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About Pearson
Business
Communication
Skills, Concepts, Cases, and Applications
Fourth Edition
P.D. Chaturvedi
Former Professor and Head
Department of Languages
Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani
and
Founder
PDC Educational Services, Delhi
Mukesh Chaturvedi
Professor and Head
Food Business Management Department
NIFTEM University, Sonepat
Copyright © 2017 Pearson India Education Services Pvt. Ltd
No part of this eBook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the
publisher’s prior written consent.
This eBook may or may not include all assets that were part of the print version. The publisher
reserves the right to remove any material in this eBook at any time.
ISBN 9789332587281
eISBN 9789386873989
Head Office: 15th Floor, Tower-B, World Trade Tower, Plot No. 1, Block-C, Sector 16,
Noida 201 301, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Registered Office: 4th Floor, Software Block, Elnet Software City, TS-140,
Block 2 & 9, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Taramani, Chennai 600 113, Tamil Nadu, India.
Fax: 080-30461003, Phone: 080-30461060
www.pearson.co.in, Email: companysecretary.india@pearson.com
To the ever-loving memory of
Dr P.D. Chaturvedi
&
Mrs Pramilla Chaturvedi
Brief Contents
Prefacexxi
About the Authors xxvii
Index 427
Contents
Preface xxi
About the Authors xxvii
3. Reading Skills 21
What is reading? 21
Understanding 21
How do We Read? 21
How Do Our Eyes Move and Pause and Move? 22
Know Your Reading Speed 22
Enhancement of Reading Ability/Purpose of Reading 22
The Nature of Reading Material/The Reading Style 22
Styles of Reading 23
Slow Reading Style 23
Normal Reading Style 23
Rapid Reading Style—Skimming 23
Surveying—Process of Reading a Book, Long Article, or Report 23
Scanning 24
Know the Text Organization 25
Training of Eyes 25
Guidelines for Effective Reading 25
Do’s 25
Don’ts 27
Reading Efficiency 27
Watch the Eye Movement 27
Summary 27
Case: Chorus Reading 27
Review Your Learning 28
Reflect on Your Learning 28
Apply Your Learning 28
Self-Check Your Learning 28
Reading Exercises 29
Endnote 30
4. Speaking Skills 31
Speaking 31
The Art of Speaking 31
Goals of Speaking 31
Speaking Styles 31
The Speaking Process 33
Guidelines for Developing Speaking Skills 35
What is Oral Communication? 43
Importance of Oral Communication Skills 43
Choosing the Form of Communication 44
Principles of Successful Oral Communication 44
Guidelines for Effective Oral Communication 45
Barriers to Effective Oral Communication 46
Three Aspects of Oral Communication—Conversing, Listening,
and Body Language 46
Intercultural Oral Communication 46
Contents ix
QQ Intercultural Communication 47
Oral Communication and Electronic Media 48
Phones 48
Voice Mail 49
Conference Calls 49
Cell Phones 49
Video Conferencing 49
Summary 50
Case: Dealing with outsourcing Backlash 50
Questions to Answer 51
Review Your Learning 51
Reflect on Your Learning 51
Apply Your Learning 51
Self-check Your Learning 52
Endnotes 52
5. Conversation Skills 53
What is Conversation? 53
Social Conversation 54
Effective Conversation 56
QQ Effective Conversation: An Example 57
Conversation Control 57
Controlling the Direction of Conversation 58
Managing Negative Responses 58
Noticing and Recognizing Cues and Clues 59
Interpreting Signs and Signals 61
Avoiding Parallel Conversation 62
Practising Sequential Conversation 62
Using Reflection and Empathy 62
Cultivating a Sense of Timing 63
Summarizing 63
Transactional Analysis (TA) 64
Psychological Characteristics of Ego States 64
Applications of Conversation Control 68
Meetings 68
Being Assertive Without Being Aggressive 69
Controlled Response to Conversational Attacks 70
Negotiating Through Conversation Control 70
Summary 70
Case: Discussing Vandalism 71
Review Your Learning 72
Reflect on Your Learning 72
Apply Your Learning 72
Questions to Answer 72
Self-check Your Learning 73
Endnotes 74
6. Listening Skills 75
What is Listening? 75
How Do We Listen? 76
Listening as a Management Tool 76
x Contents
7. Non-verbal Skills 91
What is Non-verbal Communication? 91
Meta-communication 92
Kinesic Communication 92
Characteristics of Non-verbal Communication 93
Classification of Non-verbal Communication 93
Ekman’s Classification of Communicative Movements 94
Face Facts 94
Positive Gestures 95
Negative Gestures 95
Lateral Gestures 95
Responding to Power Posturing 98
Guidelines for Developing Non-verbal Communication Skills 99
Communication Breakdown 101
Summary 103
CASE: Everest Textile mills 103
Review Your Learning 104
