The wholesome, nourishing qualities of macaroni have never been fully appreciated by the average housewife. As a nourishing food it offers much the same nutrition as white bread; but unless it is eaten to excess it is less apt to cause indigestion than the so-called staff of life.

Its flavor depends largely upon the manner in which it is cooked; whether it is offered alone, or in combination with some vegetable or meat.

To prepare macaroni properly, boil it rapidly for 30 minutes, in boiling, salted water. To keep the tubes of the macaroni from sticking together, the water must be kept at a galloping boil, as with rice.

When it is done, it should be turned into a colander, and thoroughly rinsed under the cold-water tap, to remove the loose, pasty starch on the outside of the tubes. After draining it can be creamed, or finished in any desired way.

Each nation has a different way of preparing macaroni. Here are a number of desirable receipts:

Italy

Macaroni, 1 pound, Tomato sauce, 1 gill, Madeira, 1 gill, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 pound, Nutmeg, pepper.

Cook the macaroni in salted water for 30 minutes, without breaking it. Drain, and put into a saucepan with the tomato sauce and the Madeira, and add the cheese and seasoning, and cook slowly for 10 minutes, tossing frequently. Serve with the grated Parmesan cheese.

Italian Method, No. 2

Macaroni, 1/2 pound, Chopped meat, 2 pounds, Tomatoes, 1 quart, Onions, chopped, 3, Butter, 1/2 cup, Cream, 1/2 cup, Grated cheese.

Cook the meat, tomatoes, and onions together with 1/2 pint of water, for 3 hours. Then pass it through a colander. After the macaroni has been boiled and blanched, put it into the mixture, and add salt, and allow it to simmer for half an hour.

Then add the butter and cream, and serve hot, accompanied by grated cheese.

Spain

Boiled macaroni, Flour, 1 tablespoon, Butter, 1 tablespoon, Stock, or thin beef juice, 1 cup, Salt, 1 teaspoon,

Chopped onion, Chilli sauce, Chopped meat.

Make a sauce from the flour, butter, and stock, and season with salt. In the bottom of a baking-dish place a layer of cold, chopped meat, then a layer of boiled macaroni, a sprinkling of Chilli sauce and chopped onion, and continue this order till the dish is full, the last layer being of macaroni. Pour the sauce over, and bake in a hot oven for 40 minutes.

Mexico

Macaroni, 1/2 pound,

Lard, 1 tablespoon,

Pork-ehops, 2,

Tomatoes, 1 pint,

Green pepper, cut fine, 1,

Onion, 1, large,

Salt.

Heat the lard in a frying-pan, lay in the pork-chops, and turn frequently till seared. Continue to cook, till very brown. Add the vegetables, and the salt. Cover the pan, and stew slowly till the meat is in rags. Then put it through a coarse sieve, and keep hot till needed.

Boil the macaroni for 30 minutes and when drained, and blanched, place in a colander over hot water for 10 minutes, or till steaming, then turn it into a deep dish, and pour over it the sauce.

France

Macaroni, 1/2 pound, 9

Sage cheese, 1/2 pound, Chopped ham, 1/2 pound, Onion, chopped fine, 1, Butter, 1 tablespoon, Sour milk, or cream, 1 pint.

After the macaroni has been boiled, place it in a deep dish, and add to it, the ham, cheese, onion, butter, and cream. Then bake for 45 minutes.

America

Macaroni, 2/3 cup, Grated cheese, 1/3 cup, Melted butter, 1 tablespoon, Flour, 2 tablespoons, Hot milk, 1 pint, Salt and pepper.

Paste for above

Melted butter, 1/3 cup, Rolled cracker-crumbs, 2/3 cup, Grated cheese, 1/3 cup.

Cook the macaroni in boiling salted water until tender. Drain, and blanch. Put it into a baking-dish and sprinkle with the grated cheese.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a double boiler, and slowly add the flour, milk, and salt and pepper. Stir constantly while making this sauce, until it is a smooth gravy, and then pour it over the macaroni and cheese.

Over the top of this the following paste should be spread:

Mix together, one-third of a cup of butter, melted, two-thirds of a cup of rolled cracker-crumbs, and one-third of a cup of grated cheese. When this paste has been made and spread over the macaroni and cheese, place all in the oven and bake until brown.