A year's cookery

When absolutely fresh, the larger end feels warmer than the other when put to the lips. Put the egg in the hollow of the hand, and bend the fingers round it to make a sort of frame, then hold up the hand to the light, shut one eye, and look at the sun through the egg with the other. If clear and transparent throughout it is probably good. Fresh eggs are more transparent in the centre, old eggs at the ends. Fill a quart basin with water and dissolve therein a large tablespoonful of salt. Put in the egg. If it sinks it will probably be good ; if it floats it will be bad ; if it swims it will be stale. It is generally taken for granted that an egg which is to be served to an invalid should be lightly cooked, as being more easily digested. Recipes for different modes of preparing eggs will be found by referring to the index. Soft-boiled eggs, buttered eggs, devilled eggs, eggs in brown butter, in sunshine, and on the dish, poached eggs, savoury eggs, and eggs with asparagus, and baked omelette, are all suitable for invalid use. In addition, the following recipes may be acceptable : — Eggs and Apples. — Bake two apples, and, when soft, remove the skin and core and beat to pulp. Sweeten with sugar, and, if liked, flavour with lemon-rind or nutmeg. Add a teaspoonful of butter and a well-beaten egg. Put the preparation in a buttered cup, bake in a gentle oven till set, and serve warm. Egg Beaten Up with Wine or Milk,— Break an egg and take out D D the speck. Beat the white till stiff, add the yolk, and beat again. Sweeten with a dessertspoonful of white sugar, and either a teaspoonful of brandy, a tablespoonful of sherry, or three tablespoonfuls of milk. An egg prepared thus and served with a biscuit is an ex¬ cellent restorative in debility. White of Egg and Milk. — (Of use in cases of diarrhoea, when solid food is forbidden). Beat the white of an egg and mix with it a tumblerful of milk, a teaspoonful of brandy, and half a tumblerful of soda-water. To be repeated every two hours. Egg Lemonade. — Shake together in a bottle the white of an egg, a tumblerful of cold water, the juice of half a small lemon, and a teaspoonful of white sugar. Or, Beat a whole egg lightly, and add a tumblerful of strong, sweet lemonade. Egg Soup. — Beat an egg and stir it into a breakfastcupful of hot broth of any kind. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with dry toast, made without crust, and cut into fingers. Egg Gruel. — Beat an egg, add pepper and salt, and pour on, stirring briskly the while, a teacupful of boiling water. Egg Punch. — Beat the yolk of an egg with a teaspoonful of sugar, and add a tablespoonful of brandy. Fill the glass with half a pint of fresh milk, and, last of all, add the white of egg beaten stiff. Egg and Coffee. — Stir the beaten yolk of an egg into a cupful of good coffee, and dilute with boiling milk. The addition of an egg makes coffee much more nourishing. Egg Cordial. — (Very sustaining, and easily retained by a weak stomach). Take the white of an egg, beat it to a froth, and add a tablespoonful of cream and a tablespoonful of brandy. Mix thoroughly.