Cookery book and general axioms for plain cookery

"i put under the bacon and eggs, or round the dish, as preferred. Sometimes the eggs are trimmed, but this is wasteful. A cup put over each egg, just at first, will shape them and prevent the need of the trimming. 3ST.B. — (1) Bacon is often preferred broiled in a Dutch-oven in front of the tire or toasted on a fork. If it is wanted curled and crisp, the slices should not be more than two inches long, then rolled up and a skewer run through ; but if it is preferred mellow and soft, it can be soaked in hot water about 15 minutes, then dried in a cloth before broiling. This is especially good for ham, and if either are too salt, it draws it out. (2) Cold rashers of bacon, either boiled, broiled or fried, dipped in brea,d raspings, and just heated through, are good, the raspings preventing them getting hard. (3) Eggs are very difficult to digest when fried, and should never be given to invalids. The fat is twice as hot as boiling water, and therefore hardens the white or albumen of the egg much more. TAPIOCA OR SAGO PUDDING. Ingredients : — 2 oz. tapioca or sago. 1 pint milk. 1 oz. sugar, or to taste. Nutmeg to taste. . A scrap of clarified dx-ipping or butter. A small pinch of salt. Method, : — Put the tapioca or sago into the milk, and let it ■ soak about h hour. Simmer it slowly, until it is clear, stirring well, then sweeten to taste, and add the salt. Grease a pie dish with the dripping or butter, pour it in, grate the nutmeg on the top, and bake about b hour, or until nicely set. N.B. — When an egg can be afforded it is an improvement. BROILED CHOPS OR STEAKS. Ingredients : — Chops or steaks. Salt and pepper. 50 Method : — The fire must be clear and bright, then heat the gridiron, which must be very clean, and grease the bars. Place the meat on it, and broil in front of or over the fire, putting it close to the fire for a minute to seal up the juices ; then turn it on the other side for the same reason. Finish cooking it more slowly to make it tender, allowing from ten to twenty minutes, according to the thickness. It will be much more tender and full of gravy if turned very frequently. Put it on a hot plate and season to taste. N.B. — (1) This is a good method for invalids, but it is not an economical one for family dinners. (2) As the bars of the gridiron keep away as much heat as their breadth covers, it is very necessary to make it hot first. •(3) If the gridiron has a well to it, the gravy, of course, is saved ; but all meat is much more easily digested when it retains its juices ; so that it is better, both in broiling and frying, to turn the meat very often. The frying pan should also be made hot. (4) A fork should not be used, as it would make holes and let the gravy out. BAKED APPLE DUMPLINGS. Ingredients : — 6 or 8 apples. Sugar and cloves to taste. About 1 lb. short paste. Method .-—Peel the apples and core them without quartering them. Divide the paste into 6 or 8 pieces as required, form them into small rounds, put the apples on, fill the centres with sugar and two cloves ; then work the paste smoothly over, wet it and press well together. Place them, with the join down- wards, on a greased tin ; and bake in a hot oven about \ hour, or according to size. U.B. (1) When cloves are not liked, a little candied lemon, or raisins, or figs can be chopped and used instead.