ingredients. Add raw egg yolk to make mixture of right consistency to
handle. Shape in small balls, and poach in boiling water or stock.
EGG CUSTARD
2 egg yolks, few grains salt, 2 tbp milk.
Beat eggs slightly, add milk and salt. Pour into small buttered cup,
place in pan of hot water, and bake until firm; cool, remove from cup,
and cut in fancy shapes with French vegetable cutters.
CREAMED EGGS
Prepare white sauce and add hard-cooked eggs, cut in halves, slices, or
chopped, and when hot serve on toast. A little cheese may be added for
seasoning if desired.
SCALLOPED EGGS
Slice hard-boiled eggs in rings. Butter a baking dish and cover the
bottom with fine bread crumbs; put in a layer of eggs, bits of butter
and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Alternate layers of eggs and crumbs
in this way until the dish is filled. A layer of bread crumbs must be
on top. Pour on two tbp rich milk or cream, and bake in a moderate oven.
BAKED EGG SOUFFLE
Beat yolks and whites of 6 eggs separately. Add 1 tsp cornstarch to 1 c
of hot milk, then add ½ tsp salt and the whipped yolks of the eggs.
Cook in a saucepan until of the thickness of cream, then add stiffly
beaten whites. Put mixture into a well-buttered frying pan and set in a
hot oven, and bake until slightly browned.
FRIED EGGS
Break each egg separately into a saucer. In this way, if one is not
fresh, it will be discovered before the rest are spoiled. Fry in a tbp
of lard and butter already mixed and hot in the frying pan. Fry for
approximately 3 min, dipping the hot fat over the yolk or turning the
egg carefully if it is desired fried on both sides.
SCRAMBLED EGGS
Beat 5 eggs slightly with a silver fork, add ½ tsp of salt, ⅛ tsp
pepper and ½ c milk. Heat a frying pan, melt in it 2 tbp butter, and
when melted, turn in the eggs. Cook, stirring constantly, until they
are of creamy texture. Take care that the mixture does not stick to the
bottom and sides of the pan and burn.
=Variation=: Add to the scrambled eggs shredded bits of dried beef or
small pieces of cooked ham or bacon.
SWISS EGGS
1 level tbp butter, 2 level tbp grated cheese, 4 very thin slices
of cheese, 4 eggs, 3 tbp cream, salt and pepper to taste.
Melt the butter in a shallow baking dish; cut the slices of cheese in
pieces of convenient size to cover the bottom of the dish. Break the
eggs and drop them into the dish over the cheese, season to taste, and
pour the cream over the eggs; sprinkle the grated cheese on top and
bake in a moderate oven till the eggs are set and the cheese a delicate
brown.
FOAMY OMELET
Separate yolks of 4 eggs from whites; beat whites until stiff; beat
yolks in a bowl with a beater until thick; add ½ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp
pepper, and 4 tbp water. Cut and fold the yolks into the whites until
the mixture is blended. Melt 1 tbp butter in the omelet pan and when
moderately hot, turn in mixture; spread evenly, a little thinner in
the center where fold will come; place on range where it will cook
slowly (about 12 min). Keep the temperature low until the last min,
when it may be raised to brown the bottom. When well puffed put pan in
a moderate oven to cook the top; that is, until omelet is firm to the
touch. Crease across top and fold. Serve at once.
CREOLE OMELET
Melt 3 tbp butter; add 2 thinly sliced tomatoes, 2 finely chopped
onions, ½ tsp sugar, ⅛ tsp pepper, and ½ tsp salt. Cook 20 min. Spread
half the mixture over half a foamy omelet. Fold, place on platter, and
garnish with the remainder of the tomato and onion mixture.
ORANGE OMELET
Take the juice of a half a small orange, a small quantity of the grated
peel, and 2 tbp of powdered sugar, and add to the recipe for foamy
omelet. Before serving, sift powdered sugar lightly over the omelet.
OYSTER OMELET
Add 6 cooked oysters, chopped into small bits, to the mixture for foamy
omelet.
