In boiling rice we must remember that there are two ways in which rice is served.  One is as a meal in itself, the other as an accompaniment to some other kind of food.  It will be found in Italy and Turkey and in the East generally, where rice forms, so to speak, the staff of life, that it is not cooked so soft and tender as it is in England, where it is generally served with something else.  In fact, each grain of rice may be said to resemble an Irish potato, inasmuch as it has a heart in it.  In Ireland potatoes, as a rule, are not cooked so much as they are in most parts of England.  Probably the reason of this is, in most cases, that experience has taught people that there is more stay in rice and potatoes when served in a state that English people would call “under-done.”  There is no doubt that the waste throughout the length and breadth of this prosperous land through over-cooking is something appalling.

Another very good method of boiling rice is the American style.  Take a good-sized stew-pan or saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid.  Put a cloth over the saucepan, after first pouring in, say, a pint of water; push down the cloth, keeping it tight, so as to make a well, but do not let the cloth reach the water; wash the rice as before, and put on the lid tight.  Of course, with the cloth the lid will fit very tight indeed.  Now put the saucepan on the fire and make the water boil continuously.  By these means you steam the rice till it is tender and lose none of the nourishment.  We can always learn from America.

RISOTTO A LA MILANNAISE.—­Take a teacupful of rice, wash it thoroughly and dry it.  Chop up a small onion and put it in the bottom of a small stew-pan and fry the onion to a light-brown colour.  Now add the dry rice, and stir this up with the onion and butter till the rice also is fried of a nice light-brown colour.  Now add two breakfastcupfuls of stock or water and a pinch of powdered saffron, about sufficient to cover a threepenny-piece; let the rice boil for ten or eleven minutes, move the saucepan to the side of the fire and let it stand for twenty minutes or half an hour till it has absorbed all the stock or water.  Now mix in a couple of tablespoonfuls of grated Parmesan cheese.  Flavour with a little pepper and salt, and serve the whole very hot.

RICE WITH CABBAGE AND CHEESE.—­Wash some rice and let it soak in some hot water, with a cabbage sliced up, for about an hour; then strain it off and put the rice and cabbage in a stew-pan with some butter, a little pepper and salt, and about a quarter of a grated nutmeg.  Toss these about in the butter for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour over the fire, but do not let them turn colour; then add a small quantity of water or stock, let it stew till it is tender, and then serve it very hot with some grated cheese sprinkled over the top.

N.B.—­The end of cheese rind can be utilised with this dish.