Jane Eayre Fryer

“ In a very few minutes she did call them, and a fine breakfast it was, too; for Mary Frances knew how so well that not a minute was wasted.
"Ain't she the loveliest cook," whispered Coffee Pot to Sauce Pan, as Mary Frances disappeared through the dining room door with the eggs. ”

“ A PATENT DISH-WASHING
"OH, my!" sighed Mary Frances, gazing at the great pile of dirty dishes on the kitchen table, where she had carried them after the company had gone. "Oh, my, cooking is fun—but washing dishes is another thing. I'm 'most tired enough to drop,—and there must be a hundred dishes to do! I'm glad Tea Kettle is full of hot water." ”

“ Very soon she had filled the largest cup she could find in the closet, and handed it to the tramp.
"That's the bonniest cup o' tea I've drank for mony a year, Miss," said he. "It tastes like the auld country, shure."
"Like the old country!" thought Mary Frances. "That's the funniest way for anything to taste I ever heard of. Maybe he's so hungry he's a little bit out of his head. Oh, I know what I'll do! I'll make an omelet for him! I don't believe he's eaten omelet since—maybe, since he was as little as I am—maybe a hundred years. He looks a hundred years old, I'm sure. ”

“ Ain't that—whatever it is—a beauty!"
"It is real pretty," said Mary Frances, feeling quite proud. "I just made it for you. I'm learning to cook. My mother's away—and I'm here all alone just now except for Jubey and the Kitchen F—— (she caught herself just in time) . Jubey is the kitten, you know. My lessons just came to Omelet, and—why, what's the matter with it?" she cried, dismayed. "It's all fallen flat! I wonder if I got it done. It gets flatter and flatter." ”

“ Everybody was quiet and good as gold while Mary Frances finished dressing them.
"There," she said to herself, "the last sash is tied. Goodness, I'm tired—tired-er than if I'd been cooking the whole morning! Aren't dolls stupid compared with Kitchen Folks? I do wonder what the Kitchen Folks will do. Will they talk before them?" ”

“ If I bring her now, can you help us,—as you generally do me?"
"No, child," said Aunty Rolling Pin, smiling; "but perhaps you have learned by this time pretty nearly well enough to do an easy lesson without our help. We can't talk before other people, you know. Perhaps the little girl's own Kitchen People will help her some time."
"Well, it's a very easy lesson, I think.—'Apple Snow,' she added. And 'a promise 's a promise!'"
"Yes," interrupted Sauce Pan, "you can get along nicely with that recipe."
"Perhaps I can," said Mary Frances, happily. "I'll go over for Eleanor now." ”

“ They're just like jacket-boiled, only they have their jackets off," she cried.
"Why, certainly," exclaimed Boiler Pan, which she had put on the stove half full of water, "I know my part—I just hurry them right along in a jiffy."
He looked so interested that Mary Frances laughed as she dropped the potatoes in.
"Are they all to be boi—boiled?" stuttered the bubbling Boiler Pan.
"Yes," said Mary Frances, "all except those I put in the oven. Listen! I'll tell you the menu for Billy's Potato Lunch. We'll begin, of course, with soup—Potato Soup." ”

“ I met Father downtown, and he says Aunt Maria's coming over to keep house for us. In the daytime, she must be at home; but she'll come over to get breakfast for us, and we'll go there for our dinners—and Father says Mother is going to the seashore to have a 'perfect rest' until she's well. Anyhow, I'm glad we won't starve. I wish Sis knew how to cook!" and he teasingly pulled one of Mary Frances' curls. ”

“ She never goes into the kitchen if she can help it. And no wonder. Our kitchen is an awful place to go into, Maggie is so cross. She wouldn't let me try."
"Pity the poor Kitchen People," thought Mary Frances. ”

“ If used for picnic, wrap waxed paper around each until needed.
"It's a picnic! It's a picnic!" cried the Kitchen People.
"Yes!" explained Mary Frances, "that's it! Aunt Maria is giving me a picnic to 'celebrate my ambition,' she says—whatever that means. Anyhow, Father's coming. He's going to make up for the lunch he couldn't come to. I'm so happy!"
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"So'm I! Goody! Goody! I'm all ready!"
Mary Frances turned.
"If it isn't Basket!" she cried. "I had no idea you——"
"That I wanted to go?" asked Basket proudly. "My family are the most important 'picnickers' at any picnic! We always go!" ”

“ She put Tea Kettle on the front of the stove.
"And you, there!" She pulled Big Iron Pot as far back as she could.
"Now, behave yourselves!"
Then she sat down to rest.
"What makes them quarrel so, I wonder," Mary Frances said half to herself. "All the Kitchen People seem so kind and helpful."
"Why, don't you know, child?" asked Aunty Rolling Pin. "I thought everybody knew that story."
A story! Mary Frances was always ready to listen to a story. ”

