DIET AND DIGESTION

When the powers of the stomach are weak, a hard and crude diet is sure to produce discomfort by promoting acidity; while the very s: me articles when divided, and well cooked upon French principles, or rather the principles of common sense, can be taken with impunity, and easily digested.

The foundation of all good cookery consists in prepaiing the meat so as to render it tender in substance, without extracting from it those juices which constitute its true flavor, in doing which, the main point in the art of making those soups, sauces, and made dishes of every sort, which now form so lar^e a por- tion of every well-ordered dinner, as well, also, as in choking many of the plain family joints — \sboiling, or rather slewing, which ought always to be performed over a slow fire. There is, in fact, no error so common as that of boilii g mi at over a strong fire, which renders large joints hard and partly tasteless ; while, if simmered during nearly double the time, with less than half the quantity of fuel and water, and never allowed to u boil up.'' the meat, without being too much done, will be found both pliant to the tooth ;md savory to the palate.

For instance. The most common and almost universal dish throughout France, is a large piece of plainly-boiled fresh beef, from which the soup — or " pelage,"1' as it is there called— has been partly made, and which is separately served up as " bcu/lli."> accompanied by strotg gravy, and minced vegetables, or stewed cabbage. Now this, as constantly dressed in the French mode, is ever delicate both in fibre ; nd flavor ; while, in the usual manner of boiling it-, it is almost always hard and insipid. The reason of which, as explained by that celebrated cook, Careme, is this: — "The meat, instead of being put down to boil, as in our method, is there put in the pot writh the usual quantity of cold water, and placed at the corner of the fireplace, where, slowly becoming hot, the heat gradually swells the muscular fibres of the beef, dissolving the gelatinous substances therein contained, and disengaging that portion which chemists term •• osmatfome,'1 and which imports savor to the flesh — thus both rendering the meat tender and palatable, and the broth relish- ing and nutritive; whilst, on the contrary, if the pot be incon- siderately put upon too quick a fire, the boiling is precipitated, the fibre coagulates and hardens, the osmazome is hindered from disengaging itself, and thus nothing is obtained but a piece of tough meat, and a broth without taste or succulence."

To stew. — This wholesome and economical, mode of cookery is

26 FOOD AND COOKERY.

not so well understood nor profited by as in France. So very small a quantity of fuel is wanted to sustain the gentle heat which it requires, that this alone should recommend it to the careful housekeeper ; but if prope-rly attended to, meat stewed gently in close-shutting or luted vessels is in every respect equal, if not superior, to that which is roasted, but it must be simmered only, anil in the gentlest manner.

On the subject of stewing meat the following hint may be ad- vantageously adopted: — u Take a piece of boiling beef, with gome fat to it and a li'tle seasoning, but without water, gravy, or liquid of any sort. Put it in an earthern jug closely covered, and place that within a lar<re iron or tin pot filled with cold water, and lay it so near the fire as to keep a gentle simmer, without letting it boil. It will require several hours, according to the weight of the meat, which should be stewed until quite tender. It loses nothing, and will yield a large quantity of the richest gravy, as retaining the whole of its juice, and is decidedly the best mode of dressing that universal French dish, bauf- bouilli.'"

To roast in perfection is not only a most difficult but a most essential branch of cookery, and can only be acquired by prac- tice, though it consists in simply dressing the joint thoroughly, without drying up any portion oi its juices. If this, however, be not strictly attended to, the meat will be spoiled, and the error cannot be rectified.

A brisk, but not too strong, fire, should be made up in good time, and care taken that it is sufficiently wide to take in the joint, leaving two or three inches to spare at each end, and of equal strength throughout. The fat should be protected by covering it with oiled paper tied on with twine. The meat should not be put very near the fire at first, or the outside will become scorc'ied. dry, and hard, while the inside will be under- done ; but it should be put gradually nearer to the fire when about warmed through, or it will become soddened, and the screen should be placed before it from the commencement.

