Women's Realm

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 12263, 26 May 1934, Page 8

Women's Realm

By “Marie”

NOTES , NEWS and HINTS

the perfect omelette. Tiho perfect omelette is' not a matter of “luck” o r “having the knack” as s ome people would have you think. Anybody can turn out an omelette that would be a credit to a French chef by rememboring the few points that make success sure. Most important of all, use only the freshest of eggs and host butter. Then ho wise and invest in a steel pan —no other is quite so good for this purpose. And—this is absolutely necessary—never cook any other Rod in that pan ! Omelettes will never stick or break if the pan is Aviped out directly alter use -with soft paper—it should mwer be washed. And now for the actual mixing and cooking.

Freak the eggs, one by one, into a cup and then pour into a. basin —the larger the basin the better as it allows more air to reach the. eggs. flee that the basin and Avhisk are absolutely clean and 1 dry, and do tlie beating at an open window if possible. Add a. pinch of salt to the eggs, and for sweet omelettes a small quantity of sugar also. Whisk until tho eggs become a. stiff froth. Molt a tiny piece of butter in the pan. then rub all over with soft paper and melt another, larger piece, in which to cook the omelette. Let this bubble alj ovor IlGf ' or<l Paring in the mixture.

Keep the froth moving Avith a knife to prevent it sticking and shake the pan gently occasionally. Directly the underneath is brown slide gently on to a. hot dish, turning it over with the help of the knife at the same time.

Any fd lings.— tomatoes, mushrooms, ham and so on—should ho spread over the surface Avhon tho omelette is half-cooked.

And that’s the whole process of making in a. perfect omelette!

DISHES EOtt THE INVALID. E:-g Klip.—Take one new-laid c gg> j «|ass sherry, sugar to taste. Separate the while and yolk of the egg, stir the yolk and sugar together until they are quite liquid, then mix in Die sherry. Strain Ibis mixture into a tumbler. Whip Die white to a light i’rotli and stir it lightly to the niivure. Serve with plain sponge lingers. Poached Egg «n Spinach—Take one spinach, one new-laid egg, salt and popper, half an ounce of butter. Remove all Die stalks and stringy fibres from tho spinach, wash in several waters, and put- while very wet, in a large saucepan, but add no water. Boil quickly until soft, keepiun- it wed stirred. Press out all the water, chop finely. Molt the butter in a saucepan, put in the spinach and seasoning, and make it thoroughly hot. Arrange it- m a neat round on a hot plate, and keep it hot while the egg is poached, slightly hollow out the centre of the spinach with the hack of a spoon carefully slip in the poached egg, and serve at once. Boiled Swcoll>rends.--Take sweetbreads. stock or water, foil o butter, joz flour. A pint of milk, one yolk of egg, one teaspoon lemon juice, popper and salt, parsley. Blanch the sweetbreads by putting them in cold water and bringing to the boilSimmer gently for three minutes, then put into a basin of cold water: this will make them white and firm. Trim away all gristle and fat, pat into a. saucepan, cover with stock or water, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Take out and cut into dice. Alolt the butter and nib in the flour with a spoon until smooth. Add milk and bring tin's sauce to the boil stirring carefully. Add the beaten yolk and the lemon juice, then put in the sweetbreads and simmer gently ' for throe minutes to make thoroughly hot. Servo in a china dish, and sprinkle over a fittie parsley before, sending into the sick room. A few carefully cooked mushrooms may bo added if available.

Beef Ten.—-Take Dtp of lean raw beef, one pint of. cold water, a quarter of a teaspoon of salt.. Wash, the moat quickly in tepid water, and dry it. Cut in slices; and- scrape these finely with a sharp knie. As each piece is scraped lay it at once in the water with the salt and allow to stand for half an hour. Put meat and water in an earthenware jar, tie a piece of thick paper over, the top. Place the jar in a pan of boiling water on the fire and let it sim-

mer gently for three hours and a ~ Jialf, stirring it occasionally. When cooked 7 strain out the meat, carefully removing every vestige of fat Avith kitchen paper. Season with salt and pepper and serve- piping hot, THAT DAY iS PAST I One day you were ill, and lots of people Avero interested m you and wanted to sympathise with you. That day is past—forget it! One day you Averc lonely, friendless, and! just a little afraid. Then you had cause to- ho sorry for -yourself. If that day is past—forget it f One day you did something rather wonderful, you Avpre feted, praised, mado much of. That day is past—• don’t try to; live for ever in tho day before yesterday’s sunlight. One day you. made a mistake and you knew it. Yen did! your best to rectify the blunder. Whether you succeeded or net, that day is past—• forget it.

One day you bad cause to hate someone, hate Avitli a hatred ol which you did not think-yourself.cap-able. Yes, but it isn’t so to-day! That day is past—forget it! One day you Avcre cruel, unjust, hard. Somebody suffered in consequence, but afterwards you did your best to make it up. That day is past —don’t let the memory of ,it linger to torment you. Forget it! One day you missed a. great chance. Said “no” to a proposition that would give you a fortune, That day belongs to the past—forget it! One day, maybe, you wasted a lot of money. Now you wish you had it to spend on necessities. Why Avish the impossible? That day is past—forget it!

THREE WAYS OP PREPARING RICE.

