Lessons in cooking through preparation of meals

If desired, add a little hot water — ^ cup or so — to the pan under the broiler rack, and when thoroughly mixed with the meat juices dropped from the steak, pour around the steak just before serving. If this is not desired, pour the liquid into a cup, to be used in soup or in gravies at some future time. Or a thickened gravy may be made. Gravy Pour the drippings from the steak into a frying pan; if necessary, add enough butter to make about 2 tablespoons and brown with 2 tablespoons flour ; pour about ^ cup boiling water into the dripping pan, thoroughly mix it with any juices that may be there, return to the cup and fill up with milk; gradually add to the browned flour and stir until it thickens ; serve. Mashed Potatoes Wash and pare 8 medium-sized potatoes of uniform size, cover with boiling salted water, and cook until tender when pierced with a fork. Water if just barely boiling is of the same temperature as when boiling rapidly, hence do not keep the water on potatoes boiling furiously. When the potatoes are done pass them through a vegetable ricer or mash them with a potato masher until all the lumps are gone. Add 3 tablespoons of butter, y^ teaspoon salt, and about 3^ cup hot milk or cream. Beat the mixture until light and creamy, reheat, and send to the table piled lightly in a hot vegetable dish. Floating Island In a double-boiler place 3 cups of milk and put on the stove to heat. Separate the yolks and whites of 2 eggs and with the yolks and 2 whole eggs beat 3^ cup sugar and 3^ teaspoon salt until the mixture is creamy. When the milk is heated, add slowly to the egg mixture, stirring all the time until well blended. Return to the double-boiler and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the bowl of the spoon. Remove from the fire, add i teaspoon vanilla, beat vigorously for a few minutes, then strain and cool. Beat the whites until stiff, add yi cup sugar and beat until very stiff, flavoring with Yz teaspoon of vanilla. Serve the custard in sherbet cups, with the whites piled in a spiral on the top. This spiral shape may be easily made by turning the spoon in the hand as the white of egg is dropped into the cup. Preparing the Meal The custard of the floating island should be made in the morning, so that it will be cold. About three-quarters of an hour before dinnertime, put on water for potatoes to heat, salting it. Wash and pare potatoes and put into the boiling water. Set the table. Prepare the white of egg for the pudding. Place the completed dessert in a cool place. Cut the bread and butter and place with water on the table. See that the steak knife and fork and salt and pepper are on the table. Note. — In hot weather do not put butter and water on the table until just before serving the meal. When the potatoes are about done, start the milk to heating, drain off water, mash, and add milk, butter and salt. Light the burners under the broiler. Put the mashed potatoes in the serving dish and place it in the oven to keep hot. If you have no warming closet, put the steak platter and plates in the upper part of the oven to get warm. Do . not let them become hot, as this harms china by making it brittle. Broil the steak, watching it constantly.