bodies. All this may seem a digression, but I am so thoroughly convinced
that a large proportion of the "ills that flesh is heir to"--and we accept
the inheritance with a resignation "worthy of a better cause"--is due to
unsound or improperly prepared food, that I make no apology. Many people
have told me that they daren't touch certain vegetables, and when I have
seen these as served by them have cordially agreed with them. The most
common error, especially with green vegetables, like


Cabbage, Savoys, Brussels Sprouts, Greens, &c.,

which all require much the same treatment, is over-cooking. There seems to
be a popular notion, somehow, regarding vegetables, that the more you cook
them the better they are, and after all the substance and flavour has been
boiled out of them, people wonder how anyone can relish such stuff! Each
vegetable should get just the bare amount of cooking necessary, and no more.
If they have to wait for some time before serving, stand over boiling water
as directed above. Most vegetables may be cooked entirely by


Steaming.

This conserves all their own juices which contain the various valuable
natural salts, alkalies, &c., so necessary to health, and which we so vainly
try to make up by the addition of crude minerals.


Carrots, Turnips, Potatoes,

and all root vegetables and tubers, are best cooked by steaming. Steamers