cold water. Boil until the shells burst open. Remove from the stove,
pour the clam liquor into an earthen dish and set away to settle. When
the clams have cooled a little, pick them from the shells, remove the
night-caps, cut off the head, to the shoulders, washing each clam. Cut
three or four slices of fat salt pork and fry in the bottom of a
kettle with half an onion. Skim these from the fat, pour in the clam
liquor, add a little hot water. When this boils, add the raw potatoes,
which have been pared and sliced thin, and cook until tender. Split the
crackers open and soak till soft in milk or water. Add these and the
clams to the potatoes. Cook ten minutes, then add a quart of milk and
salt, if needed. Do not let it boil after adding the milk. Serve hot.
This is very delicious.
=New England Fish Chowder=
4 Slices of Fat Salt Pork
6 or 8 Potatoes
1 Small Onion
2 or 3 Pounds of Fresh Haddock or Codfish
8 Boston Crackers
Fry the salt pork, with the onion, in the bottom of a kettle, skim from
the fat, and pour in about a quart of water. Slice the potatoes thin,
after they have been washed and pared. Make alternate layers of fish
and potatoes, seasoning each layer with pepper and salt. Cook until
both are tender. Then put in the split crackers, which have been soaked
in milk or water, as for clam chowder. Cook for ten minutes. Pour in a
quart of milk, add a small piece of butter and serve hot.
=Lamb Broth=
2 Pounds of Fore-Quarter of Lamb
2/3 Cupful of Rice
1 Tablespoonful of Salt
1 Teaspoonful of Sage Leaves
Put the lamb into a kettle, cover with cold water, add the salt and
cook three hours. As the water boils away, add more. Wash the rice,
allowing three-fourths of an hour to cook; put in the sage, about
fifteen minutes before serving, and thicken with two tablespoonfuls of
flour, wet in two-thirds of a cupful of water. The sage may be left out
if preferred.
=A Good Oyster Stew=
25 Oysters
1 Teaspoonful of Flour
1 Quart of Milk
Butter
Salt
Take twenty-five oysters, with their liquor and put these into an agate
dish on the stove with salt to taste, in a pint of cold water. Boil
five minutes. Stir into this one heaping teaspoonful of flour, which
has been wet with two tablespoonfuls of cold water. Add one quart of
milk. Let it come to a boil, but be sure not to have it boil. Remove
from the fire, and add a piece of butter the size of an egg. This is
sufficient for eight people.
=Potato Soup=
4 Potatoes
3 Pints of Milk
Piece of Butter size of an Egg
Small piece of Onion
Take four large potatoes, boil until done and mash smooth, adding
butter and salt to taste. Heat the milk in a double boiler, cook the
onion in it a few minutes and then remove. Pour the milk slowly on the
potato, strain, heat and serve immediately. Thicken with one
tablespoonful of flour.
* * * * * *
=VEGETABLES=
=Green Corn Fritters=
2 Cupfuls of Corn, grated from the cob
2 Eggs
A Little Salt
1/2 Cupful of Milk
1/2 Cupful of Flour
1 Level Teaspoonful of Cream of Tartar
1/2 Level Teaspoonful of Soda
Beat the eggs, then add the milk and salt. Stir the corn into the dry
flour, wetting with the milk and eggs, then fry in hot lard.
=Delicious Stuffed Baked Potatoes=
Bake six potatoes, or enough for family. When done, set away to cool
slightly. Cut off a small piece, scoop out the inside, mash, add
butter, salt, and milk, also tiny bits of parsley, if liked. Fill the
shells with this mixture, put back in the oven and bake until brown.
=Creamed Potatoes=
4 or 5 Baked Potatoes
1 Pint of Milk
1/2 Teaspoonful of Salt
Butter, the size of a Walnut
Pare the potatoes and cut into small pieces. Put them on the stove, in
an agate dish, salt and cover with milk. Let them cook fifteen or
twenty minutes, then thicken with one tablespoonful of flour, stirred
with half a cupful of water; put in the butter and serve hot.
