GENERAL REMARKS ON COOKERY AND SERVING DINNERS. THE great art of all cookery, whether of a simple or elaborate character, lies in making the most of the material under treatment, so as never to abstract either flavour or nourishment, and whenever possible to augment both. This, especially in the case of vegetables, is but little understood in England, where their use and value are, by cooks at least, so under-rated that care or attention in their preparation is not considered necessary. Thus from year's end to year's end the potato appears on our tables in no other form than plain boiled, to our great loss, for if cooked in any one of the ways in which fat can be employed it is not only rendered more nourishing, but more digestible. Many persons with whom plain boiled potatoes disagree can eat them, if, after being half-cooked by boiling, they are browned in the oven or before the fire with a little fat. If, however, one proposes the use of a little butter in cooking vegetables one is accused of extravagance, yet people never consider how far more extravagant it is to waste good food by the careless manner of its preparation. Take for instance cabbage and greens of all sorts. Under the most approved treatment they are generally boiled with so much soda as to extract all flavour, leaving only a mass of watery pulp, which, if eaten with meat, destroys its savour and relish. The use of that inexpensive article a vegetable presser is comparatively rare, and it is not easy to press out all the water by any other of the rough and ready means generally employed. Vegetable marrow, again, is, as a rule, so treated as to render it most insipid. The method of cooking most in vogue, of course, because considered the least trouble, is to cut the marrow in slices and boil them in water, with, if by good luck it is not forgotten, a little salt. In this way vegetable marrow is utterly ruined. The proper manner to cook it quite plainly is to prick it with a fork and boil it whole, and when done to cut it into quarters, take out all the seeds, gently press out the water, without breaking the marrow, and serve either with butter sauce or dissolved butter poured over it. A still better way is, after preparing the marrow as above, to put it into a stewpan with a little butter, pepper and salt, and toss it over the fire for five minutes. Indeed, this simple sauté of most vegetables is greatly to be recommended. Not to multiply instances further, the onion shall conclude the list of vegetable grievances. If you recommend the use of this wholesome nourishing vegetable, you are generally met with an expression of disgust, or an assurance that it does not agree with us.' But, why does it disagree with people? Because it is generally only halfcooked, or in such a manner as to make it strong and indigestible. Properly cooked, onions rarely disagree with anyone, and are indeed in some cases very valuable for invalids. One of the best and most simple ways of dressing onions is to boil them in water with a little salt until so tender they can be pierced with a straw. They may be served thus as an accompaniment to almost any meat dish, or, when drained, may be simmered for a few minutes in a little gravy, butter sauce, or a small piece of butter with pepper and salt. When onions are fried they should first be parboiled, then no unpleasant consequences after eating them need be apprehended. The water in which onions are boiled should never be thrown away, it is a useful addition to soups and gravies. There is even more cause to complain of the wasteful treatment of fish than of vegetables, because the water in which the latter are boiled, with few exceptions, is useless; but the liquor in which fish has been boiled very often contains a great deal of savour and nourishment, yet is very rarely put to any use. It makes an excellent basis for soup, and when not required for this purpose should be kept from time to time, and used for |