The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-04-08
NO SUCH THING AS
LUCK in COOKING
Skill Intelligence and Long Practice the Only Rea
Secrets-Must Learn Habits of the Range

THERE are. primarily, but two
kinds Of cake mixtures, and all
the manifold big and little, round
and square, large and loaf yari-
ties are but notifications, embellish-
ments or different combinations or
these two cake foundations. There are
cakes without butter, of which sponge
cake In the best example. and cake
with butter. Of which cup ana pound
cakes are best known.
There Is no such thing as luck In
cooking. It Is like any other art the
result OF skill: in some, in part INFORM
in others, acquired; but In eitner case
the result OF practice. And the nrst
step IL preparation How 10 He q. ars
of the first maxims of good cooking.
A measuring cup holds one-half pint
or two gills-or sixteen level table
spoonfuls of dry material teaspoons
and tablespoons for kitchen use should
be of regulation size, just as much as
the cups used. Any cup or spoon OF
handy utensil will not answer.
In general. dry materials should be
ssfted before measuring, and when
cupful Ii called for, the cup should not
be dipped into the -four or sugar ana
shaken down until leveled. This not
alone adds more Of the particular IN
rredient than is called for. but 1t is
what can and should be very dainty
one. All measurements are level unless
the recipe states to the contrary. and
a rounding spoonful equals two level
ones. For 1t should round as much
above as the spoon rounds underneath
To measure a cupful, put the mate
rial I'm by spoon or scoop. round slight
ly, then level with a knife. Do not
shake the cup to settle the flour or
whatever it may be. To measure
spoonful dip it in, then Level quickly KY
divided lengthwise of the spoon.
A cupful or spoonful of liquid is all
the Gun or spoon will hold, not to
carry from pantry to kitchen, but all
j. will hold right there, where every
thing should be ready. For the proc
ess OF cake making resembles direc-
tons for childish game: One, to
make ready; two. to prepare; three,
to go slam bang-and then-there you
are.
Let 1t be cup cakes with butter that
are about to be made-that difficult
cake called one-egg cake.
The first step is to get butter. sugar.
eggs, milk, -four, baking powder. bowls,
spoons. fork or beater and pans ready
creased, all there at hand. The next
Is, not to begin to mix, but to attend
TO the fire and the oven. for If the
proof Of the pudding is In the eating,
ing There are no 1nfallfble rules to
guide the seeker to success here-ev-
erything depends. Ovens are as indi-
vidual az people, and ranges form hab-
its OF their own. The fire should be
clear and even. and in such q condi-
ton that 1t will not have to be RENE
died or attended to while the baking
In going on. Only experience can teach
one here, but some of the helps to this
may be found in keeping the interior
OF the stove clean around the oven;
no ashes nor coal above or below. And
when a stove Is red hot the chances
are the oven Is cooling-for the heat
from the stove Is being thrown into
the room In place Of going where II
belongs.
In making good cake, as in making
good coffee, 1T is necessary to have
good materials to begin with. The but
ter may not, be too salt or filled with
water; the sugar should not be the
coarse but finely graduated, and pas
try flour should be used. Measure OF
weigh the quantities required, then sift
the -four again, and right here a divi-
sion of opinion will be found as tc
whether the baking powder should or
should not be sifted with 1t. Baking
powder is made of certain ingredients
which unite in the presence of water