There are objects that require to be stirred or turned over while frying.
Every time you fry any thing, take the fat from the fire, let it stand in a cool place for about five minutes, then turn it gently into a stone jar or pot through a strainer; let cool and put away. In turning the fat, lard, or oil into the jar, pour so that the dregs will be kept in the pan.
To ascertain with accuracy when the fat, lard, or oil is hot enough to lay the things in the pan, dip a fork in cold water, the prongs only; so as to retain but one or two drops of water, which drops you let fall in the fat, and if it crackles, it is hot enough.
Another way is, when jets of smoke come out of the fat.
There are objects that require more heat than others, some that are more sightly when brown, and others when of a pale-yellow hue.
If the object is desired brown, leave the pan on a brisk fire while it is frying; if otherwise, remove it to a slow or less brisk fire.
Fat is not like water, which, no matter how fast you boil it, you cannot augment the degree of heat, while you can that of fat. If water, by boiling it fast, could be heated as much as fat, it would be used to fry in its stead, being cheaper.
_Mixing._--In mixing, pay due attention to the quantities we give in the receipts; but as everybody has not the same taste, it is very easy to augment or diminish the quantity of salt, pepper, sugar, butter, etc., so as to suit one's own taste.
When the quantity is left to the judgment or taste of the cook, that is, when the expression _about so much_ is made use of, it is not necessary then to have the exact quantity; a little more or a little less cannot spoil or partly destroy the dish.
_Roasting._--When an object is placed on the spit according to directions, remember that it cannot be basted too often.
The time necessary for roasting a piece of meat or any thing else, depends as much upon the fire as upon the nature of the meat. Meat especially requires to be placed very near the fire at first, and then put back by degrees.
There is nearly as much difference between roasted and baked meat as there is between broiled and fried meat.
It is generally admitted here, that English roast-beef is so superior to American roast-beef that it cannot be compared to it. It is not in the quality of the meat that the difference lies, but in the process of cooking.