So much depends upon the taste of parties in the mode of over or under dressing, that it is difficult to say how long a joint of meat of a certain size should be roasted ; but, presuming that a good fire is kept up, and that the meat is intended to be well done, a piece of beef — say of 12 to 15 Ibs. weight — should, in winter, be properly roasted in from 3 to 3)^ hours. The com- mon rule is, ^ of an hour to each Ib ; but a thick joint — such, for instance, ;is a sir'oin of beef or leg of mutton — will require rather more time than the ribs or shoulder ; and meat that has been hung for some days requires less roasting than that which has been newly killed ; mutton, somewhat less than beef; but veal, pork, and all sorts of white meat, should be so thoroughly roasted as not to show any appearance of red gravy.

FOOD AND COOKERY. 27

To bml. — All moat for boiling should be entire'}7 Covered with cold water, and placed on a moderate fire, the g^um being care- fully taken off as it rises, which will be in general a few minutes before it boils. This should be done wilh great care, a , if neglected, the scum will sink and adhere to the joint, giving it a very disagreeable appearance. The kettle should be kept covered. It cannot be too strongly urged upon a cook, the great adv;mtantage of gentle simmering* over the usual fast boiling of meat, by which the outride is hardened and deprived of its juices before the inside is half done.

Pickled or salted meat requires longer boiling than that which is fresh. A fish-plate, or some wooden skewers, should be put under a large joint to prevent its sticking to the bottom of the boiler.

To broil. — A cinder-fire, or one partly made of coke and chai- coal, clear of all appearance of smoke, is indispensable ; and chops, sieaks, or cutlets of all kinds — if intended to be eaten in their plain state — should be dressed after every other dish is ready, and sent up to table last, so as to secure their being hot: thus it may be observed that in "steak-dinners'5 the second course is always the best — as being dressed while the first is being e.iten. The gridiron should be kept so clean as to be nearly polished, and should be always warmed before the meat is put upon it, as well as greased to prevent the steak from being burned. A fork should never be used in turning them, but a pair of steak-tongs.

To fry — The principle of this art is "to scorch something, solid in oil or fit.'' To do this it is necessary that the fat be in such condition as to scorch whatever is put into it; for if the substance fried does not burn, it must soak and become greasy. After the substance is immersed in the fat, the pan may be removed a little off the fire, as otherwise the outside will become black before the inside is done.

When you wish fried things to look as well as possible, do them twice over with egg and crumbs. Bread that is not stale enough to grate quite fine will not look well. The fat you fry in must always be boiling-hot the moment the meat is put in, and kept so till finished; a small quantity never fries well.

Suit. — When sirloins of beef, or loins of veal, or mutton, ; re brought in, part of the suet may be cut off for puddings, or to clarify. Chopped fine and mixed with flour, if tied down in a j r, it will keep ten days or a fortnight. If there be more suet than will be used while fresh, throw it into pickle made in the proportion of % Ib. of salt to a quart of cold water, and it will be as good afterwards for any u^e, when soaked a little

If the weather permit, meat eats much better for hanging a day before it is salted.

Boiling in a well-floured cloth will make meat white. Cloths

28 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

for this purpose should be carefully washed and boiled in clean water between each using, ;ind not suffered to hang in a damp place, which would give a bad flavor to the meat. The same applies to tapes and pudding-cloths. All kitchen utensils should hf ke[>t in the nicest order, and in a conspicuous part of the offices.

Tne more soups or broth are skimmed, the better and clearer they will be. In these as well as in boiling meat, particular care must be taken that this is done the moment before it boils, otherwise ihe foulness will be dispersed over the meat.

Vegetables should never be dressed with meat, except carrots or parsnips with boiled beef.

Old meats do not require so much dressing as young; not that they are sooner done, but they can be eaten with the gravy more in.

Hashes and Minces should never boil, as their doing so makes the meat hard. The gravy should be thoroughly made before the meat is put in.

Seasoning. — The art of seasoning properly is a difficult one, which can only be acquired by experience. The cook tastes her preparations instead of employing the scales ; and, where tlie quantities are indefinite, it is impossible to adjust the exact proportions of spice or other condiments which it will be neces- sary to add in order to give the proper flavor; the great art being so to blend the ingredients that one shall not predomi- nate over the other.