Boston Cookbook 1884

Transcript

MKN LINCOLN'S BOSTON COOK BOOK. WHAT TO DO AND WHAT KOT TO DO /X COOKING. MRS. D. A. LINCOLN, THE- BOSTON COOKIKG SCHOOU BOSTON: ROB LKT S BROTHERS. 1884. Br Mat O. A. t-tmco 5Tf)ig Book is MRS. SAMUEL T . HOOPER, T HE PUPILS, PAST AND PRESENT, BOSTON COOKING SCHOOL, to know Qt lar^p of things remote m use., obscure and subtle, but to know t which before us lies in daily life, 1 6 P n n ' e W ' ° m< MILT O: 5 true knowledge. "— CONS PREFACE. To compile a book which shall be not only a collection of receipt?, given briefly for tlie experienced housekeeper, and with sufficient clearness for the beginner, but which shall also embody enough of physiology, and of the chem- istry and philosophy of food, to make every principle in- telligible to a child and interesting to the mature mind; which shall serve equally well for the cook in the kitchen, tile pupil in tlie school-room, and the teacher in the normal class. — is a difficult task. Yet the need of a hook of moderate cost, containing in a reasonably small eompass all this and much more, has been seriously felt by all who are engaged in teaching cookery. Moreover, there is a special reason for the publication of this work. It is undertaken at the urgent request of the pupils of the Boston Cooking School, who have desired that the receipts and lessons given during the last four years in that institution should be arranged in a permanent form. To one who from childhood has been trained in all de- tails of housework, learning bv observation or by actual experience much that it is impossible to receive from books, the amount of ignorauee shown by many women is surprising. T hat a person of ordinary intelligence pre- siding over her household can be satisfied with only a vague conception of the common domestic methods, or that any true woman can see anything degrading in any Ia1>or necessary for tiie highest physical condition of her vi Preface. family, would be incredible if the truth of it were not daily manifest. Happily, popular opinion now decides that no young lady's education is complete without a course of training in one or more branches of domestic work. And those who are not so fortunate as to have the best of all train- ing—that of actual work under a wise and competent mother —• gladly resort to the cooking-Schools for in- struction. In compiling these receipts for use in a school and in the family, several things were demanded. In a school of pupils from every class and station in life, a great variety of receipts is desirable They must be clear, but concise, for those who are already well grounded in first principles. They must be explained, illustrated, and reiterated for the inexperienced and the careless. They must have a word of caution for those who stem always to have the knack of doing the wrong thing. They must include the most healthful foods for those who have been made ill by improper food ; the cheapest as well as the most nutritious, for the laboring class; the richest and most elaborately prepared, for those who can afford them physically as well as pecuniarily. These receipts are not a mere compilation. A large portion have accumulated during a long period of house- keeping; and many have been received from friends who are practical housekeepers. Others have been taken from standard authorities ori cooking; and all have been fre- quently and thoroughly tested by pupils under the eye of the author. As far as possible, acknowledgment has been made for the receipts received, Where changes and im- provements have been made, or where there were many authorities for the same formula, no credit has been given. Some cook-books presuppose the presence of an as- sistant ; but as three fourths of the women in this country vii do their own work, these receipts are arranged so as to require tho attention of bat one person. It is proverbial tbat young housekeepers are often greatly perplexed in attempting to provide little enough for only two. For their benefit many of our receipts are prepared ou a scale of smaller measurements. Tiie materials to be used are given in the order in which they are to be put together. They are arranged in col- umns, where the eye may catch them readily, or in italics where economy of space seemed desirable. Even- caution or suggestion has been given at the re- qtiest of some pupil who failed to find in other books just what she needed ; or because, in the experience of teach- ing, it has been shown that, unless forewarned, pupils inevitably make certain mistakes. Many subjects which in other books are omitted or given briefly, will be found to have received here an extensive treatment, because they have seemed of paramount importance. All the chemical and physiological knowledge that is uecessarv for a clear understanding of the laws of health, BO far as they are involved in the science of cookery, is given in this book. Nine tenths of the women who go through a scientific course in seminaries never put any of tho knowledge gained into practical use. By the time ihev have occasion to use auch knowledge in their own homes, the Chemistry and Physiology have been relegated to the attic, whore they help mice to material for their nests, but help no woman to appty the principles of science upon which the health and welfare of her house- hold largely depend. The statement will appear incredible to most people, and yet it is true, that many women do not know what the simplest things in our daily food arc ; cannot toll when water boile, or the difference between lamb and vual, lard and drippings. They cannot give the names of kitchen viii Preface. utensils; do not koow anything; aboat a stove, or bow to pare a potato. This will explain what might otherwise seem an unnecessary minuteness of detail. T he expe- rience of such ignorance also euggvsttii the mib-title of the " Boston Cook Book," — " What to do and what no* to do in Cooking,"—just how to bold your bowl and spoon, to use your hands, to regulate your stove, to wa#ti your dishes; and just how not to fait into the error* into wbich so many have stumbled l**fore you. But, more Ibaa all, it is attempted to give & reason for even' step takes, and a clear answer to any questions that are likely 10 UJM In the experience of either housekeeper or cook. A PREFACE NOT FOR THE PUBLIC. A WORD of grateful acknowledgment is due the many friends who have aided in this work. First, to my mother I owe much for her excellent judg- ment in training me as a child to a love for all house- hold work. Although it was often hard to t f help mother " when other children were at play, the knowledge thus gained has proved invaluable. Ever}- year's experience iu teaching lias made me prize more and more this early training. Also, I am deeply indebted to Miss I I . S. DEVEREUX for the illustrations of this book. In ail my work I have been greatly aided by her suggestions and generous sympathy. And, lastly, I would not forget my obligations to a large circle of personal friends. Especially would I remember the one who, twenty years ago, aided me in making my first loaf of bread, and the many among my pupils who, out of their varied experience, have contributed much that has proved helpful. MAltY J. LINCOLN. WoLnsTos, MASS., 1884. • ' n. ' ) CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION 1 B UEAD AND B READ MAKING 36 RECEIPT S FOR YEAST AND B REAB 62 RAISED B ISCUIT , ROLLS, ETC 68 ST ALE B READ, TOAST, ETC 75 SODA B ISCUIT , MUFFINS, GEMS, ETC 80 WAFFLES AND GRIDDLE-CAKES 97 T RIED MUFFINS, FRIT T ERS, DOUGHNUTS, ETC 102 OATMEAL AND OTHER GIIAINS 108 B EVERAGES I l l SOUP AKD STOCK . 119 SoUF WITHOUT STOCK 116 FI SH 159 SHELL FI SH . 175 MEAT AND FISH SAUCES 187 EGGS 197 MEAT . 3 1 0 B EEF 214 MUT T ON AND LAMB 232 VEAL 239 PORK 245 POULTRY ANT> GAME 251 ENT REES AND MEAT RECHAUFFE 265 SUNDRIF. 5 282 Contents. VEGET AB LES 289 RI CE AND MACARONI . $QQ SALADS • . . . 309 PAST RY AKD PI ES 316 PUDDING SAUCES -J28 HOT PUDDINGS . 332 CUSTARDS, JELLIES, AND CREAMS • • - . 341 ICE-CEEAM AND SHERB ET . CAKE PRUI T COOKING FOR INVALIDS . . MISCELLANEOUS HI NT S . . EXPLANATION OF T EEMS 361 369 391 4 07 435 T HE DI NI M- ROOM T HE CARE OF KIT CHEN UT ENSILS 4 4 3 AN OUT LINE OF ST UDY FOR T EACIIEKS . . . . . . 449 SUGGESTIONS TO T EACHERS 4S3 A COURSE OF ST UDY FOR NORMAL PUPILS 485 MISCELLANEOUS QUEST IONS FOK EXAMINATION 4 8 6 T OPICS AND ILLUST RAT IONS FOR LECT URES ON COOKERY , 490 COURSE OF INST RUCT ION AT T HE BOSTON COOKING-SCHOOL . 495 USED O COOKERY 503 LI ST OF UT ENSILS NEEDED IN A COOKING-SCHOOL . . . 508 GENERAL INDEX . . 513 ALPHAB ET ICAL INDEX 529 >' *•>••«$ V • LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. F I G . 1 . Gr ai n o f W h e a t 3 7 " 2 . G r a i n o f W h e a t wi t h B r a n r emo v ed . . . . 3 8 " S . Gr ai n o f W h e a t magni f i ed . . . . . . . 3 8 " 4 . Yeas t P l ant 4 6 " 5. Cr ul l er 1 05 " 6 . Cr ul l er af t er F o l di ng 1 05 " 1. Baked Fish 164 » 8. Small Fish served whole 166 " 9. Scalloped Lobster 183 " 10. Omelet 201 " 1 1 . Orange Omelet 202 " 12. Eggs and Minced Meat 205 " 1 3. Stuffed Eggs 206 " 14. Eggs a la Crcme 208 " 15. Diagram of Ox 212 " 16. Hind Quarter of Beef 212 •' 17. Aitch Bone 214 " 18. Round 215 " 19. Back of Rump 216 '< 20. First Cut of Sirtom 216 " 21 . Sirloin Roast 217 " 22. T ip of Sirloin 218 " 2 3 . First Cut of Rib 219 " 24 . Chuck Rib 219 " 2 5 . Fillet of Beef 222 " 26. Mutton Puck 235 " 27. Paper Ruffle 236 <• 28 . Chop 237 " 29. Chop in Paper 237 List of Illustrations. Fro. 30. Calf s Heart 241 " 31 . Sweetbreads and Bacon 243 " 32. Sweetbreads on Macaroni 244 " 33. Pigeons and Spinach on Toast 264 " 34. Boned T urkey, browned 265 " 35. Boned Chicken, larded and baked 266 •• 3(3. Chicken in Jelly 267 " 37. Meat Porcupine 272 " 38. Croquettes 279 •• 30. Staffed Potatoes 296 " 40. Chicken Salad 314 " 4 1 . Lobster Salad 315 " 42. Bow-Knots 321 " 4 3. Cheese Straws 322 " 44. Apple Snowballs 335 " 4 5. Orange Charlotte 348 " 46. Orange Baskets 351 " 47. Mould of Bavarian Cream 357 " 4 8 . Kojal Diplomatic Pudding 358 " 49. Strawberry Charlotte 360 " 50. Cookies 386 T HE BOSTON" COOK BOOK. COOKERY COOKERY is the art of preparing food for the nourish- ment of the human body- When given its proper impor- tance in the consideration of health and comfort, it must be based upon scientific principles of hygiene and what the French call the minor moralities of the household. All civilized nations cook their food, to improve its taste and digestibility. The degree of civilization is often measured by the cuisine- Cooking (from the Latin coqua, to boil, bake, heat, dry, scorch, or ripen) is usually done by the direct application of heat. Fruit3 and some vegetables which are eaten in a natural state have really been cooked or ripened by the heat of the sun. Milk and eggs, which are types of per- fect food, would be useless as food unless they came from the warm living animal. Fish, ilesh, and fruits which have been dried in the sun or smoked, and are often eaten without any further preparation, have undergone a certain process of natural cooking. Beat seems to create new flavors, and to change the odor, taste, and digestibility of nearly all articles of food. It swells and bursts the starch cell's in flour, rice, and potatoes; hardens the albumen in eggs, fish, and meat; softens the fibrous substances in tough meats, hard vege- tables and fruits. It develops new flavors in tea, coffee, roasted meat, crusts of bread, baked beans, etc. 1 The Boston Cook Book. Cold is also an important matter to be regarded in the preparation of food. Sweet dishes and certain flavors, like honey, ices, and custards; the water, wine, or milk we drink ; our butter, fruits, and salads, — are all more pala- table when cold. Water, or some other liquid, in connection with heat is necessary in many forms of cookery. Grains, peas, beans, dried fruits which have parted with nearly all their moisture in the ripening or drying process necessary for their preser- vation, need a large portion of water in cooking, to soften and swell the cellulose, gluten, and starch before they can be masticated and digested. In some vegetables and fruits water draws out certain undesirable flavors; it softens and dissolves the gelatinous portions of meat, and makes palatable and nourishing many substances which would be rendered unwholesome b}' a dry heat. Air, or the free action of oxygen, upon our food while cooking develops certain flavors not otherwise to be ob- tained. Meat roasted or broiled has a much finer flavor than when boiled, baked, or fried. T oasted bread, thin corn cake baked before the fire, roasted apples, and many articles cooked' in the open air, show the benefit of this free