The Jerusalem artichoke (topinambour) is a vegetable which, as a rule, people either dislike exceedingly, or are very fond of. I place it amongst the best we have. Wash the artichokes, peel and shape them nicely, dropping each one into salt and water at once to prevent its turning black; when all are ready, put them into a saucepan with a gallon of cold-water, and two table-spoonfuls of salt; boil till tender (which will take about twenty minutes after boiling-point has been attained) and drain, serving them with a nice sauce blanche.

Or, when three parts done, you can lift them up, and simmer them till quite done, in rich brown gravy.

Or, you can, when half-boiled, drain them dry, and bake them upon a well-buttered tin, serving them with plain melted butter, a dressing of oil, vinegar, minced shallot and salt, or any sauce piquante you fancy.

But, like the cauliflower, the Jerusalem artichoke is worthy of the epicure's attention when sent up "au gratin." The combination being a puree of plain boiled artichoke, slightly diluted with cream, and seasoned with pepper, and salt: this, turned into a well-buttered pie-dish, its surface dusted over with finely grated mild cheese, and the whole baked until the top takes colour. Good milk with the yolks of two eggs may take the place of cream, or a sauce blanche, but if perfection be desired, pray use cream.

Instead of using a pie-dish the puree may be baked in some well-buttered coguille shells, and served upon a napkin.

Another artistic method of doing this vegetable is this :- Cut half a dozen large ones, after they have been three parts boiled, into long strips about a quarter of an inch thick, dip them in the batter I describe elsewhere, and fry them a golden tint: these fritters are excellent; you can order them alone as an entremets, or pile them in a pyramid as the central garnish of an entree.

Jerusalem artichokes can be served in a mould, iced, with a mayonnaise sauce, or hot with a Parmesan, or rich white sauce. For the mould, follow this recipe :- Two pounds of the artichokes boiled in milk : half a pint of cream : four eggs : pepper and salt. Mash the artichokes, and pass them through the hair sieve, add the cream, the eggs well beaten up whites and all, and season with pepper and salt. Put the mixture into a well-buttered mould, and steam it for one hour. Turn it out, and garnish it with tomato puree, Parmesan sauce, or a rich veloute.

Or:- ice the mould, and turn it out, sending it up with a cold mayonnaise sauce in a boat. The name of this excellent entremets here is "Topinambours a la Chetput" but it is commonly called creme de topinambours.

Undeniably good as the Jerusalem artichoke is, it is, of course, inferior to the Globe or leafy kind (articliaut). These are properly considered the choicest delicacies of the Neilgherry market by many people. A globe artichoke, like a cabbage, must be well soaked in salt and water to get rid of the insects which may be hidden between the leaves. Then it must be set head downwards in boiling water, with soda and salt, and boiled till the leaves part easily from the core. "When done, you must drain it, and dish it hot: a little "Dutch sauce," in which a few drops of anchovy vinegar, or lime-juice have been introduced, forms an agreeable accompaniment.

There are several high class ways of serving globe artichokes which I, of course, dedicate to my readers who happen to be staying on the Hills.

First let me give yon directions for the trimming of an artichoke secundum artem. Place the raw vegetable bottom downwards on a board, and with a sharp knife at once cut it straight down, dividing it in half; then divide each half so obtained so that yon have four quarters : next pare out the ' choke' which adheres to each quarter, as you would core an apple, and trim off the leaves leaving about an eighth of an inch of them unsevered and adhering to the trimmed quarters. Drop each piece as you trim it into cold water in which a lime has been squeezed, or a table-spoonful of vinegar poured, to prevent its turning black, and when yon have prepared enough for the dish you require, throw the quarters into boiling water with a dessert-spoonful of salt, and a spoonful of vinegar; and in about fifteen minutes, when nearly done, lift them out and drain them. They may be now finished off in these several ways:-

1. - As "beignets" :- by being cut into slices dipped in batter, and fried in boiling fat till of a bright golden tint.

2. - Or, - "au sauce blanche" or "bechamel" in which they should be gently simmered.

3. - Or, - "a la maitre d"hotel" :- tossed in butter, and served on a hot silver dish, with the melted butter, a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkling of very finely chopped curled parsley.

4. - Or, - "au gratin" :- the pieces neatly disposed upon a silver dish, with a little gravy round them to keep them from burning, dusted over with very finely sifted bread-crumbs, chopped mushroom, parsley, and a little shallot, pepper, salt, and a piece of butter on the top of each piece, then baked for ten minutes and served hot.

5. - Or, "a l' Italienne" :- as in the foregoing, substituting a dusting of mild grated cheese for bread-crumbs, omitting the mushroom and chopped herbs, and merely-adding the pepper, salt, and butter.

6. - Or, "a l'Espagnole" :- gently simmered in rich brown sauce.

7. - Or, "a la Lyonnaise" :- the pieces heated in the oven very carefully, piled upon a hot silver dish, and a rich brown sauce (with finely minced onion fried, and a table-spoonful of minced parsley incorporated therewith) poured over them.

8. - Or, a la poivrade" :- trimmed as aforesaid, simmered in blanc, and served with sauce poivrade.