In cooking poultry or game in a close range, place them breast downwards in the pan, not on the trivet^ and cover the breasts with dripping an inch thick and place a good-sized piece in their insides, as that will render them tender and succulent. If meat is solid and without bone, it will take twenty minutes to the pound to roast. In summer it takes a little longer time than in winter, and frozen meat should be kept in a warm kitchen for three hours before it is roasted. Whilst roasting, meat should be protected from a draught, and therefore a screen should be placed round it. Liberal basting makes all the difference. There is a scientifically constructed machine for roasting called the ' Royal Roaster,' which I can most confidently recommend. The principle is : the steam arising from whatever is being cooked is again absorbed into the food, and consequently this roaster is self-basting (see Plate 1 1.). As there is no evaporation, no drying up, or burning, there will be no shrinkage or waste as with an open pan. After the roaster is put in the oven no attention is required — no watch- ing, no basting or turning — it is most friendly to lazy cooks as well as a great help to every cook ; is made in several sizes and is very inexpensive. For those persons who do not mind expense and like everything roasted in front of the fire, especially poultry and game, which I always insist on for E 50 COOKERY A LA MODE myself, the ' Tournebroche a Fumee ' is invaluable, an illustration of which is given. (See Plate VII.) It roasts and bastes at the same time ; it is wound up by clockwork ; the bird turns round and a spoon revolves and bastes. It is an admirable contrivance, but it is too expensive for most establishments, as the lowest price is 3/. some shillings. Anyone can see it at work at the Atmospheric Churn Company in Bond Street, and I often go and look at it from sheer envy, as I do not possess one. The test of a joint being well cooked is that the steam draws to the fire. Boiling. — To boil, the great factor is not to let the meat boil. When the water in a saucepan bubbles at the top and steams, it is boiling. Simmering is keeping the water nearly boiling, little tiny bubbles every now and then coming up at the edges, and it should never be allowed to go beyond this state. In boiling mutton it should be put into fast boiling water and allowed to boil for five minutes to make the outside hard and to prevent the juices escaping. Just sufficient cold water should be added to reduce the temperature, and then brought again to the boil, and when on the point of boiling skimmed carefully^ then drawn to the side of the stove and let simmer slowly. The meat should only be just covered with water. Boiling time ought to be from a quarter of an hour to twenty minutes to the pound of meat from the time the water boils. Bacon, pork, and ham should be put into cold water and brought gradually to simmering-point. ENTREES 51 Turkeys, fowls, rabbits, &c., should be placed in warm water and then simmered.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

In cooking poultry or game in a close range, place them breast downwards in the pan, not on the trivet, and cover the breasts with dripping an inch thick and place a good-sized piece in their insides, as that will render them tender and succulent. If meat is solid and without bone, it will take twenty minutes to the pound to roast. In summer it takes a little longer time than in winter, and frozen meat should be kept in a warm kitchen for three hours before it is roasted. Whilst roasting, meat should be protected from a draught, and therefore a screen should be placed round it. Liberal basting makes all the difference. There is a scientifically constructed machine for roasting called the ' Royal Roaster,' which I can most confidently recommend. The principle is : the steam arising from whatever is being cooked is again absorbed into the food, and consequently this roaster is self-basting (see Plate 1 1.). As there is no evaporation, no drying up, or burning, there will be no shrinkage or waste as with an open pan. After the roaster is put in the oven no attention is required — no watching, no basting or turning — it is most friendly to lazy cooks as well as a great help to every cook ; is made in several sizes and is very inexpensive. For those persons who do not mind expense and like everything roasted in front of the fire, especially poultry and game, which I always insist on for E myself, the ' Tournebroche a Fumee ' is invaluable, an illustration of which is given. (See Plate VII.) It roasts and bastes at the same time ; it is wound up by clockwork ; the bird turns round and a spoon revolves and bastes. It is an admirable contrivance, but it is too expensive for most establishments, as the lowest price is 3/. some shillings. Anyone can see it at work at the Atmospheric Churn Company in Bond Street, and I often go and look at it from sheer envy, as I do not possess one. The test of a joint being well cooked is that the steam draws to the fire. Boiling. — To boil, the great factor is not to let the meat boil. When the water in a saucepan bubbles at the top and steams, it is boiling. Simmering is keeping the water nearly boiling, little tiny bubbles every now and then coming up at the edges, and it should never be allowed to go beyond this state. In boiling mutton it should be put into fast boiling water and allowed to boil for five minutes to make the outside hard and to prevent the juices escaping. Just sufficient cold water should be added to reduce the temperature, and then brought again to the boil, and when on the point of boiling skimmed carefully, then drawn to the side of the stove and let simmer slowly. The meat should only be just covered with water. Boiling time ought to be from a quarter of an hour to twenty minutes to the pound of meat from the time the water boils. Bacon, pork, and ham should be put into cold water and brought gradually to simmering-point. Turkeys, fowls, rabbits, &c., should be placed in warm water and then simmered.

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