One point, however, that must not
be overlooked is that crackers of any kind must be crisp in order to be
appetizing. Dry foods of this sort absorb moisture from the air when
they are exposed to it and consequently become tough. As heat drives off
this moisture and restores the original crispness, crackers should
always be heated before they are served. Their flavor can be improved by
toasting them until they are light brown in color.
69. CROUTONS.--As has already been learned, croutons are small pieces of
bread that have been fried or toasted to serve with soup. These are
usually made in the form of cubes, or dice, as is shown in the front
group in Fig. 10; but they may be cut into triangles, circles, ovals,
hearts, or, in fact, any fancy shape, by means of small cutters that can
be purchased for such purposes. The bread used for croutons should not
be fresh bread, as such bread does not toast nor fry very well;
left-over toast, stale bread, or slices of bread that have been cut from
the loaf and not eaten are usually found more satisfactory. If the
croutons are not made from slices already cut, the bread should be cut
into slices 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, and, after the crusts have been
closely trimmed, the slices should be cut into cubes. When the cubes
have been obtained, they may be put into a shallow pan and toasted on
all sides quickly, placed in a frying basket and browned in deep fat, or
put into a frying pan and sauted in butter.
Pages:
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61