-- Colonial WilliamsburgHannah Glasse's "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy" (1745; reprinted 1796) was the most popular cookbook in 18th-century London. It stressed the basics -- good ingredients and simple techniques. "Put your mushrooms in salt and water, wipe with a flannel and put them again in salt and water, then throw them in a sauce-pan by themselves and let them boil up as quick as possible, then put in a little Cayenne pepper, a little mace (if you like the flavor), let them stew in this a quarter of an hour, then add a tea-cupful of cream, with a little flour and butter the size of a walnut; let them be servid [sic] up as soon as done."

Here's how to do it today.

• 1 8-ounce container (or 2 of them) of fresh mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1 or 2 of mace beaten, or 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon flour

Trim mushrooms and rub clean with a damp cloth. Put mushrooms in small saucepan with 1/2 teaspoon salt and enough water to cover. Rinse and drain them and place them again in enough water to cover and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring quickly to a boil and add cayenne pepper and mace or nutmeg. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Add cream and butter and mix well. Add flour (sprinkle) slowly while stirring. Cook for a couple of minutes, until thoroughly heated and blended.

Serve hot on squares or rounds of buttered toast.

Serves 4.

-- Adapted from "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy" by Hannah Glasse