A few simple general directions, on a subject of so much importance to family and individual comfort as cooking, will be found useful, even though there be some repetition in subsequent instructions.

The kitchen should be furnished with long and round tables; a dresser with shelves serving as a plate rack; closets or cupboards, common chairs, benches, wooden stools and sinks. Towel rollers, plate warmers, a weighing machine, speaking tubes a dumb waiter, a refrigerator, hot water dishes, and dish covers of wire gauze, are also among the indispensables. The fireplace should have plenty of light.

The chief object of cookery is to make the meat tender and easy of digestion, without depriving it of its juices. Solid food, especially plain roast or boiled meat, requires to be well adapted to the digestive powers; for it is trying to many constitutions, and health is often injured by dining upon improperly cooked "plain joints." Butcher's meat, when brought from market, should be examined, trimmed, and wiped clean; sprinkled in summer with a little salt and pepper, and hung up. Mutton and veal must be taken down and wiped each day. Venison is hung some time before cooking, and should be wiped dry and dredged with ginger or pepper, to prevent the fly from settling on it; the dredging wiped off before cooking. We will take up the simple culinary processes in turn.

Boiling

This is seldom done properly; the error most common among American cooks is that of boiling meat fast over a strong fire, which renders it hard and nearly tasteless; whereas, a gentle simmering for nearly double the time, with half the quantity of fuel and water, will better accomplish the purpose.

For instance: the most common, and almost universal dish throughout France, is a large piece of plainly boiled fresh beef, from which the soup - or "potage," as it is there called - has been partly made, and which is separately served up as "bouilli" accompanied by strong gravy and minced vegetables, or stewed cabbage. Now this, as constantly dressed in the French mode, is ever delicate both in fibre and flavor; while, in the English manner of boiling it, it is always hard and insipid. The reason of which, as explained by that celebrated cook, Careme. who superintended the kitchen of His Majesty George IV. is this:- "The meat, instead of being put down to boil, as in the English method, is in France put in the pot with the usual quantity of cold water, and placed at the corner of the fireplace, where, slowly becoming hot, the heat gradually swells the muscular fibres of the beef, dissolving the gelatinous substances therein contained, and disengaging that portion which chemists term 'osmazome,' and which imparts savor to the flesh - thus both rendering the meat tender and palatable, and the broth relishing and nutritive; while, on the contrary, if the pot be inconsiderately put upon too quick a fire, the boiling is precipitated, the fibre coagulates and hardens, the osmazome is hindered from disengaging itself, and thus nothing is obtained but a' piece of tough meat, and a broth without taste or succulence."

Meat, salted or fresh, should be put first into cold water just sufficient to cover it; to be warmed gradually and renewed, as it wastes away, with hot water. The scum must be skimmed off as fast as it rises. As soon as the water boils, the kettle should be taken off the fire, but placed near enough to keep it simmering, which it will do with little heat. The allowance of time in the summer is eighteen or twenty minutes to each pound; in winter rather more. The time of reckoning must begin when the water boils. Salt meats require very slow simmering, and must have more time. Allowance must also be made for age.

The nice look of every thing boiled depends on skimming the pot well. If let alone, the scum boils down and sticks to the meat, giving it a coarse and uncleanly appearance. A little cold water and salt thrown in will help to bring up the scum. It is not necessary to wrap the meat in a cloth. Less heat is required to keep liquids boiling in copper and iron, than in tin saucepans.

Dried or salted fish and meats require soaking in cold water before boiling.

Meat and poultry will lose their flavor and firmness, if left in the water after they are done; as will also fish, which will break to pieces.

The water in which fish, meat, or poultry has been boiled, should be saved; this pot-liquor, as it is called, may be made into soup.

Remember to heat the water containing the meat, very slowly; a joint often pounds' weight should not boil in less than forty minutes. The more slowly it simmers afterwards, the tenderer, plumper, and whiter it will be.

An experienced cook placed a thermometer in water in that state which cooks call gently simmering; the heat was 212° viz., equal to the strongest boiling. Two mutton chops were covered with cold water; one was boiled on a gallop, the other simmering gently for three-quarters of an hour; the flavor of the simmered chop was decidedly superior; the liquor was more savory, and when cold had more fat on its surface. The chop boiled quickly was hard and insipid.

Take care that the covers of your boiling pots fit closely, and only remove them for skimming. If exposed to the smoke the meat will have a bad taste.

The less water the better, so that the joint is covered; a quart of water is generally allowed to a pound. As the water is diminished by evaporation, fresh boiling water may be poured into the saucepan.

Beef and mutton may be a little under, done; but lamb, pork, and veal, are uneatable unless thoroughly boiled.

A fishdrainer, four skewers, or a soup plate, wrong side upwards, laid on the bottom of the boiling pot, will prevent the lower side of the meat from being overdone, or burnt by sticking.

The broth of every joint may be made into savory soup.

Meat loses in cooking from one-fifth to one-third of its weight. Boiling is the more economical way of cooking, if the broth be used. One pound a day for each person in the family is a liberal allowance for dinner.