The term " boiling" is often used erroneously in cook-
ery. The expressions the teakettle boils," the rice is
boiling," ''boiled beef," etc., are all good illustrations of
the rhetorical figure metonymy^ but they are practically
incorrect. In all cases it is only the water or liquid which
boils. No solid can boil until first changed to a liquid.
Solids become liquid at the melting-point. Liquids take
the form of steam or vapor at the boiling-point. Boiling
is the conversion of a liquid into steam by the application
of heat sufficient to cause ebullition^ or agitation of its sur-
face. Boiling, therefore, as applied to the cooking of
solids, is heating or cooking in a boiling liquid. It is one
of the most generally used, and abused, forms of cooking.
Boiling water, which is really cooked water, is the liquid
usually employed. Water, as it is heated from below, ex-
pands into vapor. The air of the water and the steam
shoot up in the form of bubbles ; as they come in contact
with the cold water near the surface, the bubbles collapse,
the steam is condensed and descends with the cold water,
making a double set of currents, which causes quite a com-
motion among the particles. As the whole body of water
becomes hotter, these bubbles of steam rise higher and
higher before collapsing, and occasion the sound which
we call the " singing of the kettle." When the water is
sufficiently heated, they rise and break at the surface,
causing more or less agitation, according to the rapidity
with which they are formed. Water is scalding hot at
150°, or when the hand cannot be borne in it. Water
The Boston Cook Booh
9
simmers when the bubbles all collapse beneath the surface,
and the steam is condensed to water again, or at 185°.
Water boils when the bubbles rise to the surface, and the
steam is thrown off, as at 212°. When this boiling-point
is reached, the heat escapes with the steam ; and all the fire
in the world cannot make the water any hotter, so long as
the steam escapes. If the fire be very fierce, so that these
bubbles are formed and expelled rapidh^, and the water
boils over, the water is no hotter ; it only evaporates or
boils away faster, and can onl}^ be made hotter by confin-
ing the steam, which in ordinar}^ kettles is impossible,
owing to the enormous expansive force of the steam.
With a few exceptions it is a waste of fuel, time, and ma-
terial to keep the water boiling at such a galloping rate
that the cover has to be lifted to prevent boiling over.
A kettle should never be quite full, as the water ex-
pands in heating, and, in boiling over, makes needless
work and injures the stove. Water will boil more quickly
in a kettle with a rough surface than in one with a smooth
surface, as the water adheres to a smooth surface with
greater force, and this force or attraction must be over-
come before boiling takes place. Small, clean gravel is
sometimes kept in a smooth kettle to facilitate the boihng.
Page 8
Presented as published in 1884. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The term " boiling" is often used erroneously in cookery. The expressions the teakettle boils," the rice is boiling," ''boiled beef," etc., are all good illustrations of the rhetorical figure metonymy but they are practically incorrect. In all cases it is only the water or liquid which boils. No solid can boil until first changed to a liquid. Solids become liquid at the melting-point. Liquids take the form of steam or vapor at the boiling-point. Boiling is the conversion of a liquid into steam by the application of heat sufficient to cause ebullition or agitation of its surface. Boiling, therefore, as applied to the cooking of solids, is heating or cooking in a boiling liquid. It is one of the most generally used, and abused, forms of cooking. Boiling water, which is really cooked water, is the liquid usually employed. Water, as it is heated from below, expands into vapor. The air of the water and the steam shoot up in the form of bubbles ; as they come in contact with the cold water near the surface, the bubbles collapse, the steam is condensed and descends with the cold water, making a double set of currents, which causes quite a commotion among the particles. As the whole body of water becomes hotter, these bubbles of steam rise higher and higher before collapsing, and occasion the sound which we call the " singing of the kettle." When the water is sufficiently heated, they rise and break at the surface, causing more or less agitation, according to the rapidity with which they are formed. Water is scalding hot at 150°, or when the hand cannot be borne in it. Water
The Boston Cook Booh
simmers when the bubbles all collapse beneath the surface, and the steam is condensed to water again, or at 185°. Water boils when the bubbles rise to the surface, and the steam is thrown off, as at 212°. When this boiling-point is reached, the heat escapes with the steam ; and all the fire in the world cannot make the water any hotter, so long as the steam escapes. If the fire be very fierce, so that these bubbles are formed and expelled rapidly, and the water boils over, the water is no hotter ; it only evaporates or boils away faster, and can only be made hotter by confining the steam, which in ordinar}^ kettles is impossible, owing to the enormous expansive force of the steam. With a few exceptions it is a waste of fuel, time, and material to keep the water boiling at such a galloping rate that the cover has to be lifted to prevent boiling over.
A kettle should never be quite full, as the water expands in heating, and, in boiling over, makes needless work and injures the stove. Water will boil more quickly in a kettle with a rough surface than in one with a smooth surface, as the water adheres to a smooth surface with greater force, and this force or attraction must be overcome before boiling takes place. Small, clean gravel is sometimes kept in a smooth kettle to facilitate the boiling.