Reflect on Your Learning 105
Apply Your Learning 105
Self-check Your Learning 105
Endnote 106
Contents xi
Summary 143
Case: Communication Failure 144
Review Your Learning 144
Reflect on Your Learning 144
Apply Your Learning 144
Self-check Your Learning 145
Endnotes 146
Summary 307
Case: MHAI 307
Review Your Learning 308
Reflect on Your Learning 308
Apply Your Learning 308
Self-check Your Learning 309
There are two types of text books—one that follows a given syllabus; the other that
defines syllabus. This edition is an attempt to do the latter.
After having tested the first edition for over five years, and the second for over two,
we were convinced that the book had established very well the pedagogy—teaching
of Business Communication by case method, but the question, “What exactly to
teach in Business Communication to make students corporate-ready?” still remained
incompletely answered. Thus, the third edition had taken a very different approach to the
content of a Business Communication course.
This fourth edition of The Art and Science of Business Communication is an attempt
to take the book to a higher level by including some topics that will make the book more
useful for not only the regular MBA students, but also the practitioners. For example, the
chapter ‘Theatre Technique for Effective Communication and Personality Development’
provides a hands-on, step-by-step guide to a faculty for a structured and programmed
application of one of the most modern pedagogical tools of communication. Another
new chapter ‘Communication for Effective Marketing’ has been developed largely from
the point-of-view of marketing executives using the most realistic jargons and language
for easy application.
But, most importantly, this edition, for the first time, brings out the Science of
Business Communication alongside the Art. There are two facets of Communication:
Skills and Effectiveness; and, they are, often, used interchangeably. That could be the
reason why, more often than not, most of the authors talk about development of Skills;
and, try to suggest that ‘skills would automatically lead to effectiveness’. This work,
since the very first edition, has been propagating the idea that Skills and Effectiveness
are two different and distinct levels of communication. Skill is the Art, and how we go
about using these skills to achieve Effectiveness is the Science of communication—
the process, the reasoning, the rationale, and the logic. And, this understanding of the
approach to result-oriented communications helps develop skills better. Precisely, this
edition takes this perspective. This edition also re-organizes some of the parts for a more
logical structure and flow of topics.
Preamble
What is communication? Communication is what it does—bringing people together.
How does it do that? By establishing a commonness among people. The message (the
verbally/non-verbally developed idea), the medium (the carrier of the message), and the
environment (the surroundings in which communication takes place) bring about this
commonness, a situational relationship for a (common) purpose. This is how we would
like to explain communis, the Latin origin of the word communication.
If communication is a social need for an individual, it is the lifeblood of an
organization. If we, as individuals, communicate 70 per cent of our waking time, an
organization communicates 90 per cent of its working time. If individuals communicate
for their personal purpose, communication in an organization is for business purposes.
Thus, communication plays a crucial role in an organization, bringing all aspects of the
business together—employees, customers, suppliers, intermediaries, the public, and so
on.
xxii Preface
CHAPTer
Theatre Technique for
2 Effective Communication and
Personality Development
COMMUNICATION AT WORK
Philip Zimbardo, Ph.D., and his point, the situation became out of
“
research team of Craig Haney, control. It was beyond control, as
Curtis Banks, David Jaffe, and ex- the degree of demeaning actions
All the world's a stage, and convict consultant, Carlo Prescott, being committed by the guards
1
all the men and women merely in 1971, designed and conducted against the prisoners became
players: they have their exits a social experiment. The objective beyond human dignity. The primary
and their entrances, and one was to understand what prison-like reason was that the prisoners
man in his time plays many conditions bring out in people who were successful in conceiving an
parts, his acts being seven are not confounded by what people escape, which led to the punishing
ages.
