Of course they must boil in the soup till they are tender.

A little cream is a great improvement to the soup, and dried mint can be served with it, but is not absolutely necessary.
PUMPKIN SOUP .-- Take half or a quarter of a moderate-sized pumpkin, pare it, remove the seeds, and cut the pumpkin into thin slices.

Put these into a stew-pan, with as much water or milk as will cover them, and boil gently until they are reduced to a pulp.

Rub this through a fine sieve, mix with it a little salt, and a piece of butter the size of an egg, and stir it over the fire until it boils.

Thin it with some boiling milk which has been sweetened and flavoured with lemon-rind, cinnamon, or orange-flower water.