MEXICAN OMELET
Mix 1 tbp butter and 1 of browned flour in a deep frying pan, heat,
and stir to a cream. When very hot stir in 1 c canned tomatoes, ½ c
canned mushrooms which have been sliced fine, ½ c minced, cooked ham
(or chicken). Season with salt, paprika, and onion juice to taste. Let
mixture simmer 8 min, or slightly less, then stir in 4 well-beaten
eggs. Stir the mixture carefully as it thickens. Serve, when the eggs
are set, on buttered toast.
OMELET CELESTINE
Prepare the omelet exactly as for orange omelet, omitting the oranges,
and in their place spread the omelet, after it is dished, with peach
preserve or marmalade, then with finely chopped, blanched almonds, and
cover with whipped cream.
SCOTCH EGGS
6 hard-cooked eggs, ½ c stale bread crumbs, 1 c minced ham or
other meat, salt and pepper to taste, ⅔ c milk, egg and bread
crumbs, frying fat.
Cook eggs 20 min in water just below boiling point, stand in cold water
for ½ hr, then remove shells and wipe eggs quite dry.
Cook the half c bread crumbs in the milk till thick, add the seasoning
and meat and mix all together to form a rather stiff paste. Take a
portion of this and press around one of the eggs smoothly with the
hand, having the paste of equal thickness all over, and continue till
the eggs are covered. Take a raw egg with 1 tbp water and beat lightly;
dip each of the prepared eggs into this and cover every particle with
the raw egg. As soon as covered, drop onto a paper containing stale
bread crumbs, coat with these and fry in deep fat till golden brown.
Cut in halves, stand cut side up, and serve plain or with white or
tomato sauce or gravy.
JAPANESE EGGS
1½ c boiled rice, 6 hard-cooked eggs, 1½ c white sauce, 1 tsp
onion juice, 1 tsp parsley, 1 tsp soy or Worcestershire sauce.
Pile the hot, cooked rice on a platter; cut the eggs in quarters and
imbed in the rice; pour over them the sauce flavored with the onion
juice and the soy or Worcestershire sauce, and sprinkle the chopped
parsley over the top.
=Note=: Soy is a sauce to be found in some stores where Japanese and
Chinese products are sold. Its principal ingredient is the soy bean.
EGGS, WALDORF STYLE
Arrange poached eggs on circular pieces of buttered toast, surround
with brown mushroom sauce, and place a broiled mushroom cap on each egg.
DROPPED EGGS (Poached)
Have ready a frying pan ⅔ full of boiling salted water, allowing
½ tbp salt to 1 qt water. Put 2 or 3 buttered muffin rings in the
water. Break each egg separately into a saucer, and carefully slip
into a muffin ring. The water should cover the eggs. When there is
a film over the top, and the white is firm, carefully remove with a
buttered skimmer to circular pieces of buttered toast, and let each
person season his own egg with butter, salt, and pepper. If cooked
for an invalid, garnish with 4 toast points and a bit of parsley. An
egg-poacher may be used instead of muffin rings.
BAKED EGGS
Break eggs into a buttered platter or shallow baking dish. Sprinkle
cracker crumbs and grated cheese over the top; then moisten with a few
tbp cream. Bake in a moderate oven until the egg white is done but
tender.
EGGS IN PRISON
2 c cold, cooked meat, 4 eggs, stale browned bread crumbs,
seasoning and flavoring to suit the meat.
Grease thoroughly 4 small c or molds and sprinkle thickly with the
browned crumbs. Season and flavor meat rather highly, and line the
molds with it, leaving a hollow in the center of each mold; the meat
may be moistened with stock or gravy if too dry; break a raw egg into
the hollow left for the purpose in each c, sprinkle with salt and
pepper, and bake in a moderate oven till the eggs are set. Turn out and
serve with or without sauce or gravy.
PLAIN OMELET
4 eggs, 4 tbp water, ¼ level tsp salt, ⅛ level tsp pepper, 2
level tbp butter.
Break the eggs into a bowl and beat them lightly, yolks and whites
together, add the salt, pepper and water, and mix all well; melt the
butter in a clean omelet pan and allow it to become quite hot without
browning. Pour the eggs into the pan, mix and stir them gently till
they begin to set. Now push the omelet down to one side of the pan that
it may be thick and puffy, tilting the pan so as to keep it at one
side. Cook till just set in the center and golden brown on the surface
next to the pan. Turn onto a dish, brown side up, and serve plain or
with tomato or other sauce.
