There is no dish, perhaps, that comes to table which gives such general satisfaction as well prepared soup; let the appetite be vigorous or delicate, an excellent soup will always prove grateful to it; and as this is beyond contradiction, it should be the province of the cook to be always in a position to produce it at a short notice.

There should always be plenty of dried herbs in the store closet, these may be purchased chiefly in quantities at the beginning of the autumn, of any market-gardener. Herbs may be very well kept, as indeed they are usually, in paper bags; they should be all labelled. When time is an important object, the necessity for this is obvious - they are always to be had when wanted, and the bag should be immediately replaced after using.

There should be a saucepan, or a kettle of iron well tinned, kept for soup only; the lid should fit tightly; one will be found to answer all purposes, being especially useful as a "stock-pot." The inexperienced reader will understand by the term "stock-pot," that soups being of two kinds, brown and white, have different foundations, that of brown being always beef, and that of white, veal; there are many ingredients in each, and it is the various articles which, when put together, are called " stock," hence the soup utensil is technically termed the stock-pot.

When fat remains on any soup, a tea-cupful of flour and water mixed quite smooth, and boiled in it, will make it rise as scum, when it may be taken off.

If richness or greater consistency be wanted, a good lump of butter mixed with flour, and boiled in the soup, will give either of these qualities.

Long boiling is necessary to give the full flavor of the ingredients, therefore time should be allowed for soups and gravies. Skim frequently and simmer slowly; but do not let the broth cool until it is completely made.

Be sparing in the use of pepper, salt, and spices.

If onions are too strong, boil a turnip with them, and it will render them mild.

Do not keep either soups or gravies in any vessel of tin or copper; and in stirring soup, do it always with a wooden spoon.

Arrow-root, or the mere farina or flour of the potato, is far better for the thickening of soups than wheaten flour.

The basis of all well-made soups, is composed of what English cooks call "Stock," or broth, made from all sorts of meat, bones and the remains of poultry or game; all of which may be put together and stewed down in the "Stock-pot;" the contents of which are, by the French, termed Consomme. This is chiefly used for the preparation of brown or gravy soups: that intended for white soups being rather differently compounded, though made in nearly the same manner.

To the medley of ingredients, add carrots cut in thin slices, herbs, onions, pepper, and salt; when it has stewed slowly for a short time, pour in the boiling water in proportion to the quantity of meat and soup required; then stew it until it is of a rich consistency, take it from the fire, let it cool, remove the pot.

If required the following day, care should be taken that the deposit or sediment is removed, as also the fat previous to warming; if kept long the pans must be changed; there is as much danger in red glazed earthenware as in metal pans; the latter should never be employed to keep gravies in, if possible. Wherever greater richness is. required, it may be obtained by the addition of the jelly of cow-heel, or a lump of butter and flour.

Remember, soup is richer and better for being made the previous day, or even two or three days previously to its being required, if it be warmed each day; to be really good it must be well stewed.

Seasonings For Soups

Spices should be put whole into soups; allspice is one of the best, though it is not so highly esteemed as it deserves. Seville orange-juice has a finer and milder acid than lemon-juice; but both should be used with caution. Sweet herbs, for soups and broths, consist of knotted marjoram, thyme, and parsley, - a sprig of each tied together. The older and drier onions are, the stronger their flavor; in dry seasons, also, they are very strong: the quantity should be proportioned accordingly. Although celery may be generally obtained for soup throughout the year, it may be useful to know, that dried celery-seed is an excellent substitute. It is so strongly flavored, that a drachm of whole seed will enrich half a gallon of soup as much as two heads of celery. Mushrooms are much used, and when they cannot be obtained, fresh mushroom ketchup Mill answer the purpose, but it should be used very sparingly, as nothing is more difficult to remove than the over-flavoring of ketchup. A piece of butter, in proportion to the liquid, mixed with flour, and added to the soup, when boiling, will enrich and thicken it. The finer flavoring articles, as ketchup, spices, wines, juice, etc, should not be added till the soup is nearly done. A good proportion of wine is a gill to three pints of soup; this is as much as can be used without the vinous flavor predominating, which is never the case in well made soups. Wine should be added late in the making, as it evaporates very quickly in boiling. Be cautious of over-seasoning soups with pepper, salt, spices, or herbs, for it is a fault that can seldom be remedied; any provision over-salted is spoiled. A teaspoon-ful of sugar is a good addition in flavoring soups. Vermicelli is added to soups in the proportion of a quarter of a pound for a tureen of soup for eight persons; it should be broken, then blanched in cold water, and is better if stewed in broth before it is put into the soup.