Principles of cookery

The surplus fat purchased with meats should be turned to good account by clarifying it for shortening the Fat or frying. It should be freed from the protein matter as far as possible by trimming and soaking in cold salted water. The water should be changed often, and the fat, after being cut in small pieces, may soak from twelve to twenty-four hours. Then it is drained and Frying in fry fat, and where much meat is used will keep a supply in the frying kettle. frying in deep fat is a satisfactory method of securing a crisp, brown crust. When the process is properly conducted very little fat is absorbed by the food. The temperature of fat suitable for cooking is much higher than that of boiling water and ranges from 3000 to 4000 F, according to the nature of the article to be cooked. For doughs which should rise, and fish which must be Cooked through, a lower temperature and longer time are required than for fishballs or croquettes, already cooked and only to be browned. If many pieces of cold food are put into the kettle of fat at one time, the temperature will be lowered so much that they may absorb fat and even fall to pieces. Testing A bit of bread dropped into the kettle will brown in one minute if the fat is right for frying doughs, and in less time if it is ready for croquettes. Fat by itself does not boil, but when moist food is put into it large bubbles of steam begin to form. At first the foods being cold and heavy sink to the bottom of the kettle ; as they warm and the water escapes, they rise toward the top. As soon as the food is brown it should be removed from the fat and drained on soft paper before serving. The bones of animals yield considerable nutritive material if we use proper methods to extract it. Mar- Temperature gones MEAL\ row is found in the leg bones, but they have not so much protein matter as the spongy rib bones. When meat is boned before cooking, bits of meat cling to the bone. By soaking in cold water, then cooking gently, a large part of the flavor and nutritive part of the bone is dissolved in the water. Cartilage, gristle Extracting Nutriment MEAT LOAF IN RICE. and tendons are also somewhat soluble when exposed to moisture and heat. The smaller the pieces into which bone and meat are divided the greater the surface exposed to the dissolving action of the water. The flavors of meat which are drawn into the water are known as extractives and are stimulating rather than nourishing, Soup This process of extraction from portions unsuitstook abie to eat js }<nown as making soup stock. Bouillon and beef tea are made from tousrh lean meat with little FILLET CUT FROM SIDE OF FISH. or no bone. Consomme is made from meat and poultry together. Anything that would give a strong flavor must be removed. The skin of lamb or beef should be thrown away. Names The flavoring; of the soup or the sjarnisli served in it of Soups . . ... gives its distinctive name. All meat, poultry, and fish soups have as their basis a stock made from the portions undesirable to use in any other way. Yet stock contains but a small proportion of the nutriment of the meat, and fibre of the meat from which stock has been made may be used for hashes,