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under the name of 'extract,' 'essence,' or otherwise. From these preparations, when purchased wholesale, nutritious cocoa may be made at a cost of about 4d. per gallon, and may therefore be sold at 1d. a pint or ½d. a cup. The addition of a little hot milk and sugar is necessary. Where the price charged is 1d. per cup, the proportions of cocoa and milk should be increased.
Meat.—The supply of solid food of various kinds should be regulated with due regard to the habits and requirements of the neighbourhood. In large towns hot dinners from the joint may be served with advantage where facilities for the purpose exist. The profit directly realised does not correspond with the increase of working expenses, and there is some risk of loss, especially until the trade has been fully established, but, on the other hand, customers are attracted to the house, and the people of the neighbourhood are benefited. Or there may be a demand for chops and steaks, which may be profitably supplied at 7d. or 8d. each without risk. Hot dinners are less necessary, however, where accommodation is provided for working people to bring their own meat to be cooked, as already described (page 20). Cold boiled beef and ham are more easily served, and should, as a general rule, be provided. In some houses small plates covered with thin slices of boiled beef or ham are sold for 2d., and are largely in demand. In other houses plates of cold meat are not supplied under 4d. or 6d. If the best joints for boiled beef—silver sides, or, for a large trade, buttocks—can be obtained wholesale at about 9d. per lb., and good American hams wholesale at about 65s. per cwt., or 7d. per lb.; these prices will admit of a twopenny plate being sold with a sufficient margin of profit. Care, however, is necessary in the purchase of the latter, otherwise a parcel may be obtained which may prove unsaleable. When English hams are purchased at about 10d. per lb. the price of the plate must be increased, the waste in cooking being considerable. Sausages may be served hot from the counter—beef sausage and potato or bread for 2d., and pork sausage
