It is a great mistake to suppose that oil or fat are boiling when they make a noise and bubble like boiling water. The bubbling is due to the watery element in them, which is being driven out, or evaporated in steam, and the temperature will only be that of boiling water, viz., 212°. The boiling of oil and of fat begins after this, when they are quite still, with no noise and no bubbling. The frying medium, whether oil or fat, must now be carefully watched. V ery soon a faint blue vapour will rise from the surface (easily seen if the pan is looked at sideways), and this shows that the temperature has risen to 380°. The cook can make sure by throwing a sippet of bread into the pan. If the bread browns whilst the cook counts twenty, and if it fizzes with the fat bubbling freely in large bubbles round it, 380 degrees of heat have been reached- If the bread does not colour, and if the bubbles are small and weak, the frying medium is still too cool. When the right temperature has been attained the articles to be fried should be put in without one moment’s delay, or the fat will burn. When the blue vapour looks like smoke the fat is burning, and will impart a disagreeable taste and smell to whatever is put into it. If a lesser temperature than 380' is needed the pan can be drawn to one side as soon as the blue vapour rises, and cooled for a minute or two. If, on the contrary, a temperature of 400° is required, the pan must be watched for a few minutes till the blue vapour rises thick and fast, and is just beginning to darken in colour. FRYING *55 The frying-basket must be gently lowered into the bath of oil or fat, but on no account must it be allowed to touch the bottom of the pan. The articles in the basket must not touch each other ; if they do they run a risk of both burning and bursting their coating. The cook must there- fore be most particular to fry only a few things at a time. When these are a bright golden brown, lift up the basket and let the fried articles drain in it, held over the hot fat in the pan, for a few seconds. This prevents the fat from adhering to them, and if it is not attended to greasiness both in appearance and taste is sure to result. It is by far the best plan to lay the fried articles on a wire pastry-rack in a hot place to dry, but if this most useful thing has not been provided they must be laid on a clean sheet of white blotting-paper, not touching each other. If the fried articles have been properly drained over the hot fat they will hardly mark the blotting- paper ; if carelessly managed each will be seen standing in a pool of grease. Croquettes, and all such things which are soft inside, must be constantly turned about with a wide-bladed knife or a spoon, whilst they are in the bath, or they will not be evenly cooked all through. It is wise to cool the frying medium a little by drawing the pan to one side before each fresh relay of articles to be fried is put into it. The pastry drainer does best put in the mouth of the oven ; but it can be set before the kitchen fire. If the articles fried are dark, and not a clear golden brown, the frying medium has been too hot, or they have been held in it too long. If they look sodden the frying medium has not been sufficiently hot. Whatever article is fried must be absolutely and completely covered by the frying medium.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

It is a great mistake to suppose that oil or fat are boiling when they make a noise and bubble like boiling water. The bubbling is due to the watery element in them, which is being driven out, or evaporated in steam, and the temperature will only be that of boiling water, viz., 212°. The boiling of oil and of fat begins after this, when they are quite still, with no noise and no bubbling. The frying medium, whether oil or fat, must now be carefully watched. Very soon a faint blue vapour will rise from the surface (easily seen if the pan is looked at sideways), and this shows that the temperature has risen to 380°. The cook can make sure by throwing a sippet of bread into the pan. If the bread browns whilst the cook counts twenty, and if it fizzes with the fat bubbling freely in large bubbles round it, 380 degrees of heat have been reached- If the bread does not colour, and if the bubbles are small and weak, the frying medium is still too cool. When the right temperature has been attained the articles to be fried should be put in without one moment’s delay, or the fat will burn. When the blue vapour looks like smoke the fat is burning, and will impart a disagreeable taste and smell to whatever is put into it. If a lesser temperature than 380' is needed the pan can be drawn to one side as soon as the blue vapour rises, and cooled for a minute or two. If, on the contrary, a temperature of 400° is required, the pan must be watched for a few minutes till the blue vapour rises thick and fast, and is just beginning to darken in colour. *55 The frying-basket must be gently lowered into the bath of oil or fat, but on no account must it be allowed to touch the bottom of the pan. The articles in the basket must not touch each other ; if they do they run a risk of both burning and bursting their coating. The cook must therefore be most particular to fry only a few things at a time. When these are a bright golden brown, lift up the basket and let the fried articles drain in it, held over the hot fat in the pan, for a few seconds. This prevents the fat from adhering to them, and if it is not attended to greasiness both in appearance and taste is sure to result. It is by far the best plan to lay the fried articles on a wire pastry-rack in a hot place to dry, but if this most useful thing has not been provided they must be laid on a clean sheet of white blotting-paper, not touching each other. If the fried articles have been properly drained over the hot fat they will hardly mark the blottingpaper ; if carelessly managed each will be seen standing in a pool of grease. Croquettes, and all such things which are soft inside, must be constantly turned about with a wide-bladed knife or a spoon, whilst they are in the bath, or they will not be evenly cooked all through. It is wise to cool the frying medium a little by drawing the pan to one side before each fresh relay of articles to be fried is put into it. The pastry drainer does best put in the mouth of the oven ; but it can be set before the kitchen fire. If the articles fried are dark, and not a clear golden brown, the frying medium has been too hot, or they have been held in it too long. If they look sodden the frying medium has not been sufficiently hot. Whatever article is fried must be absolutely and completely covered by the frying medium.

Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book