rs again are so much nearer the truth
that they know it must become _silent_, that is, boil and cease to boil,
before it is ready, but even that is not enough; it must be silent some
time, smoke, and appear to be on the point of burning, then drop a bit
of bread in; if it crisps and takes color directly, quickly put in your
articles.

These articles, whether cutlets or fish, must have been carefully
prepared, or herein may lie the second cause of failure. Any cookery
book will give you directions how to crumb, follow them; but what some
do not tell you is, that your bread-crumbs should be _finely sifted_;
every coarse crumb is liable to drop off and bring with it a good deal
of the surrounding surface.

I also follow the French plan in using the egg, and mix with it oil and
water in the proportion of three eggs, one tablespoonful of oil, one of
water, and a little salt, beat together and use. It is a good plan to
keep a supply of _panure_ or dried bread-crumbs always ready. Cut any
slices of baker's bread, dry them in a cool oven so that they remain
quite colorless, or they will not do for the purpose. When as dry as
crackers, crush under a rolling-pin, and sift; keep in a jar for use.

In no branch of cooking is excellence more appreciated than in that of
frying. A dish of _filets de sole_ or cutlets, crisp and golden brown,
is an ornament to any table, and is seldom disdained by any one. Apropos
of _filets de sole_; it is very high-sounding yet very attainable, as I
shall show. I was staying with a friend early in spring, a lady always
anxious for table novelties. "Oh, do tell me what fish to order, I
should like something fried, now that you are here to tell cook how to
do it; she hasn't the wildest idea, although she would be astounded to
hear me say so." "Have you ever had flounders?" I asked. "Flounders!" My
friend's pretty nose went up the eighth of an inch, and her confidence
in my powers as counselor went down to zero. "Flounders! but they are a
very common fish you know." "I know they are very delicious," I
answered. "Order them, and trust me; but I must coax the autocrat of
your kitchen to allow me to cook and prepare them myself."

An hour before dinner I went into the kitchen, put at least a pound of
lard into a deep frying-pan, and set it where it would get gradually
hot, then I turned my attention to the fish; they were thick, firm
flounders, and were ready cleaned, scraped, and the heads off. I then