She gathers, tribute large, and on the board
Heaps with unsparing hand.--Milton.
APPLES.
While most people prefer apples cooked in some form, they are very good
and wholesome when eaten raw. There are so many varieties of this fruit
that one finds flavors of almost all other fruits if one tastes a number
of different kinds of apples.
BANANAS.
This is a fruit which is delicious eaten in almost any form. It is
especially good frozen.
CANTALOUPES.
Cantaloupes should be kept on ice and served in halves, each half filled
with chopped ice or peaches, as a breakfast dish. To clean cantaloupes,
scrape out seeds and wash out each half under the cold-water faucet. The
half may be filled with ice cream and served as a dessert.
GRAPES.
Put bunches in a colander and pour cold water over them. Drain and
chill, and arrange prettily on dish. Always be sure to remove the
imperfect grapes.
GRAPE FRUIT.
(Shaddock.)
This fruit was named for Captain Shaddock, who first brought it from the
East Indies. It is delicious, and supposed to have medicinal value. It
is refreshing served for breakfast, but may be used as first course for
any meal. It should be prepared several hours before needed. Cut in
half, remove center pulp with scissors or sharp, small knife; cut each
section away from pulp, put two tablespoonfuls powdered sugar and a
Maraschino cherry in center of each half. Place in cool place till ready
to serve.
ORANGES.
Oranges are the most delightful eaten raw, but there are many other ways
of serving them, the Seville orange being the most preferable for
cooking, and is a little bitter. A simple way of preparing them for a
dessert is to peel the oranges so as to remove outer layer of pulp, then
remove each section from pulp. Put alternately into dessert dish a layer
of oranges sprinkled with powdered sugar and a layer of shredded
cocoanut. Place in cool place and serve.
PEACHES AND PEARS.
These fruits have the high esteem of many people in warm and temperate
climates. The peach is called the Persian apple, and is, like the pear,
delicious served either cooked or raw.
STRAWBERRIES.
These are best served raw, and may be hulled, or if cream is not
desired, serve with the hulls left on and put a mound of powdered sugar
in the center of the fruit dishes.
PICKLES AND PRESERVES
"Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms."--Shakespeare.
CATSUP.
To one bushel tomatoes use one small measure onions; boil and sift; one
handful salt, one tablespoonful mustard, one tablespoonful cayenne
pepper, two tablespoonfuls black pepper, one-half pound sugar. Add spice
just before it is finished boiling.
CHILI SAUCE.
Twelve large, ripe tomatoes, two onions, two green peppers, two
tablespoonfuls salt, one cup sugar, one cup vinegar, one teaspoonful
each cinnamon, allspice, cloves; chop fine, boil about two hours.
CHILI SAUCE.
One peck ripe tomatoes, twelve large onions, four cups vinegar, six
tablespoonfuls salt, twelve large tablespoonfuls sugar, four red mango
peppers, ground cloves, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg to taste; chop
onions and peppers fine; cut tomatoes in small pieces and drain. Boil
all things half an hour. Put in sealed jars.
CUCUMBER PICKLE.
Place the cucumber in a stone jar. Make a strong brine, strong enough to
bear up an egg; pour it over them boiling hot, let them stand over
night, in the morning pour off the brine and wipe the cucumbers dry, put
them in a preserving kettle and pour over them enough cider-vinegar to
cover them; put in also the following spices for four hundred pickles:
Two ounces whole cloves, two tablespoonfuls white mustard seed, several
strips horseradish, four or five sticks cinnamon, coffee-cupful brown
sugar, two ounces allspice, four small red peppers cut in small pieces
and the seed taken out, three onions sliced. Let all come to a boil,
boil for five minutes, and put boiling hot over cucumbers.
CUCUMBER SWEET PICKLES.
Put small cucumbers in a dish with one-half cup salt to two quarts
cucumbers; cover with boiling water and let stand all night. Remove from
brine, place in granite kettle, cover with vinegar containing whole
mustard seed, cloves and cinnamon and one cup of sugar. Let come to
boiling point, but not boil. Can, or bottle while hot.
