le-spoonful of flour weighs about half an ounce.

RUDIMENTS OF COOKERY.

CHAPTER I.

BOILING.[66-*]

This most simple of culinary processes is not often performed in
perfection. It does not require quite so much nicety and attendance as
roasting; to skim your pot well, and keep it really boiling (the slower
the better) all the while, to know how long is required for doing the
joint, &c., and to take it up at the critical moment when it is done
enough, comprehends almost the whole art and mystery. This, however,
demands a patient and perpetual vigilance, of which few persons are
capable.

The cook must take especial care that the water really boils all the
while she is cooking, or she will be deceived in the time; and make up a
sufficient fire (a frugal cook will manage with much less fire for
boiling than she uses for roasting) at first, to last all the time,
without much mending or stirring.

When the pot is coming to a boil there will always, from the cleanest
meat and clearest water, rise a _scum_ to the top of it, proceeding
partly from the water; this must be carefully taken off as soon as it
rises.

On this depends the good appearance of all boiled things.

When you have skimmed well, put in some cold water, which will throw up
the rest of the scum.

The oftener it is skimmed, and the cleaner the top of the water is kept,
the sweeter and the cleaner will be the meat.

If let alone, it soon boils down and sticks to the meat,[67-*] which,
instead of looking delicately white and nice, will have that coarse and
filthy appearance we have too often to complain of, and the butcher and
poulterer be blamed for the carelessness of the cook in not skimming her
pot.

Many put in _milk_, to make what they boil look white; but this does
more harm than good: others wrap it up in a cloth; but these are
needless precautions: if the scum be attentively removed, meat will have
a much more delicate colour and finer flavour than it has when muffled
up. This may give rather more trouble, but those who wish to excel in
their art must only consider how the processes of it can be most
perfectly performed: a cook, who has a proper pride and pleasure in her
business, will make this her maxim on all occasions.

It is desirable that meat for boiling be of an equal thickness, or
before thicker parts are done enough the thinner will be done too much.

Put your meat into _cold_[67-+] water, in the proportion of abo