The new practical housekeeping

Or, if With Meat, peel and place in pan, around the meat, not touching each other, generally about three quarters of an hour^ before meat is done. See that the pan contains plenty of drippings, baste the potatoes often and with proper heat they will be brown and crisp without, and white and mealy within. Some boil half done, peel, roll in flour, place in pan and finish as above. It is better to halve very old and large potatoes when baking with meat, and some always £18 POTATOES. let them stand in cold water an hour or so before baking. Or, With Sauce, peel and bake in a moderate oven till tender ; make the sauce by stirring into a pint boiling milk tablespoon cornstarch, beaten smooth in a little cold milk, cook five minutes ; take from fire and add a half cup sweet cream, piece of butter and the well-beaten whites of two eggs, a little pepper and salt. Serve on platter with potatoes in center, or separately in sauce-boat. For Larded Potatoes, peel, and with an apple corer take out a piece lengthwise through the center, insert bits of salt pork, ham or bacon and bake till tender, in a two-quart baking dish and serve in £ame. The cores can be used in soup or in mashed potatoes. Or for Glazed Potatoes wash medium-sized potatoes, peel out any defective places, put in dripping pan in a moderately hot oven and bake till tender, brush with melted butter or Pastry Glaze, let remain a moment to brown, then serve. Using the Glaze as given in gravies makes them delicious. Boiled Potatoes With Jackets, — ^Wash, brush (keep a small flat brush just for this purpose), cut off ends and any bad specks and if quite old, let stand in cold water an hour or two. Cook in soft filtered water if possible, but if hard water is used, put in a small pinch of soda. The water should be freshly drawn if used cold, and should only be put over fire in time to reach the boiling point before the hour for putting in potatoes, as standing and long boiling frees the gases and renders tne water insipid. As regards the tem- perature in which to cook them,have water either cold or boiling never lukewarm and the kind of potato will govern that ; those potatoes that crack very soon in boiling water, presenting a mealy appearance on the outside while the heart is uncooked, should be put on in cold water, and for those that do not cook very quickly use hoiling. Do not drown them in water, using only enough to just cover and some use even less. Do not let the water stop boiling as they will then be watery, but it must not boil too hard as tnat breaks them. Some place napkin under the lid to keep in all the steam. As regards salting the water or potatoes, there is a great difference of opinion, but the best housekeepers do not use any salt till after potatoes are done, or some add it ten minutes before. Test with a fonc and when tender, not longer, drain off all the water ; if left on after they are done they become watery and waxy, sprinkle with salt, shake saucepan lightly, leave uncovered a few minutes, that all steam may evaporate ; then place on back of ranee or stove, leaving cover only partly on, or better, covering with a clean foldea towel, as the moisture condenses on the inside of lid when they are tightly covered and falls upon potatoes, spoiling them.