THE SANDWICH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 7 February 1925, Page 15

THE SANDWICH.

WITH AND WITHOUT. In the two articles which follow, reprinted from the Melbourne Argus and the Sydney Morning Herald respectively, the sandwich is first made the mainstay of the kitchen, and then deliberately sec in the background. In other words, the writers show, what a help the sandwich may be, ancl also how it is possible to manage without it. SANDWICHES FOR ALL.

Summer days call lor especially dainty teas and suppers, and there an, in addition, all manner of impromptu parties and picnics, winch tax the ingenuity of even the most expeiienced Caterer. How to satisfy the demands of a large house party, each ot which has different likes and dislikes, is vexed question in holiday time, an yet the answer is ready to our ham in the familiar sandwich, winch can turn itself into a dish for every taste Until an sandwich-maker has gained a fair degree of proficiency it is best to use bread that is slightly stale, while butter should he beaten to a smooth paste which will spread easily without breaking the loaf. A sharp sandwich knife is essential to success, and if it is dipped from time to time in boiliim water during the • cutting process it will facilitate operations and prevent the bread crumbling. Needless to say, it should be dried before being used. Many expert sand-wich-cutters remove the hard crust from one side of the loaf, and eithei cut the bread down on to- it on the principle of a bread hoard, or else dispense with it altogether this they avert that last wrestle with c hard crust, which often ruins the whole slice. Unless the loaf is a fairly perfect ’ square, it is most economical in cutting, to butter every other slice oil the loaf, as it can* he reversed to fit its fellow exactly*. In this way there will be no undue waste in trimming the sandwiches at the end. Brown white, wholemeal, currant bread, oi thin pastry biscuits all make an admirable foundation for sandwiches, ano a more substantial meal can he provided for picnics by slightly* hollowing out the centre from Vienna rolls and then filling the cavity with sandwich mixture. The success or failure of r. sandwich depends on a proper consistency and a right degree of flavouring. The amateur generally fails by making the mixture either too wet or too dry or by making the flavouring too monotonous. The exact proportions for a mixture will vary according to'the ingredients used, but a good general rule is to see that it resembles a thick, creamy paste that is neither “crumbly” n6r “runny.” This rule applies to all mixtures made with egg, meat, fish, o’* cheese, while sandwiches made with nuts, ginger’ dried fruits, or celery are always best mixed with whipped creair to prevent their being too dry. Tomato, cucumber, asparagus, and fresh fruit mixtures should also be made at the last moment, or' the bread tends to become moist and unappetising. The following recipes are rather linusual, and will he found most delicious Ginger Sandwiches. —Finely mine-" some crystallised ginger and mix with sufficient stiffly whipped cream to niake it a nice consistency to spread between thin slices of brown bread. N p butter is used, so the filling should ho a little thicker than usual, or else the bread can lie abroad with a suspicion of melon jam. Mayonnaise of Veal.—-Mince some cold cooked veal, chicken, or Igmb, and moisten with enough Mavonhaise dressing (without oil) to make the mixture a creamy paste. Sprea.d between slice of white or brown bread ’ and butter This recipe is especially delicious. . Cheese Sandwiches. —1. Grate the cheese 'and work it to a smooth paste with a few drops of hot water ana about a dessert-spoonful of butter. Flavour with * pepper, and lastly add sufficient Worcester sauce to make the mixture a pale brown. Spread on thin slices of white bread and butter. 2. .Cream cheese worked to a paste with equal parts of minced walnuts oi celery, and spread on brown bread and butter. 3. Cream cheese worked to a creamy consistency with a little honey, and spread on brown bread and butter. Egg Sandwiches. —1. Hard boil the required number of eggs and pound them to a smooth paste with a fairsized piece of butter and a little milk or cream. Season with salt and pepper, and then spread between white bread and butter.

2. Add half a cupful of finely sliced celdry to the egg mixture. If the celery is minced and the juice put in, the milk can probably be omitted. 3. Just before using add a few drops of tomato sauce to the mixture, just enough to turn it the very palest pink. Date or Fig Sandwiches. —Finely chop or mince some dried dates oi figs and heat then up with a little stiffly whipped cream. Spread lietween very thin pastry biscuits. This recipe can also ho used between thin slices of bread. Raisin sandwiches can be made in exactly the same way. Icing Sandwiches. —Make some choeo late or coffee icing by beating half a , pound of icing sugar to a smooth paste .vith a few drops of boiling water and •i table-spoonful of cocoa power or a ittle coffee essence, and when quite •mooth spread a layer between thin lastly biscuits which have been rolled is thin as-possible and cut into small squares. Walnut S ndwiches. —Mince equal parts of walnuts and celery, and blend 'hem with sufficient mayonnaise dressng to malee the mixture creamy. Servvith white or brown bread and butter. Almond Sandwiches.—Mince equn' -arts of burnt .almonds and seeded -aisins, and mix with a little tvhipped '■ream. Serve on bread or between last'v biscuits. Salmon Sandwiches. —Strain off all the juice from a tin of salmon and beat the cream with a little thick mayonnaise sauce (without oil). Spread between slices of brown bread and butter sprinkled with a little shredded lettuce, and.serve at once. THE OTHER SIDE. Lunches! The very word makes a mother of a household shudder, for all the daily duties which sicken by their endless daily repetition, cutting lunches is the ope unanimously disliked. In these days jt js hard to imagine a world without sandwiches. The sand wich seems to obtrude itself in every social act. Be it picnic, or surprise party, church social, or charity dance, almost the first thought is: “who will cut the sandwiches?” Daily in tho