“ The thinner, the hotter the oven——"
"Aunty Rolling Pin," cried Mary Frances, not realizing she had interrupted, "there are enough Thimble Biscuits not burnt to go 'round. Isn't that [105] good? And the dolls can't make themselves sick with them."
"It's not much of a waste," smiled Aunty Rolling Pin, "and (seeming to be seriously thinking) the dolls can't make themselves sick on them—eating too many, I suppose."
"Well," said Mary Frances, "you see, it's like this:
"When I my dolls invite to tea,
It is a pretty sight to see
The things one seldom gets to eat
All on the table spread, so sweet ”

“ Her mother looked at the little girl in surprise.
"I mean," she added, "that Toaster really did it—he showed me how——"
"Oh!" laughed her mother, as she lifted a slice of toast out on a saucer. "Well, dear, anyway I want you to have some toast with Mother"—and she handed the saucer to Mary Frances, who said she would much rather watch her mother eat it than to have some [25] herself; but, after her first taste, she found how hungry she was.
"It's the best toast I ever ate," said her mother, "and Mary Frances, dear, I feel much better already." ”

“ Bake in a hot oven.
"That's it!" exclaimed Aunty Rolling Pin, joyously. "I was afraid there might not be 'shortening' or lard enough in the recipe. The whole art of making good pastry is in having one-third as much lard as flour, and using as little water as possible.
"I was afraid, too, that your mother would not put 'pastry' in the book, for when flour or starch grains are coated in fat they are too dry to 'swell' well in cooking, and cannot burst open. They are not, I'm sorry to say, a very di-ges-ti-ble food."
"I'm glad she did, though," said Mary Frances ”

“ I asked [61] her what 'accordin' meant, and she said 'accordin' to the tastes of them that eats them—soft or hard."
"I was speaking of the best way," declared Sauce Pan glancing loftily at Mary Frances. "There is no end of ways to do it, but this is the scientific way to cook eggs so that they will be soft, but cooked all the way through and easily digested—not liquid inside a hard, white coat. In other Words—Ahem! the al-bu-men (white of egg) cooks much better at a lower than a higher temperature." ”

“ I do hope I wake up in time. Father said he'd call me to breakfast, when he said "Good-night," but I want to slip down, and have everything ready when he comes."
So she fell asleep, and dreamed she made an Angel Cake as big as a mountain, and that Jubey stole it, and fed all the hungry cats in the World. ”

“ Boil rapidly 25 minutes, or until soft when pressed between the fingers.
4. Drain through a colander. Pour over it 2 cups boiling water.
5. Set in a warm place to dry off, until ready to serve.
"Yes," said Mary Frances, putting the rice on to boil, "I'll make both. Oh, won't Mary Ann Hooper be pleased!"
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"Who's that?" asked Aunty Rolling Pin. "A new kind of cooking pan?"
"No, no, Aunty Rolling Pin," laughed Mary Frances; "she's an old lady who is sick. Aunt Maria told me about her at lunch. She's such a funny old lady."
"It isn't funny to be ill," said Aunty Rolling Pin. ”

“ Now, people eat six times a day.
Nothing they eat is quite so good
[129] As victuals, eatables and food.
They'll eat 'em cooked, they'll eat 'em raw,
While they have teeth with which to chaw.'"
"Beautiful!" exclaimed the Kitchen People.
"If that isn't too silly for anything in the world!"
It was a new voice. Mary Frances peeped out. Big Blue Pitcher was near the edge of the shelf.
"It's perfectly true, though," re-tort-ed Sauce Pan, angrily.
"There! There!" said Aunty Rolling Pin, soothingly; "don't get so excited! ”

“ I hurried down to warn you—I was so afraid you might."
"Never fear," spoke up Tea Kettle; "we never, never talk before 'grown-ups'—we can't help them. I forgot to tell you—if you speak about us to anyone, we can never, never speak again."
"Oh," said Mary Frances, "it's a secret! I'm so glad you told me—I came so near telling Mother about Toaster Man—I might have, only——"
Then the door-bell rang.
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CHAPTER V
AUNT MARIA
"FOR the land's sakes!" cried Aunt Maria. "For the land's sakes! Where in the world has that child been? Look at those hands! Have you been playing in the coal?" ”

“ Besides, after it's baked it's done!" cried Sauce Pan impatiently.
"So'm I!" smiled Aunty Rolling Pin.
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CHAPTER XVII
THE SICK NEIGHBOR
"MARY ANN HOOPER is very ailing," said Aunt Maria at the lunch table. She had invited the children over to lunch that day. "She needs nourishment more than anything else, I should say. That cook she has can't make a decent thing. No wonder she's weak!"
"If only," thought Mary Frances, "if only I could cook something for her! Wait until I look in my book. I wonder if she could eat to-day's lesson." ”

