Boston Cooking-School cook book

are properly cared for. The soup kettle should receive beef bones, small pieces of beef (roasted, broiled, or stewed), veal, carcasses of fowl or chicken, chop bones, bones left from lamb roast and all trimmings and bones, which a careful housewife should see are sent from the market with her order. The liquor from fresh-boiled pork may be used for soup; a few drops of lemon juice improve the flavor. Avoid using smoked or corned meats, or large pieces of raw mutton or lamb surrounded by fat, on account of the strong flavor so disagreeable to many. A small piece of bacon or lean ham is sometimes cooked with vegetables for flavor. Beef ranks first for utility and economy in soup making. It should be cut from the fore or hind shin (which cuts contain marrowbone), the middle cuts being most desirable. If the lower part of shin is used, the soup, although rich in gelatine, lacks flavor, unless . a cheap piece of lean meat is used with it, which frequently is done. It must be remembered that meat, bone, and fat in the right proportions are all necessary; allow % lean meat, the remaining 144 bone and fat. From the meat the soluble juices, salts, extractives (which give color and flavor), and a small quantity of gelatine are extracted; from the bone, gelatine (which gives the stock when cold a jelly-like consistency) and mineral matter. Gelatine is also obtained from cartilage, skin, tendons, and ligaments. Some fat is absorbed; the rest rises to the top and should be removed. TO MAKE SOUP STOCK Soup-stock making is simplified by use of proper utensils. Indispensable are knives, hardwood board, two purée strainers with meshes of different size, and a good stock kettle of aluminum or enamel. A saw, cleaver, and scales, although not necessary, lighten labor. When meat comes from market, remove from paper and put in cool place. If scales are at hand, weigh meat and bone to see if correct proportions have been sent. Wipe meat with clean cheesecloth wrung out of cold water. Cut lean meat in 1-inch cubes; by so doing, a large amount of surface is exposed to the water and juices are more easily drawn out. Heat frying pan hissing hot; re- move marrow from marrowbone, and use enough to brown 14 of the lean meat, stirring constantly, to sear all surfaces, thus preventing escape of juices, — sacrificing a certain amount of goodness in the stock to give additional color and flavor. Put fat, bone, and remaining lean meat in soup kettle; cover with cold water (1 pint to each pound of meat, bone, and fat). Let stand 1 hour, that cold water may draw out juices from meat. Add browned meat, taking water from soup kettle to rinse out frying pan, that none of the coloring may be lost. Heat gradually to boiling point, and cook 6 or 7 hours at low temperature. A scum will rise on the top, which contains coagulated albuminous juices of great nutritive value. Many, however, prefer a clear soup, and remove the scum. If allowed to remain, when straining, a large part will pass through strainer. Vegetables, spices, and salt should be added the last hour of cooking. Strain and cool quickly, uncovered, to prevent souring. Cover and keep in cool place. A cake of fat forms on stock when cold, which excludes air, and this should not be removed until stock is used. To remove fat, run a knife around edge of bowl and carefully lift off. A small quantity will remain, which should be removed by passing a cloth wrung out of hot water around edge and over top of stock. This fat should be clarified (p. 29). To remove fat before stock has cooled, take off as much fat as possible with a spoon and remove the remainder by passing tissue or any absorbent paper over the surface. TO CLEAR STOCK