BETTINA VISITS A TEA-ROOM
"AREN'T you a bit timid about driving?" asked Bettina, as she stepped
into the car beside Mrs. Dixon.
"Not now. You see, I've been practicing every evening with Frank, and he
says that I am as good a driver as he is! Oh, Bettina, we are having so
much fun these days! The little house is a great success, and I'm really
learning to cook! I've had some dreadful failures; but Frank doesn't
seem to mind. You see, I know he gets a good meal downtown at noon, and
so I don't worry about him."
"Look, Charlotte! What lovely goldenrod! We must stop and get some!
Don't you love it?"
"Indeed I do! I have a rough brown waste-paper basket that it looks
stunning in. I set the jar of goldenrod right inside! Frank is very fond
of it."
"Charlotte, you're just like a bride yourself--thinking about Frank's
likes and dislikes."
"Am I?" laughed Mrs. Dixon as her color rose. "Well, lately Frank seems
just like his old self! He appreciates everything so, and is so nice at
home! And it seems that he can hardly get home quickly enough! We have
enjoyed getting things settled and planning our future. Next year we may
build a house of our own, but I don't care to have it too large to
manage easily."
"Are you going to stop here?" asked Bettina, as Mrs. Dixon slowed down
after a peaceful stretch of level road.
"Yes, I want to show you something."
A short path led to a small house close to the road, but almost hidden
in a tangle of flowers and wild grapevines.
"Isn't this a cunning little rustic place?" asked Charlotte. "Two
friends of mine started it. See" (pointing to the sign over the door),
"it's called 'The Friendly Inn.' Inside you'll find that quotation about
living in a house at the side of the road and being a friend to every
man. You know that one. These girls live on that farm over there. When
they came home from college they wanted something to do--some way to
earn money--but they didn't care to leave home. This is such a splendid
road that the autos swarm past all summer long. These girls opened this
little tea room, and serve luncheons and tea here all summer. Most of
their supplies come directly from the farm. It is just a pleasant drive
from the city, and many people like to come out here in the afternoon.
I'll introduce you to the girls."
Bettina found the inn-keepers charming, and after a short conversation,
she and Mrs. Dixon ordered:
Tomato Cup Salad Iced Tea
Bread and Butter Sandwiches
Vanilla Ice Cream Chocolate Sauce
Marshmallow Cakes
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Tomato Cup Salad= (Six portions)
6 tomatoes
1 C-diced cucumbers
1/4 C-chopped green peppers
1/4 C-sliced radishes
1 T-chopped onion
1 t-salt
1/8 t-paprika
6 T-salad dressing
Wash cold firm tomatoes of a uniform size. Cut a slice from the stem end
and scoop out seeds and pulp. Save the pulp. Sprinkle the inside with
salt. Invert for five minutes. Mix the cucumber, green pepper, radishes,
onions, tomato pulp, and salad dressing. Fill with the mixture and
refill the shells. Have all of the ingredients cold and serve at once.
If the mixture stands in the tomato cups very long it becomes watery.
The tomatoes may be prepared and kept cool, and the mixture prepared,
all but the onion, and placed in the ice-box until ready for use. Never
put anything containing onion in the ice-box. Serve the tomatoes on
crisp lettuce leaves.
=Chocolate Sauce for the Ice Cream= (Six portions)
1 C-sugar
1 square of chocolate
1/8 t-salt
2 T-flour
1 t-butter
1 t-vanilla
2 C-boiling water
Mix the sugar, flour and salt. Add the square of chocolate and boiling
water. Allow to boil four minutes, stirring constantly. Add the butter
and vanilla. Serve hot or cold with ice cream.
=Marshmallow Cake=
Use any white cake recipe. Bake in gem pans. Cover with White Mountain
cream icing. Just before the icing is ready to spread, add quartered
marshmallows. Do not add the marshmallows while the icing is hot, as
they will melt, and the little "bumps" are attractive when spread on the
cake.