With fruits becoming less seasonal and more a daily food, an understanding of them is of great value to the cook. In Fruit and Fruit Desserts, you will first learn their place in the diet, their nature, composition, and food value. Then you will proceed with the preparation and serving of every variety of fruit. Included in this section also are fruit cocktails, those refreshing appetizers often used to introduce a special meal. To understand how to preserve perishable foods in the seasons of plenty for the times when they are not obtainable is a valuable part of a cooks knowledge. Canning and Drying deals with two ways of preserving foodstuffs, treating carefully the equipment needed and all the methods that can be employed and every part of the procedure followed. The fruits and vegetables that permit of canning, as well as certain meats and fish, are taken up in a systematic manner. Jelly Making, Preserving, and Pickling continues a discussion of the home preservation of foods, showing how they can be kept for long periods of time not by sterilization, but with the aid of preservatives. Each one of these methods is treated as to its principles, equipment, and the procedure to be followed. After trying the numerous recipes given, the cook will be able to show with pride the results of there efforts, for nothing adds more to the attractiveness and palatability of a meal than a choice jelly, conserve, marmalade, or jam. Confections deals with that very delightful and fascinating part of cooking--confection making. Not only are home-made confections cheaper than commercially made ones, but they usually contain more wholesome materials, so it is to the cooks advantage to familiarize themselves with the making of this food. Recipes are given for all varieties of confections, including taffies, caramels, cream candies, and the confections related to them. Fondant making is treated in detail showing every step and directions for making many unusual kinds. Though beverages often receive only slight consideration, they are so necessary that the body cannot exist very long without them. In Beverages is discussed the relation of beverages to meals, the classes of beverages, and the preparation of those required by the human system, as well as the proper way to serve them. In addition to coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, and cereal beverages, fruit, soft, and nourishing drinks also receive their fair share of attention.