The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-05-21
Old and New Potatoes.
lHousekeeper.l

Old potatoes, the housekeeper's trial at
this season of the year, may be greatly i'm
proved by being soaked i'll cold water sew
erai hours after peeling, or all night, being
particular to change the water once or twice.
Peel very thinly as the best part of the pota-
to is nearest the skin. Cut large ones in
four and small ones in two pieces. If to be
boiled (steaming is preferable) put them on
in clear, fresh boiling water. Keep closely
at least 20 minutes, five or 10
minutes more may be requisite, &C
cording to the quality of the potato.
Watch carefully, and the very instant they
present a mealy and broken surface, remove
them from the stove, raise the cover just
enough to admit the draining of the water.
This may be accomplished successfully and
quickly, after little practice, and is far
better than turning them into o colander,
thus suddenly chilling them and arresting
the further development of the istarche,
which after all, Is the main point to be &C,
complished. Drain the water off thor
oughly and quickly, sprinkle in
sufficient salt for seasoning, cover the
vessel closely, give it a shake and set
back on the stove, being careful not to have
1t too hot. In minute or so give it an
other shake to stir mp the potatoes; throw in
little hot cream or rick milk with q lump
of butter ana q sprinkle OF pepper, cover
Immediately and leave on the stove for an
other minute. This last process adds greatly
to the good cooking of potatoes. They are
ready now to be dished whole or mashed.
Some skill is required to mash them proper
ly, simple as the operation may appear.
The old fashioned wooden masher possesses
advantages over the perforated iron plate
with handle 80 nearly representing the old
| time time churn dasher. Mashed potatoes
should be dipped out lightly into a hot
delicate mealy heap, instead OF being stirred
and patted and packed and cheesed into q
shapely mass 1n SLY
II potatoes are very watery 1t is better of
course to cast them before the swine, but il
they must be used for human food q small
lump Of lime added to the water while boil
I ing will improve the case. More so than any
| other vegetable does this one differ in quality
according to variety and manner of culture.
! However the main crop may be raised, every
| farmers wife should secure for her late
spring consumption a supply of some choice
variety cultivated entirely IN rotten wood
| soil, or use wood ashes and gypsum In
preference to the more common fertilizers.
! Potatoes for breakfast are better to have
| been boiled and mashed. Butter q pie tin
we'll, fill up lightly with potatoes, sprinkle
over with bits of butter, set in the oven un.
I'll nicely Drowned, turn plate over them.
invert and reverse onto hot plate for the
table. Or the mashed potatoes may be
formed into fiat oblong cakes OF
croquettes, sprinkled with butter
and baked on buttered tins, or mixed with
finely minced cold meat of any kind, seasoned
and formed into croquets and fried brown
in hot drippings; or mix potatoes Tor any
cold vegetables) and meat, turnto q skillet
with meat gravy from previous day. Stir
up until dry and crisp, resembling a very
dry hash; serve in small deep dish. This is
what the Philadelphians call scrapple, and
differs from a compound OF pork and corn
meal called scrapple by some.
In baking potatoes with meat, now, is ID
| better also TO halve them. Leave them IN
the water until the meat 10 within half an
hour of being done. See that the pan con-
tains plenty OF drippings and with proper
heat the potatoes will be brown and crisp
without and white and mealy within. They
may be fried in the meat gravy, or warmed
up in butter for breakfast. - si1a 81