824 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



an element in gravies, etc., as the far more expensive coloring-matter 

 of brown meat-gravies, and that our English cooks should use it far 

 more liberally than they usually do. 



Its preparation is easy enough ; the sugar should be gradually 

 heated till it assumes a rich brown color and has lost its original 

 sweetness. If carried just far enough, and not too far, the result is 

 easily soluble in hot water, and the solution may be kept for a long 

 time, as it is by cooks who understand its merits. In connection 

 with the idea of its disinfecting action, I may refer to the cookeiy of 

 tainted meat or " high " game. A hare that is repulsively advanced 

 when raw, may by much roasting and browning become quite whole- 

 some, and such is commonly the case in the ordinary cooking of hares. 

 If it were boiled or merely stewed (without preliminary browning) in 

 this condition, it would be quite disgusting to ordinary palates. 



A leg of mutton for roasting should be hung until it begins to 

 become odorous ; for boiling it should be as fresh as possible. This 

 should be especially remembered now that we have so much frozen 

 meat imported from the antipodes. When duly thawed it is in splen- 

 did condition for roasting, but is not usually so satisfactory when 

 boiled. I may here mention incidentally that such meat is sometimes 

 unjustly condemned on account of its displaying a raw center when 

 cooked. This arises from imperfect thawing. The heat required to 

 thaw a given weight of ice and bring it up to 60, is about the same 

 as demanded for the cookery of an equal quantity of meat, and there- 

 fore, while the thawed portions of the meat is being cooked, the 

 frozen portion is but just thawed, and remains quite raw. 



A much longer time is demanded for thawing i. e., supplying 

 142 of latent heat than might be supposed. To ascertain whether 

 the thawing is completed, drive an iron skewer through the thickest 

 part of the joint. If there is a core of ice within, it will be distinctly 

 felt by its resistance. 



XV. 



Before leaving the subject of caramel, I should say a few words 

 about French coffee, or " coffee as in France," of which we hear so 

 much. There are two secrets upon which depend the excellence of 

 our neighbors in the production of this beverage : First, economy in 

 using the water ; second, flavoring with caramel. As regards the 

 first, it appears that English housewives have been demoralized by the 

 habitual use of tea, and apply to the infusion of coffee the popular 

 formula for that of tea, " a spoonful for each person and one for the 

 pot." 



The French after-dinner coffee-cup has about one third of the 

 liquid capacity of a full-sized English breakfast-cup, but the quantity 

 of solid coffee supplied to each cupful is more than equal to that ordi- 

 narily allowed for the larger English measure of water. 



