New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-25
PRACTICAL COOKERY.
SERIES OF KITCHEN LESSONS WITH DEMON
sTRATIONS By MISS MARIA PARLOA.
PUFF PASTE, ECLAIRs AND OTHER DAINTY


DISHES.
The work that is being done in Miss Parloa's
Cooking School, at No. 222 East Seyenteenth-st.,
is exciting increased interest both among the pupils
of the school and among many others who have
watched its progress. The number of attendants
has grown steadily, and the scope Of the school is
being gradually brOadened. At present the work
comprises private classes and public demonstration
lessons. The several private classes, which are
taught both by Miss Parloa and by her assistant,
Mrs. Webb, contain six members each. The IN
structor gives the recipes for the different
dishes to be made and the scholars pre-
pare them under the immediate direction
of their teacher In the demonstration
lessons Miss Paroa reads the recipes and prepares
the dishes herself. explaining every step in the
different processes with the utmost care and In
manner that never fails to interest her hearers,
whether they know anything about methods of
cooking or not. 1hese lessons are given OH Monday
and Tuesday of each week. The TRIBUNE has
made arrangements with Miss Parloa by which 1t
will DO able to give to its readers In each Sunday
issue the recipes for the dishes prepared at the two
preceding demonstration lessons, together with
Miss PaTloa's valuable instructions to the exact
manner of applying the recipes to the preparation
of the dishes. These lessons will be published
series of articles under the general title given
above Subsequently they will be brought together
and issued as one of The TRIBUNE EXTRAS
On last Monday Miss Parloa treated OF the making
and uses of puff paste, and this subject drew the
largest audience of the season. After prefaclng her
work with the statement that the hands should first
be washed with soap and water. and then dipped IN
extremely hot and subsequently, III cold water Miss
Paroa brought to her table quart of pastry Hour,
pint of butter tablespoonful of salt, like guam
,f,,is. Ia
ter and said:
ell large pan or bowl with boiling water, and
n moment later substitute cold water, leaving the
bowl finally only half full Wash the put of but
ter in this water and work with the hands until
light and waxy; this action freeing it of butter
milk and salt aud tightening it, so that the pastry
will lie more delicate. After having shaped the
butter into two thin cakes, put it in pan of ice
water TO harden. Mix the -four, sugar and salt to-
ccthcr and with the hands rub third of the butter
into the -four Add the water stirring with knife;
and continue stirring quickly and vigorously until
the paste becomes smooth ball. Sprinkle the
moulding board lightly with -four. Turn the paste
on the board and polnd it quickly and lightly with
the roingpin. 10 careful not to break the paste.
Roll from you and to one side; or, if
you prefer TO roll from you all the while,
turn the paste around. When 1t has been
an inch, wipe the remaining butter break it into
bits aud spread these on the paste. light sprink
ling of -four should follow and the paste should be
folded one-thrd from each side, so that the edges
meet. Next fold from tine ends. but do not have
these meet Double the paste, pound lightly, and
roll down to the thickness of about thru of an
inch Fold as before and roll down again. Repeat
the operation three times if for pies and six If for
roLdu rents patties or tars. When 1t has been
rolled for the last time place upon ice. 1t should
remain at least hour in the icechest before II is
used In hot weather If the paste sticks when
being rolled put it on a tin sheet and on ice. As
soon as it has been chilled it will roll easily. The
smaller the quantity of -four used when rolling the
better tho paste will be; indeed, no matter how
carefully all the work Is done, the paste will not
be good if much -four be used"
Having had her paste chilled, Miss Parloa made a
rol-au-rent in this manner: The paste was rolled
into ten-inch square, placed on q plate gig
inches in diameter and cut around the edge of the
plato Another plate, about inches in diameter,
was placed in the centre of the paste. and then
case knife, that had been dipped INTO hot water,
was used 10 cut twO-thirds through the paste
around the edge of the small plate. The paste was
put in a fat baking-pan and into the oven. In
about quarter of an hour the draughts wero
closed. to slacken the heat and the rOl-aaroRt was
cooked about half an hour longer MISS
Parloa being careful that it should not burn.
When it was removed from the oven the
knife was used TO lift the centrs-piecc and the
uncookod paste was removed from the r9l-aH-rest
with spoon. Then tho centre-pece was
replaced Miss Parloa explained that at the
time for serving, the rotaH-reHt should be heated
through, filed with chicken sweetbreads. lobster,
oysters or something else, aud after the cover had
4 ~, 4
except this last part could be done the previous day
If more convenient.
For pattics Mss Parloa rolled quantity Of puff
paste down to Che thickness of threequarters of an
inch. taking pains to have the thickness even.
Pieces were then cut out with round tin cutter
three and half inches in diameter and placed in
pans Another cutter. two and half inches in di-
ametcr was dipped into hot water and placed in
tho centre of each patty, to be pressed about two
thirds through the motion Of pressing being rotary.
These centrepieccs, Miss Parloa said, were easily
separated from the rest Of the patles when baked.
The pattes were baked ten minutes in a very hot
oven then the heat was reduced, and they were
kept in the oven twenty minutes longer When
they were removed the cenire-pieces were lifted
and the uucooked paste taken out, leaving space for
meat or fish chopped fine, seasoned with pepper and
salt and warmed in = cream sauce; the covers
beng finally replaced.
Spanish curls were next made. The trimmings of
putt paste were rolled very thin and cut into long,
narrow strips These were wound around small
conical sticks aud baked n quarter of an hour. The
removal of the sticks gave place for preserved
strawberries and whipped cream.
rsrhis was tho rule furnished for Gdedu ChdndHy
After rolling puff paste very thin, place plate upon
II and trim the edges with sharp knife on a jag
ring-ron. Place the paste on tin sheet and bake
fifteen or twenty minutes in a quick oven. 1t takes
two pastry cakes for the gdteGU Put half pint OF
rich cream into a bowl with one tablespoonful OF
sugar and two of wine, and whip TO stiff froth.
=, -. III. of oocb Of tha cakes with strawberry