There are so many ways of boiling potatoes that it is really difficult to satisfy one's mind which is the best, each mode being good, provided it is properly followed. The French hold that by using too much water the flavor of the potatoes becomes seriously impaired, but American cooks always cover them well with water during the boil- ing. Select potatoes of uniform size, wash and scrub them well, and pare them or not, as may be desired. Potatoes that are not prime and have any indication of worm holes or decay should always be pared and these blemishes removed. Let the potatoes soak an hour in cold water, place them in a kettle, and cover with boiling water, adding a table-spoonful of salt to every eight potatoes✪ Boiled Potatoes after they have been boiling fifteen minutes. 246 THE PA TTERN COOK-BOOK. They should boil only moderately, else the outside will be broken before the center is cooked, which never hap- pens except when the boiling has been too strong. Pota- toes should be- done in thirty-five minutes. When tender, pour off all the water, and set the kettle on the back part of the range, with the cover half off to let the steam escape. Serve very hot. If the potatoes are to be kept any length of time, cover the kettle with a folded towel after pouring off the water. MASHED POTATOES. Pare the potatoes carefully, and boil as above directed. If they are very mealy when done, drain the water from them and mash at once. If they do not seem mealy, set them for a moment with the cover off the kettle, and they will, soon be ready for the mashing. Mash them well, and to every quart of potatoes add One table-spoonful of butter. One table-spoonful of salt. One-half tea-spoonful of pepper. Hot milk or cream to moisten✪ Mashed Potatoes. Mash the potatoes in the kettle in which they were boiled, beat them with a fork or spoon until light and creamy and turn out lightly in the warmed serving dish. Do not smooth the potatoes, as that will make them com pact and heavy. By using the masher illustrated on page 32, potatoes may be made very light. BAKED POTATOES. As the potato contains potash, which is an important constituent of the blood and is freely given off in the VEGETABLES, 247 water in boiling, potatoes are much more wholesome when baked. Wash them well, place them in a baking- pa✪ Baked Potatoesn, and bake in a quick oven for from thirty to forty-five minutes. As all ovens do not bake alike, it is impossible to give the exact length of time required. Shake the pan at the end of twenty minutes to turn the potatoes. When they may be mashed in the hands they are done. Do not pierce them with a fork, as that allows the escape of the steam and makes the potato heavy ; and serve as soon as baked for the same reason. PRINCESS POTATOES. One pint of mashed potatoes. One table-spoonful of melted butter. One egg, well beaten✪ Princess Potatoes. Cut the potato into strips two inches long, one inch wide and half an inch thick ; or, if hurried, the potatoes may be made into flat balls half an inch thick. Dip the strips or balls first into the melted butter and then into the ^gg^ and lay them with a knife in a lightly buttered tin pan. Cook in a hot oven for twelve minutes, and serve. POTATO FRITTERS. Five cold boiled potatoes. Five table-spoonfuls of flour. Two eggs. One-half cupful of milk. One tea-spoonful of baking powder. One tea-spoonful of salt✪ Potato Fritters.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

There are so many ways of boiling potatoes that it is really difficult to satisfy one's mind which is the best, each mode being good, provided it is properly followed. The French hold that by using too much water the flavor of the potatoes becomes seriously impaired, but American cooks always cover them well with water during the boiling. Select potatoes of uniform size, wash and scrub them well, and pare them or not, as may be desired. Potatoes that are not prime and have any indication of worm holes or decay should always be pared and these blemishes removed. Let the potatoes soak an hour in cold water, place them in a kettle, and cover with boiling water, adding a table-spoonful of salt to every eight potatoes after they have been boiling fifteen minutes. They should boil only moderately, else the outside will be broken before the center is cooked, which never happens except when the boiling has been too strong. Potatoes should be done in thirty-five minutes. When tender, pour off all the water, and set the kettle on the back part of the range, with the cover half off to let the steam escape. Serve very hot. If the potatoes are to be kept any length of time, cover the kettle with a folded towel after pouring off the water. MASHED POTATOES. Pare the potatoes carefully, and boil as above directed. If they are very mealy when done, drain the water from them and mash at once. If they do not seem mealy, set them for a moment with the cover off the kettle, and they will, soon be ready for the mashing. Mash them well, and to every quart of potatoes add One table-spoonful of butter. One table-spoonful of salt. One-half tea-spoonful of pepper. Hot milk or cream to moisten. Mash the potatoes in the kettle in which they were boiled, beat them with a fork or spoon until light and creamy and turn out lightly in the warmed serving dish. Do not smooth the potatoes, as that will make them com pact and heavy. By using the masher illustrated on page 32, potatoes may be made very light. BAKED POTATOES. As the potato contains potash, which is an important constituent of the blood and is freely given off in the water in boiling, potatoes are much more wholesome when baked. Wash them well, place them in a bakingpan, and bake in a quick oven for from thirty to forty-five minutes. As all ovens do not bake alike, it is impossible to give the exact length of time required. Shake the pan at the end of twenty minutes to turn the potatoes. When they may be mashed in the hands they are done. Do not pierce them with a fork, as that allows the escape of the steam and makes the potato heavy ; and serve as soon as baked for the same reason. PRINCESS POTATOES. One pint of mashed potatoes. One table-spoonful of melted butter. One egg, well beaten. Cut the potato into strips two inches long, one inch wide and half an inch thick ; or, if hurried, the potatoes may be made into flat balls half an inch thick. Dip the strips or balls first into the melted butter and then into the ^gg^ and lay them with a knife in a lightly buttered tin pan. Cook in a hot oven for twelve minutes, and serve. POTATO FRITTERS. Five cold boiled potatoes. Five table-spoonfuls of flour. Two eggs. One-half cupful of milk. One tea-spoonful of baking powder. One tea-spoonful of salt.

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Boiled PotatoesMashed PotatoesMashed PotatoesBaked PotatoesPrincess PotatoesPotato Fritters

The Pattern cook-book