PLANNING A LUNCHEON
"IT won't be hard, Ruth, if you plan it out in detail several days
before. Decide on the menu, and if you find that some one dish is going
to cause more trouble than it's worth, plan something else in its
place."
"If it weren't for Aunt Gertrude I shouldn't worry at all, but she is
such a wonderful housekeeper! And I am determined that Mother sha'n't
have one bit of the responsibility. She's to feel herself just as much a
guest as Aunt Gertrude."
"I think it's a lovely thing for you to do, Ruth. Now let me tell you
how I think you should go about it. Make a visit to your grocery store
or to the market tomorrow, and notice the good things that are in season
and inexpensive. Build your menu around them. When you get home, sit
down with a paper and pencil and plan everything out. Go into detail,
even if it takes several hours of planning. It will be well worth it. I
don't mean by that an elaborate luncheon; it ought to be a simple and
delicious one, but complete in every detail. When I plan, I write down
the things that I can do the day before, and even the day before that.
You know there are always so many things to see to--polishing the silver
and writing the name cards and seeing that the table linen is in order.
It ought to be planned so that the day of the party won't be crowded
full of 'last minute things.' Come into the kitchen with me, Ruth; I
must baste my pork tenderloin."
That night Bettina served:
Pork Tenderloin Baked Potatoes
Bread Butter
Raspberry Jam
Vegetable Salad Salad Dressing
Tapioca Pudding
Coffee
BETTINA'S RECIPES
(All measurements are level)
=Pork Tenderloin= (Three portions)
1 lb. pork tenderloin
1 t-salt
2 T-water
1/4 t-paprika
1 t-chopped parsley
1 T-lemon juice
Have the tenderloin cut in two-inch pieces and flattened. Place these in
a small baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and paprika and add the water.
Cover, and cook in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. Turn and
baste frequently. When done, place on a heated platter, pour the parsley
and lemon juice over the top and serve immediately.
=Vegetable Salad= (Three portions)
1 tomato
9 slices of cucumber
2 T-chopped onion
1 T-chopped pimento
1 t-salt
1/4 t-paprika
2 T-chopped green pepper
2 T-nut meats
3 lettuce leaves
Wash the lettuce carefully and arrange on individual serving dishes.
Place upon each lettuce leaf a slice of tomato, three slices of cucumber
and one-third of each of the other ingredients. Sprinkle with salt and
paprika. Pour the salad dressing over the top and serve very cold.
=Bettina Salad Dressing=
2 egg-yolks
1 T-sugar
1/2 t-salt
2 T-flour
1/4 C-vinegar
1/3 C-sour cream
2 T-pimento liquor (the juice from the can)
Beat the egg-yolks, add the sugar, salt and flour. Mix well and add the
vinegar, pimento liquor and water. Cook in a double boiler until very
thick. When cool, add the sour cream, and pour over the salad.