Scientific cooking with scientific methods

The lettuce is found in the market all the year, and is valuable for the table for the salts and water which it contains, although it is not a nutrient; but in spring, when the green vegetables are high-priced, it tones the stomach and keeps the blood cool. There are several varieties — the curly, the head lettuce and the lettuce Romain. The latter is held in high esteem by the connoisseur, dressed with French or mayonnaise dressing. To prepare lettuce for use, remove the outside leaves that can not be used, and with care separate remaining leaves. Wash in cold water and rinse. Shake all the water off you can without bruising the leaves; lay it with leaf turned down on towel to dry. and shake and toss on towel until water is absorbed. If to be served as a salad, place in bowl as nearly in the original shape as possible. If the lettuce is not to be used for several hours, wrap it up in a clean cloth and place it on block of ice, and by the time you want it, it will be very crisp. The head lettuce is the most desirable for salads, and the curly lettuce for a garnish. Cut into ribbons, it makes an attractive border, especially if you dot border with red radishes made into roses by cutting with sharp knife, and clipping the skin very thin, and resting in ice water until the petals curl. Chicory. Chicory or endive is in the market all the year, and used for salad or to garnish with. Watercress. Watercress is most abundant in spring and summer, and is used for garnish for special dishes, and salad combined with eggs. Beets. Wash beets carefully and avoid breaking skin, and do not have tops cut too short. Cook in boiling water until tender. It will take three or three and one-half hours to cook them, according to size of the beet. Drain and plunge into cold water and remove the skins. Cut into slices or quarters. Sugared Beets, Use from four to six beets. Prepare as above, and after they are cut into slices, add two tablespoons butter, one tablespoon sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Beets in Vinegar. Slice boiled beets thin. Season with salt, pepper and a little cayenne, and one-fourth cup sugar, with vinegar to cover. These are nice for salad garnish, and if you are going to use them in that way, it is well to leave them whole, in order that you can cut them in any &hape desired as you use them. They make pretty three-leaf clovers for potato salad. Beets in Sour Sauce. Cook in boiling water until they are tender. Plunge into cold water and remove skins. Cut into cubes or one-quarter-inch slices. Put into saucepan two tablespoons butter, one tablespoon flour, one-half cup vinegar, salt, pepper and a little cayenne. Reheat the beets in the sauce, and serve. Beet Greens. Use the small beets about as large as a small marble ; clean and wash well. Boil in salted water until ten- der in a small quantity of water. Drain, rub skins off the small roots, chop, and season with butter, salt and pepper. Dandelion Greens. These are prepared same as the beets, and cooked in about the same way with exception of more water, to dilute the bitter taste which we find in the dandelion, and it is this bitter that makes it such a good spring tonic. Green or String Beans.