CRACKERS.–Varied sorts of wafers and crackers may be bought to serve with soup, and the choice, in addition to the serving of them, is completely a matter of particular person style. One level, nevertheless, that should not be missed is that crackers of any variety have to be crisp to be able to be appetizing. Dry meals of this type take up moisture from the air when they’re uncovered to it and consequently turn into robust. As warmth drives off this moisture and restores the unique crispness, crackers ought to all the time be heated earlier than they’re served. Their taste may be improved by toasting them till they’re mild brown in shade.

CROUTONS.–As has already been discovered, croutons are small items of bread which were fried or toasted to serve with soup. These are normally made within the type of cubes, or cube, as is proven within the entrance group in Fig. 10; however they could be lower into triangles, circles, ovals, hearts, or, in actual fact, any fancy form, via small cutters that may be bought for such functions. The bread used for croutons shouldn’t be recent bread, as such bread doesn’t toast nor fry very properly; left-over toast, stale bread, or slices of bread which were lower from the loaf and never eaten are normally discovered extra passable. If the croutons are usually not comprised of slices already lower, the bread needs to be lower into slices 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, and, after the crusts have been carefully trimmed, the slices needs to be lower into cubes. When the cubes have been obtained, they could be put right into a shallow pan and toasted on all sides shortly, positioned in a frying basket and browned in deep fats, or put right into a frying pan and sauted in butter. If toast is used, it ought to merely be lower within the desired form.

Varied strategies of serving croutons are in observe. Some housewives desire to put them within the soup tureen and pour the soup over them, whereas others prefer to put a number of in every particular person serving of soup. A greater plan, nevertheless, and one that’s a lot adopted, is to serve quite a lot of croutons on a small plate or dish at every individual’s place, as proven in Figs. 3 and 4, for then each one could eat them in the best way most popular.

BREAD STICKS.–A soup accompaniment related in nature to croutons, and often called bread sticks, is product of items of bread 1/2 inch extensive, 1/2 inch thick, and a number of other inches lengthy. These are toasted on either side and are served instead of crackers. Selection in bread sticks could also be secured by spreading butter over them earlier than the toasting is begun or by sprinkling grated cheese over them a couple of minutes earlier than they’re faraway from the oven. Bread sticks are normally served on a bread-and-butter plate to the left of every individual’s place on the desk.

PASTRY STRIPS.–A really appetizing addition to soup could also be made by slicing pastry into slender strips after which baking these strips within the oven till they’re brown or frying them in deep fats and draining them. Strips ready on this means could also be served instead of crackers, croutons, or bread sticks, and are thought-about scrumptious by those that are keen on pastry. Particulars concerning pastry are given in one other Part.