Thus far we have studied the fundamental princi- ples1 of cooking and have seen that some knowledge of the chemical composition of each food is necessary before we can secure the best result through the ap- plication of heat and moisture. But this is only the foundation of the art of cookery. The form in which our food is served may attract or repel, and the flavor may make it appetizing or the reverse. We must depend mainly for sustenance upon a few kinds of meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits, and unless variety were secured in some way we should quickly tire of them. Through the ingenuity of cooks of all times and countries, so many combinations have been devised, by changes in flavor and form, that some of our common foods might appear in different guise every day in the year. The multiplicity of formulas in our cook-books, even when well classified, are puzzling to the beginner who has not learned to> analyze each recipe and thus find the simple processes' of which it consists. What is generally termed "fancy" or "high-class" cookery cookery is merely the application of the simple proc- esses to' costly foods or a further complicated prepara- tion to foods which have first been cooked as perfectly as possible, according to the principles already out- lined. 123 'Fancy" FORM. 123 For example, if we have learned how to make a creamed white sauce and how to cook meats and vegetables, we Dishes do not require separate detailed recipes for creamed chicken, creamed oysters, creamed potatoes, creamed cauliflower, or creamed asparagus ; we only need to make the sauce a little thinner or thicker to offset the CREAMED FISU IN RAMEKINS. dry or watery nature of the article with which it is to be put and to vary the flavor slightly to adapt it to an- other material. Furthermore, any such creamed meat or vegetable variety may be served plain, or on toast, or in timbale cases, or in Servm* combined with buttered crumbs, as a "scallop," or by the addition of stiff egg whites it becomes a "souffle" when baked. When the sauce is made of double thick- ness, and combined with the meat or vegetable and chilled, the mass may be shaped into croquettes or cut- 124 PRINCIPLES OF COOKERY. Adaptation Principle of Contrast Made Dishes lets which are then coated with egg and crumbs and fried. Thus any intelligent woman knowing something of the nature of foods and the effect of heat and moisture may to some extent make her own recipes or adapt oth- ers to the supplies available at the moment. No cook-book can be sufficiently expanded to pro- vide for great variation in climate, food materials, and utensils. The cook must constantly adapt to her condi- tions, she must be observant of the changes of tem- perature and learn when one food material or flavor may be substituted for another. If uncertain about the wisest combination of ar- ticles of food, whether in a single dish or for the differ- ent courses in a menu, it is safe to follow the plan of contrast. Thus the cream soup is served with crisp crackers or croutons, the creamed fish is covered with buttered crumbs and baked till crisp, the croquettes are crisp outside and creamy within.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Thus far we have studied the fundamental principles1 of cooking and have seen that some knowledge of the chemical composition of each food is necessary before we can secure the best result through the application of heat and moisture. But this is only the foundation of the art of cookery. The form in which our food is served may attract or repel, and the flavor may make it appetizing or the reverse. We must depend mainly for sustenance upon a few kinds of meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits, and unless variety were secured in some way we should quickly tire of them. Through the ingenuity of cooks of all times and countries, so many combinations have been devised, by changes in flavor and form, that some of our common foods might appear in different guise every day in the year. The multiplicity of formulas in our cook-books, even when well classified, are puzzling to the beginner who has not learned to analyze each recipe and thus find the simple processes of which it consists. What is generally termed "fancy" or "high-class" cookery is merely the application of the simple processes to costly foods or a further complicated preparation to foods which have first been cooked as perfectly as possible, according to the principles already outlined. 'Fancy" For example, if we have learned how to make a creamed white sauce and how to cook meats and vegetables, we Dishes do not require separate detailed recipes for creamed chicken, creamed oysters, creamed potatoes, creamed cauliflower, or creamed asparagus ; we only need to make the sauce a little thinner or thicker to offset the CREAMED FISU IN RAMEKINS. dry or watery nature of the article with which it is to be put and to vary the flavor slightly to adapt it to another material. Furthermore, any such creamed meat or vegetable variety may be served plain, or on toast, or in timbale cases, or in Servm* combined with buttered crumbs, as a "scallop," or by the addition of stiff egg whites it becomes a "souffle" when baked. When the sauce is made of double thickness, and combined with the meat or vegetable and chilled, the mass may be shaped into croquettes or cut- Adaptation Principle of Contrast Made Dishes lets which are then coated with egg and crumbs and fried. Thus any intelligent woman knowing something of the nature of foods and the effect of heat and moisture may to some extent make her own recipes or adapt others to the supplies available at the moment. No cook-book can be sufficiently expanded to provide for great variation in climate, food materials, and utensils. The cook must constantly adapt to her conditions, she must be observant of the changes of temperature and learn when one food material or flavor may be substituted for another. If uncertain about the wisest combination of articles of food, whether in a single dish or for the different courses in a menu, it is safe to follow the plan of contrast. Thus the cream soup is served with crisp crackers or croutons, the creamed fish is covered with buttered crumbs and baked till crisp, the croquettes are crisp outside and creamy within.

Principles of cookery