The white ribbon cook book

Quenelles — Moisten 1 cup of finely-crumbed bread with 3 tablespoonfuls of milk, add 2 tablespoonfuls of melted butter and as much finelychopped meat (stewed veal or fowl, cold) as you wish, work in 1 well-beaten egg, and season all thoroughly with salt and pepper; flour your hands, and shape mass into round balls, rolling them into flour when shaped. Bring to a boiling heat in a saucepan 1 large cup well-seasoned gravy, drop in the balls, and boil fast for about 5 minutes. The gravy can be thickened and poured over them, or they can be rolled in flour or cracker crumbs, and fried in lard or butter. BREAD AND CAKES. OF all articles of food, bread is perhaps the most important ; therefore it is necessary to be well acquainted with the quality of the ingredients and the art of making it. Flour ought to be a few weeks old before being used, and care must be taken to keep it perfectly dry. It is of the utmost importance to purchase only the best quality of tlour, for it is the truest economy. Patent flour should be more scantily measured than winter wheat, as it contains more gluten. Do not place the sponge or dough too near the fire, as some cooks are liable to do in cold weather, or the quality of bread will be endangered. The proper heat should be gentle and equal for fermentation. Care must also be taken to mix and knead (brisk and long kneading will fully repay for the trouble) when it has reached the point for either. Bread requires a brisk oven, and should take about 1 to 1^ hours to bake. The cook must be guided by experience as to the exact degree of heat. The secret of biscuit-making is precision and dispatch. Laggards and lazy people are not successful biscuit-makers. The best cooks always say they simply throw their biscuits together, and certainly they are not long about it. The cause of success is that biscuits begin to bake before the effervescent qualities of the powder or soda are exhausted. For good cake ( as in bread ) it is of great importance to use no ingredients but those of the finest quality. The flour must be dry and sifted. It will be found a good plan, after Bread and Cakes. 143 purchasing currants, to wash in three waters, pick and dry in a cloth. Then look them carefully over, discarding any stone, stalk or grit. Lay before the fire or in the sun to dry. Put by in a jar, and they will always be ready for use. Eggs should be well whisked, the whites and yolks beaten separately and strained. Butter must not be allowed to oil. Lemon peel should be cut thinly as possible. Sugar should be finely powdered. When soda is used it is a good plan to dissolve it in warm water. When all the ingredients are mixed, vigorous and patient beating will greatly add to the lightness of the cake. The heat of the oven is of great importance for cakes, especially those that are large. If the oven is not very quick, the batter will not rise. Should you fear scorching, put some paper over the cake. If the fire is not long enough lighted to have a body of heat, or if it has become slack, the cake will be heavy. To know when the cake is done, take a broom straw and pierce into the very center, draw it instantly out, and if the least stickiness adheres, put the cake back immediately and shut the oven.