Foods and household management

Have enough boiling water to cover the potatoes. -Put the potatoes of uniform size one at a time into the kettle that the boiling may not stop. Allow a gentle boiling to continue until the potatoes are done. Why avoid rapid boiling? Test with a fork at the end of half an hour. When the potatoes are mellow, drain off the water, and set the kettle where the remaining moisture will steam off. Shake gently to hasten this process, and sprinkle the potatoes with salt. If they must stand before serving will you place a tin cover or a cloth over the kettle ? Old potatoes, with a strong flavor, should be pared before boiling, or even soaked in cold water. Mashed potatoes. — Some one devised this convenient method of serving, to save trouble at the table. Mashed potato can be very poor and unappetizing when wet and lumpy. Do not attempt it with new, poor, or old potatoes. See that the boiled potatoes are as dry as can be — every particle of water steamed away. Mash thoroughly with the wire masher, add butter or butterine, salt and milk in about the proportions given for potato in the half shell. Use a tablespoonful or so of cream if it is available. Beat vigorously. The mealiness of the potato and the vigorous beating are the secrets of success. The finished product should be light and somewhat moist, — not wet. Reheat in the kettle. Pile lightly in a hot dish and serve ; or brown the top before serving. Potato puff. (Souffle.) — With your knowledge of mashed potato, can you not invent a potato puff ? n 4. EscaHoped potato. — The name escalloped is applied to any baked dish that is arranged in kiyers. Escalloped potato is a palatable dish and this is one of the most economical of methods. Wash, pare, and slice the potatoes in {-inch pieces. Slightly grease an earthen or enameled baking dish. Cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of the slices, sprinkle the slices lightly with flour, and put on two teaspoonfuls of butter, orbutterine, in small bits. Continue until the dish is nearly full. Pour in milk to barely cover the potatoes, put a cover on the dish and set the dish in an oven of 380'' F. Remove the cover in time to allow the top to brown. Allow rather more than half an hour for the baking. 5. Creamed potatoes. — Method 1, an easy way. Chop cold baked potatoes with the chopper. Allow one tablespoonful of butter to 1 pint of chopped potato. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the potatoes. Shake from the dredger the equivalent of a tablespoonful of flour, stirring the potato with one hand as you shake with the other. Pour in enough milk to barely cover the chopped potato. Set the saucepan in the coolest spot on the range ; or on the simmering burner of a gas range, upon an asbestos mat; or turn all into an earthenware jar, or baking dish, and proceed as with escalloped potato. Allow the mixture to cook until it becomes creamy. Method 2. Cut the cold potatoes in cubes, and heat in a thin white sauce. See Chapter X. Boiled potatoes may be used, but baked are better in texture and flavor for creaming. 6. French fried potatoes. — Wash and pare small potatoes, cut in eighths lengthwise, and soak a few minutes in cold water. Take from water, dry between towels, and fry in deep fat. Drain on brown paper and sprinkle with salt.