=Scalloped Potatoes=
Butter a baking-dish, pare and slice potatoes in small pieces. Put into
the dish with salt, pepper and a little butter. Fill the dish with
milk, sprinkle over the top cracker or bread crumbs, and cheese, if you
like it. Bake in the oven for an hour and a half or two hours.
=Baked Tomatoes=
6 Tomatoes
2 Cupfuls of Bread Crumbs
Small piece of Onion
A Few Stalks of Celery Hearts
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Cut off a small piece of each tomato and scoop out the inside. Mix this
with two cupfuls, or the same amount of bread crumbs, the chopped
onion, salt and pepper. Then fill the tomatoes with this mixture,
putting small pieces of butter over the top. Place these in a pan in
which is a very little water, to prevent sticking, and bake in a hot
oven from twenty minutes to half an hour.
=Fried Tomatoes=
Pare and slice (not very thin), dip into flour and fry on a griddle in
hot fat.
* * * * * *
APPENDIX
* * * * * *
=HOUSEHOLD HINTS OLD AND NEW FOR HOUSEKEEPERS YOUNG AND OLD=
=To Save Confusion in the Home=
"Plan your work, then work your plan."
_Monday_--Wash, if you have it done in the house. If sent out, use
that day for picking up and putting things in order, after the disorder
of Sunday.
_Tuesday_--Iron.
_Wednesday_--Finish ironing and bake; wash kitchen floor.
_Thursday, Friday_--Sweep and dust, thoroughly.
_Saturday_--Bake, and prepare in every way possible, for the
following day.
=Have in or Near Your Sink=
A handle dish cloth.
A wire dish cloth.
A cake of scouring soap.
A small brush for cleaning vegetables.
These articles are indispensable. Also have two cloths, which must be
kept perfectly clean.
One for washing dishes.
One for washing sink.
=Homemade Shortening=
Do not throw away small pieces of fat from pork, lamb or steak. Put
them on the stove, in a skillet or agate dish and cook them till there
is nothing left, but scraps. Then pare a potato, wash clean, cut into
thin slices and cook in the fat for a half hour to clarify it. Strain
through a cloth. This will be good to fry doughnuts in and for all
purposes, where shortening is needed, except for pie crust.
Pieces of fat, not fit for shortening can be saved in some old utensil
and made into kitchen soap.
=To Make Tea and Coffee=
Always use freshly boiled water. Do not boil more than three or four
minutes. This is very important, in making a good cup of tea or coffee.
Never use water which has stood in the teakettle over night.
=A Use for Left-over Coffee=
Do not throw away the coffee you have left from breakfast. If you do
not care for iced coffee for dinner, make a little coffee jelly, by the
recipe on page 27.
=Never Throw away Old Underclothes=
Keep them for housecleaning, for washing windows and for washing lamp
chimneys. Old pieces of calico, or flannel make good holders to use
about the stove. Wash, boil and dry cleaning cloths when soiled, that
they may be ready for use again.
=That Leaky Hot-Water Bag=
Do not throw away an old hot-water bag because it leaks. Fasten over
the leak, a strong piece of adhesive plaster. Fill the bag with sand or
salt and cover with flannel. It will hold heat for a long time, and can
be used instead of the water bottle.
=To Keep your Hands White=
Keep a piece of lemon in your bathroom or kitchen. It will remove
stains from the hands.
=To Brown Flour=
Spread flour upon a tin pie plate, put it in a hot oven, and stir
constantly, after it begins to brown, until it is all colored. Keep
always on hand. It is good for coloring and thickening gravies.
=Lemons and Fish=
Lemon juice makes a very grateful addition to all kinds of fish. Thin
slices of lemon, with sprigs of parsley, around a platter of fish,
makes a pretty garnish.
=To Try out Lard=
If you want good sweet lard, buy from your butcher, leaf lard. Skin
carefully, cut into small pieces and put it into a kettle or sauce pan.
Pour in a half-cupful of water, to prevent burning, and cook slowly,
until there is nothing left but scraps. Remove the scraps with a
skimmer, salt it a little, and strain through a clean cloth, into tin
pails. Be sure not to scorch it.
=How to Keep Eggs=
In the summer, when eggs are cheap, buy a sufficient number of freshly
laid ones to last through the winter.
