Indian corn is richer than rice in " flesh-formers," and contains more fat. As a diet it is decidedly laxative, a circumstance which lends it value in winter, and which should make mothers wary in the use of it in hot weather. In the form of hominy it plays an important part in menus in our Southern and Western States, and as polenta is the chief diet of the Italian peasants. Nor is it lightly esteemed by the better classes in Southern

Europe. Various dishes of which it is the base are found upon fashionable hotel tables in those countries, and might be introduced to our advantage and pleasure in the United States.

Boiled Hominy (Large)

• The large hominy, called "samp" at the North, is served, boiled, as a vegetable.

Soak in cold water overnight. In the morning put over the fire in cold, salted water and cook until swollen and tender. It will require at least three hours. Put plenty of water into the pot to allow for swelling. Drain, pepper, salt, and stir in a great lump of butter.

Browned Hominy (Large)

Put a good spoonful of dripping in a frying-pan and turn into it cold boiled hominy, well seasoned. Shake the pan occasionally to prevent sticking, and when the lower surface is lightly browned, invert the pan over a hot platter.

Baked Hominy (Small)

Work a tablespoonful of melted butter into a cupful of cold boiled hominy until the latter is smooth and free from lumps. Then work in the yolks of two beaten eggs, and when they are well mixed with the hominy, a teaspoonful of sugar and half as much salt. Having now a thick, smooth paste, begin to thin it with two cupfuls of milk. Whip it in gradually, and, lastly, beat in with swift, upward strokes the stiffened whites of the eggs. Pour into a well-greased pudding-dish, and bake, covered, half an hour, then brown. Serve in the dish. It will be found almost as delicious as green-corn pudding, and a welcome addition to your winter bill-of-fare.

Hominy And Meat Croquettes

Into one cupful of cold boiled hominy, seasoned with salt, pepper, and, should you fancy it, a few drops of onion-juice, work" an equal quantity of minced ham, lamb, veal, or chicken.

Moisten it with half a cupful of hot stock, add two beaten eggs ; stir over the fire in a shallow saucepan until smoking-hot and set away to cool. When cold and stiff make into croquettes, with floured hands, roll in egg, then in crumbs, and fry in hot, deep cottolene to a fine brown.

Hominy Croquettes (Plain)

Two cupfuls of fine hominy, boiled and cold, two beaten eggs, one tablespoonful of melted butter, salt to taste, one teaspoonful of sugar. Work the butter into the hominy until the latter is smooth, then the eggs, salt, and sugar. Beat hard with a wooden spoon to get out lumps and mix well. Make into oval balls with floured hands. Roll each in flour, and fry in sweet dripping or lard, putting in a few at a time and turning them over with care as they brown. Drain in a hot colander.

Fried Hominy (Small)

Boil hominy after soaking it for several hours, and when done season with salt and a little butter. Turn into small greased pate-pans to get cold, or upon a large platter. If you mould it in the pate-pans, turn out when stiff and cold, dip in egg and cracker-crumbs, and fry in hot, deep cottolene. If upon the platter, cut into small squares when cold and treat in the same way.

Squares of fried hominy are much used to lay under small game-birds and for garnishing larger game.

POLENTA is, strictly speaking, only boiled mush made of fine, yellow corn-meal. It is ground as fine as flour, and prepared for the table precisely as mush would be.

For a scant cupful of the corn-flour allow a quart, at least, of boiling, salted water. Stir in the meal, a little at a time, stirring all the while with the other hand, and continuing to use the spoon for five minutes and more after it is all in. Boil, stirring often, for half an hour, turn out upon a platter to cool, and when stiff cut into squares or strips. Roll these in raw meal and fry in hot cottolene, or in salad oil, and send around with meat.