”
bring into prisons. It used a mock of the prisoners by the guards—all
prison setting, with college students of whom had been normal, healthy,
Each chapter opens —William Shakespeare role-playing prisoners and guards
to test the power of the social situa-
ordinary young college students
less than a week before the start of
with a vignette called tion to determine behavior. the experiment.
This study saw a premature end in
Communication at Work, form of termination because, at one
Upon completion of this chapter,
which provides an overview of you should be able to:
WHAT IS THeATre?
the key issues and questions 1 Understand the concept of
what is theatre and how it Theatre is almost as old as man. Its origins have been traced back to the
the chapter addresses. differs from a play. remote past, to the religious ceremonies of the earliest human civilizations.
2 Identify the different The performer and the audience form the core/nucleus of theatre—the
elements in a play, the effect of the sensations being created by the performer on the audience. No
stages that are part of play house, no stage technology, not even a script; just the dress and what the
a play along with the performer carried were enough. Theatre emerged as ‘a reactive art’ from this
possible issues. age, an art that received its orientation from the reaction of the audience—the
3 Comprehend the
true spirit of theatre.
amalgamation of theatre Theatre art is neither acting nor the play; it is neither scene nor dance; it
and communication consists of all the elements of which these things are composed.
skills with the help of the Theatre is different from all other forms of art as all the art forms come
techniques learnt in this together to create a work of theatre art.
chapter. Theatre draws its raw material from the store house of human experiences.
4 Recognise the importance
Ways of living and standards may change, but the fundamental nature of
of theatre technique and human character and experience will remain the same.
its role in personality
development. WHAT IS A PLAy?
5 Learn about stage related
A play is not just a piece of literature (for reading). A true play is a three-
techniques along with the
dimensional piece of literature; literature that talks and walks before our eyes.
skill of script writing and
More than two thousand years ago, the Greek philosopher, Aristotle
reading.
described drama as ‘imitated human action’, and made up of six elements:
2
Know when to choose
oral communication nication. Both written and oral forms have advantages and limitations, which are listed
instead of written in Exhibit 4.1.
communication. Principles of Successful Oral Communication
There are three communication situations in which oral communication takes place:
1. Face-to-face
2. Intercultural
3. Via electronic media
Oral communication is indispensable in any group or business activity. Here are some of
Communication Snapshots
the characteristics and principles of effective oral communication:
and exhibits inside the chap-
■■ Purpose: The purpose of talking effectively is to be heard and understood by the lis-
tener. ters provide a wide variety of
■■ Lively rhythm: Oral communication should, first of all, have a lively rhythm and
tone. sample letters, e-mails and other
■■ Simple words: It is important to use language that is free from long-winded sen-
Exhibit 4.1
documents; illustrations; and
Oral Communication Written Communication
Comparative Advantages
and Limitations of Oral and Advantages examples to prepare students for
Written Communication
More personal and informal Better for complex and difficult subjects,
facts, and opinions
communication at the workplace.
Makes immediate impact Can be read at the receiver’s conve-
nience or pleasure
Provides opportunity for interaction and feed- Can be circulated
back
Helps the speaker correct himself-or herself-(and Provides opportunity to refer back to a
his or her message) according to the feedback more permanent record
and non-verbal cues received from the receiver
Better for conveying feelings and emotions Better for keeping records of messages
exchanged
Can be revised before transmitting
Limitations
Demands ability to think coherently while speak- Immediate feedback is not available for
ing correction on the spot
A word once uttered cannot be taken back Many people do not like reading, espe-
cially official or business messages
Hard to control voice pitch and tone, especially More impersonal and remote
when stressed, excited, or angry
Very difficult to be conscious of body language The reader is not helped by non-verbal
cues that contribute to the total message
Do not know if the message has been
read
Is more time consuming2
3
spent on speaking, 16 per cent on reading, and 9 per cent on writing. As 75 per cent effectively, and
executive communication is oral, it is advisable that executives develop their listening convincingly.
and speaking (oral communication) skills.1
important definitions and facts, communication that requires skillful control of tone, voice, and pitch, and precise use
of words.
