hat the egg may not fall and consequently crack. For those
who like eggs lightly boiled, three minutes will be found sufficient;
three and three-quarters to four minutes will be ample time to set the
white nicely; and if liked hard, six or seven minutes will not be
found too long. Should the eggs be unusually large, as those of black
Spanish fowls sometimes are, allow an extra half minute for them. Eggs
for salad should be boiled for ten or fifteen minutes, and should be
placed in a basin of cold water for a few minutes to shrink the meat
from the shell; they should then be rolled on the table with the hand
and the shell will peel off easily.

SOFT BOILED EGGS.

When properly cooked eggs are done evenly through, like any other
food. This result may be obtained by putting the eggs into a dish with
a cover, or a tin pail, and then pouring upon them _boiling_
water--two quarts or more to a dozen of eggs--and cover and set them
away where they will keep _hot_ and _not_ boil for ten to twelve
minutes. The heat of the water cooks the eggs slowly, evenly and
sufficiently, leaving the centre or yolk harder than the white, and
the egg tastes as much richer and nicer as a fresh egg is nicer than a
stale egg.

SCALLOPED EGGS.

Hard-boil twelve eggs; slice them thin in rings; in the bottom of a
large well-buttered baking-dish place a layer of grated bread crumbs,
then one of eggs; cover with bits of butter and sprinkle with pepper
and salt. Continue thus to blend these ingredients until the dish is
full; be sure, though, that the crumbs cover the eggs upon top. Over
the whole pour a large teacupful of sweet cream or milk and brown
nicely in a moderately heated oven.

SHIRRED EGGS.

Set into the oven until quite hot a common white dish large enough to
hold the number of eggs to be cooked, allowing plenty of room for
each. Melt in it a small piece of butter, and breaking the eggs
carefully in a saucer, one at a time, slip them into the hot dish;
sprinkle over them a small quantity of pepper and salt and allow them
to cook four or five minutes. Adding a tablespoonful of cream for
every two eggs, when the eggs are first slipped in, is a great
improvement.

This is far more delicate than fried eggs.

Or prepare the eggs the same and set them in a steamer over boiling
water.

They are usually served in hotels baked in individual dishes, about
two in a dish, and in the same dish they were baked in.

SCRAMBLED EGGS.