Practical Cook Book | Miss Suzanne Tracy

In presenting these pages to the public, I do so at the earnest solicitation of many of my pupils who would have in book form my recipes and suggestions. I therefore put into print this pamphlet of recipes where the formula is given, followed by the explicit directions of how to put together the ingredients: with such notes and hints as may be of value to the housewife. The directions are not theories, but the fruits of practical experience. The arrangement of the subject-matter is designed to make the book a household reference book that may be depended upon.

Chapters

1. Preface
   "Practical Cook Book By Miss Suzanne Tracy, Teacher Of Cookery - San Francisco, Payot. Stratford &Amp; Kerr Print 1908 In presenting these pages to the public, I do so at the earnest solicitation of many of my pupils who would have in book form my recipes and suggestions. I..."
2. Soups
   "There are two kinds of soup stock: what is known as clear stock and mixed stock. To make a clear soup we always use fresh meat and bone; the mixed stock being made from bones and pieces of meat left from roasts and cooked meats. As this latter is made from bits of meat and bone left over, no hous..."
3. Cream Soups - Cream Of Asparagus
   "Save the water in which the asparagus has been cooked; make a cream sauce of two tablespoonfuls of butter; two tablespoonfuls of flour, two cupfuls of rich milk and one level tcaspoonful of salt; put the butter into a saucepan and melt; add the flour and cook together, being careful not to allow ..."
4. Fish - Fish Chowder
   "Remove the bones from a fresh white fish; cut the fish into two-inch pieces; cover the bones with water and let simmer for fifteen minutes; proceed the same as for clam chowder, using the water in which the bones have been boiled instead of the clam juice. Fish should be perfectly fresh a..."
5. Oysters
   "Oysters served on the half shell should be opened just before serving. Six, on a large plate, with half of a lime in the center, should be served to each person. OYSTER COCKTAIL. Two tablespoonfuls of California oysters, One tablespoonful of lemon or lime juice, Pinch of salt, T..."
6. Meats - Boiling
   "All fresh meats to be boiled should be plunged into boiling water and allowed to boil rapidly for ten or fifteen minutes, to coagulate the albumen and thus close the pores, keeping in the juices of the meat. After the meat has boiled for ten minutes place it where it will just simmer, until tende..."
7. Stewing - Chicken Stew
   "Singe, draw, wash and cut the chicken, at the joints, into serving pieces; cover with boiling water; add one teaspoonful of salt and half a saltspoonful of pepper; simmer until tender; remove all the large bones and put the chicken, on toast, on a large platter; cook together one tablespoonful of..."
8. Broiling
   "Broiling is the most perfect way of cooking meat and fish. There are three ways of broiling, - what is known as broiling proper, pan broiling and oven broiling. Broiling proper is to broil directly over the coals; the fire must be hot, clear and free from smoke. For meat it must be hotter than fo..."
9. Roasting
   "Roasting and baking are now synonymous terms. We speak of roasting meats and baking breads, yet we use the same oven for both. Roasting formerly meant to place the meat on a spit before the open fire, turn it frequently and baste constantly to keep from burning. Roasting to-day means to bake in a..."
10. Poultry And Game - To Draw Poultry
    "All poultry should be dressed as soon as killed; the feathers come out more easily while the fowl is warm; strip them off toward the head; remove the pin-feathers with a knife; singe the hairs by holding it over the gas jet or a piece of lighted paper; cut off the head; turn the skin hack and cut..."
11. Frying
    "Frying is cooking in hot fat deep enough to entirely cover the articles to be cooked. When food is properly fried the fat is hot enough to instantly sear the outer surface and thus prevent it soaking into the food. All food to be fried should be thoroughly dried; if water should drop into the hot..."
12. Croquettes
    "In making croquettes the material must be chopped fine, well mixed, and seasoned delicately. The shaping of croquettes can readily be acquired by a little practice and care. They are formed into cone, ball and cylindrical shapes. To Shape--Take a tablespoonful of the mixture, roll gently ..."