Take one part of liquid glass, and nine parts of cold water which has
been boiled, and mix thoroughly.
Put the eggs into a stone crock, and pour over them this mixture,
having it come an inch above the eggs. The eggs will keep six months,
if they are perfectly fresh when packed and will have no taste, as when
put into lime water.
=Save your Old Stockings=
Old stockings are fine for cleaning the range. Slip your hand into the
foot and rub hard, or place an old whisk broom inside. It will make the
sides and front of the range clean and shiny. In fact, you will seldom
need to use blacking on these parts.
=When Washing Lamp Chimneys=
If you live in the country and use kerosene lamps, do not dread washing
the chimneys. Make a good hot suds, then wash them in this, with a
clean cloth kept for that purpose. Pour over them very hot or boiling
water and dry with an old soft cloth. Twist a piece of brown paper or
newspaper, into cornucopia shape and place over the chimneys to
protect from dust and flies.
=To Remove Disagreeable Odors from the House=
Sprinkle fresh ground coffee, on a shovel of hot coals, or burn sugar
on the shovel. This is an old-fashioned disinfectant, still good.
=To Lengthen the Life of a Broom=
Your broom will last much longer and be made tough and pliable, by
dipping for a minute or two, in a pail of boiling suds, once a week. A
carpet will wear longer if swept with a broom treated in this way.
Leave your broom bottom side up, or hang it.
=To Prevent Mold on Top of Glasses of Jelly=
Melt paraffine and pour over the jelly after it is cold. No brandy,
paper, or other covering is necessary.
=To Clean Nickel Stove Trimmings=
Rub with kerosene and whiting, and polish with a dry cloth.
=To Clean Zinc or Copper=
Wash with soap suds and powdered bristol brick. When perfectly dry,
take a flannel cloth and dry powdered bristol or any good cleaning
powder and polish. You will be pleased with the result. I have tried
this for forty years.
=How to Prevent Button Holes from Fraying=
When making button holes in serge or any material which frays, place a
piece of lawn of two thicknesses, underneath and work through this.
Another way is to make four stitchings in the goods the length of the
button hole. Cut between these, leaving two stitchings each side of the
hole.
=When Making a Silk Waist=
Stitch a crescent shaped piece of the same material as your waist under
the arm. It will wear longer and when the outside wears out it looks
neater than a patch. If the waist is lined, put this between the lining
and the outside.
=To Make Old Velvet Look New=
Turn hot flatirons bottom side up. Rest these on two pieces of wood, or
hold in your lap. Put over them a piece of wet cloth, then lay the
velvet on this. Brush with a whisk broom. The steam from the wet cloth
will raise the nap and take out the creases.
=Onion Skins as a Dye=
If you wish for a bright yellow, save your onion skins. They will color
white cloth a very bright yellow. This is a good color for braided
rugs, such as people used to make.
=To Remove Egg Stain from Silver=
Salt when applied dry, with a soft piece of flannel will remove the
stain from silver, caused by eggs.
=Put a Little Cornstarch in Salt Shakers=
This will prevent the salt from becoming too moist to shake out.
=How to Color Lace Ecru=
If you wish for ecru lace and you have only a piece of white, dip it
into cold tea or coffee, until you have the desired color.
=To Keep Lettuce Crisp=
Put it into a paper bag and place right on the ice. It will keep a week
in this way.
=To Keep Celery=
Do not put it into water. Wrap it in a cloth, wet in cold water and
place directly on the ice.
=To Keep a Piece of Salt Pork Sweet=
Put it in a strong brine made of one quart of cold water, and two-thirds
of a cup of salt.
=Save Potato-Water=
Pare potatoes before boiling, and then save the water, to mix your
yeast bread with.
=A Use for the Vinegar Off Pickles=
When your pickles have been used from your glass jars, do not throw
away the vinegar. Use it in your salad dressing. It is much better than
plain vinegar because of the flavor.
=Do not Allow a Child to Eat Fresh Snow=
This often looks clean and pure but fill a tumbler with it, cover to
keep out the dust and then show it to the child, that he may see for
himself, the dirt it contains.
