À la mode cookery

A GOOD cook studies her fire and thoroughly learns the peculiarities of her range, its draughts and dampers, learns its capabilities and the best way to maintain sufficient heat with the least consumption of fuel. A good cook never fries a rump steak nor boils a stew, and consults the tastes and tries in every way to suit the palates of her employers, even though her ideas and theirs do not agree. Everything should be measured with carefulness and directions followed implicitly, and all preparations for meals should be in readiness to begin giving to each dish its full time and right amount of heat, never letting the stove-top get red hot, nor putting the stewpans on the coals, and paying attention to what she is doing, and then the food would never burn, never be underdone, but always just right. A good cook will never forget she is cooking. Financiere Essence Take a slice of ham and about a couple of pounds of trimmings from poultry or game and stew them in a little stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer them gently for half an hour. Then add an onion stuck with three cloves, one sprig each of parsley and thyme, a bay-leaf, a small carrot cut in pieces, a stick of celery, or, if not in season, a little celery-seed ; pepper and salt to taste ; add three pints of boiling weak stock. Bring to the boil, and then let it simmer very gently without the lid for a couple of hours and strain in a few drops of lemon-juice and a tea-spoonful of mushroom ketchup ; tammy, and it will be ready for use. Frying Batter Beat up one table-spoonful of brandy, one of oliveoil, and a little cold water with the yolk of an egg and a pinch of salt. Work in then enough flour to make, with the addition of more water, as much batter as may be required ; it should be of the consistency of thick cream. Just before using, whisk into the batter the whites of two eggs and mix them lightly and thoroughly. This is for a rich batter ; for ordinary purposes it can be made with milk and no brandy. A simple batter can be made with four ounces of flour, with as much milk added as will make a thick batter ; stir in the white and yolk of one egg beaten to a froth, and leave it in a warm place for an hour. Panada Take some crumb of bread with as much boiling stock poured over it as it will absorb. When moist, beat it with a fork ; add whatever seasoning is required ; put the bread into a saucepan with an ounce of butter, and stir over a gentle fire till it is dry and smooth and leaves the saucepan with the spoon. When cold, it is ready. Potato Croustades Boil the potatoes, rub them through a sieve, mix with a little milk and an ounce of butter, beat up well over the fire, and then place in a border-mould for a little while ; then turn out and brush over with white of egg and place in the oven for a few minutes. Royal- Icing Take twelve ounces of finely sifted icing sugar, whisk the whites of four eggs to a strong froth and stir in the sugar by degrees, beating it well the whole time. Mix in the strained juice of half a lemon and lay it on while the cakes or pastry are still warm, smoothing it over equally with a palette-knife, and then let it harden in a very cool oven.