.thousands .of homes throughout the land one woman is cutting sandwiches. So, for a change, we will leave sandwiches severely* alone, and see what can be done without them, though one little help may be mentioned, in the cutting of the' loaf when the sandwich is inevitable, cut off three sides of the crust. Cut and shape these into evensized pieces and crisp in a cool oven. They will make a handy addition to the sandwichless lunch. Though frequent pastry dishes are not to be recommended, an occasional pastie is a welcome variety. As it has to be eaten cold, the pastry is better made with a Bird or butter. Y\ hen made the rolled-out pastie can be fitted into large tartlet pans, with a paste cover over the filling, or the filling placed on a square of paste, and the four corners brought over like an enelope, or simply folded over as an ordinary* turnover. P’or the fillings minced meat nicely- seasoned may be one, a mixture of cold cooked vegetables with chopped nuts moistened a 'it tie stock another, well seasoned mashed potatoes with plenty* of milk and butter, mixed with chopped parsley, another.

A stale loaf may be made of great use for lunches. Cut off the crusts. With a shaip pastry knife cut the crumb into rolls or blocks, hollow them, dip into water, milk, vegetable, or meat stock as preferred, or convenient and bake them crisp in a fairly warm oven, each with a lid cut from the loaf. These can be filled with any of the above-mentioned fillings, cold fricasseed oysters or asparagus, prawns or shrimps, as circumstances permit. Nuts chopped or grated cheese, or both mixed/with any preferred salad dressing, can also be used, remembering to make the mixture fairly stiff. Where such tilings as prawns and shrimps arc used, > consideration must lie given to the time to elapse before the lunch is unwrapped. Where meat of some sort is desired, a pleasant variation may he made by mincing raw meat very finely after carefully removing every particle of fat, skin or gristle, seasoning with salt, pepper, and herbs if liked. Shape tho mince into round flat cakes and grill, on both sides. These can he eaten cold, and are quite as nice as ordinary* dices of cold meat.

As a refreshing stimulant for a change from tea, cold beef tea, vegetable or meat bouillion, which can be put up in screw-top glass bottles, will be welcomed. The one thing to he remembered. if the bouillion is to be taken cold, is that it must be free from every particle of fat. For those whose oalate is too conservative to take kindly to cold soup, it is as easy to heat as tea, where tea is made. Where there there are several lunches to be provided for school children, the soup can be put into a thermos bottle. Small moulds of brawn or savoury jelly*, made from stock with a little jellatine, in which has been set remains of cold fowl, cold rabbit, minced veal or lamb cut into dice, will make a satisfying appetising meal. It possible, Where meat is used a-little lettuce, celery, or tomato should he added, and great care must be taken that not a particle of fat, skin, or gristle goes into the jelly.

Cream cheese is another solution of the lunch question. In the city a small block sufficient for lunch can be purchased for our humblest silver coin. This cheese can easily be made at home where milk is plentiful. There are two modes for home manufacture. Let a pint of milk become thick by* standing in a warm place. Put it', with a 'ittlc salt, .in a piece of muslin ; hang it over a basin and let it drain. After in hour or two draw the muslin as tight as possible and Secure it. Place the pot between two plates with a weight on ton for an hour or more, as convenient. When required, remove the muslin,' when you have a cake of cheese. Another way is to put the thick milk .in a saucepan over very slow peat. Bring it very* slowly to just boiling, and the curd has separated front tlie whey. Pour it on a piece of muslin 'aid on a sieve over a basin. Let it thoroughly drain. Put in a basin, mash it thoroughly with an ounce of fresh butter, a tablespoonful .of cream a Tittle salt, and a drop or two q e lemon juice. Shane it into a round mishion-shaped cake. Most of the dishes described can be made in course of a day’s cooking ’’each* for use before the morning hurr--fo he off begins. If they are taken in their turn, not allowing the same lunch to recur nn the same day of the week, f te>-e will a I wavs be a sense of variety end. no occasion for the groan. “Egg sandwiches, again.” „