the whole simmer gently, and serve fried or toasted bread with the soup.


N.B.--SPINACH EXTRACT.--It is very important in making all green vegetable
soups that they should be of a green colour, such as the one above
mentioned--green-pea soup, &c., and that we get a _good_ colour, and this
is only to be obtained by means of spinach extract. Spinach extract can be
made at home, but it will be found to be far more economical to have a
small bottle of green vegetable colouring always in the house. These
bottles can be obtained from all grocers at the cost of about tenpence or
one shilling each. Such a very small quantity goes such a long way that
one bottle would probably last a family of six persons twelve months. As
we have said, it can be made at home, but the process, though not
difficult, is troublesome. It is made as follows:--A quantity of spinach
has, after being thoroughly washed, to be pounded in a mortar until it
becomes a pulp. This pulp is then placed in a very strong, coarse cloth,
and the cloth is twisted till the juice of the spinach is squeezed out
through the cloth. The amount of force required is very considerable and
is almost beyond the power of ordinary women cooks. This juice must now be
placed in a small enamelled saucepan, and must be heated till it becomes
thick and pulpy, when it can be put by for use. It will probably be found
cheaper to buy spinach extract than to make it, as manual labour cannot
compete with machinery.


BARLEY SOUP.--Take two tablespoonfuls of pearl barley and wash it in
several waters till the water ceases to be discoloured. Put this in a
saucepan with about two quarts of water, two onions sliced up, a few
potatoes sliced very thin, and about a saltspoonful of thyme. Let the
whole boil gently for four or five hours, till the barley is quite soft and