Rice Croquettes.—Take bib rice, 1 quart of milk, 607,. pounded sugar, flavouring of vanilla, lomon peel or bitter almonds, egg and breadcrumbs, hot lard. Put the rice, milk, and sugar into a saucepan and let the former gradually swell over a gentle fire until all the milk is dried up and just before the rice is done stir in a few drops of essence of any of the abo\ r e flavourings. Let the rice get cold, then form it into small

round balls, dip them into the yolk of egg, sprinkle them with breadcrumbs, and fry them in boiling lard for about 10 minutes, turning them about that they may get equally browned by placing them on a cloth before the fire for a minute or two. Pile them on a Avhite d’oyley and send them quickly to table. A small piece of jam is sometimes introduced into the middle of each croquette, adding to the flavour of this dish. Sufficient to make 7 or S croquettes.

Rice Fritters.— Take 6cz. rice, I. quart milk, 3oz. sugar, loz. fresh butter, Goz orange marmalade, 4 eggs. Swell the rice in the milk, with sugar and butter over a slow fire until it is perfectly tender (about three-quarters of an hour). When the rice is done, strain away the milk should there be any. and mix with it the marmalade and wellbeaten eggs, stir the whole o\ - er fire until the eggs are set, then spread the mixture on a dish to the thickmess or about half an inch, or thiqper if preferred. When cold cut it into long strips, dip them in a hatter the some as ,for apple fritters, and fry them a nice brown, dish them on [a white d’oyley, sprinkle with sifted sugar and serve qui-efe- ” ly. Sufficient to make 7 or S fritters. # # # Smoke Snowballs (A. pretty dish for juvenile suppers).—Take 6 oz. rice, 1 quart of milk, flavouring of essence of almonds, sugar to taste,

1 pint of custard'. Boq the rice and milk with sugar and flavouring until tender, (adding if necessary a littSo more milk should it dry away. AVhcn the rice is quite soft put it into teadtps, or small round jars, and let it

remain until cold. Turn the rice out .on a deep glass dish, pour over the custard and on the top of eacli hall place a small piece of bright coloured preserve or jelly. Lemon peel or vanilla may, be boiled with the rice instead of the almond essence if preferred, but the flavouring of the custard must correspond l with that of the rice. Sufficient for f> to 6 children.

•A; large clean marble boiled with any. food likely to burn, such • os porridge,! sauces,- stews, etc., will do the. stirring automatically, and prevent burning.

.oONES BJJCIPjvS DATE AND WALNUT CAKE- , (Sweetened ..with Honey.) Ingredients: Half pound butter, 907. flour, &lb honey, lib dates, 1 breakfast cup chopped walnuts, 3 eggs, 1 teaspooTii'ul grated nutmeg, A small spoon of salt, 1 teacup water, 1 teaspoon carbonate of soda. Method: On to tho stoned dates, Avith the carbonate soda, pour one cup boilingwater, and allow to stand until nearly cold; mix with wooden spoon. Beat together honey, butter, and eggs; add flour, dates and Avalnuts. Bake in greased) cake tin. J J hours, moderate beat. IMPERIAL ALMOND SPONGE CAKE. Ingredients: 2 cups honey; 1 cup butter, 2 eggs, 3 cups flour, 1 cup grouind almonds, 2 soda, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon Jemon juice, or almond flavouring. Method: Sufficient milk to make into a rather stiff mixture. Mix as for sponge. Bake in layer tin ; moderate oven, 25 minutes. HOME HYGIENE. There are several household matters which, if attended to, spell good health, but if neglected simply means doctor’s bills. THE KITCHEN SINK. For instance, a sink pipe Avhich is half blocked and collects grease, etc., soon becomes oDjectionafilo, and sore throats invariably result. The simplest way of dealing with the pipe is to put into it as much chloride of lime as yon can, using a skewer to press it down, then dissolve the lime by allowing boiling water to trickle through. When the lime has dissolved, pour about an inch of water linto the sink, and as soon as it runs off. rapidly, turn on the taps and let the water flow for five minutes. The chloride of lime will burn •away whatever was blocking the pipe. To keep the pipe clear and clean in the future, pou r doAA-n it a jugful of hot water and common soda twice a dav.

, CARE OF SILVER. Silver spoons and forks should be kept clean and bright, for they go into the mouth and may carry germs. To clean them thoroughly after washing make this plate powder: Precipitate one pound of whiting by putting it into a fine muslin bag and leaA’ing it hanging from a crossways stick in a jug of cold water for 24 hours. Pour off water, and let the sediment dry on a tray in a cool oA r en. Roll until fine, and : mix with it half an ounce of jeweller’s rouge. Use the powder Avith methylated spirit.

CLEANSING HINTS. Gas, electric and coal ovens should be kept absolutely clean. After cleaning in the ordinary way, mix some whiting the thickness of cream, and Avith a cloth or brusU rub it all over the inside of the oven. Leave the door open for a few minutes to ■ let the cleanser dry. If the oven iswintoned once a week, meat cooked in it will taste the same as if roasted in front of the fire, and nothing will be burned.

Keep inside the sink a jar containing this mixture: Three parts oi powdered bathbrick, -and one part of soap powder.- Keep it dry. Moisten ■a piece of coarse canvas or cloth, sprinkle on some of the mixture, and use it-on the knives, saucepans, baking-tins, or any utensils that are stained or dirty.

When bottles, glass water jugs and decanters become so discolored inside that fine coal ash will not cleanse them, Sill them with finelychopped potato skins, cork tightly, and leav r e for three days, when the skins Avill ferment, and cleanse the glass.