circumstances there must be sufficient water to cover the meat and bone.
6. Remember that the steps from cold to cool, from cool to warm, and from warm to hot, must be conducted very slowly, and that actual boiling should be retarded as much as possible to start with.
7. Skim frequently during the early stage of your proceedings—a coffee-cupful of cold water thrown into the pot causes the scum and fat to come up quickly, and, of course, retards boiling. Repeat this process till all scum is removed, and as much of the fat as possible also.
8. Use a wooden spoon.
9. Do not cover up your stock-pot closely, the steam should evaporate to assist the strength of the soup, and keep it clear.
10. Put in your vegetables, flavouring herbs, &c., after the skimming is finished and boiling has been allowed to take place; and let them simmer till they are done—and no longer. During this operation the vessel must be partly uncovered.
11. To prevent delay in carrying this out wash your vegetables very carefully and cut them up beforehand, i.e., before commencing the work, keeping them in a bowl of cold water ready. It will be found convenient to enclose them in a net to facilitate their removal.
12. As soon as the vegetables which are put into the pot-au-feu are done, they should be removed, and the heat under the soup-kettle maintained at simmering point. This should be on one side of the vessel rather than under the centre of it.
13. It will take altogether about four or five hours to extract by slow degrees the essence from a few pounds of beef, so begin as soon as you can, and don't hurry the work.
14. It is better to season too little than too highly, so be very careful when adding pepper, herbs &c.
15. There is nothing to be gained by keeping the meat simmering when once it is thoroughly done. The broth is at its best when the meat which made it is done to a nicety, viz., in about four hours for the small and five for the larger recipe. Boiling to rags is a useless proceeding.