his own stockings, shoes, and washing. His other clothing is all included in his livery, which becomes his own property six months after it is provided. If he leaves earlier, he is required to restore it to his 'master. The footman either does the duty of butler also, or else acts under his instructions, tidying and making fires and rooms comfortable, waiting at dinner and other meals, and attending generally when required. It is also his duty to attend and accompany the carriage when any members of the family drive out. 334. The Coachman.-In good families the coachman has the responsible charge of the stable department, including horses, carriages, harness, grooms, and stable-boys. The grooms and stable-boys do all the work under the coachman's instructions, he reserving his energies for driving, in which he must be very skilled and experienced. In other respects, his position out of the house very much resembles that of the butler in the house. In addition to skill and trustiness in driving, he ought to be a good judge of horses, able to attend successfully to their slight ailments, well informed about farriery, corn, and fodder, experienced and observant concerning the value, quality, and condition of harness, horse-clothing, carriages, stable-fittings, and appurtenances. If a coachman is in livery, he is on the same terms with reference to it as a footman is. In a variety of circumstances, the coachman has to combine with the office that of groom and stable-boy, and to do their work as well. 335. The Groom.-It is a common arrangement for a groom in a small family to be required to do more or less of the duty otherwise assigned to the valet and the footman. Apart from those duties, his first care should be to feed and groom the horse or horses entrusted to his care. He must also keep carriages, harness, and horse-clothing clean and in good condition. Where there is no stable-boy, he must do all the work of that kind too. It is almost essential for him to possess the various kinds of knowledge previously referred to as necessary for a responsible coachman. Many grooms have to fill entirely the office of coachman also; and there are few who are not called upon at times to drive, so that every groom should be proficient in driving, and alive to the prospect of being eventually promoted to be a full-blown coachman. 336. The Stable-Boy. - Where there is a stable-boy in addition to the groom, he is usually required to assist with the heavier work of the house, to sweep and clean the stables, yard, and surroundings, and generally to do what he is told, which generally extends to assisting the groom in almost everything he has to do. 337. Misappropriation of Corn. In addition to criminal proceedings, which everyone is liable to who is guilty of stealing corn, as for stealing anything else, there are some curious provisions of the law concerning the misappropriation of corn and other food of horses and cattle. It is seriously unlawful for any ostler, groom, or other servant to act contrary to the orders of his master in the feeding of horses and other animals. He is not entitled, contrary to such orders, to take any corn, pulse, roots, or other food, for the purpose of giving or having the same given to any horse or other animal belonging to or in possession of his master. The penalty for every offence is £5, or imprisonment with or without hard labour for three months. 338. Sale of Stolen Horses.-If any stolen horse is sold or disposed of anywhere or anyhow, except in a duly authorized horse fair, and according to the law relating to such fairs, the person from whom the horse was stolen is entitled to recover the horse wherever and whenever he happens to find him, or have an action for recovery for any length of time afterwards. And if a stolen horse is sold in a fair, the person from whom he was stolen is entitled to re cover the horse on tender of the amount the purchaser paid for the horse. ROUGHNESS ENGENDERS HATE. COOKERY: ITS PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE. stupidest or idlest can fail to succeed. 339. The Pre-eminence of Cook-ciation of those principles none but the ery.—The first and foremost essential of every household is good cooking. The furniture, the decorations, the mechanical comforts of a house, can be readily purchased by all who have plenty of money. Everyone with the like plenty can, in most cases, command any quantity of the best provisions of all kinds; but good cooking, where there is not knowledge and personal application, and where there is not the treasure of a good cook, is something that, in an unexpected emergency, no amount of money can buy. No matter how prime the meat or excellent the other purchases may be, they are comparatively of no effect if not made the best of in the cooking processes. Indeed, the converse is quite true that inferior meat and other inferior food, in the hands of an expert cook, may be preferable to food which, though originally the best that money could buy, has been spoiled in the course of vainly attempting to cook it as it ought to be. 340. Elementary Principles of Cookery. The common notion that, because cooking is generally left to menial servants, and persons of presumably inferior mental capacity, it is something that requires neither knowledge, nor training, nor skill, is a delusion, as is the notion that every woman is a born cook, and has only to try to succeed. For no cook can succeed in the art who does not proceed upon sound elementary principles. Without their recognition every effort must be abortive, except now and then by accident; with due knowledge and appre 341. The Cooking Fire.-The one element of cooking, around which all the others are subordinate, is the cooking fire. With few exceptions, the most important processes of cooking require a good fire, in proportion to what is about to be done; and, as a general rule, the fire must be got up to its full heat before the cooking is coinmenced. Beginning before there is a good fire, under the impression that time is thereby saved, is totally destructive of good result. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of this; for if the generality of cooking is commenced with a fire which gives off an insufficient amount of heat, no subsequent increase of fire, and no amount of attention, can make up for the first deficiency. It is a good rule to make up the fire fully an hour before commencing any cooking process, after which the heat may slightly decline, without detriment and generally to advantage, so that there is no economy in deferring the fire. 342. Preliminary Dressing of Meat, etc.