FRENCH PICKLE.
One peck green tomatoes sliced, six large onions sliced; mix these and
throw over them one teacupful of salt, let them stand over night; next
day drain thoroughly, boil in one quart of vinegar mixed with two quarts
of water for fifteen minutes, then drain; take four quarts vinegar, two
pounds brown sugar, two tablespoonfuls cinnamon, mace, cloves; tie
spices in little bags, put all together and boil ten or fifteen minutes.
GERMAN PICKLED PLUMS OR PEACHES.
One pint vinegar, seven pounds plums or peaches, three pounds sugar, one
ounce cinnamon (whole), one ounce cloves (whole), a layer of plums,
layer of spice, layer of sugar. Have your vinegar scalded and pour over
the plums, going through this process for three successive days. Put all
in a kettle and let them come to a boil, and they are ready for use.
GREEN TOMATO PICKLE.
Twelve green tomatoes, three large onions. Boil in salt and water and
drain, or sprinkle with salt and allow it to stand all night, then
drain. Scald in vinegar to which has been added one cup of brown sugar,
one stick of cinnamon bark, a few cloves, red pepper to taste.
SPICED GRAPES.
Seven pounds grapes, one pint vinegar, three and one-half pounds sugar
(or more if you like), one-half ounce ground cloves, one-half ounce
ground cinnamon. Slip the pulp out of the skins, scald it, then pass
through a sieve to seed. Then put the juice and skins and all the
seasoning together and boil fifteen minutes.
SWEET PICKLE BEETS.
Boil the beets till they can be pierced with a fork; put into cold
water, slip off the skins and slice. Boil one quart of vinegar, two cups
brown sugar, add sliced beets, a little salt and pepper, boil five or
ten minutes, place in cans and close tightly.
UNCOOKED SWEET PICKLES (300).
As pickles are often put up in very warm weather, this recipe will be
found especially simple and easy to carry out.
One gallon cider vinegar, one cup granulated sugar, one-third cup salt,
one cup freshly grated horseradish (or two five-cent glasses), one-half
cup ground mustard, one-third ounce saccharine, two tablespoonfuls mixed
spices in each quart jar. Be sure to get in a few red peppers and
cloves. Put pickles in jars and fill with above mixture, cold.
Preserves and Jellies
BLACKBERRY JAM.
Press the berries through a colander, add one pound brown sugar to a
pint of juice. Let it boil slowly more than half a day.
CHERRY PRESERVES.
Wash the cherries, pick and stone them, then weigh, taking the same
amount of sugar as cherries. Let them stand one hour, put on fire and
let them boil through thoroughly. Pour on a flat platter and let them
stand in the sun until they thicken.
CRAB-APPLE JELLY.
Wash apples, remove blossom and stem ends, put them whole into a
porcelain-lined preserving kettle, add cold water to nearly cover
apples, cover and cook slowly until soft. Mash and drain through
cheese-cloth or coarse sieve. It makes the jelly cloudy to squeeze the
apples. Now allow juice to drip through a jelly bag or through two
thicknesses of cheese-cloth, boil twenty minutes and add equal quantity
of sugar, boil five minutes, skim and turn in glasses. Let the glasses
stand in a sunny window twenty-four hours. A sprig of rose geranium
dropped in syrup while it is boiling the last time will give the jelly a
delicious and unusual flavor.
CURRANT AND RASPBERRY PRESERVES.
Pick over six pounds of currants, wash and drain, put into a preserving
kettle a few at a time and mash, cook an hour and strain through double
thickness of cheese-cloth. Then return to kettle, add six pounds of
sugar, bring to boiling point and cook slowly twenty minutes. Bring
syrup to boil again, add one quart of raspberries, skim out raspberries,
put in jar, and repeat until raspberries are used. Fill jars with syrup,
and screw on tops.
GRAPE JELLY.
Wild grapes make the best jelly, though the other kind are more
frequently used. Pick them over, wash and remove stems, put into kettle,
heat to boiling point, mash and boil thirty minutes, strain through
coarse strainer, then allow juice to drip through a double thickness of
cheese-cloth. Measure and boil for five minutes, add equal quantity of
heated sugar, boil three minutes, skim and pour into glasses. Stand in
sunny window twenty-four hours, cover and keep in cool, dry place.
MARMALADE.
One grapefruit, one orange, one lemon; shave these fine, add five times
as much water, let stand over night, then boil ten minutes; let stand
until next morning. Add the same quantity of sugar as fruit. Cook until
it jellies, and put in glasses.
PLUM COMPOTE.
For this delicious sweet, take six pounds pitted plums (Damson), six
pounds granulated sugar, one pound seeded raisins, four large oranges
chopped, one pound shelled English walnuts or pecans. Boil to
consistency of jelly: Nuts are added just before taking off fire. Roll
oranges before removing the rind. Put oranges and juice, also sugar, on
the plums and let stand over night. Stir often.
RED RASPBERRY JAM.
One-third red currants, two-thirds raspberries, three-fourths pound
sugar to a pound of fruit. Boil until done.
CANDIES
"Yet to my raised imagination, divested of its homelier qualities,
it appeared a glorified candy."--Lamb.
BUTTER SCOTCH.
Two cups sugar, two tablespoonfuls water, butter size of egg. Boil
without stirring until it hardens on a spoon; pour out on buttered
plates to cool.
CHOCOLATE FUDGE.
Two cups sugar, one-fourth cake Baker's bitter chocolate, one cup milk,
butter size of an egg, vanilla to flavor. Scrape chocolate, add sugar,
milk and butter. Boil until a ball can be formed with fingers in a
little cold water. Beat in vanilla, beat until quite stiff. Put in
buttered platter. A cup of chopped nuts may be added, if desired.
COCOANUT FUDGE.
Two cups sugar, one cup milk, one box desiccated cocoanut, small lump
butter. Cook sugar, milk and butter fifteen minutes, take off the fire,
and beat with a spoon. When partly creamed, add cocoanut and one
teaspoonful vanilla. Stir well, pour into buttered pan and cut in
squares.
CREAM FUDGE.
Two cups sugar, one cup milk, small lump butter. Cook fifteen minutes,
set pan in a cool place, and when about half cooled beat with a spoon.
Pour when creamy into buttered pan and cut when still warm into squares.
Vanilla or any other flavoring improves this fudge.
FONDANT.
Two cups sugar, nine tablespoonfuls water; when it begins to boil, put
in one-fourth teaspoonful cream of tartar; do not stir after it begins
to boil: In four minutes try by dropping in water; if it balls, take off
the stove and let it cool until it wrinkles on top when moved; then stir
until you can mold it with the hand. Put in flavor and coloring after
you mold it. This will make any kind of candy by using nuts and flavors
of different kinds. Lay on greased paper.
FUDGE.
One and one-half pound granulated sugar (equal to three cups), one cup
cream, one-half teaspoonful salt; put in saucepan and boil. Nuts, three
squares bitter chocolate (Baker's). One heaping tablespoonful butter,
one teaspoonful flavoring; cut up cup marshmallows in little squares.
ICE CREAM CANDY.
One pound granulated sugar, one pound pulverized sugar, one cup water,
two tablespoonfuls white vinegar, one teaspoonful glycerine. Put all in
saucepan; when it begins to boil, quit stirring, put in flavoring, then
one-half teaspoonful cream of tartar. After it stops boiling, cool off a
little, then pull, lay out on marble slab, cut in squares.
MAPLE CREAM FUDGE.
One and three-fourths cup sugar, three-fourths cup milk, one-third cup
maple syrup, butter size of an egg. Mix all ingredients together in an
enameled saucepan, boil about ten minutes, beat until almost stiff and
pour into buttered platter, mark into squares while warm. Cocoanut or
chopped nuts, added while beating, makes a variety.
MEXICAN CANDY.
Two cups brown sugar, one cup granulated sugar, three-fourths
teaspoonful cream of tartar, one tablespoonful butter, one teaspoonful
vanilla, one-half pound pecans cut in coarse pieces. Boil to a soft
state, add butter and vanilla.
MOLASSES CANDY.
One cup molasses, one cup sugar, one tablespoonful vinegar, small lump
butter; cook until it hardens in water; pour out, and when cool pull
until a light yellow.
PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE.
Two heaping tablespoonfuls of peanut butter, scant teaspoonful of salt,
two cups sugar, one cup milk. Put sugar and milk in saucepan, stir them,
add the peanut butter and salt. Stir occasionally while cooking. Should
be cooked slowly until a soft ball can be formed if dropped into cup of
cold water. Beat vigorously until it begins to stiffen, then pour in
butter platter. This makes a delicious, creamy candy, if beaten enough.
PEANUT CANDY.
Two cups brown sugar, one tablespoonful molasses, one teaspoonful
vinegar, lump butter. Cook until it hardens in water, and pour over
peanuts placed in buttered pans.
PEANUT TAFFY.
Two cups granulated sugar put into a hot spider over a good fire and
stirred constantly until entirely dissolved. Use no water. First the
sugar will become lumpy, and it will not seem possible that it will
become liquid, but patience and constant stirring will produce the
desired result. When melted about like molasses, add one cup chopped
peanuts and pour quickly into a greased platter. It requires experience
to gain best results.
PRALINE.
Three cups brown sugar, one cup water, one cup cream, one cup nuts cut
fine, one teaspoonful vanilla. Boil sugar and water until it forms a
soft ball, add cream and boil until it forms a soft ball, stirring
constantly after adding cream. When cooked enough, beat in the nuts and
drop on a greased pan.
SEA FOAM.
Two cups brown sugar, one-half cup water. Boil until it forms a soft
ball; add one-half cup nuts cut fine and a little vanilla. Beat until it
creams up; drop on greased pan or paper.
TAFFY.
Two cups granulated sugar, one cup water, one tablespoonful water, one
tablespoonful vinegar, butter size of a walnut, and a pinch of salt.
Boil without stirring till it forms a ball when dropped into cold water.
Flavor with vanilla when almost pulled.
WHITE PULLED CANDY.
Two cups sugar, one cup water, one tablespoonful vinegar, one
teaspoonful butter. Cook until it hardens in water, pour out, and when
cool pull until white.
MISCELLANEOUS
BAKED CHEESE.
Three eggs, one cup bread crumbs, one pint milk (or little over),
one-half cup grated cheese, lump of butter size of walnut, pepper and
salt to taste. Soak the bread crumbs in the milk fifteen or twenty
minutes. Then stir with that the beaten eggs, butter, etc. Put into a
buttered baking dish and bake about thirty minutes.
BAKING POWDER.
One pound cream of tartar, one-half pound bicarbonate of soda, one-half
pound flour. Sift the soda and flour together several times, then mix in
cream of tartar and sift again. Put in glass jar and keep dry.
BANANA FRITTERS.
Prepare batter as for plain fritters. Into this dip the quartered
bananas and fry as you would doughnuts. Serve warm with the following
sauce: Boil three-fourths pint sweet milk, beat the yolk of one egg and
a level teaspoonful flour with sugar enough to make the sauce very
sweet. When the milk boils, stir this into it and let it cool. Flavor to
taste.
CHEESE STRAWS.
One-half pound of cheese grated, two tablespoonfuls flour and the yolk
of two eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and roll in a
thin sheet. Cut into tiny rings and strips. Bake, being careful not to
burn, as they bake quickly. When ready to serve place three sticks in
two rings.
CHESTNUTS.
Cover one quart chestnuts with stock. Add two tablespoonfuls sugar and a
pinch of salt, cook until tender. Don't stir. Chestnuts should be
quartered.
