Arrowroot

The Book of Household Management · Beeton, Mrs. (Isabella Mary) · 1861

Source: The Book of Household Management
Time: Cook: 2 min Total: 2 min
Yield: 0.5 pint
Status: success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe: No

Ingredients (10)

Two teaspoonfuls of arrowroot ↝ Arrowroot, raw [Vegetables and Vegetable Products]
3 tablespoonfuls of cold water ↝ Water, tap [Tap water]
1/2 pint of boiling water ↝ Water, tap [Tap water]

for serving

lump sugar ↝ Sugar, white, granulated or lump [Sugars and honey]
grated nutmeg or cinnamon, or a piece of lemon-peel ↝ Oil, nutmeg butter [Fats and Oils]
3 tablespoonfuls of port or sherry

alternative preparation with milk

3 tablespoonfuls of cold water ↝ Water, tap [Tap water]
boiling milk ↝ Milk, NFS [Milk, reduced fat]
sugar ↝ Sugar, NFS [Sugars and honey]
a little grated nutmeg or lemon-peel ↝ Oil, nutmeg butter [Fats and Oils]

Instructions (7)

Mix the arrowroot smoothly in a basin with the cold water, then pour on it the boiling water, stirring all the time.
If the water is not boiling at the time it is poured on the mixture, it will not thicken.
If mixed with hot water only, it must be put into a clean saucepan, and boiled until it thickens, but this is more trouble, and quite unnecessary if the water is boiling at first.
Put the arrowroot into a tumbler, sweeten it with lump sugar, and flavour it with grated nutmeg or cinnamon, or a piece of lemon-peel, or, when allowed, 3 tablespoonfuls of port or sherry.
Arrowroot made with milk instead of water is far nicer, but is not so easily digested.
When made with milk, mix it in the same manner, with 3 tablespoonfuls of cold water, then pour the boiling milk on it, and well stir.
When made with milk, no wine should be added, but merely sugar, and a little grated nutmeg or lemon-peel.

Original Text

TO MAKE ARROWROOT.

1855. INGREDIENTS.—Two teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, 3 tablespoonfuls of cold water, 1/2 pint of boiling water.

Mode.—Mix the arrowroot smoothly in a basin with the cold water, then pour on it the boiling water, stirring all the time. The water must be boiling at the time it is poured on the mixture, or it will not thicken; if mixed with hot water only, it must be put into a clean saucepan, and boiled until it thickens; but this is more trouble, and quite unnecessary if the water is boiling at first. Put the arrowroot into a tumbler, sweeten it with lump sugar, and flavour it with grated nutmeg or cinnamon, or a piece of lemon-peel, or, when allowed, 3 tablespoonfuls of port or sherry. As arrowroot is in itself flavourless and insipid, it is almost necessary to add the wine to make it palatable. Arrowroot made with milk instead of water is far nicer, but is not so easily digested. It should be mixed in the same manner, with 3 tablespoonfuls of cold water, the boiling milk then poured on it, and well stirred. When made in this manner, no wine should be added, but merely sugar, and a little grated nutmeg or lemon-peel.

Time.—If obliged to be boiled, 2 minutes. Average cost, 2d. per pint.

Sufficient to make 1/2 pint of arrowroot.

MISS NIGHTINGALE says, in her "Notes on Nursing," that arrowroot is a grand dependence of the nurse. As a vehicle for wine, and as a restorative quickly prepared, it is all very well, but it is nothing but starch and water; flour is both more nutritive and less liable to ferment, and is preferable wherever it can be used.

Notes

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