SALADS FOR SUMMER DAYS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 2669, 20 December 1928, Page 2

SALADS FOR SUMMER DAYS.

TRIED RECIPES. On hot sunny days, or steaming clammy days there is a disinclination to eat hot food, and behind the scenes equally strong feelings on the subject of cooking it. Why do we cook it? The. fuel and labour involved is decreased by destruction of vitamins and loss of mineral salts, but the well-known, sterotyped reasons given are that it is more hygienic (heat killing any bacteria), and it is rendered more palatable and attractive. But lettuces can be washed, and foods which were hitherto considered only edible in a cooked state arc now relished raw. Shredded cabbage salad and grated carrot are delightful, os those who have tried them know.

Lettuces can be easily grown in the smallest of gardens at little cost and are worth the trouble. They contain vitamins A, B, C and E, substances which some people consider a passing fad, though the better initiated know that they are indispensable to perfect health. Further, they contain cellulose or roughage, an excellent substitute for the "daily dose," and calcium, a mineral salt which forms the basis of our bones and teeth. It is necessary, too, for the efficient working of the heart and circulation. In adults, if insufficient calcium is provided for the latter purpose, it will be drawn from our teeth, thus predisposing them to decay. The following are some tried recipes:— MAYONNAISE SAUCE. Half teaspoonful mustard, half teaspoonful salt, or half saltspoonful pepper, a few grains cayenne, one egg yolk, one tablespoonful vinegar, one gill salad oil. Mix mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl, add egg yolk, mix thoroughly and add vinegar while stirring. Add the oil drop by drop at first and beating until thickens, and then add more frequently. If a dropper is not used, both hands will be occupied, one holding the bowl and the other stirring. Therefore, a damp cloth is put around the bowl to keep it steady. A dropper simplifies matters, as it leaves a hand free to hold the basin. BOILED DRESSING. Half ounce flour, cayenne, threequarters ounce sugar, one-third pint milk, one teasponoful mustard, quarter teaspoonful salt, one egg or two yolks, four tablespoonsful vinegar. Mix the dry ingredients with a little cold milk. Stir in the remainder when boiling, and allow to boil. Add beaten yolk of egg and heat sufficient to thicken. Add vinegar when cold. Note: This dressing may be kept for some time if a smaller quantity of water is added instead of milk. To serve, mix with a little whipped cream.