=When Making Hermits or Cookies=
Instead of rolling and cutting as usual, drop the dough into a large
iron pan. The heat of the oven melts them into one sheet. Cut them into
squares or long narrow strips. It takes much less time, than the old
way of rolling and cutting.
=To Clean a Vinegar Cruet on the Inside=
Put into it shot, pebblestones, or beans. Fill it with a strong soap
suds, and one teaspoonful of bread soda or ammonia. Let stand an hour,
shake well and often. Rinse with clean water.
=To Make Tough Meat, or a Fowl Tender=
Put one tablespoonful of vinegar, into the kettle while boiling.
=To Remove Black Grease=
Rub patiently with ether. It will not leave a ring, like gasolene, and
will remove every trace of the stain.
=To Keep an Iron Sink from Rusting=
Wash with hot suds. When dry rub it well, with a cloth wet with
kerosene. Do this three or four times a week and your sink will look
well, all the time.
=How to Add Salt to Hot Milk=
Salt will curdle new milk, so when making gravies, or puddings, put
your salt into the flour, or with eggs and sugar, to add when the milk
boils. Use a double boiler for milk gravies and gruels.
=To Soften Boots and Shoes=
Rub them with kerosene. Shoes will last longer, if rubbed over with
drippings from roast lamb. Old-fashioned people always used mutton
tallow on children's shoes.
=A Way to Cook Chops=
Pork or lamb chops are very nice, if baked in a hot oven. Turn them as
they brown. It saves the smoke in the room.
=When Cooking Canned Corn=
Place it in a double boiler to prevent scorching.
=Salted Almonds=
Shell the nuts and put into boiling water. When they have stood for
fifteen or twenty minutes, the skin will slip off easily. When dry, mix
a half-teaspoonful of olive oil or butter, and a quarter of a
teaspoonful of salt, with a cupful of nut meats. Spread on a tin pan,
and place in a hot oven. Bake fifteen or twenty minutes. Watch closely
and stir several times, as they burn quickly. Treat peanuts in the same
way.
=Before Washing Colored Clothes=
It is wise to set the color first, by soaking in a strong solution of
cold salt water (one cupful of salt to half a pail of water). Soak two
hours.
=To Remove Iron Rust from White Goods=
The old-fashioned way, still good, is to wet the place in lemon juice,
sprinkle on it common table salt, and lay it in the sun. In these later
days, there is on the market an iron rust soap, which removes the spot
quickly, also an ink eradicator, sold by all druggists.
=How to Make Starch=
Two tablespoonfuls of starch should be made into a smooth paste with
four tablespoonfuls of cold water. Pour over this three pints of
boiling water, stirring rapidly all the time. Starch the garments,
while they are still wet. In the olden days, people made starch of
flour in the same way, for linen and gingham dresses, as it was less
expensive and thought to be just as good for colored clothes.
=When you Go Away from Home for a Few Days=
Plan your meals before leaving. This simplifies matters for the one
left in charge, and is often found to be of importance financially.
=The Proper Way to Sweep a Room=
Dust the furniture and put it in another room. Dust bric-a-brac and put
on the bed if you are sweeping a sleeping room, if another room put
them on the table, or in an adjoining room. Brush the draperies, take
down and lay on the bed or table. Cover these and bric-a-brac with a
sheet. Wet a newspaper, tear into small pieces and spread on the rug or
carpet. Now you are ready for sweeping. If the floor is carpeted, sweep
all dirt to the center of the room. Sweep the corners with a small
whisk broom. Move every piece of furniture lest there be dirt left
underneath. Open the windows before sweeping. When the dust is settled
take a pail of warm water, put in a tablespoonful of ammonia, then with
a clean cloth wrung from this wipe the window glass, mirror and
pictures; polish with dry cloth. Wipe all finger marks from doors and
mop boards.
Now take a pail of clean water, with ammonia, and with a small
scrubbing brush go over the rug or carpet, to remove dust and brighten
the colors. Replace furniture, bric-a-brac and draperies and your room
will be sweet and clean. With care, once in two or three weeks, will be
often enough to do this.
