Brown Soup.—There is an old-fashioned English
soup, often called “gravy soup” by the “good plain
cook.” For it, take three quarts of stock (that made
from mutton or any other bones will do, as it is so
coloured and flavoured that initial flavour of its own
is needless); add to it one or two onions cut into
rings and fried a dark brown, and let these boil in
the stock for sufficient time to colour and flavour
it; then strain off the liquor and add to it a
sweetened roux made thus: melt one ounce of butter
(or well clarified dripping will do), add to it a
spoonful of sugar (the size of the spoon in this case
is a matter for individual taste), and two table
spoonfuls of flour, and let it all cook slowly together
till quite a dark brown, being careful it does not
catch, or cook too fast, as in the latter case it would
become spotty, and also acrid in taste; stir it carefully
whilst cooking, to get it quite smooth, then pour
on to it about one-third of a pint from the soup, and
stir this into it, letting it all amalgamate together;
after which you add to it a wineglassful of red wine
or very dark sherry, with a tiny blade of mace, some
bruised peppercorns, and three or four cloves, pour
the rest of the soup on to this, let it all boil together
for two hours or so, then strain, and serve with fried
bread.