13. Timbales
    "One-half cupful of flour, One-half cupful of milk, One egg. One-fourth teaspoonful of salt. Put the ingredients together in a bowl and beat with Dover egg-beater until smooth; heat timbal iron in hot fat (the fat should be hot enough to brown a piece of potato in one minute); dip hot iron in batt..."
14. Salads
    "Salads, to be palatable, should always be crisp and fresh and served icy cold. It is upon its crispness and the proper mingling and selection of ingredients that its success depends; when lettuce is to be used it must be washed carefully, taking care not to break the leaves. The large dark leaves..."
15. Meat And Fish Sauces
    "WHITE SAUCE. Cook together one tablespoonful of butter and one of flour; add one cupful of rich milk; stir until smooth; season with pepper and salt. BROWN SAUCE. Cook one tablespoonful of butter until it browns; add two table-spoonfuls of flour and cook together until..."
16. Vegetables
    "All green vegetables must be cooked in freshly boiled salted water; allow one teaspoonful of salt for each quart of water. The younger the vegetable the more quickly it will cook. POTATOES. Nearly every housekeeper fancies she can cook a potato, and yet we have so many soggy and..."
17. Bread - Vienna Bread
    "Flour, One pint of wetting (half milk and water), One compressed yeast cake. One teaspoonful of salt. Dissolve the yeast in half a cupful of cold water; add the salt to the wetting, which should be lukewarm, or at a temperature of about eighty degrees, then add the yeast; stir in flour enough to ..."
18. Pastry And Pies - Flaky Pastry
    "One cupful of flour, One saltspoonful of salt, One-third cupful of shortening, One-fourth cupful of ice water. Have all the material cold; put the flour and salt into a chopping bowl; add the shortening (half butter and half lard) and chop into pieces the size of a pea; moisten the pastry..."
19. Puddings - English Plum Pudding
    "One-half pound of stale bread crumbs, One cupful of hot milk. One-half cupful of sugar. Four eggs, One-half pound of raisins, One-half pound of currants. One-fourth pound of figs, One-eighth pound of citron, One-half pound of suet, One-fourth cup of brandy, One-half teaspoonful each of cinnamon, ..."
20. Pudding Sauces - Golden Sauce
    "One-third cupful of butter, One cupful of sugar (powdered). Yolks of two eggs, One-third cupful of milk. Grated rind of half an orange. Cream the butter; add the sugar and cream together; then add the yolks of the eggs and orange rind; heat the milk scalding hot; pour onto the but..."
21. Invalid Cookery - Beef Tea
    "Buy the top of the round for beef tea; it contains the most nutriment and is the best flavored; remove every particle of fat; cut the meat into very fine pieces; add one pint of water to each pound of beef; put into a glass jar and set the jar in a pan of warm water; do not heat the water above 1..."
22. Cake
    "NOTES ON CAKE MAKING. Have the bowl warm, the butter soft, sugar fine; use a wooden spoon for beating; never mix cake in tin; have pans perfectly clean; do not grease the pans; paper the bottom of the pan. and, for butter cakes, butter lightly the upper side of the paper. When baked slip ..."
23. Delicate Desserts - Strawberry Pudding
    "One-third of a box of gelatine, One-third of a cupful of cold water, One-third of a cupful of boiling water, One saltspoonful of salt. One and two-third cupfuls of strawberry juice, Juice of one lemon, Whites of two small eggs. Six tablespoonfuls of whipped cream. Cover the gelati..."
24. Sherberts And Ice Cream - Directions For Freezing
    "Pour the mixture into the tin can; put the beater in and put on the cover; put the can into the tub and see that the point on the bottom of the can fits into the socket in the tub; put on the crosspiece and turn to see if everything is in place; break the ice very fine; ,put a layer of about four..."
25. Beverages - Coffee
    "Mocha and Java coffee are supposed to make the best mixture. The best grade, however, should be bought. It should always be ground just before using and never bought ground, as it quickly loses its flavor, even if kept in air-tight tins. Coffee should not be boiled longer than one or two ..."