Cooking and castle-building

" To discuss, or even glance at our whole bill of fare would require more time than I could give were I to live to threescore and ten. All I hope to do is to call attention to the importance of the subject, and to suggest such improvements in methods of cooking as have come under my personal observation. I shall not lumber up my cook-book with numberless untried recipes, but will endeavor to give the general principles that underlie them all ; so that by its aid any woman with an ordinary quantity of brains will be en- abled to prepare all kinds of food in a proper and healthful manner. "How delicious these onions are, Alice, — tender and sweet, without being overdone into a tasteless mush. I seldom find beets, onions, or cabbage cooked to my liking. Beets are usually underdone, while onions and cabbage are overdone, and served with a supply of water quite unnecessary. Onions, cabbage, turnips, and all greens should be gently pressed in a colander until free from water; then placed in a heated dish, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and butter. Young dandelions and spinach are delicious so served." "Kate, in France, I found a very nice dinnerdish, which I wish you would put into your book. It has three recommendations: It is palatable, ornamental, and inexpensive. Take a piece of beef, where lean and fat are mixed, — a rib cut is nice, if not too fat ; boil gently until very tender, in well salted water. INIake tomato sauce by stewiu": tomatoes and straininsr out the seeds. Place the tomatoes in a saucepan over the fire and season with butter, salt, pepper, and a little sugar; lastly, add a spoonful of arrowroot or corn-starch, wet with water. Boil. The tomato sauce should be of the consistence of thick gravy, and perfectly smooth. Serve by placing the meat on a hot platter and pouring the sauce over it. A beef tongue cooked and served the same way is delicious." And Emeline continued: "Kate, I incline to the opinion that enjoyment of a meal depends in great measure upon the suitability of the things composing it. One can, no doubt, acquire a taste for almost any kind of food ; but while some kinds appear to be divorced by nature, other kinds seem to be designed expressly to go together." " You are right," I replied. " White potatoes, for instance, are suitable with nearly everything. Baked potatoes are universally acceptable with cold meats for dinner ; and with beefsteak, chops, or picked-up codfish for breakfast. They are especially good with all kinds of fresh fish, and also with fried or scalloped oysters. Mashed or plain boiled potatoes should be served with stewed chicken, and roast meats or fowls with which gravies are served. Sweet potatoes seem most at home with roast beef, lamb, and fowls. Turnips and cabbages are appropriate with mutton and corned beef. Onions with beefsteak, roast beef, and roast fowls. Tomatoes are good with fish, flesh, or fowl ; but are especially good with fat meats or poultry. This is also the case with sour baked or stewed apples. Sour baked apples are also nice with hash, for breakfast. "But the suitability of food is a fruitful theme, and should be as much a subject of study as the