Chapter I: Front Matter

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Transcriber's Note

Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. A list of corrections is found at the end of the text. Inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been maintained. A list of inconsistently spelled and hyphenated words is found at the end of the text. Oe ligatures have been expanded. Illustrations have been moved and placed near the paragraph that they illustrate whenever possible

THE CENTURY COOK BOOK

THE
CENTURY COOK BOOK

BY

Mary Ronald

_This book contains directions for cooking in its various branches,
from the simplest forms to high-class dishes and ornamental pieces;
a group of New England dishes furnished by Susan Coolidge; and a few
receipts of distinctively Southern dishes. It gives also the etiquette
of dinner entertainments--how to serve dinners--table decorations,
and many items relative to household affairs._

"NOW GOOD DIGESTION WAIT ON APPETITE
AND HEALTH ON BOTH"
--_Macbeth_

NEW YORK
THE CENTURY CO.
1901

Copyright, 1895, by
THE CENTURY CO.

THE DEVINNE PRESS.

_"To be a good cook means the knowledge of all fruits, herbs, balms and spices, and of all that is healing and sweet in field and groves, and savory in meats; means carefulness, inventiveness, watchfulness, willingness and readiness of appliance. It means the economy of your great-grandmothers and the science of modern chemists. It means much tasting and no wasting. It means English thoroughness, French art and Arabian hospitality. It means, in fine, that you are to be perfectly and always ladies (loaf-givers) and are to see that every one has something nice to eat."_--RUSKIN.

_APHORISMS--BRILLAT-SAVARIN._

_Les animaux se repaissent; l'homme mange; l'homme d'esprit seul sait manger._

_Dis moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es._

_Le Createur, en obligeant l'homme a manger pour vivre, l'y invite par l'appetit et l'en recompense par le plaisir._

_La table est le seul endroit ou l'on ne s'ennuie jamais pendant la premiere heure._

_La decouverte d'un mets nouveau fait plus pour le bonheur du genre humain que la decouverte d'une etoile._

_L'ordre des comestibles est des plus substantiels aux plus legers._

_L'ordre des boissons est des plus temperees aux plus fumeuses et aux plus parfumees._

_On devient cuisinier mais on nait rotisseur._

_Attendre trop longtemps un convive retardataire est un manque d'egards pour tous ceux qui sont present._

_Celui qui recoit ses amis, et ne donne aucun soin personnel au repas qui leur est prepare, n'est pas digne d'avoir des amis._

_La maitresse de la maison doit toujours s'assurer que le cafe est excellent, et le maitre, que les liqueurs sont de premier choix._

TIME TABLE.

BOILING.

MEATS.
Time.
Mutton per pound 15 minutes.
Potted Beef " " 30 to 35 min.
Corned Beef " " 30 minutes.
Ham " " 18 to 20 min.
Turkey " " 15 minutes.
Chicken " " 15 "
Fowl " " 20 to 30 min.
Tripe " " 3 to 5 hours.

FISH.
Time.
Codfish per pound 6 minutes.
Haddock " " 6 "
Halibut " " 15 "
Blue " " 10 "
Bass " " 10 "
Salmon " " 10 to 15 min.
Small Fish " " 6 minutes.

Lobster 30 to 40 min.

VEGETABLES.

Potatoes 20 to 30 min.
Asparagus 20 to 25 "
Peas 15 to 20 "
String Beans 20 to 30 "
Lima " 30 to 40 "
Spinach 15 to 20 "
Turnips 30 minutes.
Beets 30 min. or more.
Cabbage 20 "
Cauliflower 20 "
Brussels Sprouts 10 to 15 min.
Onions 30 to 40 "
Parsnips 30 to 40 "
Green Corn 20 to 25 "

Macaroni 20 minutes.
Rice 15 to 20 min.

BAKING.

MEATS.
Time
Beef, ribs, rare per pound, 8 to 10 min.
" " well done " 12 to 15 "
" " boned & rolled " 12 to 15 "
Round of Beef " 12 to 15 "
Mutton, leg, rare " 10 minutes.
" " well done " 15 "
" loin, rare " 8 "
" shoulder, stuffed " 15 "
" saddle, rare " 9 "
Lamb, well done " 15 "
Veal, " " " 18 to 20 min.
Pork, " " " 20 minutes.
Venison, rare " 10 "
Chicken " 15 "
Goose " 18 "
Fillet, hot oven 30 minutes.
Braised Meats 3 to 4 hours.
Liver, whole 2 hours.
Turkey, 8 lbs 1-3/4 "
" very large 3 "
Birds, small, hot oven 15 to 20 min.
Ducks, tame 45 minutes.
" wild, very hot oven 15 "
Partridge 35 to 40 min.
Grouse 20 to 25 "

FISH.
Time.
Large Fish 1 hour, about.
Small " 20 to 30 min.

Time.
Bread 1 hour.
Biscuits 20 minutes.
Cake 20 to 45 min.
Custards, very slow oven 1 hour.

BROILING.
Time.
Steak, 1 inch thick 8 to 10 min.
" 1-1/2 " " 10 to 15 "
Mutton Chops, French 8 minutes.
" " English 10 "
Spring Chicken 20 "
Quail 8 to 10 min.
Grouse 15 minutes.
Squabs 10 to 15 min.
Shad, Bluefish, Trout 15 to 25 "
Small Fish 5 to 10 "

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

4 gills = 1 pint.
2 pints = 1 quart.
4 quarts = 1 gallon.
16 ounces = 1 pound.

1/2 kitchen cupful = 1 gill.
1 kitchen cupful = 1/2 pint or 2 gills.
4 kitchen cupfuls = 1 quart.

2 cupfuls of granulated sugar } = 1 pound.
2-1/2 cupfuls of powdered sugar }

1 heaping tablespoonful of sugar = 1 ounce.
1 heaping tablespoonful of butter } = 2 oz. or 1/4 cupful.
Butter size of an egg }
1 cupful of butter = 1/2 pound.
4 cupfuls of flour } = 1 pound.
1 heaping quart }
8 round tablespoonfuls of dry material = 1 cupful.
16 tablespoonfuls of liquid = 1 cupful.

PROPORTIONS

5 to 8 eggs to 1 quart of milk for custards.
3 to 4 eggs to 1 pint of milk for custards.
1 saltspoonful of salt to 1 quart of milk for custards.
1 teaspoonful of vanilla to 1 quart of milk for custards.
2 ounces of gelatine to 1-3/4 quarts of liquid.
4 heaping tablespoonfuls of cornstarch to 1 quart of milk.
3 heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder to 1 quart of flour.
1 even teaspoonful of baking-powder to 1 cupful of flour.
1 teaspoonful of soda to 1 pint of sour milk.
1 teaspoonful of soda to 1/2 pint of molasses.
1 teaspoonful of baking-powder is the equivalent of 1/2 teaspoonful
of soda and 1 teaspoonful of cream of tartar.

For other proportions, see page 340.
For measuring, see page 77.