Frying is cooking in hot fat, - not boiling fat, as it is so often called, for fat can be made much hotter than the temperature required for cooking, which is 385; the temperature for boiling fat is from 565 to 600.

Fyring, when properly done, is immersion in smoking-hot fat. The be cooked; and as it may be used many times, it is not so extravagant as some suppose to use such a quantity. The prime secret of nice frying is to have the fat hot enough to harden instantly the albumen on the outer surface, and thus prevent the fact from soaking into the inside of whatever is to be fried. As a much higher temperature is required than that for boiling or baking, the articles are very quickly cooked; and they have a flavor quite unlike that given by any other form of cooking.

All articles to be fried should be thoroughly dried and slightly warmed. If very moist, or very cold, or too many articles be fried at a time, the fat becomes chilled, and the grease soaks into them. Then, as the moisture heats and boils, it causes such a commotion that the fat and water boil over, and there is great danger from the fat taking fire and spreading to your clothing, to say nothing of the trouble of cleaning the stove and floor. For this reason be careful not to let a drop of water, or of condensed steam from another kettle, fall into the hot fat.

Meat, fish, 0ysters, croquettes, etc., should be dried, and rolled in fine bread-crumbs, to absorb any moisture; then rolled in beaten egg, and in fine crumbs again. The hot fat hardens the albumen of the egg instantly; and that, with the crumbs, makes a fat-proof crust.

Fish balls, fritters, and fried muffin mixtures contain egg and albumen sufficient to keep them from soaking fat, if the fat be only hot enough. A Scotch bowl, or deep iron or granite kettle, and a wire basket small enough to fit down into the kettle, are best to use in frying.