JELLY OMELET
Mix and cook plain omelet, omitting pepper and ½ the salt, and adding 1
tbp sugar. Spread before folding with jam, jelly, or marmalade. Fold,
turn, and sprinkle with sugar.
CASSEROLE EGGS
Chop cooked spinach very fine and season with salt and butter. Put 1
tbp this into individual, buttered, casseroles, and sprinkle with 1 tbp
grated cheese, and carefully break 1 egg into each casserole. Cover
each egg with 1 tbp of sauce, and ½ tbp grated cheese. Bake until eggs
are set. These should be served immediately.
SCRAMBLED EGGS
6 eggs, 3 level tbp butter, 6 tbp cream or milk, ½ level tsp
salt, ⅙ level tsp pepper.
Beat the eggs lightly, whites and yolks together, add the seasoning
and cream or milk, and place with the butter in a saucepan. Stir the
mixture constantly with a wooden spoon till it begins to thicken,
then remove the saucepan to a cooler part of the stove and continue
the cooking till the eggs are set. Serve either on buttered toast or
garnished with points of toast.
A little grated cheese, a few green peas or mushrooms (cooked), or
a few asparagus tips are sometimes added to the scrambled eggs just
before removing them from the fire.
EGGS AND TOMATOES
Select well-shaped tomatoes and cut off the stem end; take out enough
of the pulp so that each shell will hold an egg. Drop in the egg
carefully, sprinkle with pepper and salt, put a bit of butter on top
of each; put the tomatoes in a baking dish and put water around them.
Put in oven and cook until the eggs are set and the tomatoes soft.
Serve on slices of buttered toast.
DUTCH EGGS
Cut 5 hard-boiled eggs into small pieces and fold into thick, richly
seasoned milk gravy. Halve 6 green peppers (lengthwise), removing the
seeds and all the interior portions so as to leave the shells; fill
these shells with the gravy and egg mixture, then sprinkle thickly with
grated cheese and dots of butter, then brown in the oven, Serve on a
hot dish garnished with watercress or parsley, and eat with toast.
CURRIED EGGS
6 hard-cooked eggs, 1 very small onion, 2 level tbp butter or
drippings, 2 level tbp flour, ½ sour apple or a tsp lemon juice,
½ level tsp salt, 1 ½ c water, stock or milk, 1 level tbp curry
powder.
Hard cook the eggs, remove the shells and cut the eggs in slices. Melt
the butter or drippings and cook in it the onion, peeled and finely
minced; next, put in the flour and curry powder and cook 3 min. Add the
stock, water or milk slowly, and stir till the sauce boils; put in the
apple or lemon juice and simmer gently for 20 min. Add salt, and heat
the slices of egg in the hot sauce.
SHRIMP OMELET
Mix together butter and flour in quantities sufficient to make ½ pt
of sauce when heated and creamed together; to this add another piece
of butter about the size of an egg and 12 shelled and cooked shrimps.
Season with salt and pepper, cook for 3 min, stirring constantly,
then put in ½ of a finely chopped sweet green pepper, and cook for 1
min longer. Make a foamy omelet, fill with this mixture just before
folding. Serve at once on a hot plate.
CHEESE OMELET
3 eggs, 3 tbp water, 2 tbp mild grated cheese, ⅛ tsp pepper, 2
tbp butter, salt, if needed.
Beat the eggs lightly, yolks and whites together, add the water and
seasoning. Melt the butter in an omelet pan, pour in the eggs and stir
and mix lightly till they begin to set. Sprinkle the grated cheese over
the top, then scrape and push the omelet to one side of the pan. Cook
about 1 min, then either turn in the pan by slipping a knife under the
omelet, or hold the pan for a moment in front of the fire or under the
flame of the gas range. Turn onto a hot dish, and serve at once.
OMELET SOUFFLE
6 eggs, ½ c sugar, ½ tsp any desired flavoring, a pinch of salt.
Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs and beat the whites to a
stiff froth; add the sugar and salt to the yolks and beat till thick.