In business transactions that involve face-to-face interaction between individuals or
in addition to drawing atten- groups of individuals, it is not enough to be able to talk, discuss, converse, argue, or
negotiate an issue. A manager should be able to do all these persuasively, effectively,
tion to the learning objectives and convincingly. But to be convincing, he or she must know and apply the skills of oral
communication.
addressed in key sections. Managers face difficulties in resolving the problems of workers and influencing
others through dialogue and personal discussions. They need oral communication skills
that include being able to:
■■ Solve problems
■■ Resolve conflicts
■■ Influence people to work together
■■ Persuade others to be involved in organizational goals
■■ Be assertive without being aggressive
■■ Listen thoughtfully
■■ Negotiate effectively
■■ Make proposals
These skills include developing the necessary tact to work effectively for mutual
satisfaction in complex situations. Broadly speaking, one has to know when to talk; when
not to talk but to listen; how to talk (the tone, pitch, and modulation); how to interpret
the listener’s facial expressions, physical gestures, movements, and attitude; and how to
be aware of one’s own body talk (leakage), which consciously or unconsciously sends
signals to the listener. It is said that it does not matter what you say, but rather, how you It is said that it does not
say it. This includes one’s choice of words, level of confidence, and sincerity. matter what you say, but
rather, how you say it.
comprehension.
Don’ts
■■ do not allow subjective reading of the text. do not let your own bias a point of
■■ view
do notprejudice
allow yourthe glance
interpretation of the
to regress, message.
or go back to what you have already covered
7
and read.
REaDing EfficiEncY
■■ The regressing of eyes hinders the reading speed. Hence, it is considered a negative
Learn the art of silent
reading. Preface xxv
feature in reading. Of course difficult texts do need going back to what has already
been
Goodread. It is considered
reader, poor readerhelp to improve comprehension.
■■ do not read aloud by mouthing words to help memorizing. It interferes with
a good reader makes about three stops per line, a poor reader, six or seven.
comprehension.
■■ do not allow subjective reading of the text. do not let your own bias a point of
watch the Eye Movement
view friend
prejudice the the
interpretation of the message.
4
Get your to hold book and keep below his eye level. So that you can watch the
movement of his eyes as he reads the page. His eyes do not make a continuous forward
REaDing
swell. EfficiEncY
record the movement of your friend’s eyes.
Good reader, poor reader
a good reader makes about three stops per line, a poor reader, six or seven.
before our eyes and the other understanding their speed from slow to fast.
It was a large group of thirty foreign learners of English in when
meanings. ■■ Toshe beheld your
improve her new-born baby/that he was you
reading comprehension, destined to
should
an■■Indian college learning to read with proper
reading styles depend on your purpose and nature of stress, into- explain
learnmany matters/which
to know hadofbeen
the meaning everya mystery/ever
word and the since
main
nationtheand rhythm.
reading They had
material. been given
Normal, first ten
skimming, andminutes
scanning to the creation of theparagraph
idea of every world. and the subject and topic of the
read styles
the passage silently by themselves, understand every
of reading. whole
Not the text.
whole class read aloud at the same time. Only
word, if needed with the help of the lecturer. Then the lec- three students together read and rest of the class listened to
5
turer broke up the sentences into the groups of words which them. Other groups of three students followed the activity
go together, and read them aloud to the class by groups of and in this manner the whole class read the passage aloud.
words, and then asked the students to repeatcaSE: cHORuS REaDing
the passage The teacher stood near each reading group to find out indi-
group by group the way he had read. The suggested groups vidual mistakes in pronunciation and stress and corrected
It was a large group of thirty foreign learners of
were separated by bars as given below: The sentences were English in when she beheld her new-born baby/that he was destined to
them then and there. The students learnt through imitation
an Indian
written oncollege learning
the board to read
as shown with
here: Onproper stress,
Christmas day,into- explain many matters/which had been a mystery/ever since
in and observation the aspects of stress, intonation and rhythm
nation
the yearand rhythm.
