Cassell's dictionary of cookery

economical and excellent sweet dish). — Beat three eggs without frothing them ; sweeten and flavour them with lemon-rind, rose or orange -flower water, or any other flavouring, and add a table-spoonful of good brandy or rum. Cut some stale crumb of bread into slices the third of an inch thick, stamp them into small fancy shapes with a cutter, jiut them into the mixture, and let them soak till they have absorbed as much of the egg as possible. Lift them up carefully with a slice, and fry them in hot fat just as pancakes or fritters are fried. Pile them on a dish, sprinkle powdered white sugar thickly over them, and serve verj^ hot. Few persons at first sight would suspect the composition of this dish, which is simple and good. It may be varied by taking slices of common cake with currants and raisins instead of bread; or, if liked, the bread may first be soaked in milk, and afterwards dipped in the egg batter. Time to fry, about five minutes. Small Birds, Broiled.— Pick the birds carefully so as not to tear the skin. Split them open down the back, flatten them, lay them on a clean gridiron which has been heated and rubbed with mutton suet, the inside to the fire. Place the pan rather high above the fire. When SMA ( 883 ) SME they arc nearly done through turn them, and let them remain until the outside is brightly browned. Put them on a hot dish, butter them, sprinkle pepper and salt upon them, and serve quicklj'. A French cook would sprinkle pepper and salt upon them, and brush them over with butter, before laying them on the gridiron. Small Birds, Fried. — When the birds cannot conveniently be broiled, they may be fried as follows: — Pluck the birds carefully split them open, and flatten them ; sprinkle salt and pepper upon them, and roll them in breadraspings. Dissolve a small slice of fresh butter in a frying-pan ; when it is hot, lay the birds in it, and fry them nicely. Put them on a hot dish. Add a table-spoonful of boihng water to the gra^^ in the pan, let it boil up once, strain it into the dish, and serve very hot. Smelts. — The smelt is a small delicatelyflavoured fish, highly esteemed, which, when perfectly fresh and good, possesses an odour, said by some to resemble that of a violet, by others that of a freshly-cut cucumber. It loses this perfume about twelve hours after it is taken. It may be dressed in various waj's, of which frying is the most usual ; it should never be quite plainly boiled, though the recipe for boiling smelts for invalids will be found excellent. Smelts are much used to garnish large fish, such as turbot or cod, but they may also be served alone. "When fresh, the gills are red and the eyes bright and full; the body, too, is of a silvery hue. They are in season from November to May. They should be handled as little as possible; should not be washed, but wiped with a soft cloth ; and in drawing them the giUs should be pulled gently out, and the inside with them, as the fish must not bo opened. The roe should be left inside. When split and dried smelts are called sparlings. Smelts, Baked (au Gratin). — Take a dozen smelts, clean and dry them, and trim away the fins. Butter a pie-dish thickly, and sprinkle on the bottom finely-grated breadcrumbs seasoned with pepper and salt, finely-