CHRISTMAS CHEER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 11, 24 December 1925, Page 10

CHRISTMAS CHEER

KEEP IT COOL. HOUSEHOLD HINTS FOR MEN. Though in many cases well meaning, and not infrequently useful, woman, after all, is handicapped by certain obvious limitations, i’or our present purpose it will bo sufficient to mention that her knowledge of hunger and thirst is purely theoretical and founded exclusively on hearsay. For this her habits and mode of life must bo held responsible. No sooner is she, or some one else, out of bed than tea is brewed, and thin shavings of bread are smeared with butter. Of these lamentable apologies for food she consumes sufficient to destroy any appetite she might otherwise have had for breakfast, from which meal, though presiding over the teapot, she holds herself austerely aloof. Two or three hours later she experiences certain manifestations which she mistakes for hunger, and once more tea and bread and butter are consumed, so that she has no appetite for the midday meal. And whereas a man enjoys three good meals a day, woman maintains existence upon six or eight pocks. This is no modern development, for Dickens tells us that Mrs. Wilier would “with a general appearance of devoting herself to the general good, pi ler dinner as if she were feeding Jody else on high public grounds. glance at the cups and other vessels winch are supplied in response to her demand will show how little she knows about thirst, and of hunger she knows no more. But it is of thirst and its slaking, especially in such weather as we now are “enjoying,” that I would write. Before settling in Hawke’s Bay I had lived for many years with an artesian well at the back door, so that when I landed hero in the middle of a blazing drought I did not by any means relish the suggestion that 1 should quench a noble thirst with hot water out of an iron tank. Though not a total obstainer from alcohol my consumption of it is small, and I am widely regarded as an eccentric curmudgeon because of my utter and by no moans silent contempt of the shouting habit. Though not of particularly full habit I weight an honest fifteen stone, and after a period of active exertion on a hot day I find myself possessed of such a gorgeous thirst as women never know, and monarchs might envy. For its slaking 1 am quite content with water if it is cold. But warm water from an iron tank—well hardly. Such being the position 1 set to work in odd hours, and very shortly had sunk a hole some twenty five feet deep, just outside the back door. At the bottom there was a little water, but 1 did not use it. But a benzine tin of water let down to the bottom was reduced to the temperature of artesian water. Three tins were built into a frame. In one there was always cold water. On the others sundry bottles, sparklets, butter, cream, and so on, the whole lot being drawn to the surface by a windlass. Tho position of the well had been selected so that T subsequently built a small room, to be used as a dairy, with the well in one corner. That is hint number one, for to me in such a climate as this the difference between a hot drink and a cold one is the difference between barbarism and civilisation. Now that power is available it is worth suggesting that instead of a windless it is possible to instal an electric lift, and a safe more satisfactory than my hezine tins could easily be devised.

But if full advantage is to be taken of electrical power then a frigidarium irun by electricity may be installed. These installations are not being given away, but I would not dream of exchanging mine for any racehorse that ivill run at our summer meeting, and the running cost of a shilling a day is negligible alongside the fact that after eleven days in broiling heat mutton is perfectly sweet. Cut into joints, a sheep can be stowed away .in addition to enough bottles and other receptacles for the needs of an average household. Anyhow, this is the Christmas dinner which we have decided upon:—Clear soup, soused trout, lamb with salad, etc., stewed fruit, junket, strawberries and cream, home-made ice cream. To this you may add fluids according to your ideas, but tho point is that every item will be at. 20 or 30 degrees below atmospheric temperature, save that the ice creifm will be much colder.

Talking of fluids, if you lean towards cold weak tea without milk, steep the usual quantitv of tea for at least 12 hours in cold water, and in each glass place a slice of lemon. Really cold this is quite potable. My own special predilection is for shandygaff. Not the usual mixture of 80 per cent, beer and 20 lemonade, but 50-50 draught beer and ginger beer. The latter need not be effervescent. One ounce of bruised ginger, one pound sugar, one gallon boiling water; strain and bottle. This decoction, like draught beer, will keep as long as air is not admitted. In equal proportions they form a quencher which always make me think of cricket on an English village green. Iced drinks I have no use for. but if you keep the beer in the cooler and the other in the open air they will combine at about 50, and that is about the temperature of spring water. This can be arrived at l»v keeping both down the well. In cither case coolness is a great asset- in an attempt to attain A MERRY ’XMAS.