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106 DOMESTIC COOKERY AND

They should be kept in a cold place, and if they are
frozen there is no danger of their spoiling; but if there
comes on a thaw, change the salt and water; soak them
in fresh water all night before you boil them; in this
way they are good to eat with pepper and vinegar while
hot, or may be dipped in batter and fried after they are
cold.

To Make Souse.

Boil the feet till the bones come out easily; pick out
all the large bones, pack them in a stone pan with pepper
and salt, and cover it with vinegar; they may be eaten
cold, or dipped in flour and fried. Another way is to
pick out all the bones, season them with salt, pepper
and sage, and warm them up as you want to use them.

Pigs' feet, after being boiled, are very nice stewed as
terrapins; make the gravy with butter and water; they
are nourishing food for delicate persons.

Vessels for salting meat should be cleaned well after
the meat is hung up, and set on boards in the cellar; if
they do not smell sweet, they should be washed and
soaked before meat is packed in them again; you should
see that the hoops are sound, and have covers made to
fit them; if taken care of in this way, they will last a
number of years.

Butter.

It is of the first importance that every thing connected
with milk and butter should be kept clean; if the milk
acquires an unpleasant taste, it communicates it to the
butter. Tin pans are best to keep milk in, and they
should be painted on the outside to keep them from rusting
when they are put in water.

In summer, milk should be kept as cool as possible;
before it is strained, the pans and strainer should be
rinsed with cold water, and the milk not covered until
it is cold; as soon as the cream rises sufficiently, it
should be skimmed, and put in a large tin bucket with
a lid that fits down tight, and stirred every day. Butter
will be spoiled by neglecting to stir the cream; a yellow