=When Baking Cup Custards=
Set them into a pan of hot water. When you remove from the oven, place
them in a pan of cold water, to prevent longer cooking.
=When Using Currants and Raisins=
Mix a little dry flour with currants and raisins before adding them to
cakes or puddings. It will keep them from falling to the bottom.
=Try Baking Beets, Instead of Boiling Them=
They are much sweeter. Three or four hours is necessary, according to
size.
=When Making Grape Juice or Jelly=
Before adding the sugar, strain through a flannel bag. It will be much
clearer.
=When Sewing Braid on a Dress=
Slip a piece of pasteboard three or four inches long, into the hem. You
can sew more quickly, and your stitches will not show on the right side.
=To Skin Beets=
When you remove beets from the kettle, plunge them into a dish of cold
water. The skins will slip off easily with the hand. Never cut or pare
beets before cooking.
=A Fine Way to Keep Cut Roses=
Immerse them at night in a pail of cold water, blossoms down.
=To Keep Carnations=
Put a little salt in the water, which should be changed each morning,
and cut the stems a little each time.
=When Pies are Ready to Bake=
Put little dabs of lard, on the top crust, then hold it under the
faucet, letting cold water run over it.
=A Way to Make Pies Brown and Shiny=
Just before putting a pie in the oven, brush over the top with milk,
using a soft brush or a clean piece of cheese cloth.
=When Threading a Needle=
Place a piece of white paper under the eye. You will be surprised at
the ease, with which you can thread it.
=Make your Own Baking Powder=
Get your grocer to weigh for you one pound of cream of tartar, and one-half
pound of bread soda. Sift these together nine times in a flour
sifter. Put in a tin can, and it is ready for use.
=To Prevent Children from Losing Mittens=
Sew strongly to each mitten, four or five inches of narrow black ribbon
(use a colored one if you prefer). Sew the other end of ribbon to the
coat sleeve. The child can remove mittens at any time without losing
them and always know where they are.
=Teach a Child to Hang up his Own Coat and Hat=
Have some hooks, low down in the closet or kitchen where a child can
reach them easily, to be used only by himself.
=To Keep your Own Umbrella=
Take a piece of narrow white tape, three or four inches long. With a
glass pen, or a new clean steel one, and indelible ink, write your name
upon it. Sew this to the inside of the umbrella.
=To Wash a White Silk Waist, or a Baby's Bonnet=
Use cold water and white soap. Hot water will turn white silk yellow.
=When Ironing Embroidery=
Place it right side down on a piece of soft flannel, ironing on the
wrong side. If flannel is not at hand, try an old turkish towel.
=To Wash Small Pieces of Lace=
Put in a horse radish bottle and pour over them, strong soap suds, good
and hot, and shake well. Let stand awhile and shake again. Rinse in
clear, warm water, by shaking. Dry on a clean cloth in the sunshine.
=Never Throw away Sour Milk=
It is excellent for graham bread, gingerbread, brown bread, griddle
cakes, and doughnuts, also biscuit.
You can make a delicious cottage cheese of a very small quantity.
Set the milk on the back of the stove, in an agate dish. Let stand
until the whey separates from the curd. Strain through a cloth,
squeezing the curd dry. Put in a little salt, a small piece of butter,
and a little sage if desired. Press into balls and serve.
=Mark New Rubbers=
Take a pointed stick--a wooden skewer from the butcher's is best--dip
it into ink and write the name, on the inside.
=Economical Hints=
Save small pieces of soap in the bathroom, by placing in a cup or small
box, until you have a cupful. Add a little water and boil a few minutes;
when nearly cool, press with the hands, and you have a new cake of soap.
Do not throw away the white papers around cracker boxes. They are good
to clean irons and will save buying ironing wax. If irons are dirty put
a good layer of salt on newspaper and rub the irons back and forth.
Save even the coupons on your soap wrappers. You can get a silver
thimble for your mending bag with them, if nothing more.
Save your strong string, to wrap around packages going by parcel post.
Also fold nicely for further use your clean wrapping papers. Make a bag
of pretty cretonne, hang in the kitchen or cellar way, to keep the
string and wrapping paper in. You will find it very convenient.
