THE BIG SECRET
"COME in, Alice! Now do say that you'll stay to dinner, for we can talk
afterward."
"Well, if you'll take me out into the kitchen where you are working. You
see, I have all this to learn, and I'm depending on you to help me."
"Of course I'll help, Alice, but you are so clever about anything that
you care to do that I know you'll soon outstrip your teacher. Tell me
first, does anyone know the Big Secret yet?"
"Not a soul but Bettina, Bob, and my family. That is what I came to talk
about."
"Oh, Alice, I'd love to be the one to give the announcement luncheon, or
the breakfast, or whatever you prefer to have it!"
"Would you do it, really? Bettina, I've been longing to have you offer,
but it is work and trouble, and I didn't want to suggest it."
"Why, Alice, I just enjoy that kind of work! I'd be flattered to be
allowed to have it here. Of course, you know that I can't do anything
very elaborate or expensive, but I'm sure that between us we can think
up just the prettiest, cleverest way of telling it that any prospective
bride ever had!"
"Bettina, my faith is in you!"
"When do you plan to be married?"
"Late in October or early in November, I think. And I'd prefer not to
have it announced for a month. You see, I don't want to allow time for
too many festivities in between."
"Oh, Alice, if you take my advice, you won't have any showers or parties
at all. I know you! If you do allow it, you'll have more excitement than
any bride in this town!"
"Well, Harry advises me not to, but oh, Betty, you know how it is! I
know so many people, and I do like fun, and then Mother likes to think
of me as the center of things. She's afraid that when I am married to
Harry I'll become as quiet as he is, and then too, I honestly don't
think she'd feel that I was really married without it. You know sister
Lillian had lots of excitement and more parties crowded into a day
than----"
"Yes, and she was so tired that she nearly fainted when she stood up to
be married!"
"That's true, but she liked the fun, anyhow. She says that a girl can
have that kind of fun only once, and she's silly to deny herself. Well,
I'll have a whole month to think it over in. I've been sitting here all
this time, Bettina, trying to decide what it is that you are
making--those croquettes, I mean."
"They are potato and green corn croquettes, and Bob is very fond of
them. I made them because I happened to have some left-over corn. Until
I learned this recipe, I didn't know what to do with the ears of cooked
green corn that were left."
"And what is the meat dish?"
"Well, that is made of left-overs, too, but I think you'll like it.
Creole Lamb, it is called. It is made of a little cold cooked lamb that
was left from last night's dinner. The rhubarb sauce that I am serving
with the dinner was our dessert last night. But I do have a very good
new dessert!"
"New or not, the dinner does sound good. There is Bob, now, and I'm so
glad, for I confess that my appetite is even larger than usual!"
The menu that night was as follows:
Creole Lamb
Potato and Green Corn Croquettes
Rhubarb Sauce
Bread Butter
Head Lettuce French Dressing
Lemon Pie Cheese
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Creole Lamb= (Three portions)
1 T-butter
1 T-chopped green pepper
1/2 T-onion, chopped
1 T-flour
1/4 C-meat stock or water
1/4 C-tomato pulp
1/2 t-lemon juice
1/2 t-salt
1/3 t-horseradish
1/2 C-cold cooked lamb, cut in cubes
3 pieces of toast
Melt the butter, add pepper and onion. Cook two minutes and add flour,
stock, pulp, lemon juice, salt and horseradish. Boil two minutes,
stirring constantly. Add the lamb. Heat thoroughly, and serve on toast
strips.
=Potato and Green Corn Croquettes= (Three portions)
1 C-hot mashed potatoes
1 C-green corn pulp, cooked with
1 T-butter
1/2 t-salt
1/2 t-pepper
1 egg yolk
Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Shape into cylindrical form,
roll in bread crumbs, dip in beaten egg, roll again in crumbs. Deep fry.
The egg yolks for croquettes may have a tablespoon of water added for
each yolk. The whites as well as the yolks may be used for covering the
croquettes. To get the corn pulp, cut the kernels lengthwise of the
rows, and press out the pulp with the back of the knife. This recipe is
good for left-over corn.