HOME HINTS.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 1819, 15 June 1912, Page 3 (Supplement)

HOME HINTS.

When steaming puddings or dumplings, put a cloth over the steamer before putting on the lid. .This will prevent the moisture /settling and rendering the pudding heavy.

To remove fruit stains" from the hands, rub the etains with a piece of out; lemon before washing in/soap and | water. Tomato skins rubbed over! the hands are also effective for removing fruit stains. To prevent potatoes . becoming black when cooked, put them into cold water, and when brought to the boil squeeze a little lemon-juice in. They will then keep a good colour and be of good flavour. Filters must be kept scrupulously clean, or otherwise they add impuri-"j ties to water instead of removing them. It is a good plan to have two : filters .in use, each to work on alternate days, and. on the day when a filter is not at work, exposing its working parts to sunlight fresh air. f ( Be very careful to keep the lidfe/ of saucepans perfectly clean, for the flavour of one dish may cling to a lid which has not been properly washed, and spoil a second dish which is prepared in the same pan. •".',!

It is often difficult to machine any thin material, jsucli as silk or lin, without puckering it. This can be avoided by placing a sheet of tis- ,- sue paper under the material and stitching through the material and . the paper. When finished, the .paper . can easily be torn away, and you will, find that your work''is quite flat and-, smooth. . ■ I A scouring 'mixture for boards and tables is this: Work into a paste half a pound of sand, half; a pound of soft soap, and a quarter of a pound of lime. Put it on the scrubbing-brush instead of soap, then wash the wood with plenty of clean water. j Looking-glasses should be kept perfectly bright by cleaning with a rag moistened with methylated spirit. This will remove fly marks and all other stains. , After using ;i bowl of starch do not throw away what remains of the mixture. Place on one side; and when the starch has settled pour off the clean water, then place the basin in the oven for five minutes. The starch j will be found in a hard cake, and ■ can be put away tor use another time, ' when it will be found as good as that just bought. New leather boots ara sometimes difficult to polish successfully.. When this is the case it ifi a good plan to rub over the leather ifith a cut lemon. Allow the juice to dry thoroughly. Apply blacking in the usual - way, and polish with a good hard brush. . • ••. "• TO KNIT REINS. All children like to play at horses, "; and the exercise the game ensures is excellent.for their health, to say nothing of the amxisement derived from the play itself. But to make it thoroughly realistic reins must be provided. For these you require three ounces of red fingering wool, which costs 3id° an I. ounce,-a pair of bone needles, No. 9; and four bells, a penny ,each. Cast on twenty or more stitches for the breast-plate, knit about thirty inches or so. Slip the first stitch in each row. The armhole bands are 1* inches wide, the reins being two inches wide. Sew the strips for the*arms to the breast-plate then attach the reins to the knitting at the back of.the shoulders, and sew the bells on the breastplate. AN EASY WAY TO HEM-STITCH. Draw the required number of threads. Turn the hem down and tack with the edge in the centre of the drawn Lessen the, tension of your machine and stitch as nearly on the edge of the hem as , possible--Remove the tacking threads take the garment in one hand and the hem in the other, and pull the edge of the hem to the bottom of the drawn "threads. This is very quickly done, ' and -can scarcely be distinguished from hand work. Hemstitched tucks are made on the same . principle.-. '•'•" , ■:■-. SOME USEFUL. RECIPES. Potting Fresh Herrings.—Choose eighteen or more fine large fish and rub with ; a mixture of two ounces of salt, one ounce' of' saltpetre, and two ounces of allspice previously finely powdered. ./Leave for eight hours,-. , then wipe off- the spice, and place in a buttered .pan. Season with one., ounce each of. mace, nutmeg; white pepper, salt,'one clove, and a couple of bayleaves. Cover with butter, and

bake for three hours. Allow to cool, .drain'- off the liquor, and place the fish in pots, cover with clarified butter to the depth of half an inch, just. warm enough to run down. In three days .they will be ready for table. Broiled Breast of Lamb. —This is a very delicious dish, but the broiling must be done carefully. The fire should not be too bright or the. meat will soon scorch. Lay the inside of the meat towards the fire first and broil very moderately, turning the meat often. When done, butter slightly, and season with salt and pepper. The breast of lamb is s"bld in most shops with the fore leg attached ; this should be cut off before the piece is broiled, for,, being 60 thick in comparison with the rest of the piece, it is difficult to. cook it,sufficiently. - I

\ Calf Head Soup.—Take a calf's head and stew it. When well skimmed, add onions, mace, pearl barley, Jamaica pepper. When nearly done, throw in three or four stewed sticks or roots of celery. Bone the head and place the meat in the centre of the soup tureen. The tongue should be dressed alono and screened with the brains made into a delicate sauce. A small portion of the meat may be handed to ..each quest, or the head may be served for another course; then well-poached eggs may bo served to each giiest with a plate of finely mincecl parsley. Many cooks use sweet herbs, cloves, etc., but it is better , not, as many guests dislike savoury herbs.

Caramel Nut Cake.—Take "i cup of butter, 1£ cups sugar, 1 cup of lukewarm water, 3 cups of pastry flour, 1 /cup of chopped walnuts, whites of 4 eggs, '2 rcmnding teaspoons of baking powder. Beat the butter to a cream and gradually add the sugar, beating well. To this slowly pour in the .water, then sift m the flour, a little at a time, beating well, reserving A- cup of the flour to mix with the nuts, which now mix into the butter. -Beat the whites of the eggs to-a stiff froth and add the last thing with the baking powder. Grease well a long, shallow pan Villi • greased paper, pour in the batter, and bake in a mouerato oven for 30 minutes or until done. Much > depends on the depth and size of the pan. Cover with caramel and English walnuts. When ready to serve cut into squares, a nut in file centre of each square;