AN EARLY CALLER
BOB had scarcely left the house the next morning when Bettina was called
to the door. "I couldn't resist coming!" said Alice. "The announcement
party was lovely, and I must thank you for doing it. Aren't you tired to
pieces?"
"No, Ruth helped me a great deal, and by the time Bob came home to
dinner, the luncheon dishes were washed and put away and the house was
in apple-pie order."
"Everything tasted delicious, Bettina. Maybe it sounds altogether too
practical for my own announcement party, but I'm armed with a pencil and
a notebook, and I do want to get some of those recipes of yours!"
"You're welcome to them all, Alice, of course. They are all recipes that
I have used over and over again, and I'm sure of them."
"What kind of soup was it? Celery? I thought so. Wasn't it hard to
prepare?"
"Why, Alice, it was canned celery soup, diluted with hot milk. Then I
added a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and a teaspoonful of chopped red
pepper."
"But surely it had whipped cream in it, Bettina!"
"Yes, I put a teaspoonful of whipped cream in the bottom of the bouillon
cup and poured the hot soup on it, so that it would be well mixed."
"Well, that accounts for it; I thought it must be made with whipped
cream. Oh, Bettina, everything was so pretty! The tulle bows on the
baskets holding the wafers and the rolls--and the butterflies perched
on them! How did you ever think of it?"
"Well, butterflies are a happy choice for decorations! They can be put
anywhere, and they are easy to make--at least Ruth says so."
"You use paper doilies a great deal, don't you! Aren't they expensive?"
"Expensive? Well, I wish you'd price them! They are so inexpensive that
I like to use them even for a very informal meal; they add such a dainty
touch, I think."
"I must write down the recipes for your tuna loaf, and green peppers
stuffed with cauliflower, and Russian dressing--and oh, that wonderful
kind of rainbow dessert! Bettina, what was that dessert?"
"Marshmallow cream made with gelatine and cream and marshmallows and
whites of eggs. I puzzled a long time over a real 'rainbow' dessert, and
finally decided on marshmallow cream with a few variations. Come into
the kitchen, where I keep my card index, and I'll get all the recipes
for you."
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Potato Balls= (Four portions)
4 potatoes
1 C-crumbs
1 t-salt
2 T-egg
Boil potatoes of uniform size with the skins on. When cold, peel, roll
in crumbs, to which salt has been added and then the beaten egg and
crumbs. Deep fry in very hot fat.
=Green Peppers Stuffed with Cauliflower= (Four portions)
4 green peppers
1 C-cooked cauliflower
1 C-vegetable sauce
2 T-crumbs
1 T-butter, melted
Cut a thin slice from the stem end of each large green pepper and remove
the seeds. Parboil ten minutes, and fill with creamed cauliflower and
buttered crumbs. Bake until the skins are tender, basting occasionally
with butter and water.
=Marshmallow Cream= (Four portions)
2 t-granulated gelatin
4 T-cold milk
2/3 C-sugar
1-1/3 C-double cream
1 t-vanilla extract
1 egg white well beaten
1 t-lemon extract
1/4 lb. marshmallows, cut in one-fourth cubes
4 toasted marshmallows
4 pecans
4 almonds
Soften the gelatin in milk for five minutes, and dissolve by setting the
dish in boiling water. Add the sugar. Allow the mixture to cool. When it
begins to congeal, add the flavorings. Beat in the whipped cream, and
continue beating until it is firm. Fold in the egg-white and the
marshmallows cut in cubes. When the mixture begins to set, pile lightly
in sherbet cups. Place one-half of a toasted marshmallow on the top, and
arrange pecan meats and candied cherries in a conventional design. Set
aside one hour to cool and harden.
Bettina colored the mixture with vegetable coloring of a very delicate
green. Then on the top she placed a teaspoonful of white whipped cream,
then the toasted marshmallow and the different fruits. Bettina browned
the marshmallows quickly in the oven, after she had cut them the desired
shape. She used cups with handles, and decorated them with fluffy bows
of variegated tulles. To make these bows, she took strips of each color
desired, one inch wide, tied them together, and "fluffed them out." She
might have gained a real rainbow effect by dividing the marshmallow
cream (when mixed, but not yet firm) into three bowls, and coloring them
green, lavender and pink, with delicate vegetable colors. Then, having
beaten in the whipped cream, she might have placed in each sherbet cup
three layers, pink, lavender and green. Then, on the top, she might have
placed the whipped cream.