Next to care in measuring comes the manner of mixing. The most accurate measurement of the best materials is often rendered useless by a neglect to put them together properly, and the blame is usually charged to the oven or the receipt. There are three distinct ways of mixing : Stirring^ Beating^ and Cutting or Folding. Stirring, — Let the bowl of the spoon rest slightly on the bottom of the mixing-bowl ; then move round and round in widening circles, without lifting the spoon out of The Boston Cook Booh. 33 the mixture, except to scrape the sides of the bowl occa- sionally. Stir slowlj' at first, to avoid spattering ; add the liquid gradual!}', and be sure the bowl of the spoon (not the edge nor the tip merel}^) touches the bottom and sides of the bowl. This is mashing as well as stirring, and the mixture soon becomes a paste. When perfectl}^ smooth and free from lumps, add more liquid till you have the desired consistenc3\ We stir flour and water together for a thickening, or butter and flour and milk for a sauce. We stir when we rub butter to a cream, or when we make a batter or semi-dough. When we make a stifl* dough we stir at first, and then turn the whole mass over, bringing the knife or spoon round the bowl and cutting up through the dough. Beating. — Tip the bowl slightly, and hold the spoon so that the edge scrapes the bowl, and bring it up through the mixture and over with a long quick flop to the oppo- site side ; under, and up through again, lifting the spoon out of the mass and cutting clear through, scraping from the bottom at ever}^ stroke. Keep the bowl of the spoon and the sides of the mixing-bowl well scraped out, that all the material may be equally beaten. We stir simply to blend two or more materials ; we heat to entangle all the air possible in the mixture. We beat eggs or batter or soft dough. The albumen of the eggs and the gluten of the flour, owing to their visciditj^ or glutinous properties, catch the air and hold it in the form of cells, something as w^e make soap bubbles hy blowing air into soapy water. The faster we beat, and the more we bring the material up from the bowl into the air, the more bubbles we have ; but one stirring motion will de- stroy them. Yolks of eggs should be beaten nearlj^ as much as the whites, or till they are light or lemon-colored, and thicken perceptibly. The whites should be beaten till they are stiff and dry, or fly oflT in flakes, or can be turned upside down without spilling. When the two are to be put together, always plan to turn the whites into the yolks, as there is less waste than when the yolks are turned into 3 34 The Boston Cook Book. the whites. Let the whites stand a minute, then run a palette knife round the edge close to the bowl ; they will slip out easil}^, and leave the bowl almost clean. For beating eggs, for nearly all purposes the Dover egg-beater is the best. There should be two sizes, the larger one for the whites of eggs. Hold the beater lightly in the left hand, and move it round through the egg while turning the handle. For frosting, and snow pudding, and all beat- ing of soft dough, use a perforated wooden spoon. Bowls with slightly flaring sides, and not too deep to be clasped from bottom to rim in the left hand, are most convenient. If tipped slightly toward the right, the beating is done more effectually.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Next to care in measuring comes the manner of mixing. The most accurate measurement of the best materials is often rendered useless by a neglect to put them together properly, and the blame is usually charged to the oven or the receipt. There are three distinct ways of mixing : Stirring, Beating, and Cutting or Folding. Stirring, — Let the bowl of the spoon rest slightly on the bottom of the mixing-bowl ; then move round and round in widening circles, without lifting the spoon out of the mixture, except to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Stir slowly at first, to avoid spattering ; add the liquid gradually, and be sure the bowl of the spoon (not the edge nor the tip merely) touches the bottom and sides of the bowl. This is mashing as well as stirring, and the mixture soon becomes a paste. When perfectl}^ smooth and free from lumps, add more liquid till you have the desired consistency. We stir flour and water together for a thickening, or butter and flour and milk for a sauce. We stir when we rub butter to a cream, or when we make a batter or semi-dough. When we make a stiff dough we stir at first, and then turn the whole mass over, bringing the knife or spoon round the bowl and cutting up through the dough. Beating. — Tip the bowl slightly, and hold the spoon so that the edge scrapes the bowl, and bring it up through the mixture and over with a long quick flop to the opposite side ; under, and up through again, lifting the spoon out of the mass and cutting clear through, scraping from the bottom at every stroke. Keep the bowl of the spoon and the sides of the mixing-bowl well scraped out, that all the material may be equally beaten. We stir simply to blend two or more materials ; we beat to entangle all the air possible in the mixture. We beat eggs or batter or soft dough. The albumen of the eggs and the gluten of the flour, owing to their viscidity or glutinous properties, catch the air and hold it in the form of cells, something as we make soap bubbles hy blowing air into soapy water. The faster we beat, and the more we bring the material up from the bowl into the air, the more bubbles we have ; but one stirring motion will destroy them. Yolks of eggs should be beaten nearly as much as the whites, or till they are light or lemon-colored, and thicken perceptibly. The whites should be beaten till they are stiff and dry, or fly off in flakes, or can be turned upside down without spilling. When the two are to be put together, always plan to turn the whites into the yolks, as there is less waste than when the yolks are turned into the whites. Let the whites stand a minute, then run a palette knife round the edge close to the bowl ; they will slip out easily, and leave the bowl almost clean. For beating eggs, for nearly all purposes the Dover egg-beater is the best. There should be two sizes, the larger one for the whites of eggs. Hold the beater lightly in the left hand, and move it round through the egg while turning the handle. For frosting, and snow pudding, and all beating of soft dough, use a perforated wooden spoon. Bowls with slightly flaring sides, and not too deep to be clasped from bottom to rim in the left hand, are most convenient. If tipped slightly toward the right, the beating is done more effectually.

Mrs. Lincoln's Boston cook book