RUTH GIVES A DINNER FOR FOUR
BETTINA and Bob arrived at half-past six, as Ruth had requested.
"She wouldn't let me come earlier, Bob," explained Bettina as they rang
the bell. "I wanted to help her, you know, but she said her father and
mother were out of town and Fred was to be the only guest besides
ourselves, so she was sure that she could manage alone. There she is
now!"
But it was not Ruth after all.
"Why, Fred; hello!" said Bob. "Did you come early to assist the cook?"
"I did," said Fred, "but she informed me at once that she wanted no
inexperienced 'help' around. So I've been sitting in the living-room
alone for the last half hour. She did say that I might answer the bell,
but as for doing anything else--well, she was positively rude!"
And Fred raised his voice so that its penetrating tones would reach the
kitchen. "The worst of it all is that I've been hungry as well as
lonesome. I might endure sitting alone in the living-room if I hadn't
gone without lunch today in anticipation of this banquet. And now----"
"Shame on you, Fred!" interrupted Ruth, coming in with flushed cheeks
above her dainty white apron. "Did he receive you properly?"
"I leave it to you, Bettina, to say that I've received harsh treatment!
Here I went and purchased four good seats for the Duchess theatre
tonight."
"You did, Fred," cried Ruth. "Why, you dear boy! For that, I'll see that
you are certainly fed well! Dinner is ready, people! Will you walk into
the dining-room?"
Ruth's dinner consisted of:
Pigs in Blankets Candied Sweet Potatoes
Escalloped Egg Plant
Bread Butter
Date Pudding Cream
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Pigs in Blankets= (Four portions)
1 C-oysters
8 slices thin bacon
1/4 t-salt
1/8 t-paprika
Remove the rind from long, thin slices of bacon. Place two or more
oysters upon each slice of bacon. Sprinkle the oysters with salt and
pepper. Roll up and tie with a white string. Saute in a hot frying-pan
until nicely browned. Garnish with parsley.
=Candied Sweet Potatoes= (Six portions)
6 large sweet potatoes
1 C-brown sugar
1/2 C-water
1 t-salt
1 T-butter
Wash the potatoes thoroughly. Cook in boiling water until tender when
pierced with a knitting needle. Drain and peel when cool enough to
handle. Cut in slices lengthwise, three-fourths of an inch thick. Make a
syrup by boiling the sugar, butter and water five minutes. Lay the
potatoes in a pan, sprinkle with salt and pour the syrup over them. Cook
in a moderate oven until the potatoes are browned, basting frequently.
=Escalloped Egg Plant= (Six portions)
2 C-cubed egg-plant
3 T-butter
3 T-flour
1/2 t-salt
1/4 t-pepper
1-1/2 C-milk
Remove the skin from the egg-plant, and cut into slices a quarter of an
inch thick. Sprinkle the slices with salt, pile one above the other, and
place a weight on the top to extract the juice. Allow to stand one hour.
Wash off, and cut into quarter of an inch cubes. Melt the butter, add
the flour, salt and pepper. Mix well, gradually add the milk and cook
two minutes. Add the egg-plant and pour the whole mixture into a
buttered baking dish. Bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven.
=Date Pudding= (Four portions)
1 C-flour
2 t-baking powder
1/4 C-"C" sugar
10 dates, cut fine
1/8 t-salt
1 egg
1/3 C-milk
1/2 t-vanilla
3 T-melted butter
Mix the flour, baking powder, "C" sugar, dates and salt. Add the egg,
milk and vanilla. Stir vigorously and beat one minute. Add the melted
butter. Bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven, and serve hot with
cream.