Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-30
Table and Kitchen.
A Kitchen Art Little Understood.

There is probably nothing more democrat
iZing to the inner man, and, as natural
sequence, to the outer as well, as the COM
mon products of the frying pan. For, as
the process is generally conducted in the
ordinary kitchen, frying is combination
Of boiling, toasting and scorching in shall
low pan entirely unsuited for this method
of cooking, which requires a pan or kettle
deep enough to hold sufficient fat to cover
or float the articles fried and also allow the
fat to be heated to temperature from $40
degrees F. to nearly 500 degrees F., this
high temperature producing results which
are equivalent to quick roasting of the
article immersed in the fat.
The essence of frying consists in the sud-
den exposure of the article to be cooked to
very high temperature. This has the eff
feet of producing an instantaneous coagula
ton of the proteids on the surface along
with slight degree of charring. This pre-
vents any escape of the soluble substances
with their f1avors, etc, effectually locking
up within the juices and other good quail
tiles while the substance is practically
cooked throughout it's whole thickness al
most inStantaneously.
The process of frying as usually prac-
ticed is ill suited for the purpose of in
creasing the digestibility of food sub
stances. The fat employed is used merely
as means of preventing the article from
StiShtilS anu TO the surface or Inc
shallow pan while the food goes through
sort of roasting. The article thus cooked
becomes more or less saturated with the
grease and is thus rendered more or less
lmpenetrable to the digestive fluids. Fatty
acids are developed during the action of
very high temperature In fat, which are not
wholesome. These are apt to remain in
contact with articles fried-especially meats
and lead to disturbances in the digestive
process attended with the formation of ir-
ritdtlnP acid substances he ctn oh
We employ the method of frying to COM
municate a high temperature direct to
certain foods-usually small articles which
we desire to brown quickly and evenly In
order to do this properly and preserve the
food in as digestible a condition as possible
the articles to be cooked. with exception
of potato chips and French fried. should
be first dried then egged and rolled in
corn or cracker meal or bread crumbs In
order to coat smoothly with the egg, dilute
1t with little warm, not hot water from
one to two tablespoons to an egg. Mix
smooth, beating in as little air as possible,
as the bubbles If not broken in breading
the article, will explode in the hot fat and
spoil the frying Use the whole egg in or
der to get a finer color in the brown coat
ing. The white of the egg coagulates in
stantly when immersed in the hot fat and
forms protective skin over the article
The bread crumbs must be fine and thinly
spread over the article or they absorb
some of the fat especially lard, if it is used,
a thing to be avoided for reasons already
given. 1t is always best to dip all articles
to be fried before beginning the cooking
process laying them ON a molding board
or clean cloth to dry out" BY so doing
you avoid in a great degree lowering the
temperature of the fat and likewise prevent
the suffering and steam caused by the
sudden contact of the cold water in the
articles with the fat and its conversion
into steam. Too many articles should not
be put in at one time because of the chilling
of the fat, which allows 1t to soften and
soak into the covering before the coagula-
ton of white of the egg forms fat-proof
covering.
The best medium for frying is veg
etable oil. as 1t is not SO heavy, heats
quickly and drains off more readily than
animal fat owing to its greater f1uidity
when heated, and the oils may be used
smoking-a sign of overheating and con-
Sequent decomposition.
Good beef suet may be considered sec
ond to vegeta bic oils for frying medium.
Lard is the worst of all, since it is with
great difficulty separated from substances
fried in it, and it imparts disagreeable
odor and taste which is most Objectionable
to a fastidous taste and not in accord with
such delica cies as croquettes. oysters, sweet
breads. etc.
Bread crumbs are the incest for covering
delicate articles, as they are turned into
deXtrin. or even carameliZed the yolk of the
egg giving them richer color.
Temperature and Time.
AS frying when properly understood
means boiling in oil, it demands a pan or
kettle. fitted with a frying basket deep
enough to hold sufficient oil to well cover
the articles throughout the process and al
low of the slight bubbling up of the fat
when articles are immersed Other uten-
sis required are small tin dish upon which
the frying basket is placed on taking it
from the fat and an oven pan lined with
soft brown paper for holding the articles
tried for a more thorough draining and to
keep them hot if not served at once. All
fried articles should be served Immediately,
as they do not improve by standing.
AS the temperature of the fat begins to
rise it begins to sputter or bubble. This in
dicates that water is being expelled, and
until all the water has been driven off the
of the fat will remain about
the same-boiling fat is about half as hot
again as boiling water. At a high tempera-
ture the fat itself shows a gentle motion.
This is the proper stage at which to begin
this it smokes or throws off a
blue vapor and is decomposed, forming
various empyreumatic matters offensive
alike to taste end smell.
The stages III the cooking of oil succeed
each other with great rapidity when there
is but thin layer of fat placed in a shall
low pan, hence this process is the most
wasteful as well as the most Objectionable
of all, and when articles are cooked by this
method they are more liable to be impreg-
mated with excess of fat; or by scorching,
with the presence of irritating products of
lat decomposition. Inc usual test applied
in order TO ascertain the right temperature
of the fat is to throw in a piece of bread
crumb. If the fat is hot enough for frying
II will Immediately begin TO bubble and
sputter around the crumb, which will begin
to brown at once. Do not put the articles
in before the fat is hot enough or leave
them in too long. for by so doing you are
sure to spoil the flavor and also dry up the
moisture in the interior of the article. The
color of fried articles varies from a golden
to a light brown. Chops, small fish and fill
let's require about five minutes to become
thoroughly cooked and delicately Drowned
II will be necessary to remove the kettle
from the hottest part of the fire before the
cooking is complete or else the articles will
become too brown.
Brain Outlets
Wash carefully the brains and soak them
in cold water until white. Place them in
saucepan and cover with boiling water, to
which teaspoonful of lemon juice has
been added; boil them until tender, about
fifteen minutes; place them in cold water
to harden When cold DIVIDE them into
small pieces with silver knife. DIP each
piece in beaten egg and then in fine bread
crumbs, fry to a delicate brown, drain on
paper and serve very hot with mushroom
sauce. GarniSh the dish with water cress