180 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



4. PEAS. ]STo|pegetable depends more for its excellence 

 upon good cooking than peas. Have them freshly gathered 

 and shelled, but never wash them. If they are not per 

 fectly clean, roll them in a dry cloth ; but even this is sel 

 dom required, and then only through carelessness. Pour 

 them dry into the cooking dish, and put as much salt over 

 them as is required, then pour on boiling water enough to 

 cover them ; boil them fifteen minutes if they are young ; 

 no pea is fit to cook which requires more than half an hour s 

 boiling. When done, put to a quart of peas three great table- 

 spoonfuls of butter, and pepper to your taste. Put all the 

 water to them in which they were boiled. The great mis 

 takes in cooking peas are in cooking too long, and in de 

 luging them with water. 



STKING or SNAP beans are cooked like peas, only they 

 require longer boiling. . . . 



5. CORN should be boiled in salted water from twenty 

 to thirty minutes, according to its age ; if boiled longer it 

 becomes hard and loses its flavor. We have given in the 



Western farmer and Gardener, p. 231, a recipe for corn 

 and beans, but as all may not see that periodical, we extract 

 the substance of it. 



We give directions for a mess sufficient for a family of 

 six or seven. 



To about half a pound of salt pork put three quarts of 

 cold water ; let it boil. Now cut off three quarts of green 

 corn from the cobs, set the corn aside and put the cobs to 

 boil with the pork, as they will add much to the richness of 

 the mixture. When the pork has boiled, say half an hour, 

 remove the cobs and put in one quart of freshly-gathered, 

 green, shelled beans ; boil again for fifteen minutes ; then 

 add the three quarts of corn and let it boil another fifteen 

 minutes. Now turn the whole out into a dish, add five or 

 six large spoonfuls of butter, season it with pepper to your 

 taste, and with salt also, if the salt of the pork has not 

 proved sufficient. If the liquor has boiled away, it will be 



