GETTING READY FOR A PARTY
"HOW time flies!"
Mary Frances tied on her new apron and put on her pretty little cap.
"Fly time is nearly gone," said Sauce Pan, "and--school time is almost
here," he added, seeing Mary Frances didn't seem to notice.
[Illustration: Put on her pretty little cap.]
"Yes," she said, "but before school time, there's a grand good
time--Mother comes home to-morrow!"
"Whew!" whistled Tea Kettle. "So soon?"
"Well," said Mary Frances, "it doesn't seem soon when I think of it
without my cooking lessons--but when I think I'm nearly through the
book----"
"What's to-day's lesson?" asked Aunty Rolling Pin. "I'm so anxious you
do get through!"
"Thank you, Aunty Rolling Pin, I must tell you. I'm going to give a Tea
Party!"
"A Tea Party!" exclaimed Tea Pot, clapping his lid up and down. "Oh,
lovely!"
[Illustration: "A Tea Party!"]
"Oh, this is a Tea Party without tea," said Mary Frances. "We're going
to have two kinds of cake,--and cocoa!"
Then, seeing how disappointed Tea Pot looked:
"Oh, I will have tea, too. Aunt Maria without tea! That will never do!"
"Now for the next recipe:
NO. 31.--SPONGE CAKE.
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (or lemon extract)
1 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
dash of salt
1. Separate yolks of eggs and beat in a large bowl.
2. Add gradually half the sugar, stirring well.
3. Add the boiling water slowly.
4. Add remaining sugar, and the flavoring.
5. Sift together twice flour, baking powder and salt.
6. Sift by small quantities into the mixture, beating
well each time.
7. Beat whites of eggs and fold them into the cake.
8. Grease pan. Toss around in it 1/4 cup flour. Throw
out. This prevents sticking.
9. Pour in the cake.
10. Bake in a moderate oven about 35 minutes.
[Illustration: "Aunt Maria without tea!"]
[Illustration: "Humph!"]
"Humph!" said Aunty Rolling Pin, "that's all right, but it doesn't give
you much idea how the oven should be."
"No," explained Mary Frances, "I 'spose Mother intended to show me about
that."
"Of course, child," said Aunty Rolling Pin, "that was it. Now, I'll tell
you all about cake----"
[Illustration: "I'll tell you all about cake."]
"What's that!" a queer, muffled voice.
Mary Frances started in surprise.
A great com-mo-tion inside the pantry, and the sound of many little
voices! Then she made out the words:
"Get out of my way! Here, you, step aside!" (Then a little shriek or two
followed by the sound of falling tins.) "Oh, you knocked my nose. There!
that makes the fiftieth dent! No wonder I look old and worn out. Can't
you wait a minute?"
At length there came a pounding on the door, and a high little voice--or
was it two voices?
"Let me out! Oh, I say, please let us out!"
"Mercy!" thought Mary Frances, "I hope there isn't going to be any
trouble." And she cautiously opened the pantry door a little way. The
two Cake Tins pushed their way out.
[Illustration: The two Cake Tins.]
"Oh, thank you!" they said, breathlessly, in chorus (looking at each
other all the while as though they'd learned and rehearsed every word).
"I thought I'd never get out to help! I've listened through the door to
every lesson, just hoping my turn would come. There I was back of the
other pots and pans, and when I heard 'Cake' I just jumped!"
"As I had just started to say"--Aunty Rolling Pin began.
"What do you know about cakes!" cried the Cake Tins, angrily. "If
everybody'd just mind his own cooking--who ever rolls cakes?"
"Well, I know about cookies," said Aunty Rolling Pin; "and besides, I
know about most things,--I belonged to a real cooking teacher!"
[Illustration: "Prove it!"]
"Prove it!" cried the Cake Tins.
"I will," said Aunty Rolling Pin; "here's part of a lecture the teacher
used to give:
[Illustration: "What do you know about cakes?"]
"Now, ladies, you can see the ex-ceed-ing-ly good texture of this cake,
as I drop it from the spoon. The nu-tri-tive value of the ut-il-ized
com-po-si-tion is unequaled, except in rare cases of cul-in-ary
e-con-om-y. For instance, the proteids, the car-bon-a-ce-ous
contrib-u-tions plus the con-di-ments, afford an instance of
un-u-su-al strength-giving power. The in-ex-cus-a-ble prod-i-gal-i-ty of
the A-mer-i-can house-wife----'"
[Illustration: "I'll make the sponge cake first," said Mary Frances.]
