Cut some slices a third of an inch in thickness off a kitchen loaf and cut from these with an ordinary paste-cutter or a sharp knife, crescents, squares, lozenges, oblongs, ovals, rounds, stars, or any other shape desired; fry them in boiling fat, but using butter in preference. The frying basket gives a more even color, but the fry-ingpan, with plenty of fat, butter or oil, may be used, if more convenient. Drain on a cloth or paper before using.

For Soups: Cut 'the slices of bread half an inch thick, and then into dice. Fry them as before, drain and serve in a deep plate, or silver covered dish.

Crouton Of Fried Bread

Remove all the crust from a loaf of bread and trim the crumb into a block eight inches high by six inches square at the base, and taper it off to three and a half inches at the top. Place in a pan a large lump of clarified butter or lard put over the fine until it begins to boil, then put the bread in and fry it, turning it until nicely browned on all sides. Drain the bread on a sieve, and stick onto a dish with some paste made of flour and the white of an egg, which will retain it firmly where it is placed.

Bread Croutons For Entrees

Cut into slices half an inch in thickness some bread, and form into heart-shaped pieces about two inches in length; melt in a fryingpan some butter and fry the bread in it until it is a light yellow, being careful to color all alike.

Bread Croutons For Entremets

Cut some slices of bread half an inch thick, removing all crust, and cut the crumb into inch and a half triangular pieces, trim off the angles and fry to a golden color in butter,

Bread Croutons For Soup

Slices of bread a quarter of an inch in thickness are cut into quarter-inch dice, after removing all crust. Heat in a pan some clarified butter, and fry in it the croutons until they are of a light golden color, tossing them about to insure equal color to all. Drain on a sheet of paper, and serve.

Bread Croutons A La Conde For Soup

Cut off from rolls or slices of bread the dark crusts, and cut the bread into dice, placing them on tin in the oven to brown. Then remove, and serve in soup plates with soup.