Mix whites and yolks lightly together and add the flavoring; turn into
a buttered pudding dish, and bake in a hot oven from 12 to 14 min.
Serve, as soon as set, in the dish in which it was cooked. Do not keep
the souffle waiting before serving, as it very quickly falls.
STUFFED EGGS (1)
Cut 4 hard-boiled eggs in ½ crosswise; remove yolks, mash, and add 2
tbp grated cheese, 1 tsp vinegar, ¼ tsp mustard, and salt and cayenne
to taste. Add enough melted butter to make mixture of the right
consistency to shape. Make in balls size of original yolks, and refill
whites. Arrange on a serving dish, pour around 1 c white sauce, cover,
and reheat.
STUFFED EGGS (2)
Cut hard-boiled eggs in ½ lengthwise. Remove yolks, and put whites
aside in pairs. Mash yolks, and add half the amount of devilled ham and
enough melted butter to make of consistency to shape. Make in balls
size of original yolks, and refill whites. Form remainder of mixture
into a nest. Arrange eggs in the nest, and pour over 1 c white sauce.
Sprinkle with buttered crumbs, and bake until crumbs are brown.
EGGS WITH SARDINES
4 tbp butter, ¼ c soft, stale bread crumbs, 1 c thin cream or top
milk, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 half-box sardines, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp
paprika, ⅛ tsp pepper.
Melt butter, add bread crumbs and cream, and bring to the boiling
point; then add eggs, finely chopped, sardines freed from skin and
bones, and seasonings. Again bring to the boiling point and serve at
once.
EGGS SUSETTE
Wash and bake 6 large potatoes, cut slice from top of each, scoop out
inside, and mash. To 3 c mashed potato add 6 tbp finely chopped ham, 2
tbp finely chopped parsley, whites of 2 eggs well beaten, 3 tbp butter,
4 tbp cream, and salt and pepper. Line potato shells with mixture,
place in each cavity a poached egg, cover with potato mixture, and bake
until browned. Care must be taken to have eggs delicately poached.
PRESERVING EGGS
To preserve 15 doz eggs in water glass:
1. Select a 5-gal crock (earthen or stone) and clean it thoroughly,
then scald and allow to dry.
2. Heat 10 to 12 qt of water to the boiling point and allow it to cool.
3. When cool, measure out 9 qt of water, place in the crock and add
1 qt of sodium silicate (commonly called water glass), which can be
purchased at almost any drug store. Stir well so that the solution
becomes thoroughly mixed.
The solution thus prepared is ready for the eggs, which may be put in
all at once or from time to time as they are obtainable. Care should be
taken in putting them in the jar not to crack or break the shells; also
make sure that the solution covers the eggs by at least 2 inches at all
times.
Put the crock containing the preserved eggs in a cool, dry place and
cover with a tight lid or waxed paper to prevent evaporation.
To preserve a smaller or larger number of eggs, the solution should be
mixed and prepared in the same proportion.
If water glass is not obtainable, lime may be used. It is not
considered as good as water glass, as in some instances eggs preserved
by this method have tasted slightly of lime, although at other times
limewater has proved entirely satisfactory.
To preserve with lime, dissolve 2 lb of unslacked lime in a small
quantity of water and dilute with 5 gal of water that has previously
been boiled and cooled. Allow the mixture to stand until the lime
settles, then pour off and use the clear liquid. Place clean, fresh
eggs in a clean earthenware crock or jar and pour the clear limewater
into the vessel until the eggs are covered. At least 2″ of the solution
should cover the top layer of eggs.
If best results are to be obtained the eggs should be fresh and clean
and preferably infertile. For this reason it is always best when
possible to candle the eggs carefully before preserving them unless
they are known to be strictly fresh. If an egg is only slightly soiled
a cloth dampened with vinegar may be used to remove the stains, but
eggs should not be washed with water, as water removes the protective
coating that is on the shell and may tend to cause the contents to
spoil. Under no circumstances should badly soiled or cracked eggs be
used for preserving, as 1 or more such eggs in a jar may spoil all the
others.
=Fresh Egg Tests=: Hold in front of candle flame in dark room, and the
center should look clear. Place in basin of cold water, and they should
sink. Place large end to the check, and a warmth should be felt. They
have rough shells.
USING PRESERVED EGGS
Fresh eggs preserved according to these directions will usually keep
from 6 to 10 months and can be used satisfactorily for all purposes
in cooking and for the table. If, however, preserved eggs are to be
boiled, a small hole should be made with a pin in the larger end of the
shell before placing them in the water, to allow the air in the egg to
escape when heated and thus prevent cracking.
KITCHEN UTENSILS
ALUMINUM WARE
1 double boiler, 3 saucepans, assorted sizes, 1 stock kettle
(cheaper in iron but much heavier), 1 oblong cake pan, 2 pans,
assorted sizes, 2 and 4 qt, 1 griddle, 2 muffin pans (12 each),
1 flour dredger, 1 pitcher, 1 large baking pan, 1 omelet pan,
milk and cream dippers, 1 round cake pan with loosening bars for
removing cake.
TINWARE
2 pie tins, 1 bread box, 1 iron.
CROCKERY
Set of 3 mixing bowls, white or yellow, assorted sizes, 6
ramekins, 1 teapot, 6 custard cups, 4 jars for holding food.
ENAMEL OR GRANITEWARE
2 baking pans, 1 set bowls, assorted sizes, 1 roaster, 1 pan, 1
kettle.
IRON OR STEELWARE
1 iron frying pan, 1 waffle iron, 1 steel pan, 20×20.
SMALL KITCHEN IMPLEMENTS
1 set assorted French knives, 1 set cooking knives and forks, 1
bread knife, 1 spatula, 1 doz teaspoons, 1 long handled beating
spoon, 1 carving knife, 1 long fork, 1 vegetable knife, 1 doz
tablespoons, 1 slotted beating spoon.
GENERAL EQUIPMENT
The following articles will be found necessary for even a small
organization and places should be planned for them.
1. Strong, plain, comfortable chair for workers, also one stool.
2. Deep enamel tray (not too heavy) or aluminum one with rolled rim.
This is necessary for preparing and storing food.
3. Scale large enough to weigh at least 4 or 5 lbs., so that check may
be kept on incoming goods.
4. Set of brushes:
1 wire, for scrubbing shelves, 1 bar, for general scrubbing, 1
small block brush, for vegetables.
5. One safety holder for fresh and burnt matches.
6. A box with handle for carrying easily is a daily necessity,
containing the following:
1 dish drainer, hammer, screw driver, 1 match scratcher, shears,
1 egg boiler.
7. Small kitchen utensils:
1 can opener, 1 double chopper, 1 ice pick, 1 skimmer, 1 ice
cream scoop, 1 food chopper, 2 funnels, rolling pin, 1 sink
strainer, enamel; doughnut and biscuit cutter, aluminum;
measuring cups, aluminum; salt, pepper and spice boxes; 1 egg
boiler, 1 set of graters, tin; 1 tea kettle, aluminum; 1 pancake
turner, aluminum; 1 wire broiler, twine and paper holders, ice
and cabbage cutters, set of pastry tubes, doughnut or frying
basket; colander, enamel; planks for meat and fish.
CHINA
6 dinner plates, 9″; 6 dessert and salad plates, 7⅛″; 6 bouillon
cups, 6 coffee or tea cups, 6 sauce or vegetable dishes, 5″;
individual creams, 1½ oz.; 6 b. and b. plates, 6″; 1 sugar bowl,
1 cream pitcher.
GLASSWARE
1 doz. tumblers or goblets, 1 oil and vinegar cruet, 6 footed
sherbets.
SILVERWARE
1 doz. teaspoons, 1 doz. dessert spoons, 6 bouillon spoons, 6
iced tea spoons, 1 doz. table forks, 6 dessert forks, 1 doz.
medium knives.
LINEN
2 large linen table covers, 1 doz. round scalloped doilies, 15″
diameter; 1 doz. side towels, 18×32″; 1 doz. union linen kitchen
towels, 17×32″; 1 doz. mercerized cotton or linen napkins,
22×22″; 1 doz. cook’s towels, 16×32″; 6 scrub cloths, 18×28″.
Choose china from good open stock patterns that are appropriate for the
type of room, and may always be “matched.”
TABLE ETIQUETTE
Before starting to set be sure the table is free from crumbs. Place
the silence cloth, which may be a worn-out blanket or any suitable
undercloth. It should not show when the table cloth is placed. The
table cloth fold should be placed with crease of the fold on upper
side and in the exact center of the table. The four corners should be
at equal distances from the floor. Flowers, candlesticks, ferns, water
bottle, etc., belong in center of table.
A “cover” is full equipment consisting of plate, silver, napkin and
glass for each guest or diner. Covers should be alike, about 24″ from
each other or, if at a small table, opposite each other.
Plates should be placed about 1″ from edge of table. If plates carry
monogram the monogram should be nearest center of the table. The
service plate should be the center of each cover.
=Placing Silver=: Place knives at right with sharp edge toward the
plate; forks at left with the tines up; spoons at right of knives,
bowls up. Silver belongs 1″ from edge of table. A simple rule to
remember when much silver is used is to place silver in the order in
which it is to be used, counting from the outside toward the plate. A
fruit spoon which is to be used first would thus be farthest from the
plate. Water glass belongs, right side up, at end of blade of knife.
=Breakfast=: Place a steel knife and fruit knife with sharp edge toward
the plate. Cereal or fruit spoons should be placed with bowls up. One
or two forks should be placed at left of plate with tines up.
=Luncheon=: Placing of silver depends upon dishes to be served. If a
soup is to be served first then a soup spoon belongs on outside. Place
two forks at left of plate and arrange other silver as indicated in
paragraph, “Placing Silver.”
=Dinner=: As at luncheon placing of silver depends upon the dishes
to be served. Usually at a full course dinner the oyster fork is
placed farthest from the plate at the right, soup spoon next, silver
knife next, and a steel knife closest to the plate. Other knives,
if necessary, will be placed on table as needed. Two forks and a
dinner fork are placed at the left of the plate. Here it is well to
remember that the old idea of loading a table with silver is no longer
considered good taste. Simplicity is the order of the day.
Small pepper and salt shakers are usually placed so as one set serves
two persons.
Water is always served at the table from a water bottle after cubes of
clean ice are dropped in glass with ice tongs. Water glasses are also
always refilled at the table.
One piece of butter may be placed on butter chip or at the side of the
bread and butter plate. Bread is sliced and placed on bread plate.
Food and drink to which the guest must help himself is placed at a
convenient height and always served from the left. Food on the table
for which the diner must reach may be taken from either right or left.
KITCHEN ECONOMY
=Potatoes=: Select potatoes having the most perfect skin, free of
“eyes” and heavy for size; may be bought by the sack, barrel or
carload, or in real small quantities.
=Cabbage=: The firmest and heaviest heads are best; usually sold by
weight.
=Cauliflower=: Select large, solid heads that are creamy white; wilted
leaves and dark flower heads indicate staleness.
=Squash=: Hubbard and other varieties of fall or winter squash and
pumpkins are selected by weight; those heavy for size are likely to be
tender and of rich flavor.
=Turnips=: Medium-sized are generally sweetest, provided they are firm,
heavy and free from green spots.
=Carrots, Parsnips and Salsify=: Are best when unwilted, solid, heavy
and free from side roots.
=Cucumbers=: Select those of medium size that are dark green, straight,
firm and not over-plump.
=Spinach=: Should be bright green in color, unwilted and crisp.
=Celery=: The dwarf type is much finer flavored than mammoth; either
variety should be white, firm and crisp with unwilted leaves.
=Lettuce=: Head lettuce is considered superior to that known as
“leaf-lettuce.” Firm, solid heads heavy for size are delicately
flavored. The coarse outside leaves should be unwilted. Romaine,
escarole and chicory belong to the same family and are tested the same
as lettuce for freshness.
=Egg Plant=: Large, oval-shaped purple plants are best. They should be
firm with brilliant skin.
=Tomatoes=: Smooth, firm, heavy tomatoes are least watery and best
flavored. They are often bought when partly ripe and allowed to ripen.
=Onions=: Thin-skinned, solid onions are always best; mildest variety
is the large Spanish onion.