-While the fire is coming forward, the best way of occupying the time is in preparing whatever is to be cooked. Animal food of every description should, at such time, be carefully examined; all appearance of soiling or handling scraped off; superfluous fat and skin removed, fly-blows and decayed parts sought out and cut off, or dressed with vinegar, if not too far gone; every objectionable excrescence picked off with scrupulous attention. It is careful and kindly observance of ATTENTION TO THE CLOCK IS AN ESSENTIAL OF GOOD COOKING, 48 GAME MUST BE WELL DONE. these things, trifles as they may seem to the heedless, that constitutes the superior wholesomeness and comfort of the well-tended family dinner. The best homely habits enjoin remembrance of everything of that kind before skewering or tying up for putting to the fire, tying, when possible, being preferable to skewering. 343. Roasting.-Of all cooking processes, roasting most requires a good hot fire to commence with. Though this is fully recognized by successful cooks, not a few of them would probably be puzzled if asked for an explanation of why. The ordinary notion is, that it keeps the gravy in the meat; and that is true, but it is desirable to know why it is so. The effect of much warmth or heat upon meat is to cause the juices, and especially the albumen, 344. Basting.-An important part of the superintendence of roasting consists of what is called "basting," or pouring fat and gravy over the meat. Very fat meat of any kind-a good leg of mutton, goose, and some other things-require little or no basting, but meat and other things that are not very fat are much improved by basting at HAUNCH OF MUTTON. intervals of about twenty minutes. If basted much oftener, the surface is improperly softened, and prevented from browning; but when basting is done, it should be done thoroughly, quickly, and not too often, and then the browning will be increased. 345. To Prevent Burning.-Precautions are necessary to prevent the burning of portions of the meat while roasting. This usually occurs to the fat, and sometimes to projecting parts of the lean. It usually occurs in consequence of continuing the heat of the fire too long, or from allowing sufficient heat to increase when it should be diminished; for when the heat is properly regulated in this respect, burning will never occur. As a precaution, WHITE MEATS ARE LEAST STIMULATING. BIRDS ARE MOST EASILY DIGESTED WHEN YOUNG. As a 346. Gravy. When roasting of a considerable joint is properly done, there will be a good but not excessive quantity of rich gravy, which is an important adjunct to roast meat. rule, it should consist of nothing but what has been derived from the meat. Anything in the nature of stock or broth should never be added, and will not be tolerated by well-trained taste; and the same may be said of colouring with brown sugar and other messes, which are follies and frauds for which there is no excuse in a well-regulated establishment. 347. Well-done and Underdone. The common prejudice in favour of under-done meat is owing to the prevalence of bad cooking, which will certainly spoil any meat beyond recall long before it has had time to be well done. It will generally be found on FORE-QUARTER OF LAMB. inquiry that persons who have a marked preference for under-done meat have been brought up where the elements of cooking are not understood. The unwholesomeness of half-cooked meat is acknowledged by universal testimony, and no one objects to well-cooked meat who has had the advantage of being brought up where it is good. It 348. Alleged Waste of Roasting as Compared to Boiling.-Experiments have been tried which seem to establish the dictum that roasting is wasteful, and boiling the reverse. is said that meat loses weight in roasting, and much less in boiling. It is needless to quote the exact proportions alleged, because, so far as nutritive value is concerned, the whole theory is a delusion. The apparent loss of weight in roasting is owing to the evaporation of water, which, in such connection, has no nutritive value whatever. If 49 there is any loss of vital gases in combination with the water, such loss is infinitesimal, and unworthy of consideration. On the other hand, boiling, even the most skilful, extracts some of the albumen and other vital properties ROAST LEG OF PORK. which pass into the boiling water, and substitutes to some extent water in their places. Let those who prefer boiled meat enjoy their preference by all means, but do not let them delude themselves with the notion that the water absorbed increases the nutritive value of the meat. 349. Time Required for Cooking. The traditional time required for cooking is fifteen minutes to the pound of meat. With a good fire and good management that may suffice, but it should be regarded as the minimum. Solid, thick meat requires longer in proportion than thin meat. Fifteen minutes is said by some cooks to be long enough for a chicken. That may satisfy the cook who is interested in saving time, but the satisfaction of the eater is quite a different matter. The convenience of cooks rather than the ex cellence of the cooking is too often made the criterion. To lay down any SALAD PLANTS MUST NOT BE KEPT LONG. 50 COOKS SHOULD TAKE CARE TO USE EVERYTHING UP. superior. White meats, such as veal and pork, as well as lamb, require more cooking in proportion than beef or mutton. 350. Broiling. For precisely the same reason as in roasting, broiling should be done over a hot clear fire, commencing with the gridiron close down to the fire, and gradually raising it as the cooking proceeds, so as to MUTTON CUTLETS. diminish the heat as described for roasting. When the heat is insufficient from the first, the result is invariably unsatisfactory. When sufficient heat to begin with is continued to the end, either the process must be discontinued before cooking is properly effected, or regulated homes know better; but, under any circumstances, broiling is the most wasteful of all cooking processes. 351. Dripping Pans.-Pans for dripping and gravy should never be scoured, and no attempt made to keep them bright, but every pan may, imme diately after using, be washed out with boiling water. To aid in the cleansing a moderate-sized new paint brush is a good thing, and, being permanently reserved for the purpose, will prove very efficient, and last many years. It is not necessary to wash out the pan after every using, but the washing should never be omitted after pork, onions, or other savoury vegetables. 352. Boiling.-One of the reasons why boiled meat is preferred in some quarters is that it is less "trouble" than roasting. This is evidently why idle people strive to make out that it is less wasteful than roasting, but that is true purpose of the rising and falling is only encourage everyone to do boiling disregarded, and the only alternative to in the best manner, which must be underdone is to convert the meat to a cin- commenced by suddenly putting the der. In many private kitchens it is much meat into water that is violently boilthe same. There is consequently a wide-ing, and, to be thorough, the boiling spread impression that well-done meat must not be stopped by the insertion of means a cinder. People with well- the meat, but must continue without SALTED MEATS AND DRIED MEATS SHOULD BE SLOWLY BOILED. |