Practical gastronomy and culinary dictionary

eating ; but it must be remembered that by stewing, the coarser and cheaper parts of meat, such as bones, cheeks, feet, tails, shanks, knuckles, trimmings, &c., may be rendered highly palatable and nutritious. Every pound of meat stewed will require about a quart of water (if it is found too little, warm water can be afterwards added). The heating should be slow and gradual, the skum taken off as it rises, and the stewing continued until the flavour of the meat is entirely extracted. For stewing, the closed range or stove is preferable to the open grate, and if the latter is in use contact between the stewpan and the fire should be prevented. Notes on Frying. Frying is a process frequently condemned by scien- tific authorities mainly, perhaps, because it is in high favour with bad cooks. Contrast for one moment the discoloured dish, too often met with in private houses, in which, say, a little bit of fish is sent up, and presents what may be called a parti-coloured appearance. Some part is burned black as a cinder, another part looks the colour of underdone pie-crust, and again other parts present bald patches, as if the cook had accidentally 78 PRACTICAL GASTRONOMY spilled some boiling w?*;ter on ?. cat's back. Contrast this with the beautifully rich golden-coloured dish that will make its appearance at the table where the master mind of one like Francatelli has presided, or with a dish that one would meet with in a Parisian cafe, the bright silver dish contrasting temptingly with the gold-coloured food and the crisp dark green parsley piled in the centre — a work of art which pleases both eye and palate, senses nigher akin in their respective offices than thought- less cooks can imagine them to be. The condition of the fire is of importance ; you cannot fry properly over a bad one ; continous care is another necessary condition. Successful frying, in short, demands both skill and knowledge, and in proportion to their exercise and degree will be the reputation of both frying and the fried. " The art of frying," says Sir Henry Thompson, " is little understood, and the omelet is ahnost entirely neglected by our countrymen. The products of our frying-pan are often greasy, and therefore for many persons indigestible, the shallow form of the pan being unsuited for the process of boiling in oil, that is, at the heat of nearly 500 deg. Fahr. (that of boiling water being 212 deg.). This high temperature produces results which are equivalent indeed to quick roasting (when the article is cooked in boiling fat) ; but frying as generally conducted is rather a combination of boiling and toast- ing (or scorching) ; and the use of the deep pan of boiling oil or dripping which is essential to the right performance of the process, and especially as preventing NOTES ON FRYING 79