More palatable, and proportionately digestible, are the following methods
of cooking this useful vegetable:

1, Saratoga potatoes; 2, a la maitre d'hotel; 3, potato croquettes; 4,
potatoes and cream; 5, a la Lyonnaise.

1. For _Saratogas_, pare and slice your potatoes as thin as possible,
dropping them into cold water in which is dissolved a tiny piece of alum
to make them crisp. Let them remain in the water for an hour or longer.
Drain, and wipe perfectly dry with a tea towel. Have ready a quantity of
boiling lard. Drop them in, and fry a delicate brown. Drain all grease
from them, sprinkle with salt, and serve. Here, in the crisp slices, you
will have the much desired dextrine. Or, in other words, your potato is
already half digested. Eat three or four potatoes prepared thus, and you
feel no inconvenience; but how would you feel did you devour three soggy,
water-soaked _boiled_ potatoes?

2. For _a la maitre d'hotel_, pare the potatoes, cut into pieces half an
inch wide, and the length of the potato; drop into cold water until wanted
(an hour or so); then drain, and fry in boiling lard. Just as they begin
to brown take them out with a skimmer; let them slightly cool; then put
back, and fry a rich brown. This makes them puff up, and very attractive.

3. For _croquettes_, take finely mashed potatoes, and mix with salt,
pepper, and butter, and sweet milk or cream enough to moisten thoroughly.
Mix with this one well-beaten egg, and form into small balls, taking care
to have them smooth. Have ready one plate with a beaten egg upon it, and
another with cracker crumbs. Dip each ball into the egg, and then into the
crumbs, and brown nicely. Lay the croquettes on brown paper first, to get