The kitchen fire being reduced, and made up for ordinary occasions,—The dishes and every other article that has been used in the course of the day, and particularly the pots, kettles, sauce-pans, and other culinary utensils, being all scoured, and made perfectly clean, dried, wiped out, and put in their proper places;—the dressers and tables scoured down, and the whole kitchen made quite clean and put into perfect order, the principal business of the day may be considered at an end, as little more, of consequence, will seldom be required on the part of the Cook, except what further attention the larder, in hot weather, may demand, before she retires.
Useful Hints.
With the utmost attention of the Cook, she can gain no credit, if she send up more than one dish, with all its accompaniments, at a time, and that as quickly as possible.
Old meats do not require so much dressing as young, because they may be eaten with the gravy in them.
Pickled pork requires longer dressing, in proportion, than any other meat.
Hashes and minces should be only simmered, if boiled, they become hard.
Meat hastily boiled or roasted is, thereby, made the more indigestible, and its juices are wastefully extracted.
The warmer the weather, and the staler the meat, the less time it will take in dressing.
When meat is overdone it is spoiled, and the fault can never be corrected;—when neither overdone nor underdone it is most digestible and most nutritious;—and when thoroughly done, it eats short and tender.
In dressing Meats, be as correct as possible as to quantities, qualities, and time.