THE ART OF OPEN-HEARTH COOKING

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Many old-time recipes say to baste the meat with butter ... others insist on lard. (Many, too, would have you dredge a roast with flour shortly before it's done. This step adds to the finished product's appearance, but I prefer not to take it.) Regardless of what the recipes say, however, frequent basting is understood.

How can you tell when a roast is done? The surest guide is the change in its texture: During roasting, a chunk of meat's initial raw flabbiness slowly gives way to firmness. With practice, you'll be able to recognize the desired degree of "doneness" simply by poking the meat with your finger.

(Note: I happen to believe that it's a shame to cook meat beyond what is known as medium rare. After this point, the meat begins to dry out and toughen. If you must have well done meat, however, you'll obtain better results with pot-roasting than with open-fire roasting. The one exception to all this-of course-is pork, which should always be well done.)

SEASONINGS

Roasted meats need only the simplest of seasonings. If the chicken you're cooking was naturally raised, for instance, it'd be a shame to muck up those buttery pan juices with anything but sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and perhaps some fresh tarragon or chopped Italian parsley. You might like to add a few drops of fresh lemon juice to your roast to heighten the flavor ... but for heaven's sake, leave the horrid bottled sauces (all of them) in the refrigerator and let the meat's natural flavors sing out.

RECIPES FROM THE PAST

Below-to give you an idea of the kind of roasting techniques that were once popular-are some recipes taken from the 1805 edition of Hannah Glasse's Art of Cookery (which was easily the most popular cookbook in 18th-century America).

RULES TO BE OBSERVED IN ROASTING

In the first place, take great care that the spit be very clean; and be sure to clean it with nothing but sand and water. Wash it clean, and wipe it dry with a cloth; for oil, brick-dust, and such things, will spoil your meat.

TO ROAST A PIGEON

Take some parsley shred fine, a piece of butter as big as a walnut, a little pepper and salt; tie the neck end tight; tie a string round the legs and rump, and fasten the other end to the top of the chimney-piece. Baste them with butter, and when they are [done] enough [elsewhere, she specifies 20 minutes] lay them in the dish, and they will swim with gravy [the natural roasting juices].

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