Do not throw away small pieces of bread. Save them for plum pudding,
queen's pudding, or dressing for fish or fowl. If broken into small
pieces and browned in a hot oven, it is very nice to eat with soups.
Or, dry well, roll fine and keep in a glass jar, to be used for breaded
pork chops, croquettes, or oysters.
=To Mend Broken China=
Stir into a strong solution of gum arabic, plaster of Paris. Put this
on each side of the china, holding together for a few minutes. Make it
as thick as cream.
=To Clean Old Jewelry=
Wash in warm water containing a little ammonia. If very dirty rub with
a brush. This is very good also for cleaning hair brushes and combs.
=Dish Washing Made a Pleasure=
First of all, remove all refuse from the dishes. Place them near the
sink, large plates at the bottom, then the smaller ones, then saucers.
Have a large pan full of very hot water. Make a good soap suds by using
a soap shaker. Wash the tumblers and all glassware first, and wipe at
once. Use a handle dish cloth (which can be bought for five cents), for
these, as the water will be too hot for the hands.
Wash the silver next. Have a large pan, in which to place the clean
dishes, cups and bowls first. When all are washed pour over them
boiling or very hot water, and wipe quickly. Pans and kettles come
last. Always have a cake of sand soap or a can of cleaning powder, for
scouring the pie plates and bottoms of kettles. It is very little work
to keep baking tins and kitchen utensils in good condition, if washed
perfectly clean each time they are used.
Wash the dish towels, at least once every day, and never use them for
anything else. With clean hot water, clean towels, and plenty of soap
dishwashing is made easy.
If you live in New England, your sink will be in front of a window. Be
sure and plant just outside of this window nasturtiums, a bed of
pansies, morning glories and for fall flowers, salvia. These bright
blossoms will add to your pleasure while washing dishes.
=A Space Saver=
If you are crowded for space in closet, kitchen or pantry buy a spiral
spring, such as is used for sash curtains. Fasten the end pieces to the
back of the door, and stretch the spring from end to end. You now have
a fine place to hang towels, stockings or neckties, or if used in a
pantry, to keep covers.
=Another Space Saver=
If you have no closet in your room, get a board, nine inches wide, and
three or four feet long. Put it in the most convenient place in your
room on two brackets. Stain it the color of your woodwork. Screw into
the under side of the board, wardrobe hooks. Now get a pretty piece of
cretonne or denim, hem top and bottom, and tack with brass headed tacks
to the shelf, having it long enough to come to the floor, and around
the ends of the board. Use the top for a book shelf or hats.
=If the Freshness of Eggs is Doubtful=
Break each one separately into a cup, before mixing together. Yolks and
whites beaten separately, make a cake much lighter than when beaten
together.
=When Bread Cooks Too Quickly=
When your bread is browning on the outside, before it is cooked inside,
put a clean piece of brown paper over it. This will prevent scorching.
=To Remove the Odor of Onions=
Fill with cold water kettles and sauce pans in which they have been
cooked adding a tablespoonful of bread soda and the same of ammonia.
Let stand on the stove until it boils. Then wash in hot suds and rinse
well. A pudding or bean pot, treated in this way, will wash easily.
Wood ashes in the water will have the same effect.
=Never Leave a Glass of Water or Medicine, Uncovered in a Room=
This is very _important_. Water will absorb all the gases, with
which a room is filled from the respiration of those sleeping in the
room.
=Weights and Measures=
4 Teaspoonsfuls equal 1 tablespoonful of liquid.
4 Tablespoonfuls equal half a gill.
2 Coffee-cupfuls equal 1 pint.
2 Pints equal 1 quart.
4 Coffee-cupfuls of sifted flour equal 1 pound.
1 Quart of unsifted flour equals 1 pound.
1 Pint of granulated sugar equals 1 pound.
1 Coffee-cupful of cold butter pressed down equals 1 pound.
An ordinary tumbler holds the same as a coffee cup.
It is well to have a tin or glass cup, marked in thirds or quarters for
measuring.
=When to Salt Vegetables=