RUTH COMES TO LUNCHEON
"BETTINA, what makes the gas stove pop like that when I light it? I've
often wondered."
"Why, Ruth, that's because you apply the match too soon. You ought to
allow the gas to flow for about four seconds; that fills all the little
holes with gas and blows out the air. Then light it, and it won't pop or
go out. The flame ought to burn blue; if it burns yellow, turn it off,
and adjust it again."
"Well, I'm glad to know that. Sometimes it has been all right and
sometimes it hasn't, and I never realized that it was because I applied
the match too soon. I'm glad I came today."
"I'm glad, too, but not because of instructing you, I'm not competent to
do that in very many things, goodness knows! When I called up and asked
you to lunch, it was because I had such a longing to see what lovely
things you'd be making today. You will have the daintiest, prettiest
trousseau, Ruth!"
"I love to embroider, so I'm getting great fun out of it. I tell Fred
it's a treat to make pretty things and keep them all! They were usually
for gifts before! Oh, lobster salad?"
"No, creamed lobster on toast. There, Mister Lobster, you're out of your
can. I always hurry him out in double-quick time onto a plate, or into
an earthen-ware dish, because I'm so afraid something might interrupt
me, and I'd be careless enough to leave him in the opened can! Though I
know I never could be so careless. Then I never leave a metal fork
standing in lobster or canned fish. It's a bad thing."
"I knew about the can, but not about the fork, though I don't believe I
ever do leave a fork or a spoon in anything like that."
"Would you prefer tea, coffee, or chocolate with these cookies for
dessert?"
"Coffee, I believe, Bettina. Aren't they cunning cookies! What are
they?"
"Peanut cookies. I think they are good, and they are so simple to make.
They are nice with afternoon tea; mother often serves them. There--lunch
is all ready but the coffee, and we'll have that last."
Luncheon consisted of:
Creamed Lobster on Toast
Head Lettuce French Dressing with Green Peppers
Bread Butter
Peanut Cookies
Coffee
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Creamed Lobster on Toast= (Two portions)
2/3 C-lobster
2 T-butter
A few grains of cayenne pepper
1/3 t-salt
2 T-flour
1 C-milk
1/2 t-lemon juice
1 egg-yolk
3 slices of toast
Melt the butter, add the salt, cayenne and flour. Gradually add the
milk, cook until thick, stirring constantly unless in double boiler. Add
the egg-yolk. Add the lobster, separated with a fork, and the lemon
juice. Serve very hot on toast, garnished with parsley.
=Head Lettuce= (Two portions)
1 head lettuce
Remove the outside leaves and the core. Soak in cold water with one-half
teaspoon salt in it, with the head of the lettuce down. Cut into
quarters. Serve a quarter as a portion.
=French Dressing with Green Peppers= (Two portions)
1/2 t-salt
1/4 t-pepper
2 T-vinegar
4 T-olive oil
2 T-chopped green peppers
Mix the salt, pepper, and green pepper. Add the vinegar. Beat well and
add the olive oil slowly. Beat with a silver fork until the dressing
thickens.
=Peanut Cookies= (Two dozen)
1/2 C-sugar
3 T-butter
1 egg
1 t-baking powder
1/4 t-salt
1 C-flour
1/2 C-chopped peanuts
1/2 t-lemon juice
Cream the butter, add the sugar, mix well, and add well-beaten egg. Add
the baking-powder, salt, flour, chopped peanuts, and lemon juice. Mix
thoroughly, and drop two inches apart on a greased baking-tin or in
pans. Bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven.