Eggs are fit to eat as soon as laid, and the sooner they are used the better. You ascertain if they are fresh with an oonoscope, or by holding them before a light and looking through. There are several ways to preserve eggs, but to do which they must be fresh; as soon as perfectly cold after being laid, they may be preserved. Dissolve gum in water to the consistency of thin mucilage, and with a brush give a coat of it to the eggs; lay them in a box of charcoal dust and keep them in a dry, dark, and cool place. When wanted, they are soaked in cold water for a few minutes, and washed. They are also preserved in hydrate of lime. When boiled hard, let them cool and place them in a dry, cool, and dark place; they will keep for weeks. If wanted warm after that, put them in cold water, set on the fire, and take off when the water is warm.

With Mushrooms

Cut in strips or fillets four mushrooms, one onion, one clove of garlic, and fry them with two ounces of butter, then add a tablespoonful of flour, stir for about one minute, add also half a pint of broth, same of white wine, boil gently till reduced about one-half, when put in the pan eight or ten hard-boiled eggs cut in dice, or cut the whites only in dice and put in the yolk whole, boil one minute and serve. It makes an excellent dish for breakfast.

With Cheese And Parsley

Put about two ounces of butter in a saucepan on the fire, and when melted fry in it a tablespoonful of parsley, chopped fine; then add a pinch of nutmeg, salt, pepper, about four ounces of pineapple or Gruyere cheese, grated, and a gill of white wine ; stir till the cheese is melted, when you add eight or ten eggs, one after another, stirring the whole time and mixing them with the cheese; serve when done. More cheese may be used, according to taste.

In Fricassee

Put about half a pound of stale bread with one pint of milk in a saucepan on the fire and boil for two or three minutes, then mash well so as to mix the two together, put back on the fire, stir continually till it makes a rather thin paste, then take off, mix with it six or eight eggs, grated cheese to taste, salt and pepper, put back on the fire, stir, and serve when cooked. Lemon-juice may be sprinkled on just before serving.

A La Lyonnaise

Chop fine two white onions and fry them with two ounces of butter, then add salt, a pinch of nutmeg, half a pint of broth; boil gently and stir now and then till it turns rather thick, when you add also eight whites of eggs, chopped; give one boil, and serve. Place the eight yolks, whole, all around, and between and alternately a small cake feuillete, and serve warm.

A La Bechamel

Slice the eggs or cut them in four pieces lengthwise, put them in Bechamel sauce, set on a slow fire for two minutes, and serve warm.

Fines Herbes

Mix well together in a saucepan, and cold, two ounces of butter with a tablespoonful of flour; set on the fire, stir, and when melted thoroughly, add a teaspoonful of parsley and one of chives, chopped fine, salt, pepper, and about a gill of white wine; stir, and boil gently for about five minutes, and turn over hard-boiled eggs in a dish; serve warm. The eggs are served whole, shelled, but not cut.