BETTINA GIVES A PORCH BREAKFAST
BETTINA had risen early that beautiful July morning, for she had much to
do. Bob had insisted upon helping her, and at eight, Ruth was coming.
"Such a simple breakfast after all, Bob! Do you think she'll like it?"
"Sure she will! If she doesn't I'll disown her! Say, Bettina, I haven't
had my breakfast yet, and ten o'clock sounds far away. May I have just
one doughnut with my coffee?"
"Why, Bobby, Bobby! Did I forget you? Your Aunt Elizabeth and the whole
suffrage cause is on my mind this morning, but I didn't think even that
could make me forget you. Help yourself to anything you see that looks
good!"
The Aunt Elizabeth on Bettina's mind was an aunt of Bob's who was to be
in town between nine and twelve, in conference with some of the leading
suffragists of the city. She wished to see the bungalow, and at ten
o'clock Bettina was giving a breakfast for her and the women with whom
she was to confer. It was with fear and trepidation that Bettina had
invited them, although she declared to herself that she was sure, sure,
sure, of every dish on the menu!
As she arranged the great graceful yellow poppies in the center of the
porch table, set for six, she was feeling somewhat nervous.
"Bob, you must go now, or you'll be too late for the train. Take a taxi
home, not a street car."
"Taxi! You don't know my Aunt Elizabeth. She'd say, 'Say, young man, if
you aren't saving your money any better than this, you ought to be.'
And we'd probably end by walking."
"Hurry, dear."
The train proved to be late, and Ruth and Bettina were ready to the last
detail. While beautiful, distinguished-looking Aunt Elizabeth was
dressing, Bettina was meeting guests at the door. Before she realized
it, she had introduced everybody to the guest of honor, and was ushering
them out to her charming porch table.
"Oh, Ruth," she said in the kitchen, "isn't my Aunt Elizabeth lovely?
I'll say 'mine' now, not Bob's. I was in such a hurry that I forgot to
be frightened."
The breakfast consisted of:
Moulded Cereal on Bananas Whipped Cream
Codfish Balls Egg Soufflé
Green Peas
Twin Mountain Muffins Jelly
Doughnuts Coffee
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Codfish Balls= (Four portions)
1 C-raw salt fish
2 C-raw potatoes
1 t-butter
1/2 C-cracker crumbs
1 egg, well-beaten
1/4 t-pepper
more salt if needed
1 T-water
Shred the fish. Pare and quarter potatoes. Place the fish and potatoes
in a stewpan and cover with boiling water. Boil twenty-five minutes or
till the potatoes are soft. Do not boil too long or they will become
soggy. Drain well, mash and beat until light. Add butter, seasoning and
egg. Shape, roll in crumbs, egg mixed with water, more crumbs, and fry
in deep fat. These may be shaped into flat cakes, rolled in flour and
sautéd in hot fat. Garnish with parsley.
=Egg Soufflé= (Four portions)
2 T-butter
2 T-flour
2 C-milk
4 eggs
1 t-salt
a pinch of cayenne or 1/4
t-paprika
1 C-white sauce
2/3 C-cooked peas
Melt the butter, add the flour and gradually add the milk. Cook three
minutes, add seasoning and the well-beaten yolks. Fold in the beaten
whites and turn into buttered moulds. Set in a pan of hot water and bake
in a slow oven until firm (about twenty-five minutes). Serve with a
white sauce, highly seasoned, to which has been added one cup of cooked
peas. Pour the sauce around the soufflé.
=Potato Doughnuts= (Three dozen doughnuts)
1 C-mashed potatoes, hot
1-1/2 C-sugar
2 T-melted butter
3 t-baking powder
1/2 t-salt
1/2 C-sweet milk
2 eggs
3 C-flour
1/8 t-grated nutmeg
1/2 t-powdered cinnamon
Beat the eggs, add the sugar. Mash the potatoes and add the butter and
the milk. Add this mixture to the eggs and sugar. Add the flour, baking
powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon sifted together. Roll one-fourth of an
inch thick, cut with a doughnut cutter, and fry in hot deep fat.