GELATINE.
One-half box of Cox's gelatine, enough cold water to cover it, let stand
a moment, then add a pint or little more of boiling water, two cups
sugar, flavoring to taste, turn in mold. Make custard of a pint of milk,
three yolks, three tablespoonfuls sugar. When cool, add vanilla and stir
in lightly, stiffly beaten whites of eggs.
JELLY.
One package gelatine, one pint cold water, let stand two hours, then
pour over it one quart boiling water, one and one-half pound sugar, one
pint wine, juice of three lemons; strain it twice through a canton
flannel bag. Instead of wine use juice of four lemons, gratings of two.
MINCE MEAT.
Mix together one cup sugar, one cup chopped apple, one-half cup raisins
seeded and chopped, one-half cup currants, one-fourth cup butter, one
tablespoonful molasses, one tablespoonful boiled cider, one teaspoonful
cinnamon, one-half teaspoonful cloves, one-half grated nutmeg, one
saltspoonful mace and one teaspoonful salt. Add enough stock, in which
meat has been cooked, to moisten; heat slowly to boiling point and let
simmer an hour; then add one cup of chopped meat and two tablespoonfuls
Barberry jelly. Cook fifteen minutes. If Barberry jelly is not to be
obtained, use some other kind.
OATMEAL GRUEL FOR BABIES.
Boil for three hours or more two tablespoonfuls of oatmeal in one quart
of water. Reduce liquid to one pint and strain. The long boiling is
necessary to break down the cell walls and to make the gruel easy of
digestion by the delicate stomach.
TOMATO SAUCE.
Put a tablespoonful butter and one of flour in a saucepan; mix until
smooth, add one-half pint strained tomatoes, a bay leaf, one-fourth
teaspoonful celery seed. Stir constantly until boiling; add one-half
teaspoonful salt, one-quarter teaspoonful paprika. Strain and use.
WELSH RAREBIT.
One-fourth pound grated cheese, one-fourth cup cream or milk, one-half
teaspoonful mustard, one-half teaspoonful salt, a little cayenne pepper,
one egg, one teaspoonful butter, dry toast. Put cheese and milk or cream
in double boiler, mix mustard, salt and cayenne; add egg and beat well.
When cheese is melted, stir in mixture of dry ingredients and the egg,
then the butter, and cook until it thickens. Stir constantly. Pour it
over toast. Moderate heat and constant stirring, two important points.
YORKSHIRE PUDDING.
Beat the yolks of three eggs until light colored and thick; add one-half
teaspoonful salt and one pint of milk. Add the mixture slowly to
two-thirds cup flour, stir until smooth, then cut and fold in the white
of eggs which have been beaten until stiff and dry. Bake in hot,
well-greased gem pans forty-five minutes. Baste with drippings.
HELPFUL HINTS
Dredge your cake tins with flour and your cake will not stick to the
pan.
Wooden spoons are the best to use when making cakes.
A little butter added to cake frosting greatly improves it.
Moisten grease spots with cold water and soda before scrubbing, as it
lightens the task.
To polish hardwood floors, use equal parts of vinegar, turpentine and
olive oil, thoroughly mixed: Rub in and polish with soft cloth.
To remove mildew stains, cover spots with lemon juice and salt and let
dry in the sun.
Place a piece of wax paper over a knife when cutting butter.
If raisins and currants are rolled in flour before putting in a cake,
they will not sink to the bottom.
When cutting fresh bread, have the knife very hot.
Put a pinch of salt in the whites of eggs to make them whip better.
Stains on knives, however obstinate, will disappear if rubbed with a
piece of raw potato.
Put a slice of potato in the deep fat when frying doughnuts.
If potatoes are pared and laid in cold water just before boiling, they
will be much whiter.
Rice will absorb three times its measure of water and a large quantity
of milk or stock.
One ounce of butter equals two level tablespoonfuls.
One ounce of flour equals four tablespoonfuls.
