Catherine Owen's new cook book ..

Three quarters of a pound of sifted flour, mixed with two ounces of butter melted in warm water ; blow the butter off the water into the flour first, then enough of 6o Culture and Cooking. the water to make a soft paste^ which beat smooth, then more warm water till it is batter thick enough to mask the back of a spoon dipped into it, and salt to taste ; add the last thing the whites of two eggs well beaten. Another batter, called a la Provençale is also exceedingly good, especially for articles a little dry in themselyes, such as chickens to be warmed oyer, slices of cold yea], etc. Take same quantity of flour, two yolks of eggs, four tablespoonfuls of oil, mix with cold water, and add whites of eggs and salt as before. Into this batter I sometimes put a little chopped parsley, and the least bit of powdered thyme, or grated lemon-peel, or nutmeg; this is, however, only a matter of taste. Broiling is the simplest of all forms of cooking, and is essentially English. To broil well is very easy with a little attention. A brisk clear fire, not too high in the stoye, is necessary to do it with ease ; yet if, as must sometimes happen, to meet the necessities of other cooking, your fire is yery large, carefully fix the gridiron on two bricks or in any convenient manner, to prevent the meat scorching, then have the gridiron very liot before putting your meat upon it ; turn it, if chop or steak, as soon as the gravy begins to start on the upper side; if allowed to remain without turning long, the gravy forms a pool on the top, which, when turned, falls into the fire and is lost; the action of the heat, if turned quickly, seals the pores and the gravy remains in the meat. If the fire is not very clear, put a cover over the meat on the gridiron, it will prevent its blackening or burning — if the article is thick I always do so — and it is an especially good plan with birds or chickens, which are apt to be raw at the joints unless this is done ; in- On Frying and Broiling, 6i deed, with the latter, I think it a good way to put them in a hot oven ten minutes before they go on to broil, then have a spoonful of maitre d'hôtel butter to lay on the breast of each. Young spring chickens are sometimes very dry, in which case dip them in melted butter, or, better still, oil them all over a little while before cooking. There is nothing more unsightly than a sprawling dish of broiled chickens ; therefore, in preparing them place them in good form, then, with a gentle blow of the rolling-pin, break the bones that they may remain so. CHAPTER VIII. roasti;n^g.