88 ALIMENTATION. 



the burnt onions are introduced enclosed in a net-bag. A 

 gentle ebullition is then maintained for four or five hours. 

 The fire is then extinguished, and after about an hour the 

 vegetables, the meat, and the bouillon are taken out. When 

 the latter is to be used, the congealed fat is taken from the 

 top, and the bouillon is mixed with about the same quantity 

 of water and heated to make the soup. 



The simplest and most rational mode of cooking meats is 

 by roasting or broiling, both of these methods being essentially 

 the same in their operation. In this way none of the nutrient 

 principles are lost, and the flavor peculiar to each variety of 

 meat is most effectually developed and preserved. These 

 operations should be so conducted that the most superficial 

 portions of the meat are suddenly exposed to a temperature 

 of from 212 to 270 Fahr. ; while in the interior the tem- 

 perature ranges from 125 to 150. In this way the exter- 

 nal parts are corrugated and hardened, so as to retain all of 

 the juices, which are set free to a considerable extent by the 

 more moderate heat in the interior. The nutritive principles 

 of cooked meats seem to be more readily assimilated when 

 the red coloring matters are not thoroughly coagulated. The 

 art in broiling or roasting depends upon an observance of 

 these cardinal principles. These rules are specially appli- 

 cable to the fully-developed meats and to the dark-meated 

 birds. Young meats, such as veal or lamb, and the white- 

 meated birds, require a higher temperature throughout, and 

 a more thorough cooking. 



Many meats are well prepared by boiling, when the ob- 

 ject is to cook thoroughly and render the meat tender, but 

 to extract as little of the juices as possible. For this purpose 

 salt is generally added to the water at first. The meats 

 should be placed in cold water and boiled over a sharp fire. 

 If put immediately into boiling water, the tissue becomes 

 toughened. In stewing, meats are rendered tender and 

 the juices are extracted but are preserved in the gravy. In 

 baking, the interior of the meat is subjected to a higher tern- 