"Whew!" whistled Tea Kettle, "for pity's sake, stop it!"
"Humph!" said Square Cake Tin, "I don't see that that proves you know
anything about cake. Now I'll explain:
"There are really only two kinds of cake in general:
"1. Cakes without butter, or some form of sponge cakes.
"2. Cakes with butter, or plain cakes.
"More important than the mixing of the cake is the baking.
"Have a rather low fire, which will grad-u-al-ly increase in heat
without adding more fuel.
[Illustration: "Now I'll explain."]
"Rules:
"Thin cakes require a hotter oven than larger ones.
"Molasses cakes will burn easily, so require a cooler oven than others.
"Sponge cakes require a 'slower' oven than butter cakes.
[Illustration: "Whew! for pity's sake, stop it!"]
"Cake is done when it shrinks from the sides of a pan, or when a straw
comes out dry. You know the way, don't you?"
"Yes," said Mary Frances. "My, what a lot you do know!"
"Now, read the next recipe, please. The butter kind," said Mary Frances;
whereat the Cake Tins looked pleased.
[Illustration: The Cake Tins looked pleased.]
NO. 32.--DREAM CAKE.
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1-1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Put butter in a bowl; add sugar. "Cream" or rub
thoroughly together.
2. Beat yolks of eggs. Add to butter and sugar,
stirring well.
3. Mix and sift twice flour, baking powder, mace and
salt.
4. Add one-third of the milk to the yolks, butter and
sugar.
5. Sift in one-third of the flour. Do this until all
the milk and flour are used, beating well each time.
6. Add vanilla. Beat well.
7. Beat white of eggs light. Fold them into the cake.
8. Grease shallow pan as in No. 31. Pour in the cake.
9. Bake in moderate oven about 35 minutes, or until it
shrinks from the pan.
[Illustration: "Now, read the next recipe."]
"We'll both be used!" exclaimed the Cake Pans, joyously. "I told you so!
I told you!" they cried at each other as though having an argument.
"Come," said Mary Frances, "less talking. We must get to work."
"Look at the oven first," said the Cake Pans, as Mary Frances started to
break the eggs.
"Is it right?" asked the little girl, lifting them up to see.
"Yes," they said, "it will be just right when we are ready."
"All the ma-ter-i-als you'll need ready?" asked Round Cake Tin after a
minute.
"Yes," looking over the table, "I see--everything. Good!"
[Illustration: "We must get to work."]
"I brought the butter into the warm room an hour ago," said Mary
Frances, "so that it would be softened by the time I needed it. I'll
make the sponge cake first, as the oven will be cooler then."
[Illustration: "We'll both be used!"]
"Right!" cried the Cake Tins; "but when you open the oven door, be
careful to do so gently, as any jarring will break the 'gas bubbles'
very easily, doing much more harm toward making the cake heavy than the
air; in fact, if the door is opened carefully, and not too soon, it does
no harm."
* * * * *
With the Cake Tins' help, a warm and tired, but very happy little girl
brought two golden brown fragrant cakes to the table one-half hour
before lunch time.
"Turn us on our sides," panted the Cake Tins, "to let us cool off
quickly and evenly. My, but it was warm in there!"
"How beautiful the cakes look!" said Mary Frances, doing as she was
told.
"Why not take a taste?" Square Cake Tin asked.
"Oh, it's just before lunch time," said Mary Frances, "and would spoil
my ap-pe-tite. Mother doesn't allow me----"
"Just one sweet mouthful?" tempted Cake Tin.
"It seems so good. I guess I will--just this once," and cutting a piece,
she ate it.
"Oh," she cried, "my beautiful cake! Look, it's sinking down in the
middle!" The tears came to her eyes.
[Illustration: "Oh, I'm so, so sorry"]
"Oh, I'm so, so sorry," said Cake Tin, "I was too excited and proud!"
[Illustration: One-half hour before lunch time.]
"Why didn't you tell me," Mary Frances asked, "that a fresh cake, if
cut, would 'fall?'"
[Illustration]
"Oh," said Cake Tin, "I meant to be so helpful. I'll try never to be too
proud again."
[Illustration: "Is it right?" asked the little girl, lifting them up to
see.]