The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-04-19
GOOD COOKING.

Good cooking is an important ele.
ment in home life and happiness.
Many people think that while a girl
must % to school for years to acquire
a knowledge of her own and foreign
languages, and must have masters
for this and that accomplishment,
Sic may be safely left to pick up an
acquaintance with cooking after she
has household of her own. This is
a mistake. myself once had dread.
full time trying to prpare DINNER
in the absence of my faithful Bridget.
and would have given cup Lain,
Greek and French that day to have
known when the potatoes were done,
and to have discovered how to get
the peas and beans out Of the water
in which they were floating. To be
a good cook, girls, one needs light
firm hand. and accurate eve, and
patient temper. One needs, too, .
few rules and trustworthy recipe.
book. We have all seen the easy way
in which a good cook makes cake.
She tosses three or four things togeth-
er, gives firt in the spice box. and
a feathery touch or two to her foamy
eggs, rps the pan into the oven, and
presto! there appears the perfect
loaf. And if you ask her why and
how she did this or the other part OF
her work, she will very likely smile
and say, so, l used my Judgment"
This Judgment is the quality which
no novice in cooking can expect to
possess, just as no novice on the
piano can perform the "Moonlight
Sonata after learning two or three
scales, and no beginner with the pen.
Gil can paint such sea-pieces as those
of DeHaas. But ii you are watchful
and preserving, the judgment will
surely come. and by and by you will
be as independent as dear old COLI
ored annty who once cooked for me.
One day when l had asked some
friends. and wanted very nice dim
ner indeed, l asked Aunt Hannah
how she intended to prepare the
turkey. She raised herself to her full
height. and looking like a queen said.
.:Now, honey. you just go long and
sit by de fire. It's mJ business to
cook de dinner. an it'll be yours 10
eat it. chile" One Of the things you
mus st learn if you wish to cook sue.
cessfully is the management Of your
fire. The skillful cook keeps her fire
raked clear Of ashes from beneath.
She never heaps co lis up so high that
they overbrim the fire chamber and
rattle aga n It the lid, and she does
not fet her heat go up the chimney
when it ought to be baking her bis
cults. Try your oven with the ther.
mometer. Miss Juliet Carson says
that a cool temperature for baking
meat is from $50 to 400 degrees Fair
Beef aud mutton require about TWEEN
ty minntes to the pound, and you
may tell when they are done. and
how much, by pressing the surface
with finger. =,
Rare or little cooked meat will
Spring back from the touch. There
will be a little resistance If it is quite
we'll done, and none at all if it II
baked thoroughly. In baking bread,
which is, ] think, tile real test OF Q
cooks merits, great deal depende
on the kneaaing. You cannot knead
bread too long or too often, and the
more it is kneaied the finer and
closer-graiaed it will be. Ifyou have
never made bread, ask mamma to lei
YOU try. and then if once or. twice
. She will stand by and show yon how
70 sift the -four. how to heap inc
+, right Quantity into deep pan' ana
make a hollow IN the middle, into
which you shall pour yonr luke arm
water, your yeast, your wee oit OF
smear. ana your spoonful OF salt. foi'
lowing this by enough tepli water to
make soft dough, you Will not re-
auire i,ey Instructions often, anu now
proud papa will be the arst time no
eats a slice OF his daughters home
! made bread What else you omit.
urls. 60 not omit TO learn to prepafe
food properly. for
..You NAV live without friends, ana yoo
NAV live without books.
Bnt civilized men cannot live wita9N$
cooks. ,.,.
! -Haypsr's Young teopse.
! b