“ Then she took him by the arm and shook him.
"Boiled Eggs!" she shouted. "Doesn't that mean you?"
"Yes, ma'am," he said meekly; "I'm such a 'sleepy-head!' Do you know," con-fi-den-ti-al-ly, "I often talk in my sleep." At this the Kitchen People grinned.
"Ahem!" said Mary Frances, "It's a dangerous habit. Sometimes people tell stories when they're awake, too," she added as she stepped out to get the milk.
"Is 'Old Puff-away' ready?" asked Sauce Pan of Coffee Pot.
"If you mean Tea Kettle, Saucy," answered Coffee [59] Pot excitedly, "I hope so, for I can scarcely wait till I'm needed." ”

“ Sauce Pan continued: It is somewhat the same way with
No. 10.—Hard-boiled Eggs.
1. Put eggs in sauce pan.
2. Cover them with boiling water.
3. Place on fire where the water will boil but very gently 20 minutes.
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"Thinks he knows it all," grumbled Coffee Pot; "he'll be like the frog; he'll burst with pride if he keeps this up."
"Well, well, well!" said Mary Frances, "I certainly am surprised at what you know."
"A Sauce Pan is a funny thing,
Needed by every lassie,—
Although it may be full of sauce
It may not yet be sassy,"
sang the little fellow, dancing on the stove. ”

“ Cakes with butter, or plain cakes.
"More important than the mixing of the cake is the baking.
"Have a rather low fire, which will grad-u-al-ly increase in heat without adding more fuel.
"Rules:
"Thin cakes require a hotter oven than larger ones.
"Molasses cakes will burn easily, so require a cooler oven than others.
"Sponge cakes require a 'slower' oven than butter cakes.
"Cake is done when it shrinks from the sides of a [150] pan, or when a straw comes out dry. You know the way, don't you?"
"Yes," said Mary Frances. "My, what a lot you do know!"
"Now, read the next recipe, please. ”

“ POOR BLUE PITCHER
"WHY," said Mary Frances, looking over her book next morning at the breakfast table, "to-day's lesson is so easy I think it would be just the time to invite Eleanor over for her cooking lesson.
"I do wonder whether the Kitchen People will talk and help us—or whether they can help but one person. It would be pretty hard without their help; but let me read the recipe again:
No. 27.—Apple Snow.
1. Pare and slice apples, dropping into cold water.
2. Cook slowly until soft.
3. Mash well and measure.
4. To every cupful, allow
5. ”

“ Drain; cover with boiling water; add 1 tablespoon salt.
4. Let boil about 35 minutes, or until a fork will easily pierce the largest.
5. Drain off all the water, and set pan at back of stove to dry off the potatoes.
6. Serve in their jackets.
"I wonder how many Billy will eat," she thought, as she brought the basket. "I guess about—about—I don't know. He has an e-nor-mous appetite. I guess I'll cook a hundred."
"He'll never eat a hundred!"
Mary Frances looked around. Boiler Pan was climbing down from the closet shelf.
"Hello! How do you know?" asked Mary Frances. "You never saw him eat." ”

“ And Mary Frances read from her little Cook Book.
No. 3.—Milk Toast.
1. Make ready the toast.
2. Heat the milk until smoking hot.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
4. Throw the flour into the butter. Cook until it bubbles a little, stirring all the time. Take from the fire.
5. Pour 1/3 the milk upon the butter and flour, a little at a time, stirring with the back of a spoon to press out the lumps.
6. Place over fire, and gradually stir in the remaining milk.
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7. Add the salt. Let boil a minute.
8. Put slices of toast in a heated dish; pour the sauce over and serve hot. ”

“ Plates ready?"
"All ready!" answered the little heart-shaped Tart Plates.
"How do I make a pretty border?" asked Mary [164] Frances, cutting the trimmings from the edge of Tart Plate with a knife held upright along the edge. ”

“ Frances. "We're going to have two kinds of cake,—and cocoa!"
Then, seeing how disappointed Tea Pot looked:
"Oh, I will have tea, too. Aunt Maria without tea! That will never do!"
"Now for the next recipe:
No. 31.—Sponge Cake.
1. Separate yolks of eggs and beat in a large bowl.
2. Add gradually half the sugar, stirring well.
3. Add the boiling water slowly.
4. Add remaining sugar, and the flavoring.
5. Sift together twice flour, baking powder and salt. ”

“ Serve cold.
"How perfectly lovely!" exclaimed Mary Frances; "I'll make soft custard for Mary Ann Hooper. But that isn't very much. Oh, isn't this too good? I can serve it on the next recipe. It's
No. 21.—Steamed Rice.
1. Wash rice. This may be easily done by putting in a strainer and shaking in a pan of cold water.
2. Put with the salt and boiling water, into the upper part of a double boiler.
3. Pour boiling water into lower part, and cook 1 hour.
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4. ”