Toast is very palatable and digestible when properly prepared. Many seem to think that they have made toast when they brown the outside of a slice of bread. Have they?

The object in making toast is to evaporate all moisture from the bread, and holding a slice over the fire to singe does not accomplish this; it only warms the moisture, making the inside of the bread doughy and decidedly indigestible. The true way of preparing it is to cut the bread into slices a quarter of an inch thick, trim off all crust, put the slices in a pan or plate, place them in the oven which must not be too hot take them out when a delicate brown, and butter at once.

For my own use I dry all home-made bread in this manner.

Dry Toast should be served within the folds of a napkin if you wish to keep it hot; toast-racks allow the heat to escape, and they are not recommended.

Dip Toast. Prepare the toast as above directed; dip the edges into hot water quickly, and butter at once. This is also called water toast.

Milk Toast. Wet the pan to be used with cold water, which prevents burning. Melt an ounce of floured butter; whisk into it a pint of hot milk; add a little salt; simmer. Prepare four slices of toast; put them in a deep dish one at a time; pour a little of the milk over each, and over the last one pour the remainder of the milk.

Anchovy Toast. The best way to prepare this appetizing dish is as follows: Toast the bread and trim it neatly, and place it near the range to keep warm; next prepare a “dip,” as for ordinary cream toast; spread a thin layer of anchovy paste on each slice of bread; place in a hot, deep dish; pour the prepared cream over them, and serve.

Clam Toast. Chop up two dozen small clams into fine pieces; simmer for thirty minutes in hot water enough to cover them. Beat up the yolks of two eggs; add a little cayenne and a gill of warmed milk; dissolve half a teaspoonful of flour in a little cold milk; simmer all together; pour over buttered toast, and serve.

Marrow-bone Toast. Procure two beef shin-bones about six to eight inches long; cover them with dough, and wrap them in muslin; pour hot water enough to cover them, and boil for an hour and a half. Remove cloth and dough; shake or draw out the marrow with a long-handled fork upon slices of hot toast. Add salt, cayenne, and, if convenient, a little chopped celery, and serve.

Oyster Toast. Select fifteen plump oysters; chop them fine, and add salt, pepper, and a suspicion of nutmeg. Beat up the yolks of two eggs with a gill of cream; whisk this into the simmering oysters. When set, pour the whole over slices of buttered toast.

Salmon Toast. It very often occurs that a can of salmon is not all used at a meal, and yet there is not quite enough for another meal without other dishes or ingredients added to it. Should this occur, mince the salmon, heat, and season it and serve it on toast. A poached egg added to it is quite acceptable.

Tongue Toast. A very nice dish is prepared from cold boiled or potted tongue. Slice the tongue, and cut each slice into small, fine pieces; heat it in a pan with a little butter. To prevent burning, moisten with warm water or clear soup; add salt and pepper; stir into it two beaten eggs. When set, arrange neatly on toast.

Dainty bits of roast game, fowl, etc., minced, warmed over, and served on toast are excellent, and show a way of using good material that would otherwise be wasted.