rve literally blazing hot. This "burnt
water" known in more sophisticated regions as _Cafe Diabolique_,
originated in New Orleans, and is the consummate flowering of Creole
cookery.

[Illustration: _Cakes, Great and Small_]

The very queen among cake makers sums her secret of success in a
sentence: "The best of everything." Cake will never be better than the
things whereof it is made, no matter how skilled the maker. But it can
be, and too often is, dismally worse, thus involving a waste of heaven's
good gifts of sugar, butter, eggs, flour and flavors. Having the best at
hand, use it well. Isaac Walton's direction for the bait, "Use them as
though you loved them," applies here as many otherwheres. Unless you
love cake-making, not perhaps the work, but the results, you will never
excell greatly in the fine art. Better buy your cake, or hire the making
thereof, else swap work with some other person better gifted in this
special branch.

Here are a few cardinal helps. Have the eggs very cold, butter soft but
not oily, flour dry and light--sun or oven-dry it in muggy weather. Sift
it three times for ordinary cakes, twice for tea cakes, and so on, four
to five times for very light things, sponge cake, angel's food, and
measure it before sifting, and don't forget the needed amount--then you
will be in no danger of putting in too much or too little. Always put a
pinch of fine salt in the bottom of the mixing bowl, which ought to be
freshly scalded and wiped very dry. A damp bowl clogs with either sugar
or flour, making the stirring much harder. Unless specifically directed
otherwise, separate the eggs, set the whites on ice till time to whip
them, beat the yolks very, very light--to a pale, frothy yellow, add the
sugar, free of lumps, a cupful at a time, then the butter washed and
beaten to a creamy froth, beat hard together for five minutes, then add
alternately the flour and the egg-whites beaten to the stiffest possible
froth. Add a pinch of salt as beating begins, and if the egg supply is
scant, a teaspoonful of cold water to each white. This will increase the
quantity, and help to make the cake lighter, as it is the air-bubbles
imprisoned in the froth which give it its raising virtue. Add fruit and
flavoring last thing. Fruit should be well floured but never clotted. If
batter appears to be too stiff a little whiskey thins it excellently,
and helps to make it lighter. Put in two tablespoonfuls to six eggs,
usin