Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-24
Is in the boiler and whether it is covered

la IN the boiler ana whether III lB covered
or not. These little difference, will de-
termine, quite as much as the time of
boiling, whether the egg shall be done
Just right, or whether it will be too hard
or too soft. An egg boiled so that the
white is set and the yolk soft will take
four minutes if the water is boiling, if
there is enough to cover the egg WELL and
if the boiler has lid. 1t takes longer if
these conditions are not observed. 1t
cannot take less. In five minutes an egg
is quite hard, but if it is wanted for dress
ing, or decoration, fifteen or twenty min
utes should be allowed. In any case, the
eggs ought not to be too cold when they
are put into the water, or the shells will
crack.
The best, easiest and most dainty way
of boiling eggs is, however, not to boil
them at all, but to put them i'll boiling
water and then set them aside for ten
minutes, letting them lie in the water,
but not letting it boil. Our mothers
knew this secret and used to bring the
eggs to the table in tin boilers, i'll which
a rack was set, and where the eggs rested
cooking and keeping hot until they were
wanted. In series Of articles which
W. Mattieu Williams IL writing for
knoWicdgc ON "Ihe Chemistry of Cook
ing" he gives the result of some scien-
tific experiments on boiling and not boil
ing vegetables, meat and eggs, some Of
which are worth repeating if the result
is half as satisfactory with the other arti-
cles as it is with the eggs. Most cooks
have discovered, if the chemist have not,
that the yolk of an egg will coagulatc be-
fore the white does, even if they have not
reasoned on the effect of temperature.
The yolk will be well set, while the white
ID raw and Shiny. In cooking in the or
dinary way the action of boiling water is
violent and the egg is heated unevenly
in the method practiced by Mr.. Williams
and our mothers, it cooks gradually and
the result is creamy, delicate and ex-
actly cooked egg.
Have the water boiling. Put the eggs
in saucepan using Mt least pint of wa
ter; cover them and set them aside. You
can keep fresh eggs in for n half hour,
but city eggs will be done in ten minutes,
the time Mr. Williams allows
Our chemist is also strong advocate
of simmering and not boiling either meat
or fish. In order to seal the pores OF the
meat so that the albumen shall not es-
cape from the whole Of 1t, he would put
it into sailed boiling water, which should
be kept boiling for ten minutes, so that
the albumen escaping from the surface
should presently make a thick coating:
He then sets it aside, when the water will
retain a temperature of about $50 which
is below boiling, and leaves it hall or
double the time used by cooks for boil
ing. A fish must be treated little differ
emily, because the boiling water would
break it, and would not only disfgure it,,
but would allow the escape of its flavor.
A fish, therefore, should be put into wa
ter that is not boiling. that shall be kept
from 1So to 300 but never allowed to
boil at ALL
There is great economy in buying in
quantities, even if not at wholesale prices,
if proper supervision is kept over the
articles. For one reason nothing is as
expensive and harrassing as living from
hand to mouth" 1t is impossible in this
way to get clear idea of quantities re-
quired in a given time, and the mistress
lis at the mercy of the servant, who can
waste or appropriate as she pleases with
out detection. For another reason, great
er variety can be given to meals if a
choice can be lhade, and it is not neces-
sary to duplicate, as the Pennsylvania
Dutch do, the dinner by the supper, by
serving at one meal everything left from
the other. But if the supplies are open
for use at any time, and with any degree
of extravaganza, it is better to buy in
small quantities. But with most families
the best way is to buy at least months
supply of staple groceries at once, and
then take out from them the supply for
week, putting it in separate place. An
observant housekeeper will soon learn
how much is required by her family, and
the most reckless servant will feel some
confusion if the coffee which should last
until Saturday is all gone by "Wednesday
Coffee, soap, and some other articles i'm.
prove with age and can be bought al
wholesale with advantage.
Ammonia is very useful in the kitchen.
A few drops mixed in the water will take
off any grease from plates, dishes, ect.,
better than soda, and does not injure the
skin of the washer as the constant use o.
soda does. Ladies' will find this usefu
hint when they find themselves in tn
capacity of impromptu maids-of-a'l-work
Sponges, hair brushes, ETC., are best clean
ed with diluted ammonia. In fact it is
very useful thing for many purposes Il
the house. N. y. Hcratd.