XIII.
GOOD COOKING.
Bad cooking prevalent in America-Abundance of excellent material— General management of food here very wasteful and extravagant—Five great departments of Cookery—Bread-What it should be, how to spoil and how to make it—Different modes of aeration—Baking—Evils of hot bread.—Butter-Contrast between the butter of America and of European countries-How to make good butter.—Meat-Generally used too newly killed—Lack of nicety in butcher's work—Economy of French butchery, curving, and trimming—Modes of cooking meats—The frying-pan—True way of using it—The French art of making delicious soups and stews—Vegetables—Their number and variety in America—The potato—How to cook it, a simple yet difficult operation—Roasted, boiled, fried.—Tea—Warm table drinks generally—Coffee—Tea— Chocolate.—Confectionery—Ornamental cookery—Pastry, ices, jellies.