Time.—40 to 45 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. 9d. to 2s.
The Olive (Fr. olive).—The picturesque olive-tree is indigenous to Syria and other warm Asiatic countries, and flourishes in Spain and Italy. It was well-known in Greece, Solon, in the sixth century, b.c., enacting laws for its cultivation. By Greek colonists it was introduced into the countries bordering upon the Mediterranean, and is now also cultivated in Peru and California. The olive was first planted in England in the seventeenth century, but its fruit does not ripen in the open air in northern climates. From early ages the olive-tree has been highly esteemed both for its fruit, and for the valuable oil extracted from it. Many associations sacred and classic are connected with the olive-tree, which by the Romans was held to be sacred to the goddess Minerva. Wreaths of wild olive constituted the prizes awarded to the victors in the classic races at Olympia, and an olive branch was, and is still, regarded as the symbol of peace. The Mount of Olives was the scene of four of the principal events in the life of the Founder of Christianity, and at its foot is the traditional site of the Garden of Gethsemane. In the Old Testament many allusions are made by the prophetical and other writers to the olive. The olive-tree attains to a great age: some specimens on the Mount of Olives are estimated to have been 2,000 years in existence. Olives, commonly pickled in brine, are chiefly used in England for dessert or between courses, to remove the flavour of the viands previously eaten.
There are three principal kinds of olives which are imported, those from Provence, in France from Spain, and from Italy: those from Lucca are esteemed the best. One species of olive, Olea fragrans, is largely used by the Chinese to perfume tea. The wood of the olive-tree is a yellowish-brown, and is employed for inlaying and ornamental purposes. The wood of an American species, Olea Americana, from its excessive hardness, is called "devil-wood." From the fruit of the olive-tree the valuable olive-oil is obtained, the quality of the oil differing according to the soil on which the olive is grown, and the care taken in extracting and preparing it. It is much used as an article of food in the countries where it is produced, and enters into the composition of many dishes. In England it is chiefly used for dressing-salads, and other culinary purposes. Olive-oil, the lightest of all the fixed oils, is used in medicine, and also in the arts and manufactures. "Gallipoli oil" is largely employed in Turkey-red dyeing, and for making special kinds of soap. Sardines are preserved in olive-oil.
260.—ORANGE SAUCE. (Fr.—Sauce au Jus d'Orange.)
Ingredients.—1 orange, ½ pint Espagnole sauce, ½ pint stock, or roast meat gravy, lemon juice, red currant jelly, salt, pepper.
Method.—Peel an orange thinly, and cut the peel into strips (julienne fashion), put them in a stewpan with sufficient water to cover, boil for 5 minutes, and drain in a sieve. Put in a stewpan, the Espagnole sauce, stock, and ½ the juice of the orange. Allow all to reduce to half its quantity. Add the orange peel, a teaspoonful of lemon-juice, and a teaspoonful of red currant jelly, season with pepper and salt, boil up again, and serve with roast wild duck, wild boar, or other game.
Time.—25 to 30 minutes. Average Cost, 10d., without the stock.
261.—ORANGE SAUCE. (Fr.—Sauce à l'Orange.) (For Roast Wild Duck, Wild Fowl, Widgeon, Veal, etc.)
Ingredients.—½ a gill of brown sauce, 1 gill gravy, juice of an orange, salt and pepper, the end of an orange finely shredded.
Mix the brown sauce with the meat gravy; to this add the juice of the orange, and boil. Skim, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the rind of ½ an orange, boil again, and serve.
