A wholesome, appetizing meal can be prepared by frying, much more quickly than by either baking or boiling, and with less than half the fuel expense.
[Illustration: BOYS, AS WELL AS GIRLS, SHOULD KNOW HOW TO COOK] The drawbacks of frying come chiefly from unintelligent and careless methods of applying it.

It is somewhat wasteful of food material, particularly of meats; although, if the fat which is fried out in the process can be used in other cooking, or turned into a gravy, a good deal of this waste can be avoided.

As, in frying, some form of fat has to be used to keep the food from burning, this fat is apt to form a coating over the surface and, if used in excessive amounts, at too low a temperature, may soak deeply into the food, thus coating over every particle of it with a thick, water-proof film, which prevents the juices of the stomach and the upper part of the bowel from attacking and digesting it.

This undesirable result, however, can be entirely avoided by having both the pan and the melted fat which it contains, _very_ hot, before the steak, chop, potatoes, or buckwheat cakes are put into the pan.

When this is done, the heat of the pan and of the boiling fat instantly sears over the whole surface of the piece of food, and forms a coating which prevents the further penetration of the fat.