HOW TO USE A COOK BOOK
Read it thoroughly, especially the introductions to chapters and the whole of [Part I], where the sections on Marketing, Methods of Cooking, and Just How will be helpful to everybody and the other sections useful for special purposes. It is important to know the difference between frying and sautéing and between boiling and simmering; how to clarify fat; how to egg and crumb, and many other things that are treated in Part I and cannot be repeated in the receipts.
At the beginning of the chapter on Cereals, for instance, will be found general directions for their preparation for which there is no room in each receipt, and the same is true of the section on [Pastry] under [Desserts] and the chapters on Meats, Fish, Vegetables, Sandwiches, Frozen Desserts, etc.
Don’t confine your use of a cook book to merely consulting an individual receipt as it is wanted.
[The Index] is a valuable part of the book and use of it should be made always to save searching. Most receipts are entered there twice. For instance, Green Turtle Soup will be found under “Soups” and also under “Green” and Dutch Apple Cake will be found under “Cakes” and under “Dutch.”
The Glossary, [page 387], will give definitions of most of the French words and technical terms used in the book.
The Bibliography, [page 385], will furnish the names of thirty or more books that will be useful to those who want a small library on culinary science. Or any one of them can be ordered of the nearest bookseller if the title and author’s name is furnished. Lowney’s Cook Book is the only book on sale by The Walter M. Lowney Company.
Follow the Receipts exactly. Every rule in Lowney’s Cook Book has been tried at least twice for this book in order to insure accuracy of measurements. You will get the best results by using the materials carefully measured just as prescribed in the receipts. The table of weights and measures on page 33 will be helpful. The only possible excuse for departing from the quantities called for is where you suspect your materials to be of less strength than pure materials should be.
The rules for length of time in cooking should also be carefully observed.
Some kitchens do not contain all the condiments, etc., called for in the book. We can only say that you will not be able to get such delicious, satisfying results without them; but you may get fair results, especially if you use good judgment and have cultivated your skill in making dishes taste right. But nothing will take the place of the spice bag in making soups or of proper seasoning in a host of other dishes.