The spirit of cookery

The absorption undoubtedly takes place, and therefore turnips boiled in broth are of much better taste than- those boiled in mere water. But there is nothing like a condensation of savour in the turnip ; it abstracts only a little broth while yielding some of its own juice and extractives. This is all in favour of the turnip, if it be intended that it should be eaten ; if it is not to be eaten, but to be removed (from coulis, braises, soups, etc.), it should be pressed in a cloth in a screw-press, and the juice should be added to the preparation to be eaten, if need be, after concentration. The turnip may be eaten plain-boiled in sauce, or mashed with butter {d VAnglaise), or as purie. Turnip-sprouts, the greenish leaves which they push in spring, called turnip tops, are a tender vegetable, and can be eaten boiled in salted water with any of the same sauces as accompany asparagus. Carrots. The wild carrot, Daucus carota, L., has a white, stronglyflavoured root, which by cultivation becomes yellow, or even reddish. It is cultivated mainly in two varieties, one being CARROTS the small early garden, the other the large field root, used as food for man as well as animals. It is distinguished by containing a considerable amount of sugar, and a peculiar colouring and flavouring principle. The water in the carrot, on the average, amounts to 87 "05 per cent. ; nitrogenized matter, 1'04 per cent. ; fat, 0'21 per cent. ; cane-sugar, 2 '51 per cent. ; fruit-sugar, 4-23 per cent. ; other carbohydrates, 2-60 per cent. ; woody fibre, 1-4 per cent. ; ash, 0'90 per cent. The larger carrots contain about 4 per cent, more water than the smaller varieties. Some carrots have been known to contain as little as 1’6 per cent, of sugar, with 7T7 per cent, of carbo-hydrates not being sugar. These in cooking require an addition of sugar, and then are of good taste. The flavouring principle, a volatile oil of strongly warm taste and odour, has been isolated by distillation with water ; the colouring principle, a remarkable substance called carotin, is soluble in the expressed juice of the carrots, and can be used for colouring butter, or cheese, or other products. The most singular feature in the history of carrots is that, although they are eaten by man in various forms, stewed, boiled, as purée in soups and in ragouts, and introduced into most bouillons, consommes, braises, mirepoix, etc., yet they are perfectly indigestible, and pass through the alimentary canal almost in the same shape as that in which they have left the mouth after having been chewed. Notwithstanding their indigestibility, they are not known to cause any digestive derangement. The great affection which cooks and diners have for carrots can only be explained by their colour, which makes an impression on the eye, and their flavour and sweetness, which speak to the palate. Young carrots stewed with sugar and glazed, a dish in French termed a Nivernaise, or the mixture of carrots and turnips d la Nivernaise, are favourite entremets or garnishes for ragouts. Observe that the pure carrots only form a 33« Nivernaise, and that the compound dish is only d la Nivernaisc. A dish of mere turnips should, therefore, not be passed under that name. Gourd, or Vegetable Marrow.