Gruels are cooked mixtures of grain or flour, with water, or with water and milk. They are best made with milk as a part of the liquid, but care must be taken not to put it into the gruel until the grain has been thoroughly cooked in water, and after that the mixture should not be allowed to boil, as so high a temperature changes the flavor and composition of the milk, and renders it a less desirable food than if it were cooked at a lower temperature,--for instance, 190° or 200° Fahr. The largest ingredient of grains is starch, which is not easily digested unless well cooked; therefore the time for boiling gruels should be conscientiously kept by the clock. Should the water evaporate, restore to the original quantity before putting in the milk, which should be hot, though not _boiling_. It may, however, come just to the boiling-point without any special injury. Gruels served with a cream- or a banquet-cracker or a square of toasted bread are excellent for a convalescent's lunch. They may be varied with flavorings of cinnamon, nutmeg, almond, or a little grated lemon-peel, and sugar. Sugar is mentioned with great hesitancy, for a sweet gruel is an abomination, and yet a gruel with a _very little_ sugar has a pleasanter flavor than one without any. Lacking color, gruels may be made attractive by serving them in dainty-hued china. Gruels should be drunk slowly, that the starch, which is partially digested by the action of saliva, may be thoroughly mixed with it before it is swallowed. BARLEY GRUEL 1 Tablespoon of Robinson's barley-flour. 1 Cup of boiling water. 1 Saltspoon of salt. 1 Scant teaspoon of sugar. 1 Cup of milk. Mix the flour, salt, and sugar together with a little cold water, pour on the boiling water, and boil ten minutes; then add the milk, bring just to the boiling-point, strain, and serve very hot. This gruel may be made without the milk, but with a pint instead of a cup of water. Barley is a nutritious grain, rich in phosphates and protein. ARROWROOT GRUEL 1 Tablespoon of arrowroot. 1 Saltspoon of salt. 1 Scant teaspoon of sugar. 1 Cup of hot water. 1 Cup of milk. Wet the arrowroot with the sugar and salt in two tablespoons of cold water, then pour on the _hot_ water, stirring constantly. Boil it for twenty minutes, then add the milk and bring just to the boiling-point. Strain it, and immediately serve. Arrowroot is almost pure starch. Its grains burst at 140° Fahr.; therefore, if _boiling_ water be poured upon it, it will form into lumps which will have to be strained out, and thus a part of the material will be lost; hence the necessity of wetting it in cold water to reduce the temperature so that it may be stirred smooth before the lumps form. Milk is changed by long boiling, and loses some of its agreeable taste; it is better, therefore, not to put the milk into the gruel until after the flour has been thoroughly cooked in the water, thus preserving its natural flavor.