About ten years ago the idea of writing a little cook book had its birth. We were in Almora that summer. Almora is a station far up in the Himalayas, a clean little bazaar nestles at the foot of enclosing mountains. Dotting the deodar-covered slopes of these mountains are the picturesque bungalows of the European residents, while towering above and over all are the glistening peaks of the eternal snows. We love to think of this particular summer, for Lilavate Singh was with us. The thought of he

Many regard curry as one of the new things in cookery. This is a mistake. Curry is an old, old method of preparing meats and vegetables. Nor is it an East Indian method exclusively. In all Oriental and tropical countries foods are highly seasoned, and although the spices may differ, and although the methods of preparation may not be the same, nevertheless, generally speaking, the people of all Oriental countries freely indulge in curried food. However, in India curry reaches its perfection. The

One of the economies in cooking is in the proper seasoning of foods. This is the secret of many an attractive dish made from left-overs, or cheap meats. Every garden should contain a little patch of mint, parsley, sage, coriander, while those who have no garden could easily grow these in window boxes or pots. It is not an extravagance to have on hand plenty of pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, kitchen bouquet, and condiments of various kinds. A little of these goes a long way in seasoning, and

Split peas, or "dal," as they are called in India, belong to the lentil family. There are three kinds—the green, which very much resembles an ordinary dried pea; the yellow, and the red. In this country we only see two kinds—the green and the yellow. The red are more frequently seen in India, and have a more delicate flavor. Lentils are an old, old food. We read of Esau selling his birthright for a mess of red pottage, or a mess of red dal. Then later we read of the Hebrew children refusing to e

As a rule rice is badly cooked in the average American home. For this reason last winter when there was a good deal of talk of rice as a substitute for potatoes, very little enthusiasm was felt on the subject, and indeed when one thinks of the tasteless, gummy mess which is so often put before the family, this lack of enthusiasm is not strange. However, rice properly prepared proves quite a formidable rival of the beloved potato, and there are endless ways of preparing it if one only knows how.

Bujeas are always made from vegetables. They are usually eaten with the native bread instead of rice. Here again the everlasting onion is in evidence, for bujeas are always fried with onions. They are made from any kind of vegetables or green tops of vegetables. Potato bujea is one of the most popular. To a pound of potatoes take two medium sized onions and one green mango pepper. If the pepper cannot be had, use the tops of onions and a little cayenne. Fry the onions, and when nicely browned ad

Bujeas are always eaten with native bread. For these breads the flour is always ground in the home. The mill used is exceedingly primitive. It consists of two large circular stones, one fitting into the socket of the other. By revolving the upper stone over the lower the grain which is poured between the stones is crushed. It is the women of India who do the grinding, and "two women grinding at a mill" is a familiar sight everywhere throughout the land. The bread made from this home-made flour d

This is a very sour pickle. In India it is always made with sliced green mango, but in this country very sour green apples and lemons do very nicely. Slice thinly four lemons. Sprinkle well with salt. Cover with vinegar, and let stand for about a month. Slice thinly four very tart apples, two onions, six large sour cucumber pickles, and three large red peppers. After they are sliced mix intimately, then add two tablespoonfuls of ground mustard seed, a little salt, and, if the peppers are mild, a

Chutney is a sort of a combination pickle and preserve. It is usually made rather sweetly and very hot, and is eaten with curry and rice. It is, however, a fine relish with all kinds of meats. In India it is usually made of the sliced green mango; but of course we haven't mangoes here, so we have to use what we can get. Any tart fruit makes good chutney. Cut a pound of lemons in twelve bits each, and cook in vinegar and a very little salt until the rinds are perfectly tender. Drain. Dissolve a p

Many of the cooks in India make a very simple puff paste. Make a dough out of a pound of flour and sufficient water. Knead for fifteen minutes. Roll in a damp cloth and set aside. After an hour or so knead again. Then add a spoonful of shortening at a time until the dough begins to crack and looks rough. Roll out in a sheet, cut in four pieces, place one upon the other, roll again, cut in four pieces again. Repeat this four times, then roll it into a sheet, spread it with shortening of some kind