Remarks

Dry Toast is the foundation for every other kind, therefore read over the directions for that before trying any other. Many persons think that nothing is easier than to make a good slice of toast, but a piece of bread cut anyhow, merely warmed, over any kind of a fire, and brought to a sick person on a cold plate, will hardly tempt his appetite.

Dry Toast

Use bread at least a day old. Cut the slices evenly, and rather thick. Put a plate into the heater to warm. See that there are good hot coals on the top of your fire. If not, rake off the dull ones from the top. Have the bread all ready in a toaster or on the end of a fork. Hold it as close to the coals as possible without its burning. As soon as delicately browned on one side, turn on the other. Put it instantly on a hot plate, cover with a napkin and eat at once. If it stands long, covered, it will become steamed. Therefore, do not make the toast for tea till everything else is ready. If it is for a sick person, do not try to save trouble by putting the butter on one side of the same plate with the toast. Either butter the slice delicately before covering, or take the butter on a cold butter-plate. In making toast for tea it is best not to begin to make it till the family are assembled, for it is an entirely erroneous idea that toast eaten cold is more wholesome than that which is hot.

Boston Brown-Bread when stale, makes good toast, and is delicious served with oysters.

Dipped Toast

Have the tea-kettle boiling. Make toast as above. Quickly dip each slice into a pan of boiling water. Do not let it soak, but remove as soon as every part is wet. Sprinkle on a little salt, and butter judiciously ; not laying lumps of butter in the middle of the slices and leaving the crusts dry. Pile on a hot plate, cover and eat hot.

Some persons merely pour hot water over the bread,

but this is apt to leave the crusts hard while the centrd is soggy.

Milk Toast

1 quart milk.

2 tablespoonfuls butter. 1 teaspoonful salt.

3 tablespoonfuls flour or cornstarch.

Put the milk to boil in a double-boiler (to prevent it from scorching). When it begins to boil, stir in the butter cut into small pieces; do not stop stirring till all is melted. Add the salt, and the flour (previously rubbed smooth in a little cold milk). Stir again while it thickens. Then set it back on the stove to keep hot, but not boil, till the toast is ready. (See Dry Toast.) Lay the slices of toast in a deep dish, taking care to soften the crusts first with boiling water. Pour over each slice plenty of the thickened milk. Serve covered.

What is left over will make a good bread-pudding by adding milk, eggs, sugar and seasoning.

Cracker Milk Toast

Exactly like "Milk Toast," substituting crackers for bread. The crackers should stand soaking in salted boiling water for a few minutes after being toasted.

This is a very appetizing dish and convenient if the supply of bread is short. The best crackers to use are Boston or Water crackers. Serve covered. Use what is left over for a pudding, as above.

Cream Toast

This is particularly delicious. Heat cream to the boiling point, setting it within a kettle of boiling water to prevent its curdling or scorching. Add a sprinkling of salt. Make "Dry Toast." Put the slices in a deep dish, pouring plenty of the cream over each one, and serve covered. (Nice for an invalid.)

Queen's Toast

Cut rather thick slices of bread (not fresh). Have ready a tablespoonful of hot lard in a frying-pan. Fry the bread quickly by putting the pan over the coals. Dip each slice as soon as done, into a pan of boiling water (to take out the grease), remove instantly, and pile on a hot plate. Serve at once, either for tea or dessert, with hot " Wine Sauce " poured over, or simply with butter and cinnamon and sugar.

Spanish Toast

Cut thick slices of bread (not fresh). Then prepare the following mixture,

1pint milk.

2eggs, beaten.

2 tablespoonfuls flour.

1/4 teaspoonful salt (nearly).

Dip the slices in this for a moment. Then lay them in a frying-pan containing a tablespoonful of hot lard. Fry quickly over the coals. Pile on a hot plate and serve for tea or dessert, with "Wine Sauce," or with butter and cinnamon and sugar.

Lemon Toast

Make " Spanish Toast." Put into a deep dish, wetting each slice with the following sauce, and pouring the rest over the whole.

Sauce

3 eggs (whites only). 1/2 cupful white sugar.

1 lemon (juice only). 1 cupful boiling water.

Beat the eggs stiff, add sugar, lemon-juice and boiling water.

Serve hot for tea or dessert, letting each person sprinkle the toast with sugar.

Anchovy Toast

Pass a few anchovies through a sieve. Mix with them a little melted butter and red pepper. Spread the mixture on both sides of a piece of toast. Lay a "Poached Egg" on each piece of toast and serve hot.

Savory Toast

Mince a cupful of cold ham, fowl, or veal, and season with salt and pepper. If you use ham, omit the salt and add a little mustard; if fowl or veal, add celery salt. Mix one beaten egg with the meat; spread between thin slices of bread and toast slightly.

(Oysters may be parboiled, chopped and mixed with "Cream Sauce," and spread when cold between thin slices of bread and toasted in the same way.) Butter the top of each and serve hot.

Ramakin Toast

1 tablespoonful cheese, grated. 1 tablespoonful butter. 1 egg, yolk only.

1/2 teaspoonful mustard. 1/4 teaspoonful red pepper. A little salt.

Mix all together; spread the mixture thickly on a slice of toast, and brown before the fire.