What and how much. 1 part, by measure, of flaked cereal to 2 or 3 of water. 1 part granular cereal to 3 or 4 of water. 1 cup of dry cereal will serve three or four people. Samp, cracked wheat, and coarse corn meal will take from 4 to 6 parts of water. Salt. A tablespoonful to a quart of water is an average amount.

Utensils. A measuring cup; a double boiler; a fork.

A picture of a double boiler is shown in Fig. 71. Or you can set one saucepan into another larger one, putting something in the bottom for the smaller pan to stand upon.

How to make. Measure the cereal and water; put the water into the inner part of the double boiler with the salt. Have the lower part of the boiler ready, about half full of hot water; place the inner boiler directly upon the stove or over the flame. When the water is boiling rapidly, shake the cereal into the water from a cup so slowly that the water does not stop boiling. This is the first secret of a well-cooked cereal. The rapidly boiling water keeps the grains of cereal in motion. Thus they do not stick to the vessel nor to each other, and the heat reaches the starch in the grains equally.

If the grains begin to settle, shake the vessel gently; but do not stir, even with a fork. Do this for about five minutes, or until you see a thickening of the mass, - so much that the separate grains do not settle. If toward the end of this stage there is danger of sticking, lift the mass with the fork, but do not stir it, as stirring will break the grains. This first process opens the starch grains. Place the inner part of the boiler in the outer part over boiling water and allow the cooking to continue for at least one hour. For this is the second secret of the perfect cereal, - a long cooking that softens the fiber and develops flavor. One cereal, advertised as being cooked in three minutes, is hardly eatable after that length of time, but is delicious at the end of two hours. If you have a fireless cooker, put the cereal, in the double boiler, into the cooker overnight for the second stage.