1642, IsaacThey had been
Newton given first
was born/at theten minutes
small villageto the creation of the world.
in English language through a systematic method.
read
of the passage
Wools Thorpe,silently by themselves,
in England./Little understand
did his every
mother think/ Not the whole class read aloud at the same time. Only
word, if needed with the help of the lecturer. Then the lec- three students together read and rest of the class listened to
Case studies at the end of rele
turer broke up the sentences into the groups of words which them. Other groups of three students followed the activity vant chapters present commu-
go together, and read them aloud to the class by groups of and in this manner the whole class read the passage aloud.
words, and then asked the students to repeat the passage The teacher stood near each reading group to find out indi- nication challenges and require
group by group the way he had read. The suggested groups vidual mistakes in pronunciation and stress and corrected
were separated by bars as given below: The sentences were them then and there. The students learnt through imitation students to apply their learning.
written on the board as shown here: On Christmas day, in and observation the aspects of stress, intonation and rhythm
the year 1642, Isaac
M03_Business Communication_C03.indd 27 Newton was born/at the small village in English language through a systematic method. 15-06-2017 15:55:33
require them to critically ana- 1. In what sense is reading both a physical and mental
activity.
4. Think of the ways of training a young learner to improve
his/her reading comprehension.
lyse and discuss various issues 2. Have you thought of knowing how you read a text?
How would you do it?
5. Comment on the usefulness of surveying as a reading
skill.
in communication, and Apply 3. What are the three reading speeds in general?
is a series of multiple-choice
questions that can be used as a SElf-cHEcK YOuR lEaRning
quick test of the students’ over- Follow the steps given below to self-check your reading skills:
all retention and understanding. 1. Set a time limit for reading a text according to the
number of words it has. You can fix different time lim-
4. Note the time taken to read and complete the text. Try
to do it in less time next, until you achieve a speed of
The answers to multiple-choice its for the same passage for practising different read-
ing speeds. For example, you can begin with 60–80
200–225 words per minute at least.
5. always answer the following or any other set of ques-
questions are provided at the words per minute, then increase it to 120–150 and
finally to 200–250 words per minute or more.
tions to test your reading comprehension.
(a) What is its main idea?
end of the book. 2. do not allow your head to move.
3. Check that your eyes jump back and forth from word
(b) What is its purpose?
(c) Have you got the relationship between different
group to word group, not from single word to a single
ideas read by you?
word.
Organization
The fourth edition of this book is a result of our experience in teaching, training, and
consulting with the help of the first three editions over the last ten years. This includes
areas such as language skills, report writing, technical writing, communication skills,
presentation skills, negotiation skills, personality development, and marketing commu-
nication. Most of the skills, concepts, and applications presented in this edition are thor-
oughly examined and tested with groups of students, executives, and academics.
The book is divided into three parts divided across 22 chapters. The chapters cover
topics that are becoming an essential component of business curricula in leading
business schools the world over and are also important for job aspirants.
The appendix on grammar, English usage, and style addresses some important
aspects of business communication, such as the rules of grammar, common errors in
English, and documentation styles. By practicing the exercises in this appendix and
spending time on the rules and styles, students can produce impeccable written reports
and documents.
Acknowledgements
We express our sincere gratitude to our students, colleagues, and the executive partici-
pants of numerous management development programmes, who have helped us clarify
our concepts of business communication. We are also thankful to the distinguished
scholars and authors whose works we have used over the years in our teaching, research,
and training. Their works have become an unconscious part of the ideas and thoughts
discussed in this book. We appreciate the assistance of those, without whose help, this
book could never have been possible—Abhinav Chaturvedi, and the editorial/produc-
tion team at Pearson—Varun Goenka, Jubi Borkakoti, and G. Sharmilee.
We thank our prospective readers in advance, for they would be a source of
improvement and further development of this book.
Finally, we would fail in our duty if we did not acknowledge the most loving care and
support enjoyed by us, all through the work on this book, from our dear family—Roli,
Akbar, Ritushree, Milky, and Abeer.
