Culinary jottings

All native cooks take readily to the mincing machine, and I find that my chef fully appreciates the vegetable cutter, root-knife, dishing-up fork, gravy strainer, wire sieve, hair sieve, colander, mortar, wire frying basket, " Warren's fish kettle and vegetable steamer," and the larding needle, which he can use easily. Larding is one of the branches of the cook's art which comes naturally to a native ; as a rule also I think that they surpass Europeans in boning poultry, an operation which Martha rarely attempts. I cannot too strongly recommend the adoption of that invaluable utensil a " bain-marie,'^ or shallow trough, which, filled with hot-water and kept over a moderate fire, affords a hot bath in which the various little saucepans containing sauces, etc., can be set, and so kept hot without deterioration. A bain-marie complete, with a set of saucepans made to fit it, can be purchased at any hardware shop, or you can have one made to order to fit your saucepans in copper, iron, or block tin ; the first material will, of course, outlast the other two. The digester is a vessel that may be given to Ramasamy without hesitation ; and he is keenly alive to the value of the stew-pan. In the matter of frying-pans he is not hypercritical : I do not think that he perceives the difference between a rindre-pan and an omelette-pan. He dislikes anything heavy, and generally asks for a small iron pan. I quite agree with a friend whose experience in culinary matters is great, who advocates a deep-sided, heavy iron frying-vessel, — a frying Icettle, in short, rather than the ordinary frying-pan of commerce, steady over the fire on account of its own weight, — for all res! friture work, and, of course, a handy vessel for saute work with a still lighter one for omelettes. The large pan he recommends can be made in any Indian bazar, and, when used in conjunction with the frying basket, will certainly be found most valuable. Like many English cooks, the native is apt to discard the gridiron and take the frying-pan for many things which ought invariably to be cooked in the former vessel : this tendency requires watching, for in many of the receipts I shall give, broiling is essential. I hesitate to pronounce any opinion upon the metal best adapted for kitchen utensils, for, upon this point different CERTAIN KITCHEN REQUISITES. people think differently. Copper is, we all know, universally recommended on account of its durability. You see nothing else in the kitchens of restaurants, clubs, &c., and in all establishments where the demands upon the chef are frequent and elaborate. If treated with ordinary care, no evil should result from its use. Enamelled ironware looks nice when new, but the slightest carelessness destroys the enamel, and when once cracked, it may be considered done for. Plain wrought-iron vessels, tinned, are serviceable, and block tin for certain utensils is not to be despised. The lately introduced grey enamel ware is likewise serviceable, and at the same time light. In my own kitchen, I have a mixed collection which answers its purpose well enough. With regard to the equipment necessary for an ordinary establishment, I can safely recommend : — A Warren's cooking pot. 1 4 Stew-pans of sizes. 1 6 Sauce-pans assorted. 1 1 Large sauce-pan with steamer. 1 1 Iron 3-gallon digester. 2