Harper's cook book encyclopædia

Bacon. — The following recipes for cooking bacon will be found under their respective headings as indicated : Bacon and Calf's Liver. See Pork. .. and Eggs. .. and Lima Beans. .. Boiled. .. Broiled. .. or Ham Omelet. .. Salad Dressing. Baden Pudding. See Puddings. Baked Custard. See Custards. Balls, Beef. See Beef. Bananas. — The following recipes for cooking bananas will be found under their respective headings as indicated : Bananas, Baked. .. en Daube. .. Stuffed. .. Cream. •• Custard. See Fruits. See Creams. See Custards. Bananas, Trifle. See Custards. .. Fritters. See Fritters. .. Salad. See Salads. Banbury Turnovers. See Pies. Bannock. See Cakes. Barberry Preserves. See Preserves. Barley. — The following recipes calling for barley will be found under the various headings as indicated : Barley Scones. See Bread. .. Pudding. See Puddings. Cream of. See Soups. .. Soup. Bass, Boiled. See Fish. Bath Buns. See Bread. Batter. — Melt I oz. of butter by pouring over it about an eighth of a pint of boiling water, and again cool it by means of three-quarters of a pint of cold water. Mix it gradually and smoothly with 6 ozs. of dried flour. A very little pinch of salt must be put to the batter if it is for fruit, but it will require more if the fritters are savory ones. If the batter be too thick, put a little more water, and when all is ready beat up the white of an egg to a froth, and stir it into the batter. This forms an excellent batter for apple, peach, or orange fritters. Batter, Beefsteak in. See Beef. .. Bread. See Bread. .. Pudding. See Puddings. Bavarian Creams. See Creams. Beans. — The following recipes for cooking beans will be found under Bearnaise Sauce Beef Bouilli their respective headings as indicated : Beans, Boston. See Vegetables. .. Creamed. Croquettes. Lima. .. String, Omelet of. Salad of. .. Salad. See Salads. .. Soup. See Soups. .. Pork and. See Pork. BE Beef is considered by many the best and most wholesome, as it is certainly the most economical meat that can be purchased for family use. It is in season all the year round. The heart, sweetbreads, and kidneys should always be used fresh. Ox beef is the best : the flesh is smoothly grained and rather open ; if the animal is young the meat rises when pressed with the finger. The lean is of a bright red color, and the fat white rather than yellow. In roasting, baste often; a great deal depends on this. Inexperienced cooks think they have done all that is necessary when they have given it the prescribed time ; but without frequent basting the meat will be dry and indigestible. In all recipes given in this book the greatest care has been taken to give correctly the time required for cooking, but it must be remembered that it is impossible to give it exactly to suit each case, because so many circumstances tend to vary it, such as the age of the animal, the time the meat has been kept after being killed, the state of the weather, the cooking apparatus used, and the quality of the fuel. The average only has been taken, and this being understood, common-sense must make allowance for the rest. It will be an assistance to remember that freshly killed meat requires more time than that which has been kept, and also that meat needs cooking rather longer in cold weather than in hot. Bearnaise Sauce. See Sauces.