Chapter I: Front Matter

[Transcriber's Note: Bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic text is surrouned by _underscores_.]

A book for all girls who love to help Mother.

Jane Eayre Fryer]

THE MARY FRANCES COOK BOOK

OR ADVENTURES AMONG THE KITCHEN PEOPLE

By JANE EAYRE FRYER

Full page illustrations by
MARGARET G. HAYS
Other illustrations by
JANE ALLEN BOYER

Copyright, 1912, by
JANE EAYRE FRYER

DEAR GIRLS:

This book tells the story of Mary Frances, a little girl whose great ambition was to help her mother. So anxious was she to do this that even the humble Kitchen People became her teachers and instructors. They talked to her, a thing never heard of before; helped her over the hard places, and explained mysterious secrets she could never otherwise have understood. They wove around a simple little book of recipes her mother had made for her the spell of Fairyland; they led her through a series of delightful adventures such as never happened to any girl before, in which she lived for three whole happy weeks, and out of which she emerged no longer a little girl, but a real little woman.

Some very wise people would call this a story book, some a manual training book, and others a cookery book, but Mary Frances knows better; she knows that it is a Book within a Book that introduced her to Aunty Rolling Pin and a lot of other dear, dear friends, such as no little girl ever had before, and whom she now wishes to introduce for the first time to all other little girls. (I know that she gained their consent to do this because she told me so.)

In the hope that Mary Frances' wish may be realized, this record of her adventures is sent out to the girls of America with the best wishes of

THE AUTHOR.

CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE KITCHEN PEOPLE 11
II. TOASTER MAN 14
III. MARY FRANCES' MOTHER 24
IV. MARY FRANCES WARNS THE KITCHEN FOLKS 27
V. AUNT MARIA 30
VI. JACKET-BOILED POTATOES 33
VII. THE POT-AND-KETTLE FIGHT 40
VIII. THE POTATO LUNCH 46
IX. MARY FRANCES GETS BREAKFAST 56
X. THE BREAKFAST BURNS UP 65
XI. A JOKE ON AUNT MARIA 70
XII. THE TRAMP 75
XIII. COMPANY TO LUNCH 83
XIV. A PATENT DISH-WASHING 91
XV. THIMBLE BISCUITS 94
XVI. THE DOLLS' KITCHEN PARTY 104
XVII. THE SICK NEIGHBOR 110

XVIII. A MAN'S LUNCH 116
XIX. POOR BLUE PITCHER 127
XX. MARY FRANCES GIVES A COOKING LESSON 131
XXI. THE PICNIC 135
XXII. THE CANDY PULL 139
XXIII. GETTING READY FOR A PARTY 144
XXIV. THE TEA PARTY 154
XXV. MARY FRANCES GETS DINNER 159
XXVI. MOTHER'S SURPRISE. "GOOD-BYE, LITTLE MISS" 173

LIST OF RECIPES

PAGE
1. PLAIN TOAST 15
2. BUTTERED TOAST 19
3. MILK TOAST 20
4. JACKET-BOILED POTATOES 35
5. BAKED POTATOES 46
6. BOILED POTATOES 47
7. MASHED POTATOES 47
8. POTATO SOUP 49
9. BOILED EGGS 60
10. HARD-BOILED EGGS 61
11. COFFEE 63
12. TEA 76
13. OMELET 77
14. WHITE SAUCE 84
15. BAKED APPLES 86
16. THIMBLE BISCUITS 97
17. BAKING POWDER BISCUITS 98
18. COCOA 102
19. GINGERBREAD COOKIES 108
20. SOFT CUSTARD 111

21. STEAMED RICE 111
22. BOILED RICE 112
23. POACHED EGGS 114
24. RICE PUDDING 117
25. BOILED MUTTON 118
26. SAUCE FOR BOILED MUTTON 119
27. APPLE SNOW 127
28. STUFFED EGGS 136
29. PICKANINNY FUDGE 141
30. WALNUT KISSES 142
31. SPONGE CAKE 145
32. DREAM CAKE 150
33. QUEEN OF HEARTS TARTS 160
34. PASTRY 160
35. SALAD DRESSING 166
36. CREAMED NEW CABBAGE 167
37. BREAD PUDDING 167
38. BANANA BREAD PUDDING 168
39. HARD SAUCE 168
40. PAN-BROILED BEEFSTEAK 169

Tea Kettle
Sauce Pan
Boiler Pan
Big Iron Pot
Pie Plate & Tea Pot
Coffee Pot
Mantel Clock & Blue Pitcher
Auntie Rolling Pin
Toaster Man
Baking Dish & Potato Masher
Platter & Ladle
Yellow Bowl & Measuring Cup
Frying Pan
Basket
Perforated Skimmer & Can Opener
Round & Square Cake Tins
Iron Griddle & Little Pitcher
Fork Knife & Spoon