combined action of heat and air. Drying in the sun was one of the earliest modes of cookery. T hen came roasting before an open fire, or broiling over the coals, and baking in the hot ashes. T his last was the primitive oven. As the art of making eooking-ntensils developed, stewing, boiling, and frying were adopted. T hen, to economize heat, portable ovens were invented; these were originally a covered dish set over or near the fire, having sometimes a double cover filled with coals. Afterwards, stoves which kept the tire and heat in a limited space were introduced; and im- provements have been made in them so extensively that we now have them with conveniences for doing every form of cooking with wood, coal, oil, or gas. Some one gives this distinction between man and other animals : "Man is an animal that builds a fire and uses it The Boston Cook Book. to cook his food" It is quite important then, as a step- ping-stone to cooking, to learn the properties and manage-. merit of a fire. Fire. Fire is boat and light produced by the combustion of inflammable substances. Combustion is a chemical opera- tion carried on in the air, or the chemical union of the oxygen, of the air with some combustible body, like hy- drogen gas or the solid carbon, and is attended with the evolution of heat and light. T he heat and the light come from the sun. With every particle of vegetable matter that is formed by the combined action of the sun and the carbonic acid gaa in the air, a portion of the sun's heat and light is absorbed and held fast in it. And whenever this vegetable matter is decomposed, —as in burning wood, coal, or oil, which are only definite forms of vegetable mat- ter, — this heat and light are given out. T he amount of each depends upon the mode of burning. Air is composed mainly of two elementary gases, oxygen and nitrogen (one part oxygen and four parts nitrogen), with a small amount of watery vapor and carbonic acid gas. Pure oxygen is a gas which has a wonderful attraction for, and power of combination with, every other element. If it ivere everywhere present in a perfectly pore state, it would consume or burn up everything; but it is diluted or mixed (not combined) with nitrogen, another gas which is incombustible, and which lessens the combustibility of everything with which it comes in contact. Owing to this dilution, the oxygen will not unite with the carbon and hydrogen with which it is everywhere surrounded, and produce rapid combustion, except at a high temperature. T he temperature at which this union takes place is called the burning-point, and this varies in different substances. T hus combustion is within the power and control of man ; and some extra means are usually employed to increase the temperature to the burning-point,— friction, or per- cussion, or the use of some more highly inflammable The Boston Cook Book. substances, like sulphur and phosphorus. This produces , beat sufficient to eoropk-te the chemical tuik>D, or, in com- mon phrase, •* kindles Uie fire." T he heat generated for all household purposes is produced by the chemical action of the oxygen of the air upon the hy- drogen ami carbon which are found w U» varkm* kinds ot wood and coal. T he oxygen first combines* with the car- bon anil decomposes it. producing carbonic acid gas, which escai>es into the air, from which it is absorbed by plants, or by human lungs when there is no proper ventilation. The oxygen also combines with the hydrogen gas iu the fuel, anil this produces the flame; the larger the amount of hydrogen in the fuel, the greater the amount of flame. Some of the products of combustion are not entirely con- sumed, and pass otf as smoke ; some are incombustible, and remain as ashes. The intensity of a fire and the amount of heat which it produces arc always in proportion to tho amount of oxygen with which it is supplied. TheTe should be just air enough for perfect combustion. An excess of air projected upon a Sre convojs away the beat, cools the fuel, and checks the combustion. T he supply of air should be controlled by confining it in a limited space. Fires are usually kindled at the bottom of a fine or chim- nej-. T he heated air, being lighter, rises ; the colder, den- ser air rushes in to take its place, becomes heated, and ascends. Tims a continuous current u established, and a constant supply of fresh air secured. The chimney serves to carry on* the smoke and poisonous products of combus- tion ; the heavier, incombustible products settle in the form of ashes. The force of this current of air drawing through the chimney (a matter of great importance) is called the draught. It varies with the temperature and amount of air in the room, and the length aud width of the chimney. Fuel. The materials generally used as fuel arc wood, charcoal, coal, kerosene oil, and gas. The Boston Cook Book. 5 Soft woods, such as pine or birch, kiudle quickly, produce intense heat, and are best for a quick, blaziug fire. Hard woods, like oak, ash, aod hickory, burn more slowly, bat produce harder coak, which retain the heat longer, and are better where long-continued heat is required. Charcoal, which is coal made by charring or burning •wood with only a limited supply of air, burns easily and produces greater heat in proportion to its weight than auy other fuel. It should never be burned iu a close room. Anthracite coal is a kind of mineral charcoal derived from aucieut vegetation buried in the earth, and so thoroughly pressed that nothing is left bat pure carbon, a tittle sul- phur, and the incombustible ash. It kindles slowly, yields an intense, steady heat, and burns for a longer time with- out replenishing than the hardest wood. Cfeifce, often used in cities, is the residue of coal from which illuminating gas has been manufactured. The heat is intense, but transient. Stores for burning kerosene oil and gas have recently been introduced, and are now so nearly perfect that the care of a fire for cooking purposes is trilling. Gas caa only be used in certain localities. The cheapest fuel is the best kerosene oil. There need be no waste, no superfluous heat, no vitiated air, if the fire be extinguished immediately after the work is done, and if the stove be kept perfectly clean, so as to secure a free burning and perfect combustion. With two good stoves having all the latest and best improvements, a large amount of work can be easily and satisfactorily accomplished. The Making and Care of a Coal "ire. If you intend to buy a new stove or ranee, got one sim- ple in construction, that you may quickly lnirn all it* parts and tbeir uses ; plain in finish, that you m;iy easily ktvp it clean ; and perfectly fitted part to part, wis.li ilwrs ;uul dampers shutting absolutely close, so that you may cuu- trol the fire and heat This latter point is of essential The Boston Cook Book. importance in regulating the oven and in preventing a waste of fuel. Become thoroughly acquainted with whatever stove you may have. If necessary, take it apart; learn how to clean it in the inside, to regulate the dampers for all the variations of wind, temperature, and fuel; and then learn how to make and keep a fire. All stoves have a fire-bos, with more or less space under- neath for ashes ; a slide damper under the fire, letting in the air ; an outlet for the smoke ; and a damper which reg- ulates the suppVy of hot air, sending it around and under- neath the oven, or letting it escape into the chimney. Remove the covers and brash the soot from the top of the oven into the fire-box; then clean out the grate; and if the stove have conveniences for so doing, sift the ashes in the stove and save all the old coal and cinders. Put in shavings or loose rolls of paper, then fine pine kindlings, arranged crosswise, and a layer of hard wood, leaving plenty of air space between the pieces. Be sure the wood comes out to each end of the fire-box. Put on the covers ; and. if the stove need cleaning, moisten some pulverized stove polish with water, and rub the stove with a paint brush dipped in the polish. When all blackened, rub with a dry polishing-brush until nearly dry. Open the direct draught and oven damper, and light the paper, as a slight heat facilitates the process of polishing. When the wood is thoroughly kindled, till the fire-box with coal even with the top of the oven. Brush up the hearth and floor, empty the teakettle, and fill it with fresh water. Watch the fire, and push the coal down as the wood burns away, and add enough more coal to keep it even with the top of the fire bricks. When the bine flame becomes white, close the oven damper; and when the coal is burning freely, but not red, shut the direct draught. It seems impossible for some persona to understand that a coal fire is at its height as soon as well kindled. :ind needs only air enough to keep it burning. When it becomes bright red all through, it has parted with most of its beat, and begins to die out. Tons The Boston Cook Booh. of coal are wasted in many kitchens, and ranges are need- lessly burned out, by filling the fire-box till the eoul touches the covers, and leaving the draughts open tilt the coal is red. Nearly atl stores and portable ranges have the oven at one side of and a little below the fire. In brick-set ranges the ovens are sometimes over the fire. A stove has a door on each side of tbe oven, with the fire-box in front. A portable range has only one oven-door, ami the fire-box at the end. In ranges where tbe oven is over the fire. Hie articles to be baked are placed on a grate near the middle, as the bottom of the oven is usually very- hot. In stoves or portable ranges anything which has to rise in the ovep, like bread, pastry, cake, etc., is placed on the bottom of the oven, and, if the heat be too great, a small rack or grate may be placed under it. Large pieces of meat are placed on a rack in a pan : while small outs of meat, birds, etc., which are to be baked quickly, and any dishes which are to be merely browned, like Hcallo|>ed dishes, mnst be placed on the grate near the top. Cultivate the habit of opening and shutting the oven-door quickly but gently. Learn the hottest and coolest places in the oven. Look at tilings as they are baking, anil turn and watch till you are sure they can be left alone. If anything bake unevenly or too fast, put a screen between it and the heat. — a pan on the grate above or underneath, or a frame of stiff paper made larger than the pan, that it may not touch the dough. When the regulating dampers are closed and the oven is still too hot. lift a cover on the top partly ofl", although in a. stove in which the parts are perfectly adjusted this will never be necessary. When the oven is not hot enough, open the direct draught, and rake out the ashes from the grate. Keep the grate cleaned out and the fire burning freely, when a very hot oven is needed. At other times keep the draughts shut and do not waste the coal. To keep a brisk fire for several hours or all day. it is better to add a sprinkling of coal often, rather than to let it burn rir>arlv out. and. then, by adding a larger quantity, Tile Boston Cook Rook. check the fire and retard the work. In using the top of the stove remember the hottest place is over Ike fire and toward Uie middle, not on tlic front of the stove. When you have once watched the flame in its passage over the top, down the back, and under the oven, then across, out and up on the opposite side and out into tile i-uiniuey, you will understand where the greatest heat must be. Boiling. T he term u boiling" is often used erroneously in cook- ery. The expressions " the teakettle boils," " the rice id boiling," "boiled beef," etc. , are nil goou illustrations of the rhetorical figure metonymy, but they are practically incorrect. In all cases it is only the water or liquid which boils. No solid can boil until first changed tu a liquid. Solids become liquid at the meltiug-noiut. Liquids take the form of steam or vapor at the boiling-point. B oiling is the conversion of a liquid into steam by the application of heat sufficient to cause ebullition, or agitation of its sur- face. Boiling, therefore, as applied to tlic- cooking of solids, is heating or cooking in a boiling liquid. It U* one of the most generally used, and abused, forms of cooking. Boiling water, which is really cooked water, is tlic liquid usually employed. Water, as it is heated from In-low, ex- pands into vapor. The air of tin- ivater and the steam shoot up in the form of bubbles ; as they come in contact with the cold water near the surface, the bubbles collapse, the steam is condensed and descends with the cold water, making a double set of currents, which causes quit* a coin- mOtlOn . imnnff +1*~ ^: . i . g The Boston Cook Book. timtnen when the bubbles all collapse beneath the surface, and the steam is condensed to water agai n, or at 1 «J ° . Water boilt when the bubbles rise to the surface, and the steam is thrown off, as at 21 2 s . When Uiia boiling-point is reached, the heat escapes with tlie steam ; and all the fire in the world can Dot make the water any hotter, so long as the steam escapes. If Uie fire lie very fierce, so tliat these bubbles are formed ami expelled rapidly, and the water boils over, the water is DO hotter; it only evaporates or boils away faster, and can only be made hotter by confin- ing the steam, wfaiuh in ordinary kettles is impossible, owing to the enormous expansive force of the steam. With a few exceptions it is a waste of fuel, t i me, anil ma- terial to keep tlit- water boiling at such a galloping rate that the cover has to be lifted to prevent boiling over. A kettle should never be quite full, as ti i e water es- pands in heatiug, and, in boiling over, makes needless work and injures the stove. Water will U>it tuoie quickly in a kettle with a rough surface than iu one wi t h a smooth surface, as the water adheres to a smooth surface with greater force, and tui£ force or attraction must be over- come before boiling takes place. Small, clean gravel is sometimes kept in a smooth kettle to facilitate the boiling. Water boila at a higher temperature when t here is sugar, or salt, or anything in it to increase its densi ty- It takes longer for it to boiJ; but it is hotter, wbeu that point is reached. No one who has been burned by boiling syrup ever doubted this fact. Fresh water boils at 212° ; salt water, at 224 °. If we put salt with the water in the lower part of a double boiler, a greater degree of li est is obtained by which to cook the articles in the top. Water boils at a lower temperature, that is, more quickly, when the pressure of the air «i>on the water is diminished. Before a rain the pressure of the air is lessened, because the air when filled with vapor is lighter. Observing house- keepers have often noticed how quickly things burn at such a time, and foretell a rain by tile rapidity with which water evaporates. The Boston Cook Book. The pressure of the air is less the higher we asrend above the level of the sea, since we leave much of the air below us. Cooking in boiling water requires a inuth longer time in mountainous regions; for the water boiU so quickly that it holds less heat than in lower alti tude, where it is subject to greater pressure. Water, in bulling, loses the air or gases which give it a fresh taste and spark- ling appearance. It becomes flat and tasteless. It* then; be any impurity in water, boiling or cooking will destroy it. T hen, by cooling, and exposing to pure air again, it becomes aerated and palatable. But water for cooking, unless there are impurities to be removed, should be used when freshly boiled. This is especially important iu mak- ing tea and coffee. Soft water should be used in boiling where the object is to soften the texture, and extract the soluble parts, ad in soups, broths, tea, and coffee. Hard water, or soft water salted, is better where we wish to preserve the articles whole, and retain the soluble and flavoring principles, as in moat green vegetables. Beans or dried peas, which contain casein or vegetable albumen in larg| proportion, should In- cooked in soft water, as the lime in hard water hardens the casein, and prevents the vegetables from becoming soil. In cooking meat, fish, and vegetables in water, we should remember these two facts : - Boiling water hardens and toughens albumen and fihi-ine bursts the starch grains, and is absorbed by the swelling starch. ^ Meat is cooked in water for three distinct purposes • — First. To keep the nutriment within the meal as in what is usually called boiled meat. To do this we leave the meat whole, that only a little surface niav be exposed Plunge it into boiling salted water, and keen it there' for five or ten minutes; this hardens the albumen over tho entire surface, and makes a coating through which the '•<••. - The Boston Cook Book. cannot escape. Then move tho kettle whore the water will simmer slowly. See that the cover fits tightly, to keep in the steam. The water should be salted to raise the boiling-point, and increase the density of the water, and thus prevent the escape of the juices. A small amount of the albumen in the outer surface will be dissolved and rise as scum. This should he removed, or it will settle on the meat and render it uninviting in appearance. If the meat be put in the kettle with the bones uppermost, then the scum will not settle on the meat. In turning the meat do not pierce into it to let the juices escape. It will take a longer time to cook in this way, but the 6brine will be softened, and the meat made more tenjjer and of better flavor, than when kept boiling furiously. Second. Meats are cooked in water to hare the nutri- ment wholly in the h'fptid, as in toupt and tntat tea*. Cut the meat in small pieces; soak in cold water, the longer the better; heat gradually, and keep hot, but not boiling, until all the goodness is extracted. Third. Meats are cooked iu water to have the nutri- ment partly in the liquid and partiy in the meat, as in stetcs, fricassees, etc. Put the meat iu cold water, U-t the water boil quickly, then skim, and keep at the siuiine ring-point. The cold water will draw out enough of the juiws to enrich the liquid; then, as it reaches the boiliug-l>oiut, the meat hardens, and retains the remainder. Fish is usually cooked in boiling water for the purpose of keeping the juices in the fish. As the flesh of fish breaks easily, the water should never be allowed to boil rapidly. Salmon, mackerel, or any very oily fish, should be put into cold water, and brought almost to the boiling- point quickly, as they have a very strong, rich flavor. A little of this flavor can be lost without injury to the fish. Vegetables, which are mostly starch and water, should be put into boiling water and boiled rapidly, that the small portions of albumen which they contain may be hardened on the surface ; then, if the starch grains are burst quickly, they will absorb the albuminous juices within. The Boston Cook Book, Milk boils at 196 s . Being thicker than water, less of the steam escapes, and the whole liquid becomes hot sooner than water. The bubbles rise rapidly, and, owing to their tenacity, do not burst at the surface, but climb over one another till they run over the edge of the pan- Milk, grains, custards, and any substances which, from their glutinous nature, would be liable to adhere to the kettle, are much more easily and safely cooked in a tlouMe boiler, or in a pail within a kettle of wator. T his is uue form of steaming, or cooking over boiling water. In steam- ing, the water should not stop boiling until the articles are cooked. This is a convenient form of cooking many arti- cles which it is troublesome Jo cook with a dry heat, and yet do not need the solvent powers of water. Wat er y vegetables are rendered drier by steaming; and ttwigh pieces of meat which cannot' be roasted, are first made tender by steaming, and then browned in the oven. Some- times meat is steamed in its own juices alone ; t hi s is called smothering., or pot-roasting. Stewing is another form of boiling or cooking in a siuall quantity of water, at a moderate heat, and for a long ti me. The word means a slow, moist, gentle heat. It is an eco- nomical mode of cooking, except where a fire has to be kept for this purpose alone. The long-continued aeti ou o-f a gentle heat softens the fibres; aud the coarsest and cheapest kinds of meat, cooked in this way, with veget a- bles, may be made tender and nutritious. By judicious use of seasoning material, remnants can be made into savory and nourishing dishes. Whether we call it simply a steie, or ragout, haricot, or salad, the principle is the same, that of slow, steady simmering, rather than fierce boi li ng. Fricasseemg (meaning "t o fry") is a form of stewing-. The term is usually applied to chicken, veal, or some Mniall game, which is cut into pieces, and I'riud cilhor boftirv . >r after stewing, and served with :i rich white or brown eauce, and without vegetables. Any incut thtit is qui te juicy and not very tough may be first browned on the out - side to keep in the jukes, and improve the flavor. Coarse The Boston Cook Book. 13 tough pieces shoulil not be browned, but dipped in vinegar to soften the fibre; and pieces containing much gristle should be put into cold water. Braising is a form of stewing done usually in a braising- pan or kettle which has coals in the cover. Any granite or iron pan with a close cover to keep in the steam will answer the purpose. When placed in the oven, where it is surrounded by a slow, uniform heat, it needs very little attention. It 13 one of the most economical and satisfac- tory wavs of cooking large pieces of tough, lean meat, pig-eons, liver, fowls, heart, etc. Stock, vegetables, and bacon may be used, if a rich liquor be required ; bnt water, herbs, and simple seasoning make it very palatable. Baking is hardening or cooking in a dry heat, ss in a close oven. Nearly ail flour mixtures — bread, pastry* and some forms of pudding—are more wholesome baked than when cooked in any other way. Many forms of baking are really stewing; but the closely confined heat of the Oven gives an entirely different flavor from that obtained by stewing over the fire. This is seeu in the difference between stewed and baked apple-sauce, beans, etc Meat and fish, if baked in the right way, lose less in weight than when boiled or roasted. To bake them prop- erly, the juices must be kept within the meat. Au intense heat at first is necessary to harden the albumen ; then re- duce the heat, that the outside may not become too hard. and baste frequently to prevent drying. No water should be put in the pan at first, as it will then be impossible to have a greater heat than that of boiling water (212°), while for baking meat 280% or more, is required. Put one or two tablespoonfuU of beef drippings, or some of the fat from the meat, in the pan, to use in basting, as the fat can be made much hotter than water. If the joint be very large, or the meat need thorough cooking, like poultry, veal, or pork, water can be added to check the heat aa soon as the outside is cooked sufficiently to keep in the juices. This will keep the meat moist. Small cuts, and meats to In: eaten rare, are better baked without water. i 4 The Boston Cook Book. •JNIiinv persons accustomed to meat roasted before the opon fiiv ol'jvc-t to the flavor of baked meat. If the oven lie very hot at first, and opened every five minutes j ust long enough for the basting, which is an essential part of the cooking process, the smoky odor escapes. If there be no damper to check the heat underneath the oven, put the grate or another pan under the dripping-pan, as no heat is required under the meat. This will prevent t he fat ia the pan from burning and smoking the meat. Place the meat with the skin side down at first; then, if the juices begin to flow, the skin keeps them in; and, when turned, it brings the side which is to be up in servi ng next the hottest part of the oven, for the final browning. All baked meat or fish should be salted and floured all over. Salt draws out the juiceB ; but the flour unites "with them, making a paste which soon hardens, and keeps t hem within.- Baste often, and dredge with salt and flour after basting. If there be no shelf attached to the stove near the oven, keep a box or frame of wood just the height of the oven, near by, and pushed up close to it; it will be found very convenient to pull the pan out upon it when banting or turning the meat. Frying. Frying is cooking- in hot fat, —not boiling fat, as it is so often called, for fat can be made much hotter than the temperature required for cooking, which ia 3S5 3 ; the tem- perature for boiling fat is from o6i>° to 600". Fryi ng, when properly done, is immersion in smoking-hot fat. T he fat should be deep enough to entirely cover the artieles to be cooked ; and as it maybe used manv times, it is not so extravagant as some suppose to use such a quantity. T he prime secret of nice frying is to have the fat hot enough to harden instantly the albumen on the outer surface, and tlius prevent the fat from soaking into the inside of what- ever is to be fried. As a much higher temperature ts required tban that for boiling or baking, the articles are The Boston Cook Book. 15 very quickly cooked; and they have a flavor quite unlike that given by any other form of cooking. AU articles to be fried should be thoroughly dried and slightly wanned. If very moist, or very cold, or too many Articles'to fried at a time, the fat becomes chilled, and the grease soaks into them. Then, as the moisture heats and bolls, it causes such a commotion that the fat and water boil over, and there is great danger from the fat taking fire and spreading to your clothing, to say nothing of the trouble of cleaning the stove and floor. For this reason be careful not to let a drop of water, or of con- densed steam from another kettle, fall iuto the bot fat. Meat, fish, oysters, croquettes, etc. , should be dried, and rolled in fine bread-crumbs, to absorb any moisture ; then roiled in beaten egg, and in fine crumbs again. The hot fat hardens the albumen of the egg instantly ; and that, with the crumbs, makes a fat-proof crust. Fish balls, fritters, and fried muffiu mixtures contain egg and albumen sufficient to keep them from soaking fat, if the fat be only hot enough. A Scotch bowl, or deep iron or granite kettle, and a wire basket small enough to fit dowu into the kettle, are best to use in frying. The Tett for Hot Fat. — When the fat begins to smoke pat in a bit of bread; if it brown quickly, or while you can count sixty as the clock ticks, it n hot enough for fried potatoes, doughnuts, etc- When hot enough to brown the bread while you count forty, it wili do for fish balls, croquettes, etc. When ready to fry. plunge the basket into the hot fat to grease it. and then place in it the croquettes, or whatr ever you may be frying, so that they will not touch each other. Hold the handle of the basket with a long fork, and plunge it quicklv into the fat, but do not drop the handle, because if the fat begin to boil up, you can then raise the basket quickly, and wait till the ebullition has subsided before plunging it iu agaiu ; and thus avoid the danger of burning from the overflowing fat. The fat cools rapidly, when many articles are fried at once, and 16 The Boston Cook Book. should be reheated to the test point before frying any more. Time. — Any cooked mixture, such as fish balls and cro- quettes, or very small fish, oysters, scallops, etc. , will be fried brown in one minute. Thicker fish, chops, and frit- ters require longer cooking ; and, after plunging them into the hot fat, the kettle should be set back from the fire to prevent them from becoming too brown before they are sufficiently cooked. While frying, be careful not to spill any fat on the stove. Keep a tin plate in your left band, and hold it under the basket, or ladle, as you take things from the fat. Braining. — Thorough draining is another secret of nice frying, and you cannot find a much hotter place than right over the hot fat; so hold your basket of fried food over the hot fat, and shake slightly, till all dripping has stopped. Then place the fried articles on soft or unglazed paper, to absorb the fat, and keep them hot till ready to serve. Never pile fried articles one on another. Fat for Frying. Lard, a mixture of half suet and half laul, drippings, or oil, may be used for frying. Suet and drippings are cheap- est, and are preferred by many. Suet used alone cools very quickly and leaves a tallowy taste. Drippings should be carefully clarified (see page IS) and freed from water, or the articles cooked will soak fat. Lard, with a small proportion of suet or drippings, is more generally satisfac- tory. There is often a very disagreeable odor to new lard, and more or less water in it, as la shown by the froth and ebullition as soon as it becomes hot. Before it is used for any purpose it should be clarified with slices of raw potato and heated until it becomes still. Olive oil is the purest fat for frying, but it is too expensive for general use. Cotton- seed oil has been recently introduced for cooking purposes, and is an excellent fat for frying, though many dislike its peculiar odor. It may be heated much hotter than lard, The Boston Cook Book. without burning, and, when properly used, imparts no flavor to the food. When the fat becomes too brown for potatoes or doughnuts, nse it for croquettes, etc., aod then use it for nothing except fish balls and Ssh. When it be- comes very brown, put it with the soap-grease. If you wish to fry several kinds at the same time, begin with potatoes, following with doughnuts or flour mixtures, and crumbed articles last; otherwise the crumbs will fall off, and adhere to whatever is put in subsequently. After every frying, strain the fat through a fine wire strainer or fine strainer cloth into a tin pail, not pouring it, but dip- ping it from the kettle witli a small long-handled dipper. Let it cool slightiy before straining, as, if very hot, it will mult the strainer. Sprinkle coffee on the store, while fry- ing, to disguise the odor. Sauteing. The ordinary way of frying in a shallow pan with only a little fat, first on one side and then on the other, which the French call sauteing, answers very well for some purposes, — omelets, fried cakes, and many things browned in butter; but nearly everything that requires any more fat than just enough to keep it from sticking, is much better immersed iii hot fat. Fish balls, chops, and oysters are more quickly cooked, and absorb less fat, when fried by immersion than when srutied. Some people are extremely unwilling to make the change, aud persist in going on in the old way of cooking in a little, half-hot fat which spatters over stove and floor, soaks into the fish or meat, and is often served as the only gravy. Upon such, dyspepsia is a fell avenger. These directions for frying are given thus minutely not from any desire to recommend this method of eookiug; but, if people will fry their food, they should do it in the only correct way. With the exception of sait-fish balls and small, dry, white Ssh, there is nothing fried, even in The Boston Cook Book the right way, that would not be equally good, and much more conducive to health, were it cooked otherwise. Sar- atoga potatoes, or chips as they are called, are really chips, for persons with weak digestion. Oysters, chops, fritters, and the materials in croquettes, muffins, and doughnuts may be cooked in many better ways. Frying answers very well for open-air cooking, on the seashore or in camp, where appetite and digestion are strengthened- But in most modern houses, where the odors from the kitchen penetrate the remotest nook and corner, there are many serious objections, apart from the indigestibility of the food thus prepared. The acrid odors given off during the heating of fat are very irritating to the mucous membrane of the nose and throat, and they are equally so to a sensitive stomach. Some persons who can usually digest fried food cannot do so when the stomach has been irritated by the odor in frying. If all those who nre so fond of croquettes, fritters, etc. , were obliged to inhale the smoking fat, these dishes would seldom appear on the table. To clarify Fat. Any uncooked fat, such as suet, the fat from chickens, and all superfluous beef fat, should be saved and clarified, or made pure and clear. Cut the fat into small pieces, cover with cold water, and cook over a slow fire until the fill has melted, and the water nearly all evaporated. Th«n strain and press all the fat from the scraps. When cool, remove the cake of hard fat, or, if soft, draw it to one side and U't the water underneath run off. You may put with the new fat any fat from sonp stock, corned beef, drippings from roast beef, veal, fresh pork, or chicken ; in fact, any- thing except the fat from mutton, turkey, and smoked meat. If there be any sediment adhering to the fat, add • a little very cold water, and. after stirring well, pour tbe ; water off, or skim the fat from tbe water. Place tbe fai * in a i>;m over the fire, and, when molted, add one s raw potato, cut into thin slices. Let it stand on the The Boston Cook Book. 19 of the stove or in the oven till the fat has stopped bub- bling, is still, and the scraps are brown and crisp and rise to the top. Strain ttirough a floe strainer, and keep in a cool place. Fat thus cleared will keep sweet for weeks, if melted occasionally, which should always be done when any new fat is added. Boiling the fat causes the water in it to evaporate, and the organic matters or imi>uritie3 to be decomposed, and deposited as Bediment; the potato, owing to its (wosity and power of absorption (being mostly starch and carbon), absorbs any odors or gases, nuites with the sediment, and thus cleanses the fat, very much as charcoal purifies water. Clarified fat (or dripping, as it is usually termed) an- swers for many purposes in cooking,—frying, sauU-'ing, basting roast meat, greasing pans ; and as shortening for bread, plain pastry, and gingerbread. Egg and Bread Crumbing. Hints on saving bread crusts and stale pieces, for egg and bread crumbing, are given on page 75. The crumbs should be sifted through a fine sieve. For fish or meat mix a little salt, pepper, and chopped parsley with them. Beat the eggs slFgbtiy with a fork in a shallow dish. Add one tablespooBful of water or two tablespoonfu Is of milk for each egg. Add H little sugar if they are to be used for sweet dishes, and salt and pepper for all others. Sprinkle the crumbs on a bo«rd, and roll the chop, fish, or cro- quettes first in the crumbs; shake off all that <\o nol adhere. Cover all the articles with the crumbs and let them stand till dry. then dip into the beaten egg, and be careful to liavr every part covered. Drain from the cgg\ and roU again in the crumbs. Croquettes or any soft mixture should be held on a broad knife while being placed in the egg. Then dip the egg over them, and slip the knife again lengthwise under the croquette, drain, and put it carefully into the crumbs. Scallops and very small oysters can be more easily CILIIU'KHI 1>V [ilucing them with the crumbs in a 2 O Tk* ItoMton Cook Book. sheet of paper, and touring or turning Mil all are crumbed Remember Uiu order: eruiuba flnrt, tbro «gg, tben cnmiUs again. Routing. Roasting (meaning " to beat violently " ) U r»"" ' ' ! - 1 - fore an open fire ; it implies Uie •clioo i>f a urn degree of beat than that employed in any of ibe j specified method* of cooking. Tbc W'*t of ao oj«n i.rv s- about l,000 J . In the days of open flrepkcea U*i» wu the graera! wa) of cooking large piet-es of uueal; but DOW il i- •>" ;^' l only in large establbbnienu, or by tbow who f-n- ' ! ' the additional expeo«ti of s tin kitchen, awl a rn>. it- Btnictc<;l especially for roantitig. Bntiuj;. or rmt-i, ... a very hot oven, being a cbeaper ami u*?rv ti>o*cin'-. •' ••;>, is more generally usotl. Ov4-o» in »Ww an>l r:r. now well ventilated; «nd meat when |>rop«-rty <•••• > • • ' very hot oven, ami basted often, i» nearly e»jual ; - r > r to that roasted befont an open lire. Tbe fir* for r • --:.;.,* ehotild lie dear and brij^fat, and of willk-H-iit Uxly l*> \a»l. with only a slight sprinkling of coal, iferuugh the time for roasting. The meat is placed on a ipit, am) bung In Uie jack '«a tin kitchen, and made to revolve slowly before the nre bv winding a spring in the jack, or bf mrnin«the spit ui regtilar intervals. The nwat should bts r«bl>ed wiih sal! and flour, and placed oa the spit, ven' iw»r the t*re nt first, to harden the albumen; then removal a Iir;l, •)'-,- tance to prevent Uie meat fn>m burning, before (IK •-• '•• is cooked, liaee two or three Rpoouftila of tini-rsi-ii "' the pan to use in basting the meat ; baste often, sod j dredge two or three times with flour. When the joint it j very large, place a buttered paper over it. As the juices of meat are composed largvly of watt the water will be cvaporate-d as SHKMI as it reaches I boiling-point, or 212°. When meat w plami in a ate oven, tht beat is uot sullicit-nl to lianltu the a The Bos/on Cook Book. on tbe outer surface ; the watery juices evaporate, the steam esca|>es, and the meat becomes dry ami tasteless. But when meat is exposed to the intense beat of an open tire, or a very hot oven, tlie albumen hardens; and if basted frequently with hot fat. the meat is completely en- veloped in a varnish of hot melted fat, which assists in communicating the heat to the insti.it 1 . and checks the evaporation of the juices; this prevents the escape of the steam, so that tbe inside of properly roasted meat is really cooked in the eteam of its own juices. The evnpo ration of juices is proportionate to tbe amount of surface exposed. A small joint has a larger surface in proportion to its weight than a large joint weighing double or treble the amount; therefore the smaller the joint to be roasted, the higher the temperature to which its surface should be ex- posed, that the evaporation may be more quickly arrested. For very thin pieces of meat, which have a still larger surface in proportion to the weight, such as stcsks and chops, a greater heat is required. This ia accomplished by broiling, which should be done near Uie burning- poiiit, the highest degree of heat employed in any form of Cooking. Broiling. Broiling (meaning " to bnrn " ) is cooking directly over the hot coals. The degree of heat is eo intense that the articles to be cooked would be very quickly burned, were they allowed to remain for any length of time over the fire. The secret of nice broiling ia frequent turning. The fire should be bright red, and noarly to the top of the fire-box, so that the broiler may almost touch the fire. There should be no flame, as the flame from coal is due to the com oration of tarry vapors, and will cause a deposit of coal tar on the meat, giving it a smoky, nauseating Savor. When the fat from the chop or steak drips on the coals ami blazes, it deposits a film of mutton or beef fat all over the meat, which has a very different flavor from that of the coal (lame. Wln>n Urn steak lias much fat, remove part of iU A Male fal will u»|*w*» Uw An. the meat, and kf«p it 1W*. b r a i n s U*> rfr : OTCO damper th«uUl •)*«>• W ^ - . - i «li.U- i that the smoke of U»e dripping bi ma* >«r»rn»l chimney. Tbcre is nothing better f«»r twwiltu«than a 'U>t broiler. Hi * mil U> ba««acTrrai «• * . «lw»* with a bit of Ui# fal from U* «* »»• ** p l t t l •»h-»" Place the thickest part of »b»l©»er U U* Ue bn»ii the mi.idle of tbe bn>iW. 1X> ttu««*U ib. Eweui di»w» oat the Juice. lUvc Um pbi ur heating, m thing elae ready, that >ou may a--rt fc»*«Uw- U^ an iosbutt. Hold tbe broiler fifrol^, «***> * " » r wrapped arouud your ba»tl U> pr»4«?tt i' riace it m near the firs a* powMhie, t>> iuaUinUy ; cotiut teu, tlivn m*r IW "t-•" hanlens the oaUklu, aud *t*rt4 * They cannot escape through Uw ti but if the meat went cooked *!*.>;., „. . - turuiiig, they would soon cuuw tu UM? kf s awl tarniog the meat, Uw juktw wautf Jrip into tbw tiJ if tlio meat bo turned brj'.n tin- )uk«* rr**h tin other sorface i-t baf.iem^l, anil ttn-y nmuut *•»*•*(• . to the centre, and arw there retain.-*). A* tfa«j converteil into »tt»am by the h*at, U»v »welJ aiwJ meat a pufly appt-arance. If the bruiting be too long, these juR-ca gratluallv oou brtw to the surface, and are evaporated ; dry, leathery, ami inUigmUble. Meat should be broiled only IOOK e&ootfk to l.v-.-r- n?l the fibres, and start the Sow of ib* jnu-*». T he t.- -t spring up inatanUy when prosed »ito the knifr :*•'•• " it ceases to do this, the juic*» have fa***' and the meat shrinks. A littl* vsprrirw.'.- to deeiiie jtwt when to remove UM- m, . ^ ! ' it, as this lets out the jui«.-», i t tfxmUi be ^i . * ait.1 juu.*>. cot raw and purple, nor brown a»tf dry. T ura o«r »* often as you uau euunt Uju, tt uj ^^ f^uf a»iuuU--o. if The Boston Cook Book. 23 one inch thick; six, if one inch aud a half thick. The smaller and thinner the article, tiic hotter should be the fire ; the larger the article, the more temperate the fire, or the greater the distances from the fire. Fish should be floured to ket-p the slciu from sticking. A large baking-pan to keep in tbc heat should be held over anything which is very thick and requires to be cooked a long time. Chickens, which Deed to be thoroughly broiled Iiut not burned or dried, require about twenty minutes. A safe way is to wrap them in buttered glazed paper; cook the inner side first, and after the first searing k«ep tLem at a little distance from the fire. Chops, bacon, birds, and dry fish aro also improved by broiling in the buttered paper. Take a large sheet of white letter paper, or two small sheets. Rub them well with softened butter. This keeps out the uir. Season the chop or fish with salt and pepi>er, place it near the centre of tile paper, and fold the edges of the paper over several times and pinch them together close to the meat. The paper will char a long time before blazing, if care be taken not to break through the paper and thus let in the air and let out all the fat. The meat will be basted wilh its own fat and juices. A longer time will be required for the broiling; but when the paper is well browsed, the chop will be done. It will be found juicy and delicious, — free from any smoky flavor. Pan-hroiling is broiling in a hissing hot spider or frying- pan. Heat the pan to a blue heat. Rub it with a bit of the beef fat just enough to keep the meat from sticking, but do not leave any fat in the pan. Sear the meat quickly on one side, then turn without cutting into the meat, and brown the other side before any juice escapes into the pan. Cook about four minutes, turning twice, and serve very hot with salt mid butter. If the pan be hot enough and no fat used, this is not frying, it is broiling on hot iron; and tlie flavor is almost equal to broiling over the coals. The Boston Cook Book. Baking Bread, CaL Loaf bread . . Rolls, biscuit . Graham gems . Gingerbread . . Sponge cake . - Plain fruit " - . Cookies . . . . B read pudding . Rice aad T apioca Indian pudding . bustards . . . . Time Tables e, aad Puddings. . 40 to COm. . 1 0tu20 " 30 " . 20 to 80 " . 45 to 60 •' . 30 io 40 " . 2 to 3hrs. . 10 to 15 m. l hr . 1 " . 2 to 3 " . 15 to 20 m. Itcamcd puddings . Pie-crust . . . . Potatoes . . . B aked beans B raised meat . . Scalloped dishes . Eiders, coffee, clam^ . 1 to 3 " . about 30 m. . 30 to 45 " li to 8 hrs. , 3 to 4 " . 15 to 20 m. Sot ovsters . . . iice, green corn, peas, tomatoes, aspa Potatoes, macaroni, Young beets, carrots Winter vegetables, lamb . . . . Fowl?, turkey, veal 7orned beef, smokei Ham . . . . Halibut and salmon Blue-fish, bass, etc. . squash, celery, up' turnips, onions, >atmeal, hominy a tongue, beef a !a n cubical form, | perlb. . . . for Cooking. Baking Mec Beef, sirloin, rare, per 1 Beef, sirloin, well dune, perlh Beef, rolled rib or rump, per Ib Beef, lung or short fillet Mutlon, rare, per Ib. Mutton, well done, per Ib Lamb, well done, perlb. Veal " " " Pork " " " T urkey, 1 0 lbs. Trt. Goose, 8 lbs T ame duck . . . . Game " . . . . Pigeons Small birda . . . . Venison, perl b. . . . 1'isb, G lo S lbs. ; long, thin f i s h . . . . Fish, 4 to 6 lbs. ; thick hahbut Fish, small . . . . ' » agus, hard-boiled eggs iaeh, sweetbreads . . parsnips, cauliflower . nd wheat, chickens aad mode er Ib it. I*, a t o 1 2 »• is to 20 to 40 t o 1 '• " IS " 30 •' IO » ^i > " 3krv 14 " tf» a. 30 to " l * ** 1 hr. 2t> "• 30 *' •*» « tiu •• 2 far*. 4 •* IS- en. Muffing fritters, doughnuts - Slices of fish, breudud eliop3 . The Boston Cook Book. Steak, one inch thick . Steak, one and a half in. Small, thin Gab . . . Thick fish Chops, broiled [• paper ChickeD Many kinds of meat which arc very lean and dry are improved by the addition of some kind of fat. The tender- loin or fillet of beef, the thick part of the leg of veaL, grouse, and liver, are often prepared ID this way. Larding is drawing small strips of fat salt pork or bacon through the surface of the meat; daubing is forcing strips of pork through the entire thickness of the meat. Take a piece of fat salt pork two inches wide and four inches long. Shave off the rind the long way of the pork ; then cut two or three slices about a quarter of an inch thick, the same way as the rind ; cut only to the membrane which lies about an inch below the rind, as this is the firmest part of tlie pork; then cut each slice across the width, into strips one quarter of an inch thick. This will make the lardoons one quarter of au inch wide and thick nud two inches long. Insert one end of the lardoon into the end of the larding-ncedle, then with the point of the needle take up a stitch half an inch deep and one inch wide in the surface of the meat. Draw the needle through, and help the pork to go through by pushing until portly through, then hold the end of the pork and draw the needle out, leaving the pork iu the meat, with the ends projecting al equal lengths. Take up more stitches one inch apart iu parallel or alternate rows, until the whole surface is covered. Daubing is applied to a broad, thick piece of beef or veal. Cut the pork in strips one third of an inch wide and thick, aud as long as the meat is thick. Punch ft hole clear through the meat with a stcd, aud then insert the The Botton Cook Book hmlooii with a Urge lanling-nw«ll> Tbo salt ami fat from the lanioun* t~ •;' tbe meat, and by nmiij an* wn*M*r<f r :. seasonal as well by ismring the »urfiuv with mo- ..f suet, salted; or the pork may IK laid on tbv meal and removed after cooking- Tin* |irwt"»* i«nut ditnVult, re- quiring DO more skill than auy OUKT kind of wving. Any one who can nsc s *har|» kntfr, awl s mpe moat or fish from a bone, wiliumt cutting b**r own flenh, can bone anything, from the mnflHi-st bint, ehop, or 6»ti. to a l*-g or forequartcr of lamb, or a turfcey. A *wa)l knife with a sharp, short, poi nts Wmk% is nil that \» reqniml. It b well to begin on a ftinult fwak- br rv-movit^; tbr b>mt- from a chop or steak, llw aim b* to remove th*> flt"«h from tht* bone without cutting into ihv Jk?sb, or de«troyhi^ it«shape more thao is nwcaxarv. To Jione a Chop or Steak. — Begin at the bom- entl, serape the moat away, leaving the bone cW-an atui the Hitth un- broken. If there bo a |>it»et? of tenttfrloio uivkr the howe, remove it, and put it up clone to tbe nwat, wiitoe could easily cut through from the outside to the bone ami remove it in that way; bat the 8e»h wonM have to be sewed together, and much of the juice would escape. Aiter removing the bone, stuff the cavity left by the bone. The liitston Cook Book, 27 and sew tbe skin together at the smaller end. T hen bring the edges together at the upjjer end, crowding all the (Leah inside, and sew the skin together tightly. T his gives a rectangular form of solid meat ami stuffing. When salted and floured and exposed to a hot oven, the juices arc kept inside ; the meat is more conveniently aerved, Bud, when cold, does not become dry and bard. Any other pieces of meat are boned in a similar manner. To Jioae a Bird, Fowl, or Turkey. —la this ease the flesh is to be kept in the skin in order to preserve tbe shape. T he skin should be firm and unbroken, and the bird should not be drawn. Remove the hem) and pin- feathers, singe and wipe carefully. lie move tbe tendons from the legs, and loosen the skin rotiud the end of" the drumstick. Make an incision through the skin from the neck to the middle of the back, or near the junction of the side bone. Scrape tbe flesh with the skin away from the backbone until you feel the eud of the shoulder-blade; loosen the flesh from thia, and then follow the bone to the wing joint, and down to the middle joint in the wing. T he skin lies very near the bone underneath tbe joint, and care must be taken to avoid cutting through the skin at these places. Leave the first bone in the wing to aid in keeping the shape; it may be removed before serving. la small birds there is so little meat on the wings, that it is just aa well to cut them off at the middle joint. Ke- move the bone from the other wing in the same way, then follow the collar hone from the wing down to the breast- bone, loosening the crop from the flesh. In removing the flesh from the breastbone, be careful not to cut through the skin on the ridge. The flesh may be pushed away with the fingers, and the fillets or pieces that are detached from the other flesh can be laid aside, and. put in place afterwards. When the breastbone is bare, separate the flesh from the ribs, and be careful not to break through the membrane into the inside. Kemove tbe flesh round the second joint, then the drumsticks, turning the flesh wrong side out as in pulling a glove from the ilnger. 28 Tiie Boston Cook Ilaok. Repeat thi8 process on the other side. Then scrape do wn to the end of Uie backbone, and cut through the l>oi»©, leaving a part of it in the tail. Separate the membrane under the body without breaking. Thus you have t be flesh in the skin, and the skeleton left entire with the con- tents undisturbed in the inside. Lay the stuffing in, filling out the legs and wings, then sew the skin along the back , and skewer or tie into the original shape. An easier way of boning a fowl where it is U> be rol l ed like a galantine, is to cut off the wings at the second j o i nt , break the drumstick half-way from the joint, out the ski n down the entire length of the back, remove the flesh from the wing and second joint, turning the skin and tl«»U off like a glove ; then do the same on the other wing and l^g» leaving the breast till the last. The wings and legs* are turned inside, the stuffing is laid in the flesh, and t he whole rolled over and over, and sewed on the edge of t he skin and at the ends of the roll. Measuring. It has been said that " good eooks never measure any- thing. " They do. They measure by judgment and ex- perience ; and nntil you have a large share of both t hese essential qualities, use your spoon and cup or scales. Measures, in preference to weights, are used in near l y all these receipts, as they are more convenient for t he ma- jority of housekeepers. "When measured and estimated by tlie Table of Weights and Measures on page 30, t he eup and spoon may be used as accurately as the scales. Flour, meal, sugar, salt, spices, and soda shonlil al- ways be sifted before measuring. Any other mat eri al s that have been packed, like mustard and baking powder if not sifted, should lie stirred, and broken up l i ght l y One tablespoon t'ul of solid mustard taken carelessly fVorn the box has been found equal to three tablespoonfuls measured after sifting. Tin 1 s:ilt-|>oons, teaspoons, and tablespoons used in t hose Vi'ci_'i]jU iiiv the silver spoons now in general use. I r on The Boston Cook Book. 29 mixing-spoons van* much in size, but there is a size which holds exactly Die same as a silver tablespoon. B e careful to use this size in measuring. T he cap is-the common kitchen cup holding half a pint. T hose with handles are more convenient. To measure a UoMpowfut of dry material, dip into the sifted material, ami take up a heaping spoonful, shake it slightly until it is j ust rounded over, or convex in thfc same proportion as the apoou is concave. AM eren or tcntu teupoonful means the spoon filled lightly, and levelled off with a knife. Otu half Uotpocmful is most accurately measured by dividing through the middle lengthwise. When divided across the width the tip is smaller thiui the lower half. .-1 heaping ttutpomtftd is alt the spoon will hold of am- lightly sifted material. A teatpoonfui of liquid is the spoon full to the brim. TabUspoonftdt are measured in the same way. A cupful of dry material should be tilled and heaped lightly (not shaken down), then It-veiled off even with the top. A small scoop should be fcopt in the flour or sugar to use in tilling the cup. A heaping capful is all the cup will hold. A cupful of liquid id not what you can carry without spilling, but what the cap will hold without ruuning over; full to the brim. Place your cup in a sancer, while tilling it, or in the bowl in which the. liquid is to be poured. Haifa evpful is ne found in the same way. A scant cupful is within a quarter of an inch of the top. '-Butter the «» of OH egg," is a very common expression. T his equals about one quarter of a cupful, or two ounces, or ynu heaping tabUsen>ooufu!. either of which U more eaaity 30 The Boston Cook Book. written than the first expression. Place an egg in one tablespoon, then pack butter in another till it fitl^ the spoon in the same proportion as the egg, and J*-»u will easily carry it in -mind. Have your materials measured or at hand, and all uten- sils ready before beginning the mixing, or put t i ng th« ingredients together. Keep a bucket or pan full of timir, freshly sifted each day, and ready for use. Measure flour first, and put it in a bowl or pau together with salt, soda, cream of tartar, and spice; measure butter and put it ia the mixing-bowl; then measure tbe sugar, and. in scrupi ng out the sugar, take the butter which has adhered to tlw cup. Break your eggs on the edge of the cup ; if th*.- whiu> be clear, the egg is good. Put the 3"olks in one bo wl and the whites in another; measure the milk or liquid, and, after using the beaten yolk, clean out the bowl wi t l i the milk. Or, measure all the dry ingredients, break a mi sep- arate the eggs, measure the milk, add it to the bcatt' ti yolks, and measure the melted butter last. In ei t her way you can make one cup do for all without washing. - - T wo eggs beaten separately " means that the yolks ami whi t es are to be beaten separately, not each whole egg lx.>aten separately. A tabtespoonful of melted butter is measured after melt- ing, A tablcspoonful of butter melted is measured befure melting. To economize space, in many of the receipts t he abbr e- viations are written: one cup for one cupful, table»| >. f u r tablespoonful, teasp. for teaspoonful, and saitsp. f or salt- spoonful. All these measures mean a full measure, unl ess scant or heaping measures are specified. Table of Weights and Measures. i saltspoonfills of liquid 4 teaspoon fills of liquid 1 tsblespoonfuls of liquid 2 gilli The Boston Cook Book. quart. pound, or 1 qosrt, pound. pnnnd. pound. ounce*, or | enp ounces, or 1 cnp. •ups, or 4S tible*poonfals. taps, or U liblespmrnfals. rup uruit, or3 tables pooafnU. 3 l U Ublespooofuk of liquid tablespounfuls of dry mate rial 8 heaping tablespoon fula o( dry material " caps of liquid cups of flour cups of solid bullet cop of butter cups of granulated sugar cups of powdered sugar cups of meal piat O f milk or irater pint of chopped meal packed solely large egg*, 10 medium egga round tahletpoonfttl of butter heaping talikapooofnl ot butler : Butter the sim of an egg : heaping table*poonful of sugar : round isMwpoonful* of dour : n>und lableapooofqls of coffee : round tablespooDfals of povd. tegtx - tabie»poonful of liquid : bottle S. M. wine bottle brandy : small bottle Burnett's extract : small boMle Barnett'a extract flisk of olive oil : T able of Proport i ons. K-ant measure nf liqoid to 3 full measnrat of HOST, for bread, scant measure of liquid to 3 fuil measures of flour, for muffins. acanl measure of liquW t«1 full measure of Soar, for baiters. cnp of yeast, or J of compress) yeastcake. to one pint of liquid. even leai$p. of AMia ana * full tc^sp. of ejeaiD tarUr to 1- ([uart of nonr. heaping, or I even u-aspooiifuts, of baking powder lo I quan of flour, teaspoonful nf MMI* to 1 pint of sour milk. I teospooDful of NX)«lo 1 cup of molasses. 1 ealtspoonful of ui t to t quart of milk for casUrd*. 1 teaspuonful of extract to 1 quart of custard. 1 Mltapoonful of salt to 1 loaf of sponge ctke. 1 testpoonful of extract to I loaf M plain cake. 1 lpoonful of xpice to 1 loaf of plain cake. poanful t>f 8*\t tn 1 quart of g Mis, sift, and keep closely covered. Mixed Whole Herbs, for Soups and Braised H< 1 bunch each of whole thvinc and marjoram. 1 bunch each of summer savory and &i$^c- j- puuud of bay leaves. Cmsh and break the leaves, blossoms, and s t al i cs , ami mix thoroughly. Mixing- Next to care i n measuring comes tlie manner of mi x i n g . T he most accurate ineasureineAt of the best ma t e r i a l s is often rendered useless by a nporiwt u-> i»nf them t o g - e t he r properly, ami tin' M:iiiir i- u- , • ' ' ' - > the o v e n or the iv. vii. l. "I'lit'i-o :IJV t!ir t .». , ; . • • • - t ,f a i i x i n ^ - f r f r r h / r , . t ' - n h . , , ! , . n n , ] < \ ,-u ' r, ; l ( < r / • ; „ „ , „ , , . S'.irn,,;,. — I. rl 11,,- !K,W| of the ^[XH)11 rest riiffbtlj O D th^ li:>ttiu:) •)!' (In- in ; \i:i^-i' onl ; tiu>n move rouewl " a w j round in widt.'iiuij> fiivlus, without lifting the spoon o u t of The Boston Cook Book. 33 the mixture, except to scrape the sides of the bowl occa- sionally. Stir slowly at first, to avoid spattering; add the liquid gradually, and be sure the bowl of the spoon (not the edge nor the tip merely) touches the bottom and sides >wl. T his is mashing as well as stirring, and the soon becomes a paste. When perfectly smooth ; from lumps, add more liquid till you have the sired consistency. We stir flour and water together for ickening, or butter and flour and milk for a sauce. We stir when we rub butter to a cream, or when we make a batter or semi-dough. When we make a stiff dough we stir at first, and then turn the whole mass over, bringing the knife or spoon round the bowl and cutting up through the dough. Beating. — T ip the bowl slightly, and hold tbe spoon ao that the edge scrapes the bowl, and bring it up through the mixture and over with a loog quick flop to the oppo- site side ; under, and up through again, lifting the Bpoon out of the mass and cutting clear through, scraping from the bottom at every stroke. Keep the bowl of the spoon and the aides of the mixing-bowl well scraped out, that all the material may be equally beaten. We stir simply to blend two or more materials; we beat to entangle all the air possible in the mixture. We beat eggs or hatter or soft dough. T he albumen of [he eggs and the gluten of the flour, owiug to their viscidity or glutinous properties, catch the air and hold it in the form of ri'Us. something as we make soap bubbles by blowing •ui into soapy water. T he faster we beat, and tbe more w lum. ; the material up from the bowl into the air, the nvi 1 i lhl. -i n. ha\e but one -. tiling rm tion >ull de Mi > ' s lit eiT2«shoulii l i t 1 11K is in 1 I of BJ..U.H* . . . 1 " milk 1 ublnpoaniul of ome . 1 •• " brandy 1 bwpwmfnl of vui l U . 1 » » . pi™. . 1 " " tod*. «nd teaspoon fuU nf envin-tart 1 Ubleepnonfal ofbuMcr - B ut t w- I xf of amwr . . 1 Ublwpoonful of olive oil 3 tabl^peonfi. l, of «>S« . 3 tcatpmnful* of tea . . 1 quart of milkmaa'* o»ur 1 >' DewfnotcMMB 1 box o f gelatine . . . . iJT rioIr*™, '. '. '. J |< C | " T "" l B - ' ' 1 " crark. r. . . 1 '• I . pi oo . . . 1 " lire . . • • . fO.Ol .06 .an .OS. .03 .18 .02 .02 3 JUT i n .0-1 .02 .OS -01 .84 .80 -Ifi .oa .m 18 .13 .10 .07 .03 .18 E pound of iipagiietf i 1 " tontttarcb . Icanofloroatwa . . 1 " ulmon . . 80.18 . . .10 . . .15 . . J 8 1 " dcviUnl ham and loagw .30 1 tumbler of jelly . . 1 pound of m . . . 1 - eofft*- . - i " nutmeg . . i " ginsrr . . I " mustard . . Paringe at whole herb* 1 pound uf cheen . . . . .33 . - .23 . . .75 . . .38 . . .40 . . -33 . . .00 . . .1! . . .1 . . -H 1 " Parmeun chaeM • -M t peck of potMoe* - - 1 turnip . . . . 1 IHIWII nfwlerv . . 1 handful of par*lcv . 1 bunch of watercrtiuu* 1 bead of lettuce . . . . . & . . M . . M . . .03 . . . « . . .oa . . .0 . . l T hose prices are for the l>est materials, and are esti- mated for the season, from Outober to June, when batter and eggs arc Ligbcr tlmo duriog the summer. $6 'The Boston Cook Book. BKEAD AND B READ MAKING-. Importance of Bread. —Bread is one of the earl i est , ttie most generally used, and the most important form* <>f food adopted by mankind. Nothing in the WIIDII 1 '-::ut of domestic life more affects the health and hap pi < -- >•( the family than the quality of its daily bread. Wi t i i $£.**! bread, the plainest meal is a feast in itself; wi thout i i . tW tnost elaborately prepared and elegantly served mrmt is unsatisfactory. Bread-making is at once the easiest and the most clitfK-uU branch of culinary science, —easy, if only sufficient inter- est be taken to master a few elementary pri nci ples ami to follow them always, using the judgment of t he best authorities, until experience furnishes a sufficient guttle: difficult, if there be any neglect to use proper cart- and materials. It should be regarded as one of t he highest aecorsplisbmenta; and if one tenth part of the i nterest, time, and thought which are devoted to cake and pastrv nnd fancy cooking were spent upon this most i mportant article of foot!, the presence of good bread upon o ur tables would be invariably secured. Origina»d Mining of >• Bread." — V,vv:x<\ is made from a Tariotyor«ihst. imvs. —njots. fruits, . wltholmrk of t r©«; but wr.r,- -. 11( iai:\ ('mm certain fuviiii-*. The wore] b i8 d l ' l ' " • • : • • ' ' ' •• r l l W i old nir;;, • ; i i r i » nunni made. ol 1 -soinoiliiiiij: bra; corn. But these brayed erly bread until they arc Then the Tinned o T; mi |>, i ng to wet, or »,,,<\fr)i. meal or dougli wan l>:ik« o br<, -X t h , • «! . or <: ivon In 1 Ht (y. or point ,IK bnu-ot round msit ;cd or mo ics dotiffh, primitive once in h> '/. I5i . 1 • or 1st frc ti ot ex wli ial t i n rm as prossivo ll i.4 i ] u . eat or >> s are no t '-'(1 wi th ' JS thi s' v hes, ami of th.' •1HV -d t •. • [ > ' • • * ' V >tt 1 ui atle The Boston Cook Book. a firm, conipatfc bread, exo Accidentally some one discove stand till it had fermented, a doiisrh. it. ntiwl. or lifted, th 1 ; 2 V •• • ! • T in sdingly hnrd of digestion, ed Lliat by letting the dough nl tliou mixing it with new whole mass, and made it T(l loaf, • • -.•. or lift up. The old dougti—or leaven, si«i: -. •. i • !, ;- iipthedough. The raised mass is held in jtliiM' !iy ilu- lu-at in baking, and becomes the loaf of Hi ami »ftat w thf ml\ „( nn wlinh contains gluten in th«proper propoition m' l <-i tin. ilibmd qatliti psisentitl to tht_ aiakiue of light spon™ bn id It lonttin-. ill th 38 The JSoHom Cook Book, busk lie the inner bran coats, conUioiiig gimtrm, & stance which i* Ibe uitrugeuou* or A wral mttiUrt whu I. make up tbi* (»>«> t*M-' buth , Blitj UlV 1: gives Uie character. - i U> wbt-at grain*. 1 . - u- r » i o*- „ *"' ^ hr a r t - of lh -^ ult txitt»UtM uf txtlm tukc i: »,Jt tfurirA, it One, *biL, ilv- powder, wbidi lias h u b V«1 M a. fc«| e I w p ( „, . . , "a pr oduct . T bcre is alto «aoutil t a mml uf gi ; : . . ;>r- fused among I he . tarch «I U. Kur cwwowi i ™, ti. , .-..• •iii- fennt paru of the wheal wiU Ui dni g i ul nl u 4 r<«, or the outer husk; gluten, at the iiiuer bnw cxwu; aud Harc/> t or tue heart of U» wheat. The proportiou and quality of the gluten auil atareh in dilfereut kiutU of wheat vary according to the climate autl soil in which they are grown. They are ""•* O" 1 "*" also affected by the method • " " • * - • *••"• of grinding the grain. Wheat gro«n in S.».l!,<-ni or warm climates, and in the intenw, though abort, summer ol'our OIVH Northwest, contains more iillrog™thai, Uiat grown in mid, damp climates. It lost, mon . waU . t , t , a po r , t i 0 ! l , and consequently the seed t> smaller and harder In »me varieties of wheat the outer l.«d u, tl.in and smooth, aud peels off readily under the stones. In other. , il i«thitJt anil rough, and adheres do^ly to ,1,,, k er nc) . , n „ „ , , , it is l.ght-cul,,„..>... i..;-.. (1 others, dai kwbred or tough. The husky ; ., t j 8 , l K) Ut lalinixn m ^xuxn per cent ot . , u The ghtttn 01 »i, vM ls a gray, tough, ckstie sototance, consisting chiefly of vegetable nbrioe. It ram be eMnimcd TJie Boston Cook Book. 39 easily by making a dough oi" flour and water, and working it on a sieve under a stream of water. T he water will carry tbe stan-h, sugar, gum, and mineral matters into the pan below, leaving a lump of gluten on tbe sieve. It closely resembles a piece of animal skin, and, when dried, has a glue-tike appearance ; hence its name, gluten. T he proportion of g lute 11 varies from eleven to fifteen per oent. T his tough, elastic quality of t i e gluten determines the quality of the flour. T he more gluten and the tougher or stronger it is, the better the flour. T he gluten of good flour wilt swell to four or five times its original bulk ; while that of poor flour does not swell, but becomes watery and stick)', and sometimes gives off a disagreeable odor, owing to the deterioration ot the fatty or oily clement. Preparing the Flour. St. Louis Process. — T here are several methods of con- verting wheat into flour. One is by grinding between two horizontal stones, the upper one revolving, and the lower one stationary- T he surface of tbe stones presents an infinite number of minute cutting edges. T he upper stone is convex, the lower one concave; but instead of fitting perfectly, they approach closer together from the centre outward, so that, as tbe grain is poured into an opening in tbe upper stone, it ia at first rather coarsely crushed, and then cut finer and finer, as it is carried to the circumfer- ence by the centrifugal force. As the grain leaves the stones, the outer husk has been least affected ; the tough, coherent gluten is divided minutely, while the brittle starch, which forms two thirds ol" tbe grain, is completely crushed. T he inilltT then divides these products, by sh'ting or bolt- ing, into fine //ou r, coarse Jtou r, ami l>r,m. T he brnti "should be di scarded ; n utterly nsoWs for human ln. »I . ••!.: r. N <.fU-n mixv. l with :ui mlVnor quali ty of fine liuM. •• • ! • . i \- Ci' ab' im rlour. It «a< :. l one ti me ooi w: . .• I •. . U -m a foot I for tiio-c smlt-riHsr 40 The Boston Cook Book. science Las shown us recently that minute points of glass (and bnin is nothing else) are not Nature's beat ageuts in removing ctft'te matters from the 83'steiH. All of the 80- called Graham flour made by tiiis process should be sifted before using. The coarse flour will vary in quality, according as it Las more or loss of the outer bran mixed with it. In the soft wheats the husk peels olf readily under the stones, and is easily separated by bolting; and as these soft varieties contain the smallest proportion of gluten, they yield a coarse flour, containing only an average amount of gluteu, and the whitest fine-flour. But in the hard, flinty wheats, this outer husk clings ao closely that much of it is ground up finely vitli tlie flour, giving it a dark color. This flour, aa it contains a large proportion of gluten, would be more nutritious were it not that much of the gluten adheres to the hulls, and is lost by sifting them out, and much of the fine, flinty bran is retained in tiie flour, which makes it irritating and indigestible. The quality of the jine flour depends upon the quality of the wheat, in the fust place ; also upon tin- nmtiluT of sitt- ings, liL'Liiii nrhiT in gluten the less it is MTU-II ; :uv\ upon the way in which it is stored. Tin- pivots of -rimling with the stones heats the Hour; ;UH1 a* ii is often ihnist upon the market without being propei-lv i-uuled and drit'il, it spoils very rapidly. Flour made l>v tlii.s prowls of grinding is called the St. I^uit, or utd-prorest flour. When made of the very best quality of grain and carefully pre- pared, it makes a sweet, nutritious bread, and is excellent ill cake aad pastry. It is often designated pastry four. HaxaU Process. — Another method of making" flour is by the new, or Haxall process, so called from the name of the inventor. By this process the outer husk is first re- moved, or decorticated; then the cleaned grain is eut bv a system of knives, which reduces it to a fine powder with- out the injurious effects of heating. This flour has a slightly granular consistency, owing to the presence of minute particles of hard, flinty gluten. It is tisuajlv made The Bottom Cook Book. 41 from the best quality of wheat, and keeps weQ. It is con- sidered by many as the best Hour for bread, as it uiakvs a winter, nicer-looking loaf. IIaxn] 1 flour swells more than that made by the old process, as it contains more of the gluten; the saint) measure making a greater quantity of bread tbiin the St. Louis flour. It is, therefore, cheaper in the end, though cowling more per barrel. By repeated siftings, this flour loses iis ghiteu, aa does lhnl made by the St. Loub* process, ami consequently in tlii-u inferior as a food. But we can supply by other flours aud other food what this flour lacks in nutritious qualities ; ami until the popular titfcU? is educated to demand thu amount of nutri- ment contained ia bread ratbur than tue whiteness of it, as a test of its quality, it is well to make our fine, white bread from this, which is the best flour, and have it as nearly perfect as possible. There have been many variations of the It a sail process, and all arc Luchideil under the term neic-prvcess Jtour, Minnesota. — The Minnesota, or patent-process, flour is now considered one of the best grades. TUe Wash burn, Pillsuurv, aud many other mills located io Minneapolis are the largest di>ui'-iniiU in the world, aud produce au exuel- k j ot quality of flour, in which a largu pmportiou of the gluten is retained. This Miuuesota dour is made from carefully selected wheat grown in the Red River region, the best wheat-growing section in Aim-rica. The first step in the process U tltc breaking off of the germinal poiut of each grain by what arc called ending stnues. Then it is sent through corrugated iron rollers, having shallow grooves cut spirally upon them, with rounded ridges between, and the opposing rollers grooved in an opposite direction. The grains are crashed (not ground); the atarchy parts, or middlings, being quite finely powdered and easily separa- ted from the brau or tailings. After this separation the middlings are passed through ten bolting-cloths, and then through other and finer eomigatcd machines, and made into the various grades of fint, tvptrjine, d/ flours. 42 The Boston Cook Book. Health-Food Flour. — A still better method of • ing wheat into flour, and one which is indorsed by scientists and physicians, has been recently iutrrah; tie Health Food Company of New York. Only tbe < kinds of wheat are used. The outer husk is first v> '•••I by moistening the grain, and subjecting it to a gen; ; •••••• •>• bing by what is termed the '-attrition process. " 'l'i. softens tlie woody fibre of tiie outer bran, which i& I-SM. removed by sifting, but does not affect tlie hartl glm- coats. The grains are dried, then pulverized into variu! grades by a compressed eold-air blast, which da&ti*;:* w. grains into atoms with tremendous force. T bts in call wholt-xoheat flour, the name indicating that the wlioi«of i.. gluten, or nutritive part of the flour, is retained. It is n sifted like other flours, but pulverized into all the vark- u • of crashed wheat, coarse granulated a.xn\ fine granulated w-hm each variety, even the finest flour, containing all that valuable as food. Bread made with this flour baa b< . found, after repeated trial, to be sweet and agreenl»l*; to t. taste, light and spongy in texture, with none of t be obj< - tionable features of Graham bread, and answering fully ail the demands of perfect nutrition. Cheap inferior Graham flour, made of poor flour tni std with bran, is worse than no food at all. Any t t our con- taining much of the indigestible bran causes i rri tati on of the digestive organs; all the food is hurried ttirotigfh the alimentary Cimal before digestion is complete or alt tbe nutriment can be absorbed, and thus is neither eoonouiiea! nor healthful. Fine flour containing the most glut-c-u is i' most nutritious, because it is all digested, and t he lo&.s albuminous material can be supplied from other sour ces. The Arlington, the Fnmkliti, and some other Ur auds of whole-wheat iiour. arr higlily indorsed by those familiar with them. The Tests of Good Flour. The first requisite in making good bread is to u^ t , ^^ flour. Good flour should not bo pure white in e-ofor bat The Boston Cook Book, 43 of a creamy, yellowish-white shade. If it feel damp, clammy, or sticky, ant) gradually form into lumps or cakes, it is not the best. Good flour holds together in a mass, when squeezed by the hand, and retains the impres- sion of the fingers, and vvvn the marks of die skin, much longer than poor Hour; when made into a dough, it is elastic, easy to be kneaded, will .stay in & round puffy shape, and will take up a large amount of water: while poor flour will be sticky, flatten, or spread itself over the board, and will never seem to be stiff enough to U- handled, DO matter liow much flour is used- Haxsll flour 1ms a line granular consistency, anil runs easily through the sieve or the fingers like fine meal; while good St. Louis flour feels Boft and oily. It is exlrava-fanl to buy poor or even doubtful flour. But, should it nave every appearance of being good floor, and yet not make good broad, do not condemn the flour without a fair trial; and be sure the fault is nowbere else. Every experienced ooofc bas her own tests for flour, and some oF them are amusing, if not reliable. The best way is to buy a small quantity at first, and mnkt it into dough ; then. If satisfactory, purchase whatever amount is re- quired, and buy this same brand us long as it proves of uniform quality. The names given to flour (ire not a sure criterion of the quality. The floor may come from the same growth of wheat, and Ire ground in the same manner and at the same mill, and yet the miller or the wholesale dealers will brand it different)?*. And the same brand will vary in quality from year to year. Some of the varieties sold in Boston, and known to he good by personal trial, are Archibald's Extra, ^Vashbum's, Spaolding, Corrugated, Taylor's Best, Brown's Best, Marguerite, etc. ; the same flour may be known in other cities under different names. There are others equally good, and every year some now brand ia announced. It is estimated that one bam-l of flour will last one person one ywir: which gives a VHIO of proportion by which-to buy. Most good houseki.^pers Rgfee that flour is not improved by long keeping, Uwuyli The Boston Cook Buok\ flour dealers think differently. Flour should be kept ; :i cool, dry pla.ce, as the least dampness causes it to ;i! r> moisture; the glutoa loses its tenacity, becomes s-tit-*), and Uie bread made from it is coarser n» in organic substances by which their sugar, starcb, j^i • i, etc. , are decomposed or recombined into new compos : -. This change ma}'be spontaneous under favorable condi- tions of air, moisture, and warmth ; or it may be bast v tM.il by the presence of a ferment-, A. ferment is some albu- minous substance in a state of decomposition, and, when introduced iuto any other albuminous substance, in how- ever minute a quantity, causes a change which porvmJes the whole mass. These fermenting substances are iu great variety, and the germs of some of them am always present in the air. There are different kinds of fermentation. i';n is the change in milt wh e n it - aiMimiuoua part of the mi l k , by nnl «:Lrnith. begins to decoi npose 1 ..,: >• :••- !!.,• sugar of the mi l k into ; . ! . :•••. ••-, upon the remai nder M v\-,i. 1. nm, ^anseg it to coagul at e or hanloii, ami ULMAS il ;i an-in- Ui^U'. The oh-oholir 'fenn-utatiua is thai whirh is pr o du^d in Bubstanc-a ru-h in ^ ^ r or 8 i, ir eh. as tl.o fruits anti K r a i 1 1 8 iroiu which wiues and beer are made, bome of tUtao fer> The lactic pOSl the T he ire to 1 . - : L 1 K' milk. / ; I- ti The Boston Cook Book. 45 ment germs are present in tbe juice of grapes ; and under the influence of air, moisture, and warmth, they seize upon the sugar already present in the natural fruit juices, and any that may be added, and convert it into carbonic acid gas and alcohol. In the grains, a i>oition of the gluten ferments and changes the starch iuto sugar, and then the sugar into carbonic acid and alcohol. In con- verting the starch into sugar there is no change evident to the eye; but as soon as the sugar is decomposed into alco- hol and carbonic acid gas, large bubbles of gas appear, which swell the whole mass. Acetic fermentation is caused by allowing alcoholic fer- mentation to go on beyond a certain limit, or in a tem- perature above 90°. A familiar illustration of this is the change of wine or cider into vinegar. Now, bread-dough contains ghitcn, sugar, and starch; and if the dough be kept warm for a certain time, lactic fermentation will he developed spontaneout/ij, and tbe bread made from such dough will be sour and heavy. Alco- holic fermentation can also be spontaneously produced in dough, by making first a batter (as the semi-flatd state is more favorable to rapid,chemical change), and subject- ing it to a temperature of 110 c for five or Bix hours; then, adding more Hour, allowing it to rise again, and then baking it. Bread made in this way is called salt or milk- rising's bread. But it does not keep well, and is not gen- erally liked. It is nut always convenient to wait for dough to be raised in this rummer, so we hasten the process by the addition of some active ferment. Leaven, or a piece of old dough, left to sour, and then mixed with the new dough was formcrlr need ; this produced lactic as well as alcoholic fermentation, and though the bread was light and spongy in texture, it had an unpleasant sour taste. Bnt since the chemistry of veast fermentation has bee'n under- stood, yeast has come to be considered the best ferment for producing alcoholic fermentation in bread rapidly, and with no objectionable result. The Boston Cook Book. Teast, what is it t—Yeast is a plant or germ of the fungus tribe. Under the microscope it is found to c*m»i*t of numberless minute rounded or oval bodies wli i th are true vegetable cells. Veast is therefore one of the si mplest anil smallest of v«j5*.-t*l>k> organisms. Eaci i little cell consists of &.n va- veloping skin t>r mem- brane, i-oumiiun^ n liquid or sap. They grow or expand froai tlie luiiiuteat uiii_n> seopic points, and seem to bud off from each ot her and multiply into many millions to the cubic iueh. T lwse cells are easily propagated in any medium where the. y fiud congetiiul food, particularly in the juice of grapes*. Ii' grape-juice be filtered and left to stand in a warm j»l»w two or three hours, it becomes first cloudy, then tbtv-k. aud gives off bubbles of gaa, showing there lias been sotm- change in its composition. In a short time a £prn\ it»h- yeliovv fi-oth, or layer of 3'east cells, collecte on the &«rfatt. " Whether the germs or spores of the yeast pl ant uxist already in the juices of the living grape, or whether they arc always floating in the air, and cling to the ext eri or of the fruit, and ouly become mixed with the juiise in t he wine- press, is not known ;" neither is it known just how they decompose the sugar of the grape. But it is enon«;lt for our purpose to know that they grow in the juice a mi ex- pand there, aud that an active ferment mav he di ssolved out of these yeast cells, sufficient to cause alcoholic fermentation . The natural developim-nt of yc-tist through the agency of plants is too slow and inomneiik>nt a process to rely upon ; therefore we mrimifiu'tniv it from various substances rjfh in starch and sii^ar. iin-wcrV \vn»t is made fronj malt, oj sprouting grain, u?u:illy barU;\ : home-made yeast , from flour and" potatoes. Ymst Braid the Result of Chemical Changes.—. \ iridaA pronerly ninde with yeast undergoes certain chvmical changes which render it lighter, more porous, more plea*- The Boston Cook Book 47 ant to the taste, and more healthful, because more easily digested, and more convenient for general use. It is gen- erally recommended by scientific and medical men as the best form of bread. Wheat contains a larger percentage of starch than of any- thiog else. We learn, in the chapter on Digestion, that starch as such is not absorbed into the human system. It must first be transformed into sugar. All starch that is not changed into sugar by the process of cooking or before our food is eaten, is so changed by the ptyalin, or ferment of the saliva, and the ferment of the pancreatic fluid. Any process which produces this change for as makes our food more digestible. " Powdered alum will dissolve in water sooner: than a crystal of alum. " Any fluid will penetrate mare easily through a sponge than through putty, and the salivary and gastric fluids are no exception to this rule. Wheat starch in its natural state is close and compact; and biead made simply witli flour and water, and baked at oace, will be close, dry, and difficult to masticate and digest. Good bread should lie sufficiently soft to be easily crushed in the month, and of such a light, spongy texture that all the starch cells may be ruptured, and the greatest possible amount of surface be presented to the action of the diges- tive fluids. T o obtain these qualities in bread, we try to expand the doogh as much as possible without destroying its natural sweetness. Owiug to the peculiar elasticity and tenacity of the wheat gluten, this is very easily accom- plished by alcoholic fermentation. T he flour is moistened with some warm liquid, yeast and salt are added, and it is tluin exposed for some hours to a temperature of about 70°. T he yeast changes some of the starch of the flour into sugar, and the sii^ir into alcohol and carbonic acid gas. Thi-; .'- • -••. '•• : :: !v ilcr than the dough, rises, and, in its efforts -. -. . - , \:. ;i(h the elastic, glutinous rJongh into a ma,-- u\«i <.r i.uvo times its original bulk. T he escaping ; and when this expansion has reached the desired limit,—that ia, before the alcoholic fermentation has changed The Boston Cook Bool: to the acetic and soured the dough, or the tough, glutinous walls of the air cells are broken,—we check the forma- tion of gas, and kill the ferment by baking the dough in a hot oven. The alcohol escapes into the oven ; some of the starch is changed into gam, and forms the crust; and the rapid decomposition, produced by tbe intense heat, causes the crust to assume a brown color. Unfermented Bread. — This is made without yeast; hut the principle is the same as in fermented bread, namely, the liljfi'fition of gas within the dough. T he gas escapes quickly, and all such bread must be baked a? soon aa possible after mixing. There are no chemical changes in the starch or sugar; the elastic, glutinous dough is simply expanded by the gas. The etarch cells are ruptured by the intense heat in baking; but if the gas bubbles burst before the heat has fixed the gluten wall, the bread will be heavy. This gas is produced in the bread dough in various ways: 1st. By the gas in very cold water, and the air obtained by vig- orous beating; 2d. By the introduction of water under pressure, highly charged with gas. The first method is only suitable for mixtures which are to be baked quickly in a very hot oven, and eaten i named lately, like gems, puffs, etc. The latter method produces what is known as aerated bread, making a light, aweet, spongy loaf; bat i* is not practicable for home use. 3d. The usual method is by sonic L r ;is-generating compound, as the union of an acid anj :m ;dk:ili; usually soda, with either sour milk, cream of taitar, or muriatic acid. This is a convenient form adopted by many people who think it hard work to make yeast bread. When the chemicals used arc pure, and in such a proportion that they neutralize each other, and leave only Rochelle salt as a residue, this bread, if used only occasionally, is harmless. But Rochelle salt is a medicine, not a nutritive food ; and "those who are well do not need the disturbing influence of a medicine in their daily bread," and those who are ill (\o not often need this particular form of medicine. Throua;!) ignorance or care- lessness this broad is often made so that there is an excess The Boston Cook Book. 49 c>f alkali or a residue of alum; and then, if used habitually, it is injurious, and to some extent poisonous. It is con- venient to know how to make it well iu an emergency, and it helps make variety. It is best, when freshly baked, in the form of small biscuit rather than in loaves, and is not as indigestible, when eaten hot, as hot yeast bread. But for a bread for general use, for bread that will keep well, for bread that will leave a sweet, clean taste in the mouth, for bread that will yield the most in bulk from a given amount of flour, for bread for promoting health, there is nothing equal to perfect, home-made yeast bread. Ii is not so difficult a task to make perfect bread as most young housekeepers imagine, or old housekeepers assert. It is not impossible for a young girl to succeed as well in her first attempt in this art as the mature housekeeper who counts her loaves by the thousand, provided she learns the best way of making it, and uses a reasonable amount of comruon-seust:. The Best Kinds of Yeast. Who made the first yeast? and how docs a young house- keeper start her own, when away from stores or friends, where she can aeither buy nor borrow r are questions often asked. Simply make a thin batter with flour and water, and let it stand in a warm place till it ferments, and is full of bubbles. A pint of this ferment ia equal to one uup of old yeast in starting the new. There are three kinds of yeast in general use,— the dry, the compressed, and the liquid, — oaeu of which has its peculiar merits, •Dry yeast caixs, auoh aa the "National" or "T win Brothers," are inexpensive, always ready to use, and gen- erally liked by those who care more for economy of time and trouble than for the quality of their bread. Compressed yeast cukes, like the " Vienna" or " Fleisch- mann's," are excellent, when perfectly fresh ; the best form of yeast where bread ia made in large quantities. But for a small family, where only a quarter of a cake ia used per- 50 The Boston Cook Book. • haps twice a week, or for those living at a distance from the stores, they are inconvenient, expensive, and waste- ful. They have almost entirely taken the place of baker's yeast. As to which is best of the many varieties of home-made yeast, who shall decide when housekeepers disagree? Every good cook thinks her way the best. They are all good that make good bread; the only special advantage of one over another being the greater ease in making or the length of time it will keep good. People who are inclined to shirk think it a deal of trouble to make yeast of any kind ; but there are none so independent as those who make their own yeast. The simplest form of liquid yeast is made with flour, salt, and boiling hop water. To this many add potatoes and a little sugar, aud some add ginger. Chemists say that the potato is the best form of starch for the growth of yeast- Potato yeast rises more rapidly, and keeps longer without souring, than flour yeast; bread made from it is sweet, light, and does not dry quickly. As to the comparative merits of grated raw potato or boiled potato, those who have used them both ways with equally good results think the grated potato has the advantage of being made in mnch less time. The really essential points are that the water shall be hailing, so that all the cells of the flour or potato may be ruptured. The salt and sugar assist in the fermentation, and the hops and ginger serve to prevent the yeast from souring by checking the fermentation before all the sugar is converted into alcohol; they also give it an agreeably pungent taste, if not used in too large quantities. Old. potatoes are better than new for yeast, because the3 r con- tain more sugar. Porcelain or granite kettles for boiling the hops and potatoes,, and earthen bowls and wooden spoons for mixing, are best, as iron and tin cause the yeast to turn dark-colored. The yeast for starting must be fresh and lively, and Dever added till the boiling mixture has become lukewarm,