ALICE COMES TO LUNCHEON
[Illustration]
"I DO love to cook!" exclaimed Alice enthusiastically.
"And we have had such delicious meals since we began to keep house, if I
do say it! But oh, the bills, the bills! Bettina, isn't it terrible? But
you can't get any meal at all without paying for it, can you? I really
do dread having Harry get the first month's grocery bill, though."
"You ought not to have to say that, Alice," said Bettina, laughing
nevertheless. "Why don't you have an allowance, and pay the grocery bill
yourself?"
"Because I know I could never manage to pay it," said Alice, making a
little face. "I do love to have perfect little meals and cooking is such
fun, but you just can't have things right without having them expensive;
I've found that out. Last night we had a simple enough dinner--a very
good steak with French fried potatoes and creamed asparagus on toast.
Then a fruit salad with mayonnaise and steamed suet pudding and coffee.
Harry said everything was perfect, but----"
"I'm sure it was, Alice. You are so clever at everything you do. But
wasn't that expensive for just a home dinner for two? Steak and creamed
asparagus! And mayonnaise is so expensive! Then think of the gas you
use, too!"
"I didn't think of the gas," said Alice ruefully. "I thought of Harry's
likes, and of variety, and of a meal that balanced well. But not much
about economy. I'll have to consult you, Bettina. I'll tell you:
Couldn't I plan my menus ahead for a week, and bring them over to you to
criticise? That would be fun, and I'm sure you could teach me a great
deal."
"I'd love to have you, Alice," smiled Bettina.
For luncheon Bettina served:
Chicken Loaf Creamed Potatoes
Baking Powder Biscuits Cranberry jelly
Caramel Custard Whipped Cream
Coffee
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Chicken Loaf= (Two portions)
1/2 C-cooked chicken
1/2 C-ground, cooked veal
1/2 C-soft bread crumbs
1/2 t-salt
1/8 t-celery salt
1 t-chopped parsley
1 egg
1/2 C-milk
Mix the chicken, veal and bread crumbs. Add the salt, celery salt,
parsley, egg and milk. Mix thoroughly. Bake in a well-buttered pan
thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
=Caramel Custard= (Two portions)
1 C-milk
3 egg
4 T-sugar
1/8 t-salt
1/4 t-vanilla
Melt the sugar to a light brown syrup in a sauce pan over a hot fire,
add the milk and cook until free from lumps. Beat the egg, sugar, salt
and vanilla, and pour the liquid slowly into the egg mixture. Pour into
buttered moulds. Set the moulds in a pan of hot water and bake in a
moderate oven until the custard is firm (about forty minutes). Do not
let the water in the pan reach the boiling point during the process of
baking.