Allow two level teaspoonfuls of baking powder to each cup of flour when
no eggs are used.
A USEFUL TABLE.
Three teaspoonfuls equal one tablespoonful.
Four tablespoonfuls equal a quarter cup.
One cup of butter or sugar equals one-half pound.
Two cups of flour equals one-half pound.
One rounded tablespoonful of butter, one ounce.
One quart sifted pastry flour equals one pound.
One pint of granulated sugar equals one pound.
One pint of butter equals one pound.
One pint of ordinary liquid, one pound.
PROPORTIONS.
One teaspoonful baking powder to one cup flour.
One teaspoonful cream of tartar and one-half teaspoonful soda to two
cups flour.
A little over an ounce of gelatine to a quart of liquid.
MILK.
Sour milk is used to raise doughs and batters, by adding to one pint
solidly sour milk one teaspoonful soda. Mixtures which contain molasses
require more soda.
BEVERAGES
"I drink to the general joy of the whole table."
CHOCOLATE.
Use one and one-half squares of bitter chocolate, one-fourth cup sugar,
three cups milk, one cup boiling water and a few grains of salt. Scald
the milk. Melt the chocolate in small saucepan, place over hot water,
add sugar, salt, and gradually the boiling water. When smooth, place on
the fire and boil for one minute; add to scalded milk, mill, and serve
in chocolate cups with whipped cream. One and one-half ounces of vanilla
chocolate may be substituted for the bitter; as it is sweetened, less
sugar is needed.
CHOCOLATE.
German chocolate, three sticks in a boiler; let melt. Add one pint hot
milk, let boil, then stir it for five minutes. Serve with whipped cream
on top. Melt in double boiler.
COCOA.
One and one-half tablespoonfuls prepared cocoa, two tablespoonfuls
sugar, two cups boiling water, two cups milk, and very little salt.
Scald milk. Mix cocoa, sugar and salt, dilute with one-half cup boiling
water to make smooth paste, add remaining water, and boil one minute;
turn into scalded milk and beat two minutes with Dover egg beater until
frothy.
COFFEE.
Use one tablespoonful of coffee to a cup, and one for the pot. Moisten
with cold water and mix well with the white of egg. Make with boiling
water and boil five minutes. Then let it stand in a hot place ten
minutes. Do not simmer--merely keep hot.
COFFEE.
One cup ground coffee, seven cups cold water, one-fourth an egg. Scald
granite-ware pot, dilute the egg with one-half cup of the cold water,
stir into the coffee and mix thoroughly. Add the rest of the water and
bring to a boil slowly. Remove to back of stove, add one tablespoonful
of cold water, and allow it to stand a few minutes.
COMMITTEE JULEP.
Five lemons, two oranges, two cups water, one bunch fresh mint, three
bottles ginger ale, one and one-half cup sugar; ice. Squeeze the juice
from lemons and oranges, add leaves from mint, sugar and water. Let
stand thirty minutes, add a large piece of ice and ginger ale. Serve in
small glasses.
GRAPE JUICE.
Many people are not aware of the excellent qualities of this delightful
and refreshing beverage. It is soothing to the nerves and aids the
appetite. When prepared according to the recipe given below it makes a
delicious and wholesome drink for persons in robust health, and in
addition to this will prove beneficial to those of frail constitutions.
Stem grapes and put them into a kettle with enough water to show. Heat
slowly, until grapes are soft enough to mash. Put them in a cheese-cloth
bag, and when cool enough, press till every drop of juice is extracted.
To two quarts of juice add one cup of sugar; heat and stir until sugar
is thoroughly dissolved. Bottle, cork and seal. When serving this drink,
dilute with water according to taste.
TEA.
Scald an earthen or china teapot. Use a teaspoonful of tea for each
person and one for the pot. Put into the pot and pour in freshly boiled
water, a cupful to each spoonful of tea. _Never boil tea_, but let it
stand in a warm place a few minutes before serving. Serve with or
without milk and sugar.