With very slight change one may convert the same material into several varieties of fancy bread. Southern cooks understand this so well that they frequently set aside a mixture, after having supplied the breakfast-table with griddle-cakes, only to have it reappear at luncheon in quite different guise—as "pone," muffins, egg-bread, or "pop-overs." If kept in a cool place an ordinary batter will remain sweet for twenty-four hours, and the addition of an egg or a spoonful of baking-powder will quickly restore its lightness.
By way of proving the many-sidedness of certain mixtures, let us see how the use of muffin-cups, waffle-irons, and frying-pan will alter results, and turn out for us "Virginia puffs," "Aunt Sally's waffles," and "bell fritters." The necessary ingredients for all three dainties are: 1 quart of milk; 1½ pints of flour (half a pint to be set aside for fritters, which require more than puffs or waffles); 4 eggs; a table-spoonful of butter and lard combined; a heaping teaspoonful of baking-powder; a small teaspoonful of salt.
The Virginia puffs will require everything except the half-pint of flour reserved for fritters.
Set aside a coffee-cup of milk, and put the rest in a farina-kettle over a brisk fire.
Sift a pint of flour into a bowl. Gradually pour over it the coffee-cup of cold milk, heating until it becomes a smooth paste. By this time the remainder of the milk will be hot enough (it must not boil) to stir little by little into the paste. Next add the butter, lard, and salt, then the baking-powder mixed in a little dry flour.
Now beat, beat, beat with a big spoon and plenty of muscle, for the success and puffiness of your puffs depend largely on the amount of energy expended on them.
Whisk the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth. Beat the whites of two and yolks of three together, very light, and beat them into the batter, the frothed whites last.
Have your muffin-cups hot and well buttered. Pour in the mixture, and bake twenty to twenty-five minutes in a quick oven. Serve the moment they are up to the top of the cups and a nice brown color, otherwise they will fall and grow sodden.
The same receipt, minus baking-powder and lard, makes excellent waffles. If you like them thick and soft, fill the irons well with batter. If they are preferred thin and crisp, use less. Should they still seem too solid, thin with a little milk.
The secret of good waffles is the cooking. The irons must be constantly turned over a steady fire to prevent blistering or scorching and to give to both sides an appearance of evenness. Never wait to bake a quantity, but serve as fast as the iron turns them out.