24]"/> insipid, raw taste of the flour, but because it makes the dough rise better. It is therefore highly important that it should be of the best quality, as it has an affinity for the kidneys and other organs, and acts upon them powerfully.

As it is the smallest item in the expense of a family, no pains should be spared in procuring the best in market.

American manufacturers have not as yet made a salt free from foreign flavors and suitable to delicate cookery; its peculiar fishy flavor is objectionable, and gives to bread a taste that leads the eater thereof to imagine it had been sliced with a fish-knife.

Most of the leading grocers sell an English salt that is a very valuable assistant in bread-making.

Maize or Indian Corn is the noblest of the cereal grasses, and deserves our liberal patronage and constant praise. From it can be produced an infinite variety of nutritious food, from Tennyson's "dusky loaf that smelt of home" to the simple "hoe cake" of "Old Black Joe."

To enumerate all of the good things produced from corn would make a volume five times the size of this little book. Enough has been said to practically demonstrate the necessity of our being at all times aware of its excellent qualities, if we value health and subsequent happiness.

In America no national question is of more importance than the success or failure of the corn crop. Upon it depends the success not only of large business enterprises, but of business centres. Nearly all of the important domestic animals that are used as food are fed upon it exclusively, and a large percentage of the population depends upon it—directly or indirectly—for very existence, which is conclusive evidence that a failure of this important cereal means starvation and bankruptcy to many, which the failure of the wheat crop would not effect.

Corn Bread.—Sift half a pound each of corn meal and flour, add a scant teaspoonful of salt and a tablespoonful of wheat baking powder. Beat together one ounce of powdered sugar, two eggs, and one ounce of butter; add these to the flour; then gradually add nearly a pint of milk, to make a thin batter, and bake in a hot oven.

Corn-meal Custard.—Beat up three eggs; add to them a quart of milk and an ounce each of butter and sugar. Mix and add gradually a quarter of a pound of very fine corn meal; flavor with nutmeg. Pour into custard cups, and boil or steam for ten minutes; then put them in the oven a moment to brown on top.

Boston Brown Bread.—Sift together half a pound each of rye and wheat flour, one pound of corn meal, one heaping teaspoonful of salt, a heaping tablespoonful of brown sugar, and one of wheat baking powder. Wash, peel, and boil two medium-sized potatoes; rub them through a sieve; thin out the potato with nearly a pint of water, and use this to make the batter. Pour it into well-greased moulds having covers; set them into hot water to within two inches of the top of the moulds, and boil for two hours; then take them out of the water, remove the cover, and place them in the oven for twenty minutes.

A Boston brown bread preparation put up by the Boston Cereal Manufacturing Company is an article of food quite recently introduced, which saves much of the difficult details necessary to make this excellent New England loaf.

Maize Muffins.—This very latest preparation deserves special mention, as being the highest and most scientific product of corn that has been introduced for public consideration. It is known as shredded maize, and from it a most excellent porridge can be made in ten minutes. Griddle cakes, sweet puddings, and especially breakfast rolls made of it are delightful. Most excellent muffins are prepared as follows: Mix together one pound of shredded maize, one pint of hot milk, a teaspoonful of salt, and one ounce of butter; let it cool, and whisk into it three beaten eggs, one ounce of sugar, and two teaspoonfuls of wheat baking powder; mix thoroughly; half fill the muffin-rings, and bake in a hot oven.

Graham Muffins.—Sift one quart of graham flour, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a heaping tablespoonful of wheat baking powder; add two ounces of butter and two beaten eggs, with milk enough to make a thin batter. Mix. Half fill the greased muffin-rings, and bake in a quick oven.

Breakfast Biscuits.—Sift one quart of flour, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a scant tablespoonful of wheat baking powder; add half an ounce of butter; mix together, and add milk enough to make a batter; roll out the dough on a floured board; dredge it with flour; cut out the biscuits; place them on a buttered tin, and bake in a quick oven.

Milk Bread.—Sift one and a half pounds of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, half an ounce of powdered sugar, same of melted butter, and two tablespoonfuls of wheat baking powder. Simmer a pint of milk; let it cool; add it to the flour; beat it with a plated knife; shape it into loaves. Let stand for half an hour in well-greased pans, covered, then bake in a quick oven.

Rolled-wheat Biscuit.—Half a pint each of rolled wheat and flour, one coffeespoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls of wheat baking powder, one tablespoonful of powdered sugar, and one teaspoonful of lard or melted butter. Add milk enough to make a batter, and bake in small tins in a quick oven.

To Test the Oven.—Throw on the floor of the oven a tablespoonful of new flour; if it takes fire or assumes a dark brown color, the temperature is too high, and the oven must be allowed to cool. If the flour remains white after the lapse of a few seconds, the temperature is too low. When the oven is of the proper temperature the flour will turn a brownish yellow and look slightly scorched.

TOAST.

Toast is very palatable and digestible when properly prepared. Many seem to think that they have made toast when they brown the outside of a slice of bread. Have they?

The object in making toast is to evaporate all moisture from the bread, and holding a slice over the fire to singe does not accomplish this; it only warms the moisture, making the inside of the bread doughy and decidedly indigestible. The true way of preparing it is to cut the bread into slices a quarter of an inch thick, trim off all crust, put the slices in a pan or plate, place them in the oven—which must not be too hot—take them out when a delicate brown, and butter at once.

For my own use I dry all home-made bread in this manner.

Dry Toast should be served within the folds of a napkin if you wish to keep it hot; toast-racks allow the heat to escape, and they are not recommended.

Dip Toast.—Prepare the toast as above directed; dip the edges into hot water quickly, and butter at once. This is also called water toast.

Milk Toast.—Wet the pan to be used with cold water, which prevents burning. Melt an ounce of floured butter; whisk into it a pint of hot milk; add a little salt; simmer. Prepare four slices of toast; put them in a deep dish one at a time; pour a little of the milk over each, and over the last one pour the remainder of the milk.

Anchovy Toast.—The best way to prepare this appetizing dish is as follows: Toast the bread and trim it neatly, and place it near the range to