The workman mindful of success, therefore, will naturally direct his attention to the faultless preparation of his stock, and, in order to achieve this result, he will find it necessary not merely to make use of the freshest and finest goods, but also to exercise the most scrupulous care in their preparation, for, in cooking, care is half the battle. Unfortunately, no theories, no formule, and no recipes, however well written, can take the place of practical experience in the acquisition of a full know- ledge concerning this part of the work—the most important, the most essential, and certainly the most difficult part. In the matter of stock it is, above all, necessary to have a sufficient quantity of the finest materials at one’s disposal. The master or mistress of a house who stints in this respect thereby deliberately forfeits his or her right to make any remark B 2 GUIDE TO MODERN COOKERY whatsoever to the chef concerning his work, for, let the talent or merits of the latter be what they may, they are crippled by insufficient or inferior material. It is just as absurd to exact excellent cooking from a chef whom one provides with defective or scanty goods, as to hope to obtain wine from a bottled decoction of logwood. THE PRINCIPAL KINDS OF FONDS DE CUISINE (FOUNDATION SAUCES AND STOCKS) The principal kinds of fonds de cuisine are :— 1. Ordinary and clarified consommeés. 2. The brown stock or “‘ estouffade,’’ game stocks, the bases of thickened gravies and of brown sauces. 3. White stock, basis of white sauces. 4. Fish stock. 5. The various essences of poultry, game, fish, &c., the complements of small sauces. 6. The various glazes: meat, game, and poultry. 7. The basic sauces: Espagnole, Velouté, Béchamel, Tomato, and Hollandaise. 8. The savoury jellies or aspics of old-fashioned cooking. To these kinds of stock, which, in short, represent the buttresses of the culinary edifice, must now be added the follow- ing preparations, which are, in a measure, the auxiliaries of the above :— 1. The roux, the cohering element in sauces. 2. The ‘‘ Mirepoix’’ and ‘‘ Matignon”’ aromatic and flavouring elements. 3. The ‘‘ Court-Bouillon’’ and the ‘‘ Blancs.” 4. The various stuffings. 5. The marinades. 6. The various garnishes for soups, for relevés, for entrées, &c. (‘‘ Duxelle,’’ ‘‘ Duchesse,’”’ ‘‘ Dauphine,’ Pate a choux, frying batters, various Salpicons, Profiteroles, Royales, Ciufs filés, Diablotins, Pastes, &c.). 1—ORDINARY OR WHITE CONSOMME Quantities for making Four Quarts. 3 Ibs. of shin of beef. # lb. of leeks and 1 stick of celery. 3 lbs. of lean beef. + Ib. of parsnips. 1% lbs. of fowls’ carcases. I medium-sized onion with a 1 lb. of carrots. clove stuck in it. & lb. of turnips. FONDS DE CUISINE 8 Preparation.—Put the meat into a stock-pot of suitable dimensions, after having previously strung it together; add the poultry carcase, five quarts of water, and one-half oz. of grey salt✪ Ordinary or White Consommé. Place the stock-pot on a moderate fire in such a manner that it may not boil too quickly, and remember to stir the meat from time to time. Under the influence of the heat, the water gradually reaches the interior of the meat, where, after having dissolved the liquid portions, it duly com- bines with them. These liquid portions contain a large pro- portion of albumen, and as the temperature of the water rises this substance has a tendency to coagulate. It also increases in volume, and, by virtue of its lightness, escapes from the water and accumulates on the surface in the form of scum. Carefully remove this scum as it forms, and occasionally add a little cold water before the boil is reached in order that, the latter being retarded, a complete expulsion of the scum may be effected. The clearness of the consommé largely depends upon the manner in which this skimming has been carried out. Then the vegetable garnishing is added.

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The workman mindful of success, therefore, will naturally direct his attention to the faultless preparation of his stock, and, in order to achieve this result, he will find it necessary not merely to make use of the freshest and finest goods, but also to exercise the most scrupulous care in their preparation, for, in cooking, care is half the battle. Unfortunately, no theories, no formule, and no recipes, however well written, can take the place of practical experience in the acquisition of a full know- ledge concerning this part of the work—the most important, the most essential, and certainly the most difficult part. In the matter of stock it is, above all, necessary to have a sufficient quantity of the finest materials at one’s disposal. The master or mistress of a house who stints in this respect thereby deliberately forfeits his or her right to make any remark B 2 GUIDE TO MODERN COOKERY whatsoever to the chef concerning his work, for, let the talent or merits of the latter be what they may, they are crippled by insufficient or inferior material. It is just as absurd to exact excellent cooking from a chef whom one provides with defective or scanty goods, as to hope to obtain wine from a bottled decoction of logwood. THE PRINCIPAL KINDS OF FONDS DE CUISINE (FOUNDATION SAUCES AND STOCKS) The principal kinds of fonds de cuisine are :— 1. Ordinary and clarified consommeés. 2. The brown stock or “‘ estouffade,’’ game stocks, the bases of thickened gravies and of brown sauces. 3. White stock, basis of white sauces. 4. Fish stock. 5. The various essences of poultry, game, fish, &c., the complements of small sauces. 6. The various glazes: meat, game, and poultry. 7. The basic sauces: Espagnole, Velouté, Béchamel, Tomato, and Hollandaise. 8. The savoury jellies or aspics of old-fashioned cooking. To these kinds of stock, which, in short, represent the buttresses of the culinary edifice, must now be added the follow- ing preparations, which are, in a measure, the auxiliaries of the above :— 1. The roux, the cohering element in sauces. 2. The ‘‘ Mirepoix’’ and ‘‘ Matignon”’ aromatic and flavouring elements. 3. The ‘‘ Court-Bouillon’’ and the ‘‘ Blancs.” 4. The various stuffings. 5. The marinades. 6. The various garnishes for soups, for relevés, for entrées, &c. (‘‘ Duxelle,’’ ‘‘ Duchesse,’”’ ‘‘ Dauphine,’ Pate a choux, frying batters, various Salpicons, Profiteroles, Royales, Ciufs filés, Diablotins, Pastes, &c.). 1—ORDINARY OR WHITE CONSOMME Quantities for making Four Quarts. 3 Ibs. of shin of beef. # lb. of leeks and 1 stick of celery. 3 lbs. of lean beef. + Ib. of parsnips. 1% lbs. of fowls’ carcases. I medium-sized onion with a 1 lb. of carrots. clove stuck in it. & lb. of turnips. FONDS DE CUISINE 8 Preparation.—Put the meat into a stock-pot of suitable dimensions, after having previously strung it together; add the poultry carcase, five quarts of water, and one-half oz. of grey salt. Place the stock-pot on a moderate fire in such a manner that it may not boil too quickly, and remember to stir the meat from time to time. Under the influence of the heat, the water gradually reaches the interior of the meat, where, after having dissolved the liquid portions, it duly com- bines with them. These liquid portions contain a large pro- portion of albumen, and as the temperature of the water rises this substance has a tendency to coagulate. It also increases in volume, and, by virtue of its lightness, escapes from the water and accumulates on the surface in the form of scum. Carefully remove this scum as it forms, and occasionally add a little cold water before the boil is reached in order that, the latter being retarded, a complete expulsion of the scum may be effected. The clearness of the consommé largely depends upon the manner in which this skimming has been carried out. Then the vegetable garnishing is added.

A guide to modern cookery