　of　meal　necessary　for　bringing　the　pudding　to　be　of　the　proper　consistency；　during　which　time　it　should　be　stirred　about　continually；　and　kept　constantly　boiling。　The　method　of　determining　when　the　pudding　has　acquired　the　proper　consistency　is　this；the　wooden　spoon　used　for　stirring　it　being　placed　upright　in　the　middle　of　the　kettle；　if　it　falls　down；　more　meal　must　be　added；　but　if　the　pudding　is　sufficiently　thick　and　adhesive　to　support　it　in　a　vertical　position；　it　is　declared　to　be　PROOF；　and　no　more　meal　is　added。If　the　boiling；　instead　of　being　continued　only　half　an　hour；　be　prolonged　to　three　quarters　of　an　hour；　or　an　hour；　the　pudding　will　be　considerably　improved　by　this　prolongation。

This　hasty…pudding；　when　done；　may　be　eaten　in　various　ways。　It　may　be　put；　while　hot；　by　spoonfuls　into　a　bowl　of　milk；　and　eaten　with　the　milk　with　a　spoon；　in　lieu　of　bread；　and　used　in　this　way　it　is　remarkably　palatable。It　may　likewise　be　eaten；　while　hot；　with　a　sauce　composed　of　butter　and　brown　sugar；　or　butter　and　molasses；　with　or　without　a　few　drops　of　vinegar；　and　however　people　who　have　not　been　accustomed　to　this　American　cookery　may　be　prejudiced　against　it；　they　will　find　upon　trial　that　it　makes　a　most　excellent　dish；　and　one　which　never　fails　to　be　much　liked　by　those　who　are　accustomed　to　it。　The　universal　fondness　of　Americans　for　it　proves　that　it　must　have　some　merit；for　in　a　country　which　produces　all　the　delicacies　of　the　table　in　the　greatest　abundance；　it　is　not　to　be　supposed　that　a　whole　nation　should　have　a　taste　so　depraved　as　to　give　a　decided　preference　to　any　particular　species　of　Food　which　has　not　something　to　recommend　it。

The　manner　in　which　hasty…pudding　is　eaten　with　butter　and　sugar；　or　butter　and　molasses；　in　America；　is　as　follows：　The　hasty…pudding　being　spread　out　equally　upon　a　plate；　while　hot；　an　excavation　is　made　in　the　middle　of　it；　with　a　spoon；　into　which　excavation　a　piece　of　butter；　as　large　as　a　nutmeg；　is　put；　and　upon　it；　a　spoonful　of　brown　sugar；　or　more　commonly　of　molasses。　The　butter　being　soon　melted　by　the　heat　of　the　pudding；　mixes　with　the　sugar；　or　molasses；　and　forms　a　sauce；　which；　being　confined　in　the　excavation　made　for　it；　occupies　the　middle　of　the　plate。The　pudding　is　then　eaten　with　a　spoon；　each　spoonful　of　it　being　dipt　into　the　sauce　before　it　is　carried　to　the　mouth；　care　being　had　in　taking　it　up；　to　begin　on　the　outside；　or　near　the　brim　of　the　plate；　and　to　approach　the　center　by　regular　advances；　in　order　not　to　demolish　too　soon　the　excavation　which　forms　the　reservoir　for　the　sauce。

If　I　am　prolix　in　these　descriptions；　my　reader　must　excuse　me；　for　persuaded　as　I　am　that　the　action　of　Food　upon　the　palate；　and　consequently　the　pleasure　of　eating；　depends　very　much　indeed　upon　the　MANNER　in　which　the　Food　is　applied　to　the　organs　of　taste；　I　have　thought　it　necessary　to　mention；　and　even　to　illustrate　in　the　clearest　manner；　every　circumstance　which　appeared　to　me　to　have　influence　in　producing　those　important　effects。

In　the　case　in　question；　as　it　is　the　sauce　alone　which　gives　taste　and　palatableness　to　the　Food；　and　consequently　is　the　cause　of　the　pleasure　enjoyed　in　eating　it；　the　importance　of　applying；　or　using　it；　in　such　a　manner　as　to　produce　the　greatest　and　most　durable　effect　possible　on　the　organ