(P.D. Chaturvedi)
Mukesh Chaturvedi
About the Authors
(Late) Dr P.D. Chaturvedi, former Professor of English and Head of the Department of
Languages at Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani had been an advi-
sor to DAV Institute of Management, Faridabad, and Apeejay School of Management,
Delhi. He was the head of the English department at NAS College, Meerut, from 1952 to
1965. Between January 1981 and August 1982, he was on Government of India’s Foreign
Assignment Service Deputation at the University of Al-Mustansiriyah, Baghdad.
A specialist in modern literary criticism, Dr Chaturvedi had carried out an extensive
research on the nature and process of communication as an expression of personality
for a long time. His books—University Essays (1949), Principles of Applied Grammar (Late) P.D. Chaturvedi
(1954), and Language Through Reading (1989)—and his numerous other contributions
to national and international journals are known for their lucidity of thought and
expression.
Dr Chaturvedi’s name appears as Piyush Dhar Chaturvedi (1928), an academic, in
Marquis Who’s Who in the World (5th edition, 1980, and 6th edition, 1981). He was the
Founder of PDC Educational Services, Delhi.
Add to the liquor in which a knuckle of veal has been boiled the
usual time for table as much water as will make altogether six quarts,
and stew in it gently sixpennyworth of beef bones and sixpennyworth
of pork-rinds. When the boiling is somewhat advanced, throw in the
skin of a calf’s head; and in an hour afterwards, or when it is quite
tender, lift it out and set it aside till wanted. Slice and fry four large
mild onions, stick into another eight or ten cloves, and put them into
the soup after it has stewed from six to seven hours. Continue the
boiling for two or three hours longer, then strain off the soup, and let
it remain until perfectly cold. When wanted for table, take it quite
clear from the fat and sediment, and heat it anew with the skin of the
calf’s head cut into dice, three ounces of loaf sugar, four
tablespoonsful of strained lemon-juice, two of soy, and three
wineglassesful of sherry; give it one boil, skim it well, and serve it as
hot as possible. Salt must be added to it sparingly in the first
instance on account of the soy: a proper seasoning of cayenne or
pepper must not, of course, be omitted.
This receipt was given to the writer, some years since, as a
perfectly successful imitation of a soup which was then, and is still,
she believes, selling in London at six shillings the quart. Never
having tasted the original Soupe des Galles she cannot say how far
it is a correct one; but she had it tested with great exactness when
she received it first, and found the result a very good soup prepared
at an extremely moderate cost. The pork-rinds, when long boiled,
afford a strong and flavourless jelly, which might be advantageously
used to give consistence to other soups. They may be procured
during the winter, usually at the butcher’s, but if not, at the
porkshops: they should be carefully washed before they are put into
the soup-pot. When a knuckle of veal cannot conveniently be had, a
pound or two of the neck and a morsel of scrag of mutton may
instead be boiled down with the beef-bones; or two or three pounds
of neck or shin of beef: but these will, of course, augment the cost of
the soup.
POTAGE À LA REINE.
Wash and soak thoroughly three young rabbits, put them whole
into the soup-pot, and pour on them seven pints of cold water or of
clear veal broth; when they have stewed gently about three quarters
of an hour lift them out, and take off the flesh of the backs, with a
little from the legs should there not be half a pound of the former;
strip off the skin, mince the meat very small, and pound it to the
smoothest paste; cover it from the air, and set it by. Put back into the
soup the bodies of the rabbits, with two mild onions of moderate
size, a head of celery, three carrots, a faggot of savoury herbs, two
blades of mace, a half-teaspoonful of peppercorns, and an ounce of
salt. Stew the whole softly three hours; strain it off, let it stand to
settle, pour it gently from the sediment, put from four to five pints into
a clean stewpan, and mix it very gradually while hot with the
pounded rabbit-flesh; this must be done with care, for if the liquid be
not added in very small portions at first, the meat will gather into
lumps and will not easily be worked smooth afterwards. Add as
much pounded mace and cayenne as will season the soup
pleasantly, and pass it through a coarse but very clean sieve; wipe
out the stewpan, put back the soup into it, and stir in when it boils, a
pint and a quarter of good cream[32] mixed with a tablespoonful of
the best arrow-root: salt, if needed, should be thrown in previously.
