BETTINA'S FATHER TRIES HER COOKING
"SO she is about to try her cooking on me, is she?" said Bettina's
father to Bob, as he sat down at the table. "Well, I'll admit that I
have looked forward to this all day. But there was a time when I was a
little more skeptical of Bettina's culinary skill. You know, when mother
was in California two years ago last winter----"
"Now, Charlie, you know that all girls have to learn at some time or
other," interrupted Bettina's mother. "And I believe that Bob has fared
pretty well, considering that Bettina is just beginning to keep
house----"
"I should say so!" said Bob, heartily. "Why, I'm getting fat! I was
weighed to-day, and----"
"Don't say any more, Bob! We'll rent the house and take to boarding! If
you get fat----"
"No boarding-houses for mine! Not after your cooking, Bettina! I had
enough of boarding before I was married. Say--how long ago that does
seem."
"Has the time dragged as much as that? Well, I'll change the subject.
Dad, how do you like my Japanese garden? I think it's pretty, don't
you?"
"I certainly do, my dear. What are those feathery things?"
"Why, don't you know that, Father? And when you were a boy, you worked
on a farm one summer, too! There's a parsnip and a horse radish, and a
beet. Then there are a few parsley seeds and grass seeds on a tiny
sponge! And see the little shells and stones that Bob and I collected
for it."
"Yes, we found that pink stone up the river on a picnic a year ago last
May, before we were engaged, or were we engaged then, Bettina? And the
purple one----"
"Oh, you needn't reminisce," Bettina interrupted hastily. "Eat your
dinner."
_"Every little stone
Has a meaning all its own,
Every little shell----
But it wouldn't do to tell."_
"I composed that poem just this minute," said Bob, undisturbed.
"Will you help me get the dessert now, Robert? Are you ready, Mother?
And Father?"
"Yes, indeed. A very fine dinner, Bettina. We never have steak fixed
this way at home; do we, Mother? Can we try it some day soon?"
"I have something for dessert that you like, Dad. Guess what!"
"What is it? Oh, lemon pie! That is fine, I can tell you! But I know
already that it won't be as good as your mother's! Still, we'll try it
and see!"
That evening for dinner, Bettina served:
Devilled Steak New Potatoes in Cream
Baking-powder Biscuits Jelly
Cucumber and Radish Salad
Lemon Pie
Coffee
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Devilled Steak= (Four portions)
2 T-butter
1 T-onion
1-1/2 lb. flank steak 3/4 inch thick
2 T-flour
1 t-salt
1/2 t-pepper
1/8 t-paprika
1 t-mustard
1 T-vinegar
1 T-flour
2 C-water
Melt the butter in a frying-pan, slice the onion in it and sauté gently
until golden brown in color. Remove the onion from the butter, cut the
flank steak into pieces three by two inches. Dredge these lightly in one
tablespoon flour and sauté in the butter until well browned. Remove the
meat from the frying-pan; add the salt, pepper, paprika, mustard,
vinegar and flour. Mix all together and add the water slowly. Replace
the steak in the pan, cover closely and simmer one hour, or until the
steak is tender. Serve on a warm platter and pour the gravy over it.
=Baking Powder Biscuit= (Fifteen biscuits)
2 C-flour
4 t-baking powder
1/4 t-salt
3 T-lard
2/3 C-milk
Mix and sift the flour, baking powder and salt; cut in the lard with a
knife until the consistency of cornmeal. Add the milk, mixing with a
knife. Pat into a rectangular shape, one-half inch thick, on a floured
board. Cut with a biscuit cutter one and one-half inches in diameter.
Place side by side in a tin pan. Bake in a moderate oven fifteen
minutes.
=Cucumber and Radish Salad= (Four portions)
1 C-diced cucumbers
1/2 C-diced radishes
2 t-chopped onion
1 t-salt
1/4 t-pepper
4 T-salad dressing
4 lettuce leaves
Mix the cucumbers, radishes, onions, salt and pepper. Add salad
dressing. Serve on lettuce leaves.
=Lemon Pie=
Filling
1 C-sugar
1/2 t-salt
juice 1 large lemon
2 egg-yolks
1-1/2 C-water
1 t-grated rind
1/2 C-flour
1 t-butter
Beat the egg yolks, add the sugar gradually and beat; add the flour,
salt, water, lemon juice and rind. Cook in a double boiler until it
thickens. Pour into the pastry shell, cover with meringue and bake in a
moderate oven until the meringue is brown.
=Pie Crust=
1 C-flour
1/3 C-lard
1/8 t-salt
2 T-cold water
Cut the lard into the flour and salt with a knife. Add the water
gradually, lifting with a knife that portion that was moistened first
and pushing it to one side of the bowl, wet another portion and continue
until all is moistened, using just enough water to hold together. Put
together and place on a floured board. Roll the crust to fit the pan.
Press the crust firmly into the bottom of the pan. Prick the sides and
bottom with a fork. Crinkle the edges of the crust; have the crust
extend above the edge of the pan to make a deep shell for the filling.
Bake the crust first to make it more crisp. Do not butter the pan. Bake
from five to six minutes in a hot oven. When the crust is done, add the
filling and cover this with the meringue.
=Meringue=
2 egg whites beaten stiff
5 T-sugar (powdered preferred)
1/2 t-lemon extract
Do not beat the egg-whites until ready for use. Then beat until stiff
and add the sugar and extract, beating only a minute. Pile the meringue
lightly on top of the filling, and bake the whole slowly. If baked too
quickly, the meringue will rise and then fall. Bake only until it turns
a golden brown.