HINTS FOR THE HOUSEWIFE.

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 57, 1 December 1923, Page 15

HINTS FOR THE HOUSEWIFE.

Domestic Jottings. THE CLEAN SPONGE. One way of restoring a bath sponge to good condition is to soak it for a whole day in a solution composed of three ounces of carbonate of soda and two pints of water. Rinse thoroughly in cold water, and dry in the sun, if possible. Another good solution for cleansing a sponge is a small quantity og salts of lemond dissolved in a quart of hot water. Soak the sponge in this until it is quite clean, then rinse well. After using a sponge, squeeze it as dry as possible, and suspend it by a string. This ensures a longer life. But immediately it shows signs of wearing out, little bits breaking off when in use, keep it in a fine muslin bag. Tho bag should be .large enough to allow the sponge inside to swell, and should be kept on when the sponge is in use. Soak a new sponge well before use; leave it in a moderately strong solution of salt for twenty-four hours; place it in cold water for a few hours, jind finally hold it under a running tap for about ten minutes. BUTTON HINTS. Buttons on soft shirts should be managed in this way, then the shirts may be put through the wringer. Re move the buttons from the shirt and sew them to a narrow piece of tape, and make buttonholes to correspond exactly with the usual holes. Before the wash the buttons. can be slipped out, and after ironing the shirt, which is a much easier job minus buttons, replace again, keeping the piece, of tape firm at either end by the tiniest of safety pins. Buttons often null through'the soft material of a child’s coat, leaving a nasty hole. To prevent this sow the buttons to linen buttons placed exactly on the same spot the wrong side of the coat. and th© top hutton is kept firm by the under one. Buttons made of the same material as the garment have a tiresome way of coming apart from the absurd little morsel of black material by which they are sewn in place. When this happens, make a few loops across the back of the button with crochet cotton, and buttonhole them firmly together, and you have a much better hold for sewing on your button. SAVE PUCKERING SHEER MATERIALS. Paper from the bolts of narrow ribbon is very useful when sheer materials: must be stitched. The paper is placed between the materiaj and the foot of the machine and prevents the cloth puckering. As the paper is very thin, it is easily torn away from the stitching.

Weddings to be artistic, must hate Bouquets to harmonise with frochs. Miss Murray, 36 Willis Street. Deliveries anywhere in Dominion. —Advt.

The Home Cook. COLD LEMON SWEET. Having cut up half an ounce of gelatine in small pieces, place the bits in a small jam jar and cover them with water preparatory to dissolving. Heat ncnrlv one pint of new milk, the richer tho better, then put the-gelatine pot in a pan containing, a litt'p boiling water. While the heating >-“u dissolving processes are going- .... respectively pour half a pint of Iwt I not boiling) water over half a square of lemon jelly. The jelly square will melt more readier in the basin if the vessel be placed in a bowl containing hot water. Having mixed tho dissolved gelatine with the heated milk, leave it to cool; also let the melted lemon mixtgre»coql. When both of the liquids are just tepid, mix them slowly and carefully , together, either in a glass dish or in,a jelly mould. The mould is better in hot weather ns it can be placed in cold water (to which salt has been added) to ensure thorough setting. A little salt may be adder to the milk, but sugar is not necessary, as the lemon jelly squares are sufficiently sweetened for ordinary palates. Should the weather be excessively hot it is expedient to use a rather less quantity of milk and water than the measure stated., as it is disappointing if the pudding should turn out sloppy. CHOCOLATE CREAM SHAPE. Dissolve three to four sheets of French leaf gelatine in a little warm water. Bring two large cupfuls of milk to the boil and stir in one block of soluble chocolate finely grated. Stir well and add the well-beaten yolks of two eggs and sugar to taste. Cook genty for a few moments, and then add the dissolved gelatine. Stir until the mixture is well blended. When nearlv cold nd just beginning to set stir in the stiffy beaten whites of the eggs, and pour into a damp mould to set. PICKLED APPLES. Peel, quarter, and core nice sweet apples until you have 51b.; put them in a stewpan, cover with water, and cook until tender. Lift out carefully with a skimmer, and put on an earthenware dish. Make a syrup of 31b. of sugar and one pint of vinegar; add some stick cinnamon and a few cloves; boil until clear, then put in the apples and cook slowly for twenty or thirty minutes ; put in glass. BAKED EGGS WITH CHEESE. Four eggs, four ounces of stale cheese, a sprinkling of pepper, two ounces of butter, half a saltspoonful .of salt. Heat the butter until it is liquid. Beat the whites and . yokes of the eggs separately, then mix them together. Stir into them the liquid butter and seasoning. Butter a small pie-dish. Cut the cheese in very thin slices, put ''them in the dish, make it warm in the oven, then pour in the egg mixture and bake in a moderate oven until set. Serve at once.