32. We give this receipt exactly as we had it first compounded, but less cream
and rather more arrow-root might be used for it, and would adapt it better to
the economist.
Cut down into joints, flour, and fry lightly, two full grown, or three
young rabbits; add to them three onions of moderate size, also fried
to a clear brown; on these pour gradually seven pints of boiling
water, throw in a large teaspoonful of salt, clear off all the scum with
care as it rises, and then put to the soup a faggot of parsley, four not
very large carrots, and a small teaspoonful of peppercorns; boil the
whole very softly from five hours to five and a half; add more salt if
needed, strain off the soup, let it cool sufficiently for the fat to be
skimmed clean from it, heat it afresh, and send it to table with
sippets of fried bread. Spice, with a thickening of rice-flour, or of
wheaten flour browned in the oven, and mixed with a spoonful or two
of very good mushroom catsup, or of Harvey’s sauce, can be added
at pleasure to the above, with a few drops of eschalot-wine, or
vinegar; but the simple receipt will be found extremely good without
them.
Rabbits, 2 full grown, or 3 small; onions fried, 3 middling-sized;
water, 7 pints; salt, 1 large teaspoonful or more; carrots, 4, a faggot
of parsley; peppercorns, 1 small teaspoonful: 5 to 5-1/2 hours.
SUPERLATIVE HARE SOUP.
Cut down a hare into joints, and put into a soup-pot, or large
stewpan, with about a pound of lean ham, in thick slices, three
moderate-sized mild onions, three blades of mace, a faggot of
thyme, sweet marjoram, and parsley, and about three quarts of good
beef stock. Let it stew very gently for full two hours from the time of
its first beginning to boil, and more, if the hare be old. Strain the soup
and pound together very fine the slices of ham and all the flesh of
the back, legs, and shoulders of the hare, and put this meat into a
stewpan with the liquor in which it was boiled, the crumb of two
French rolls, and half a pint of port wine. Set it on the stove to
simmer twenty minutes; then rub it through a sieve, place it again on
the stove till very hot, but do not let it boil: season it with salt and
cayenne, and send it to table directly.
Hare, 1; ham, 12 to 16 oz.; onions, 3 to 6; mace, 3 blades; faggot
of savoury herbs; beef stock, 3 quarts: 2 hours. Crumb of 2 rolls; port
wine, 1/2 pint; little salt and cayenne: 20 minutes.
A LESS EXPENSIVE HARE SOUP.[33]
33. The remains of a roasted hare, with the forcemeat and gravy, are admirably
calculated for making this soup.
The remains of a roast turkey, even after they have supplied the
usual mince and broil, will furnish a tureen of cheap and excellent
soup with the addition of a little fresh meat. Cut up rather small two
pounds of the neck or other lean joint of beef, and pour to it five pints
of cold water. Heat these very slowly; skim the liquor when it begins
to boil, and add to it an ounce of salt, a small, mild onion (the
proportion of all the vegetables may be much increased when they
are liked), a little celery, and the flesh and bones of the turkey, with
any gravy or forcemeat that may have been left with them. Let these
boil gently for about three hours; then strain off the soup through a
coarse sieve or cullender, and let it remain until the fat can be
entirely removed from it. It may then be served merely well thickened
with rice[34] which has previously been boiled very dry as for currie,
and stewed in it for about ten minutes; and seasoned with one large
heaped tablespoonful or more of minced parsley, and as much salt
and pepper or cayenne as it may require. This, as the reader will
perceive, is a somewhat frugal preparation, by which the residue of a
roast turkey may be turned to economical account; but it is a
favourite soup at some good English tables, where its very simplicity
is a recommendation. It can always be rendered more expensive,
and of richer quality, by the addition of lean ham or smoked beef,[35]
a larger weight of fresh meat, and catsup or other store-sauces.
34. It will be desirable to prepare six ounces of rice, and to use as much of it as
may be required, the reduction of the stock not being always equal, and the
same weight of rice therefore not being in all cases sufficient. Rice-flour can
be substituted for the whole grain and used as directed for Rice Flour Soup,
page 15.
