Here's a curious piece of folk wisdom, gleaned from the pages of Schott's Miscellany.
Those who, like me, are prone to hayfever would do well to avoid attaching too much importance to these maxims.
If you sneeze on Monday, you sneeze for danger; Sneeze on Tuesday, kiss a stranger; Sneeze on Wednesday, sneeze for a letter; Sneeze on Thursday, something better; Sneeze on Friday, sneeze for sorrow; Sneeze on Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow.
What happens if you sneeze on Sunday? That's what I'd like to know.
Mrs Beeton's No-Nonsense Advice
Isabella Beeton provided many useful tips in her monumental guide to housekeeping, but in one or two of her suggestions one detects a lack of trust in the common sense of other people. The following examples are also courtesy of Ben Schott.
Search for the insects in greens before putting them in to soak.
Scum, as it rises in boiling, should be taken off.
One egg, beaten well, is worth two not beaten.
Make the tea directly the water boils.
If cooking still eludes you, there's always one thing you can fall back on:
