While frying has the advantage that it can be done quicker than any other mode of preparation by heat, it furnishes no sauce or gravy ; and if such be required, it must be separately provided from extraneous sources ; or the fry may be strongly spiced, or, if suitable, covered with flavoured butter (of savory, of anchovies, parsley, or mush- rooms). The author of the ‘ Physiologie du Gout ’ has recorded a series of instructions, in the shape of an allocution, to his cook, Maitre Laplanche. His friends, he said, admitted him to be a 2>otagiste of the flrst order, but they observed that he was uncertain as a friturier. The incident which is said to have given rise to the allocution was the serving 288 THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY of a sole, which, had been attempted to be fried, but was pale, soft, discoloured, and had distressed the company at table — Monsieur E4camier, le docteur Eicherand, and le president Seguier. The professor thought that -this had happened to the chef because he had neglected the theory of frying, of which he did not feel the importance, and lectured him on the physical laws involved in the con- sideration of the difference between the temperature of boiling water on the one hand, and of fat in which frying can be done on the other. We think the application better than the theory, and the incident quite bears out the state- ment of Careme and the relation of Pages, to the effect that a gentleman who could write and speak, more particularly speak, pathetically on cookery, had an indifferent cook. Fried things are well received at feasts as introducing an attractive variety, are pleasing to the eye by a certain light- brown, reddish colour prophetic of the taste of maturity, retain their original taste for some time, and can be eaten while being held with the fingers. The friture also gives to cooks opportunities for renovating broken remains of previous meals, and for providing quickly warm refections for un- expected guests. The quality of a fry depends upon the object being surprised — that is to say, suddenly immersed in fat so hot that its outside becomes at once encased by a hardened surface, a cuirass soon to be browned. Then neither does the fat enter into the case so formed nor does the juice leave it, although it becomes concentrated by loss of steam. When the surprise has been effected, the heat must be moderated at once by moving the pan or damping the fire. Small fish — such as trout below a quarter of a pound, smelts, whiting — may be fried in oil, whitebait also ; but the latter are, in fact, fried more frequently in lard— oil would make them more crisp, and to some, at least, better THE PROCESS OF FRYING, OR PHRYGOLOGY 2S9 flavoured. Of smelt the culinary professor says incidentally that it was ‘ the becfigue of the waters, the same small size, the same perfume, the same superiority.’ Probably as a contrast, or with a view of restoring his impaired reputation, Maitre Laplanche prepared an immense fried turbot, and thereby, says his master, ‘ astonished the universe. ’

AI-modernized reading of the original text

While frying has the advantage that it can be done quicker than any other mode of preparation by heat, it furnishes no sauce or gravy ; and if such be required, it must be separately provided from extraneous sources ; or the fry may be strongly spiced, or, if suitable, covered with flavoured butter (of savory, of anchovies, parsley, or mushrooms). The author of the ‘ Physiologie du Gout ’ has recorded a series of instructions, in the shape of an allocution, to his cook, Maitre Laplanche. His friends, he said, admitted him to be a botaniste of the first order, but they observed that he was uncertain as a friturier. The incident which is said to have given rise to the allocution was the serving of a sole, which, had been attempted to be fried, but was pale, soft, discoloured, and had distressed the company at table — Monsieur Escamier, le docteur Eicherand, and le president Seguier. The professor thought that -this had happened to the chef because he had neglected the theory of frying, of which he did not feel the importance, and lectured him on the physical laws involved in the consideration of the difference between the temperature of boiling water on the one hand, and of fat in which frying can be done on the other. We think the application better than the theory, and the incident quite bears out the statement of Careme and the relation of Pages, to the effect that a gentleman who could write and speak, more particularly speak, pathetically on cookery, had an indifferent cook. Fried things are well received at feasts as introducing an attractive variety, are pleasing to the eye by a certain lightbrown, reddish colour prophetic of the taste of maturity, retain their original taste for some time, and can be eaten while being held with the fingers. The friture also gives to cooks opportunities for renovating broken remains of previous meals, and for providing quickly warm refections for unexpected guests. The quality of a fry depends upon the object being surprised — that is to say, suddenly immersed in fat so hot that its outside becomes at once encased by a hardened surface, a cuirass soon to be browned. Then neither does the fat enter into the case so formed nor does the juice leave it, although it becomes concentrated by loss of steam. When the surprise has been effected, the heat must be moderated at once by moving the pan or damping the fire. Small fish — such as trout below a quarter of a pound, smelts, whiting — may be fried in oil, whitebait also ; but the latter are, in fact, fried more frequently in lard— oil would make them more crisp, and to some, at least, better THE PROCESS OF FRYING, OR PHRYGOLOGY 2S9 flavoured. Of smelt the culinary professor says incidentally that it was ‘ the becfigue of the waters, the same small size, the same perfume, the same superiority.’ Probably as a contrast, or with a view of restoring his impaired reputation, Maitre Laplanche prepared an immense fried turbot, and thereby, says his master, ‘ astonished the universe. ’

The spirit of cookery