190 
THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
should be replenished with boiling: water. If it is im 
possible to select potatoes of the same size, cut the large 
ones the size of the small ones, or put the large ones to 
boil ten minutes sooner. Old potatoes should be thinly 
peeled with a sharp knife, and the spots and eyes taken 
out. and if for breakfast, should lay over night in cold 
water: if for dinner an hour or two. They should be 
put into fresh cold water when put over the tire, and it 
will improve them to pour this water off when they 
have boiled five or ten minutes, and put on fresh hot 
water, allowing a teaspoon of salt to each quart of 
water. This will do away with the strong taste old 
potatoes often have. When they are done, pour the 
water off and set the kettle back over the fire a moment, 
and carefully move the potatoes about with a spoon so 
they will dry on all sides, taking care that they do not 
get hot enough to brown, and you will find all the little 
pieces that may have boiled off will be dry and mealy: 
then set the kettle on the back of the range, with a 
towel over it. if they cannot be served immediately. 
New potatoes should always be put into boiling water 
and it is best to prepare them just in time for cooking.. 
They do not require peeling, but can be washed and the 
skin scraped off. or boiled with the skin on. They are 
nice steamed if the skin is removed first. If small they 
can be made inviting by pouring over them, when put 
into the dish for the table, some milk thickened like 
gravy, and seasoned with salt and white pepper, and a 
generous piece of butter. 
Mashed Potatoes. 
Potatoes should be cooked so as to be done just as 
dinner is ready, and not have to wait for other things: 
they must not stand longer than to dry enough to be 
mealy, and should be thoroughly mashed with a potato 
masher, seasoned with salt, and for a dozen medium¬ 
sized potatoes a piece of butter half the size of an egg 
will be sufficient, stir thoroughly, add a half cup of hot 
•milk , and stir till light and white, then take up in a hot 
dish, and smooth the top nicely. A pretty way to 
finish it is to save out a couple of tablespoonfuls of the 
mashed potato, and rub it through a colander on the 
potatoes in the dish, taking care not to press it down. 
It will be as light as snow, and as it is pressed through 
the colander see that it is evenly distributed over the top, 
as it must not be touched in any way after it falls. 
Hashed potatoes must not be set in a very hot place, 
nor be tightly covered, if they have to wait before 
being served, or they will steam and be spoiled. 
Baked Potatoes. 
A small brush that can be bought for five cents will 
be found useful for scrubbing potatoes to bake, and to 
use in preparing other vegetables. If a bit of the skin 
is cut off on each end of potatoes that are to be baked, 
they will be dryer and it will enable you to see if 
the potato is good. Large potatoes require an hour to 
bake, and must be served the moment they are done. 
Potatoes a la Creme. 
Cut cold boiled potatoes in thin small slices about as 
raw ones are sliced for Saratoga potatoes, or chop them 
quite fine if they are firm enough not to crumble; 
heat milk enough to moisten them in a porcelain or 
granite-iron sauce-pan, thicken it to the consistency of 
rich cream, put in plenty of butter, season, and then 
drop in the potatoes, stirring them carefully with 
ork till they are mixed with the milk, let them boil 
up once, and take them up in a hot dish; or, if you 
have rich cream, you can put a little butter in the bot¬ 
tom of the sauce-pan, put in the potatoes, and pour the 
cream over them, and let them just heat through. 
Fried Potatoes. 
Select potatoes about a finger long, pare and cut 
lengthwise, in pieces about as thick as your finger, lay 
them in cold water till you are ready to fry them, then 
wipe dry. Have some drippings, or fat from fried pork, 
smoking hot, drop in the potatoes and fry as you would 
crullers, only the grease must be hotter. When done, 
drain on brown paper and serve hot. If you wish to 
make an attractive dish, put (hem on a platter and 
lay parsley leaves around the edge. 
Saratoga Potatoes. 
Cut raw potatoes in slices as thin as wafers with a 
thiu sharp knife; lay them in cold water over night, a 
bit of alum will make them more crisp, next morning 
rinse in cold water and dry with a towel. Have ready 
a kettle of lard, hotter than for fried cakes, and drop in 
the potatoes a few at a time. They wifi brown quickly, 
skim out in a colander and sprinkle with salt, or lay 
them on a double brown paper in the oven till dry. If 
any are left over from the meal, they can be warmed 
in the oven, and will be just as good for another time. 
Potato Croquettes. 
Take finely mashed potatoes—cold ones will answer, 
but fresh are better—and mix through them sufficient 
salt, pepper, and butter to season it; then mix in one 
beaten egg, and make into small rolls, being careful to 
have the surface perfectly smooth. Have ready one 
plate with a beaten egg upon it, and another with fine 
cracker crumbs. Dip each roll into the egg, and then 
into the crumbs, and fry to a golden brown, in boiling 
hot lard. Drain on brown paper, and serve hot. 
Stewed Potatoes with Bread. 
Slice cold boiled potatoes in small, thin slices; cut 
crusts of bread or slices of stale bread in small pieces; 
use about one-quarter or one-third as much bread as 
potatoes; heat milk enough to moisten the whole; sea¬ 
son with salt, pepper and butter, and put in the bread 
and potatoes. Let it simmer till the bread is moistened, 
but do not let it become pasty. This is a good way to 
use stale bread, and to make potatoes go farther, and 
some persons think it a great improvement to the ordi¬ 
nary way of stewing potatoes. 
Pie-Plant Pie. 
Make a nice crust; be very careful it has no thin 
places on the bottom where the juice can find its way 
out. Cut the pie-plant in small pieces, and sprinkle 
over it, one tea-cup of white sugar. Dredge some flour 
over it, and before you put the top crust on, moisten the 
outer edge of the bottom crust with a little water, so 
the two crusts will be sure to stick together. Make 
plenty of openings in the upper crust so the steam can 
escape, and bake it in a moderate oven for an hour, or 
until the juice has become jelly. If it is baked just 
right, it will be delicious. 
Mbs. C. G. Herbert. 
