The growing popniarity of the Tarions mushes as a breakfast dish demands that the different ways of preparing, serving eta, should be well ^nown to every housekeeper. They are either boiled or steamed and for the finer meals as Oraham, gluten, rye, etc., the nicer way is to cook in a custard kettle, rather than an ordinary one ' as most of them require long cooking. The inner kettle can be placed on stove while the meal is being added in order that the salted water may be kept hailing all the time, as this is very important, for the meal must be scald« ed at once and commence to cook immediate- <'■*«* «*^* ly and if the water ceases to boil, meal must not be added till it boils again. When thick enough, stir for a few minutes to prevent settling in a mass at the bottom, then place in outer kettle for three or four hours. Only a small quantity must be stirred in at a time, sifting slowly through .the fingers, as if it thickens too quickly the meal cannot thorough- ly cook and the mush will have a raw taste and also be lumpy ; this is especially true of com meal. Mushes should be stirred as little as possible after all the meal is added, as stirring breaks up the particles and frees the starchy matter rendering the mush a pasty-wax and destroying the light, spongy, delicate appear- ance it should present ; and for this reason cooking in a custard ket* tie is better for the finer meals except corn meal ; that can be thus 30 466 MUSH. — ^-^— ^— ^— cooked, only it is generally made in too large a quantity, and so making in an ordinary kettle and baking as given in recipeis xecom* mended. Coyering and placing om back of range on top of bricks will enable any mush to cook slowly without fear of burning. Some make in a kettle and then put in a pan and place in steamer. Dif- ferent sizes of hard-wood paddles should be kept with which to stir mushes, and great care must be tak^n that the latter are not lumpy. For the coarser grains as oatmeal, cracked wheat, hominy, etc., some process of steaming is best as they are better not to be stirred ; the patent steamer, custard kettle or a tin pail, or even a strong muslin sack placed in a kettle of boiling water, may be utilized. Just before serving any mush, some stir in a piece of butter, or a spoonful or two of cream and a pinch of sugar. The coarser grains may be soaked overnight in cold water, keeping covered, then steaming in same wa- ter ; but the flavor is somewhat impaired by so doing. If not soaked, they can be mixed with either hot or cold water but will cook quick* er if with cold. We give below a table, showing proportions and time of cooking in patent steamer. A custard kettle or tin pail would require half again as long. In steaming always keep the water boiling rapidly and serve the moment steamer is removed from fire, else water will collect. As tastes vary in the thickness of mush liked, one can add to, or take from the quantity of water given, only remembering that it should not be too thick, nor so thin as to spread much when served. If fruit is to be added it is always bet- ter to cook it separately in a very little water and stir in just before serving. Fruit juice or sauce, or cream and sugar, or butter and syrup may be served with mushes, making a most palatable break* fast dish either as a first or last course.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The growing popularity of the Tarions mushes as a breakfast dish demands that the different ways of preparing, serving etc., should be well known to every housekeeper. They are either boiled or steamed and for the finer meals as Graham, gluten, rye, etc., the nicer way is to cook in a custard kettle, rather than an ordinary one ' as most of them require long cooking. The inner kettle can be placed on stove while the meal is being added in order that the salted water may be kept boiling all the time, as this is very important, for the meal must be scalded at once and commence to cook immediate- <'■*«* «*^* ly and if the water ceases to boil, meal must not be added till it boils again. When thick enough, stir for a few minutes to prevent settling in a mass at the bottom, then place in outer kettle for three or four hours. Only a small quantity must be stirred in at a time, sifting slowly through .the fingers, as if it thickens too quickly the meal cannot thoroughly cook and the mush will have a raw taste and also be lumpy ; this is especially true of com meal. Mushes should be stirred as little as possible after all the meal is added, as stirring breaks up the particles and frees the starchy matter rendering the mush a pasty mass and destroying the light, spongy, delicate appearance it should present ; and for this reason cooking in a custard kettle is better for the finer meals except corn meal ; that can be thus 466 MUSH. — ^-^— ^— ^— cooked, only it is generally made in too large a quantity, and so making in an ordinary kettle and baking as given in recipes recommended. Covering and placing on back of range on top of bricks will enable any mush to cook slowly without fear of burning. Some make in a kettle and then put in a pan and place in steamer. Different sizes of hard-wood paddles should be kept with which to stir mushes, and great care must be taken that the latter are not lumpy. For the coarser grains as oatmeal, cracked wheat, hominy, etc., some process of steaming is best as they are better not to be stirred ; the patent steamer, custard kettle or a tin pail, or even a strong muslin sack placed in a kettle of boiling water, may be utilized. Just before serving any mush, some stir in a piece of butter, or a spoonful or two of cream and a pinch of sugar. The coarser grains may be soaked overnight in cold water, keeping covered, then steaming in same water ; but the flavor is somewhat impaired by so doing. If not soaked, they can be mixed with either hot or cold water but will cook quicker if with cold. We give below a table, showing proportions and time of cooking in patent steamer. A custard kettle or tin pail would require half again as long. In steaming always keep the water boiling rapidly and serve the moment steamer is removed from fire, else water will collect. As tastes vary in the thickness of mush liked, one can add to, or take from the quantity of water given, only remembering that it should not be too thick, nor so thin as to spread much when served. If fruit is to be added it is always better to cook it separately in a very little water and stir in just before serving. Fruit juice or sauce, or cream and sugar, or butter and syrup may be served with mushes, making a most palatable break* fast dish either as a first or last course.

The new practical housekeeping