The profession of cookery, from a French point of view

As a rule the vegetables should be placed in separate layers, the seasoning between, and the dish filled up with water, stock, or milk, according to discretion; then simmered a little while before putting on the crust. Make and ornament the crust as if for a meat pie. The following combinations go excellently well together. Alternate layers of cooked macaroni, frizzled onions, green peas, and tomatoes (the latter uncooked) ; season with pepper, salt, mint and lemon juice. Alternate layers of cooked haricot beans and mushrooms, with a few bits of butter and some chopped parsley; pepper and salt for seasoning. Alternate layers of potatoes, onions, and apples (all uncooked) ; season with pepper, salt, and mace. Tomatoes, cooked macaroni, onions, apples, and grated cheese. Potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, fresh herbs, springonions, and parsley. Cooked broad beans, frizzled onion, parsley, seasoning, and tapioca, filled up with milk. Cooked celery, turnips, and boiled rice. The water in which the celery was cooked is thickened, and a little cream added to it, plenty of pepper and salt, a little grated cheese, if liked, and the dish filled up with this. CHAPTER IV. Salads* THE subject of salads reminds one of Sydney Smith's truly Epicurean recipe for a salad dressing, wliicli he concludes by saying — " 'Twould tempt the dying anchorite to eat. Back to the world lie'd turn his weary soul, And plunge his fingers in the salad bowl." This well-hnown recipe of his is^ however, quite beyond the reach of an ordinary family salad maker, though well deserving of attention when a festival calls for extra care in regard to this portion of the repast. There are but few days in the year when the salad bowl is absent from the table of the hon bourgeois. He follows the order which kindly nature has provided for him with faithfulness through the succeeding seasons. Spring and summer bring the true "salad days '' of his existence, wherein he may revel in the variety open to his choice, and unless the frost be too unkind, he will manage to preserve his curly endives till the dainty coqullle has appeared above ground ; then watercress speedily cornes to ring the changes with dandelion and chicory. Indeed, there are few things in the vegetable kingdom which do not lend themselves to his skilful dressing; even cold meat, fish and game he will treat in this manner with much effect. Jn warm weather, cold meat sent to table in this way, or served with the salad as an accompaniment, is often far more acceptable than a hot joint. Km old Spanish proverb says it takes four persons to make a successful salad : a spendthrift to throw in the oil, a miser to drop in the vineofar, a lawver to administer the seasoning", and a madman to stir the whole together. Though comparatively a simple thing to prepare, it is very easily spoiled if regard be not priid to one or two golden rules. The main thing to observe in lettuce and vegetable salads is that they should be as dry as possible, and the dressing bo added at the last moment only. It is bettor not to wash lettuces, but to wipe them witli a clean towel, then shred them into