You now have a delicious and nutritious broth, without seasoning of any kind, which will keep in cold weather four or five days.  In warm weather it must be returned every second day to the pot, brought to a boil and skimmed and then left to cool and finally put in the ice box.  Small portions of meat, ham, any trimming and bones that have accumulated may be added.  Chicken feet, scalded in boiling water to loosen the outer skin, which must be peeled off, together with the giblets of fowl, may be added to the stock pot.  Seasoning and the addition of vegetables cause it to sour.  Many varieties of soup are possible with the use of this stock.

OYSTER GUMBO

Mince two medium-sized onions very fine and then place in a saucepan and add

  One pint of hot water,
  One pint of oyster liquid,
  One pint of milk.

Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes.  Now add

  One-half cup of flour dissolved in
  One-half cup of milk.

Stir well until it reaches the boiling point, and then add

  Twenty-five oysters,
  One tablespoon of file (gumbo powder),
  One ounce of butter.

Cook for five minutes and then pour the gumbo into a tureen and add three tablespoons of finely chopped parsley.  File, or gumbo powder, is made by the Choxtaw Indians from young sassafras leaves.  The Indians gather the leaves, spread them upon the bark to dry and then grind them into a fine powder, put it through a fine sieve and then pack it into pouches or jars.  It is sold in the French markets in New Orleans and in all high-class importing groceries.  The Indians use the sassafras both medicinally and in cookery, and the Creoles quickly discovered this and appreciated it when making their famous gumbo or file.

VEGETABLE SOUP

One pint of stock, one cup of tomato pulp, made by scalding the peeling of tomatoes, or the canned tomatoes, may be used, and

  One-half cup of diced potatoes,
  One-half cup of mixed vegetables; cabbage, turnips and peas, may
          be added
  One-half carrot cut in dice,
  One tablespoon of parsley,
  Two tablespoons of flour,
  Salt and pepper to taste,
  Portion of bunch of potherbs.

Take a bunch of potherbs, divide into small bunches and tie each with a string and then use one of these in the vegetable soup.  Put the remainder of the herbs in a fruit jar until needed again.

Put the herbs in the stock, add the tomatoes and let simmer.  Cook the vegetables in one pint of water until tender and then add water and all to the stock and add the seasoning and flour, mixed with a little cold water, and cook for five minutes.

TO MAKE NOODLES

  One egg,
  One tablespoon of water,
  One-half teaspoon of salt.