The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-12-17

ity to cook plain things. The trouble
is, with most of us, we try to do too
much, and attempt dishes that none of
our ordinary cooking arrangements are
fitted to produce. Oatmeal, cracked
wheat and the various other breakfast
cereals are seldom properly cooked.
They should always be cooked in a
double boiler, and in this way will be
light, perfectly cooked through, never
hy any chance scorched, and delicious
breakfast dish, while if cooked in a
single saucepan they are apt to be
lumpy, sticky, UNDERGONE on top, and
burned at the bottom. Perfect coffee
is another one of the important ele-
ments Of a satisfactory morning meal.
No patent coffee-pOt is necessary;
nickel plated or granite-ware vessel
that can be brought to the table will
do, for coffee should never be poured
off or decanted. Have the coffee
ground fine as powder, and wet il with
cold water. Use heaping tea
spoonful of C, flee for each person, and
It one for the pot" and pour on one
cupful of cold water for each spoonful
of coffee. Set the coffee-pot on the
stove or range, and let the water come
to boil. Then set back on a cooler
part of the range, where it will just
ke' p hot, until il is to be carried to the
table. A cupful of cold water poured
on the last thing before serving the
coffee will settle it, if this seems to be
necessary, but unless the C, ffee-pot is
moved about as it sets back on the
range the coffee will be perfectly
clear without. Ability to use up
" scraps" or "leit-overs will add
greatly to the attractions of break
fast-table. Any bits of cold meat,
fowl or game can be finely minced,
and if the quantity is small, half the
bulk of bread crumbs, cold boiled rice,
or minced boiled potatoes, may be
added, and a little of some gravy
to moistep it. Serve it on toast,
or surrounded with tiny points of
toast. or little cakes of mashed po-
tatoes fried in drippings, or with
poached or fried eggs. Kidneys and
bacon for the home breakfast can
be made delicious enough to tempt the
most dyspeptic of husbands. Do not
serve them in restaurant style, on
skewer, or, as the bill-of-fare ambi-
tiously styles them, ga la brochette,"
with the bacon always scorched and the
kidney halfraw. Skin the kidneys and
slice them; dip Il e slices in -four,
sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper
and fry on both sides. Fry slices of
bacon in another pan, and serve with
little gravy made with teaspoonful of
-four stirred into the pan in which the
kidneys were cooked. Water crosses
make a pretty compartment to this
dish. Eggs in any form are acceptable
for breakfast, and so is any variety of
fresh fruit. Oranges are especially
wholesome during winter months. Let
the menu il clude fruit first, then
real. well cooked, with cream and sugar,
then dish of lamb kidneys as prepared
above, and good coffee. and no one but
an invtterate g umbler could fail TO be
satisfied. OF course chops and steaks
must have their turn; but their endless
routine is unnecessary. Vary the menu
given above wi h an omelet and broiled
sausages; broiled salt mackenzie with
ste wed potatoes; fried liver and bacon;
scrambled eggs on toast, with dish OF
minced fowl or meat. If you must
have bot breads or pancakes, and fried
potatoes, do not attempt any of the
above dishes in addition, unless to pre-
pare the break ast is your only morning
duty; but we would advise the house
keeper who wisht s 10 keep the enemy
dyspepsia, out of her family, to leave
the hot breads and CAKE s out, and try,
instead, some of the Ii. liter menus
which we have recommended