Modern cookery for private families

the chances were greatly in favour of its being served to a family afterwards, if it had not been accidentally discovered. Salt acts upon the copper in the same manner as acids: vegetables, too, from the portion of the latter which they contain, have the same injurious effect, and the greatest danger results from allowing preparations containing any of these to become cold (or cool) in the stewpan, in contact with the exposed part of the copper in the inside. Thick, well-tinned iron saucepans will answer for all the ordinary purposes of common English cookery, even for stewing, provided they have tightly-fitting lids to prevent the escape of the steam; but the copper ones are of more convenient form, and better adapted to a superior order of cookery. Footnote 72: Sugar, being an antidote to the poisonous effects of verdigris, should be plentifully taken, dissolved in water, so as to form a syrup, by persons who may unfortunately have partaken of any dish into which this dangerous ingredient has entered. The enamelled stewpans and saucepans which have now very much superseded the old-fashioned metal ones for many purposes, are peculiarly suited, from the nicety of the composition with which they are lined, and which resembles earthenware, to the preparation of fine preserves, and all very delicate compounds, as well as to those of milk, and of various articles of diet adapted to invalids; and they possess the further advantage of being easily kept beautifully clean. Care should be taken not to allow anything which they may contain to burn to them, which it will quickly do if they be placed flat upon a fierce fire; and when this has once occurred, there will always be some difficulty in preventing their contents from adhering to them where they have been burned. They should always be filled with water immediately after being emptied, and will then merely require to be well washed and rinsed with more boiling water; but when they have been neglected, strong soda and water should be boiled in them for a few minutes. BROILING. [Illustration: A Conjuror. ]