If not immediately wanted, let it stay on the fish-plate, over the hot water, and throw over it a clean cloth, dipped in boiling water, to preserve its colour. A sliced cod should be stewed fifteen minutes. In all cases, dinner should be served up as soon as possible after it is ready, because keeping the boiled articles, particularly fish, in hot water, renders them vapid and heavy; and hot closets, covers, and other means used to keep them hot, dry the juices and make them eat strong and rancid. Neither fish, nor vegetables of any kind, (except ripe potatoes,) should be boiled by steam. _Elements of Roasting._ CLEANLINESS must ever be the _maxim_ for the kitchen. Before the spit is drawn from the meat, let it be wiped clean, and when done with, let it be rubbed with a little sand and water. A good brisk fire, due time, proper distance, and frequent basting, are the chief points to be attended to in roasting. Much depends on the fire;—it should always be _brisk_ and glowing, clear at the bottom, and suited to the article to be roasted. Beef and mutton lose about one-third in roasting. The ashes should be taken up, and the hearth made quite clean, before you begin to roast. If the fire require to be stirred during the operation, the dripping-pan must be drawn back, so that then, and at all times, it may be kept clean from cinders and dust.—Hot cinders, or live coals, dropping into the pan, make the dripping rank, and spoil it for basting. Beef requires a strong, steady fire, which should be made up a little time previous to its being wanted. If the meat has been hung up some time, the dry outside parts must be pared off, and it must be basted, first, with a little salt and water, then well dredged with flour, and afterwards basted, continually, with the dripping; but, if the meat be frozen, it must be brought into the kitchen several hours before it is dressed.—Large joints should be kept at a good distance from the fire at first, and gradually brought nearer and nearer;—the average distance for a large joint, at a good fire, may be about ten or twelve inches, an inch or two more or less, according to circumstances: when kitchen paper, dipped in the dripping, must be tied, not skewered, over the fat parts, to prevent their being scorched. When nearly ready, the smoke will draw from the meat towards the fire; at which time the paper must be taken off, and the meat must be put nearer to the fire to _brown_ it; it must also be sprinkled with a little salt, and well dredged again, with flour, to froth it.