35. As we have stated in our chapter of Foreign Cookery, the Jewish smoked
beef, of which we have given particulars there, imparts a superior flavour to
soups and gravies; and it is an economical addition to them, as a small
portion of it will much heighten their savour.
Slice, and fry gently in some good butter three or four large
onions, and when they are of a fine equal amber-colour lift them out
with a slice and put them into a deep stewpot, or large thick
saucepan; throw a little more butter into the pan, and then brown
lightly in it a young rabbit, or the prime joints of two, or a fowl cut
down small, and floured. When the meat is sufficiently browned, lay
it upon the onions, pour gradually to them a quart of good boiling
stock, and stew it gently from three quarters of an hour to an hour;
then take it out, and pass the stock and onions through a fine sieve
or strainer. Add to them two pints and a half more of stock, pour the
whole into a clean pan, and when it boils stir to it two tablespoonsful
of currie-powder mixed with nearly as much of browned flour, and a
little cold water or broth, put in the meat, and simmer it for twenty
minutes or longer should it not be perfectly tender, add the juice of a
small lemon just before it is dished, serve it very hot, and send boiled
rice to table with it. Part of a pickled mango cut into strips about the
size of large straws, is sometimes served in this soup, after being
stewed in it for a few minutes; a little of the pickle itself should be
added with it. We have given here the sort of receipt commonly used
in England for mullagatawny, but a much finer soup may be made by
departing from it in some respects. The onions, of which the
proportion may be increased or diminished to the taste, after being
fried slowly and with care, that no part should be overdone, may be
stewed for an hour in the first quart of stock with three or four ounces
of grated cocoa-nut,[36] which will impart a rich mellow flavour to the
whole. After all of this that can be rubbed through the sieve has been
added to as much more stock as will be required for the soup, and
the currie-powder and thickening have been boiled in it for twenty
minutes, the flesh of part of a calf’s head,[37] previously stewed
almost tender, and cut as for mock turtle, with a sweetbread also
parboiled or stewed in broth, and divided into inch-squares, will
make an admirable mullagatawny, if simmered in the stock until they
have taken the flavour of the currie-seasoning. The flesh of a couple
of calves’ feet, with a sweetbread or two, may, when more
convenient, be substituted for the head. A large cupful of thick
cream, first mixed and boiled with a teaspoonful of flour or arrow-root
to prevent its curdling, and stirred into the soup before the lemon-
juice, will enrich and improve it much.
36. That our readers to whom this ingredient in soups is new, may not be misled,
we must repeat here, that although the cocoa-nut when it is young and fresh
imparts a peculiarly rich flavour to any preparation, it is not liked by all eaters,
and is better omitted when the taste of a party is not known, and only one
soup is served.
37. The scalp or skin only of a calf’s head will make excellent mullagatawny, with
good broth for stock; and many kinds of shell-fish also.
Pare, split, and empty from eight to twenty[38] fine, well grown,
but not old cucumbers,—those which have the fewest seeds are best
for the purpose; throw a little salt over them, and leave them for an
hour to drain, then put them with the white part only of a couple of
mild onions into a deep stewpan or delicately clean saucepan, cover
them nearly half an inch with pale but good veal stock, and stew
them gently until they are perfectly tender, which will be in from three
quarters of an hour to an hour and a quarter; work the whole through
a hair-sieve, and add to it as much more stock as may be needed to
make the quantity of soup required for table; and as the cucumbers,
from their watery nature, will thicken it but little, stir to it when it boils,
as much arrow-root, rice-flour, or tous les mois (see page 1), as will
bring it to a good consistence; add from half to a whole pint of boiling
cream, and serve the soup immediately. Salt and cayenne sufficient
to season it, should be thrown over the cucumbers while they are
stewing. The yolks of six or eight eggs, mixed with a dessertspoonful
of chili vinegar, may be used for this soup instead of cream; three
dessertspoonsful of minced parsley may then be strewed into it a
couple of minutes before they are added: it must not, of course, be
allowed to boil after they are stirred in.
38. This is a great disparity of numbers; but some regard must be had to
expense, where the vegetable cannot be obtained with facility.