Culinary jottings

Let us consider what we have got under three heads : — (a) — English vegetables grown in India. (h) — Country vegetables. (c) — Vegetables preserved in tins. At different periods during the year we can get in Madras : — potatoes, green peas, cauliflowers, cabbages, spinach, artichokes (Jerusalem), and globe artichokes from the Hills, French beans, carrots, parsnips, turnips, knolkhol, celery, marrows, leeks, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuces, beetroot, endive, and onions : all under head number one. Under head number two we have, brinjals, bandecai, various beans, country cucumber, and greens (which cook well as spinach), moringa pods, small tomato or love apple, maize, (mucha chолium) sorrel, pumpkin, yams, onions large and small, garlic, and sweet potato. For head number three, which we will take separately, we must consult the list of preserved French, and American vegetables published by any well-known Firm. I have omitted asparagus, seakale, and salsify, from my list under the first head, as those excellent vegetables have not yet been cultivated by the gardeners of Bangalore or the Neilgherries in sufficient quantity to form a portion of the vegetable supply of our markets. For the benefit however, of such enterprising amateurs as may be able to grow them privately, I will mention how each should be treated by the cook hereafter. Potatoes perhaps claim the most important place in our consideration, so let us take them first. The boiling of a potato has long been considered one of the tests by which the merits of a cook should be decided. •' Can she cook a chop, and boil a potato ?" is often the modest query of pater familias in England, and in nine cases out of ten you may wager your best hat that she can do neither. Nevertheless, I have come to the conclusion that cooks are in many cases wrongfully blamed in the matter of potato-cooking, that is to say, that their failure is often attributed to the wrong cause. We all know that the potato grows capriciously according to the weather i< may have enjoyed, or have suffered from. A crop will sometimes prove mealy, and light, for the table, and at other times waxy, and heavy. It is therefore obvious that we should find out the merits or demerits of the tubers we buy, before we give our orders regarding their treatment in the kitchen. We ought not to expect all potatoes to turn out equally floury as a matter of course, and blame the cook if he fail so to serve them. There are fortunately so many ways of cooking potatoes that we need never be at a loss for a recipe. If nice and mealy we can, of course, boil, or steam them, — the latter method for choice, — and serve them plainly : but if waxy, we must proceed differently. Whether boiled, or steamed, a potato ought not to be peeled ; if it be very old, you cannot avoid removing the skin and eyes, but, in a general way, a potato is far better cooked " in its jacket." When done, the skin can be removed, if you wish, in the kitchen, and the dish bo served plain, or in any one of the ways I shall presently speak of.