A Page for Women

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 24 April 1937, Page 22 (Supplement)

A Page for Women

SPEED UP OF FASHION

Black and Colours The Flowery Way

(By Diana Dane)

LONDON, 29th March. Dress designers in London and Paris .are speeding up to be completely ready with the robes, gowns and clay. dresses by the beginning of April. Wisely, they have arranged matters so that there will be no risk of a last minute rush, and in this they have been backed up by their clients. Queen Elizabeth set a good example by interviewing her dressmakers and settling some of the details of her ceremonial robes when she returned to London from Sandringham for a few days after Christmas. Other women, with less to think about yet enough planning to keep them well occupied, have also reached the stage of being fitted for their more elaboiate

gowns. But these clothes will not be worn until May. In the meantime, some adorable little dresses and suits arc being turned out of Mayfair work-rooms for maids and matrons to wear during the next few weeks. in view of the burst of colour expected in May, dressmakers are advising their customers to choose dark shades, in the main, for day time wear, leaving the pastel tints and the richer tones for the evening. Which accounts for the fashion parade to be seen any day in the West End, wheie girls and their mothers walk in trim little black, navy blue or dark grey suits. Or, maybe, the younger folk wear dainty patterned frocks with smart coats of plain dark materials. When the suit is worn, the colour note comes with the buttonhole, the blouse, the jabot, or the buttons on the coat. A striking vogue of the moment is the set of vivid red buttons used to fasten a double-breasted jacket of black, navy or dark grey woollen material. Similar sets arc employed, also, on the more “dressy” suits in heavy crepe and dull surfaced satin. 1 have seen the colour splash repeated in the form of a red tulle pleated jabot at the throat, but thought it a little overdone. A white blouse or jumper would have been more attractive, with, perhaps, a red rose or carnation in the buttonhole. Real and Artificial

Which reminds me of the marvellous array of artificial blossoms shown in every salon just now. -I he florists do their part in the evening, producing exquisite bouquets of ancient and modern designs—large Victorian posies tied with fluttering ribbons and backed with gold or silver lace, to be carried in the hands or posed in front of the corsage; delicious floral neck-laces, bracelets, belts; sprays of flowers reaching from shoulder to waist, diagonally, in front or at the back of the corsage; dainty wreaths and tiaras for the hair; brooches and even car-rings. And during the day the choice of artificial blooms is practically unlimited. Here is an excellent way to introduce the colour note into the dark outfit. Vivid anemones

in all their natural hues make a delightful cluster on a black coat; pink-tipped white daisies look well on grey; soft pink rosebuds find the perfect background in navy blue. The great art in planning the relief on a dark day dress or suit is not to overdo things. If the blouse itself is in a bright colour, or in printed material showing a pattern in various gay tints, omit the floral buttonhole. If a coloured tulle jabot is worn at the throat, let the buttonhole match it exactly or else leave it out of the scheme.

Still on the subject of colour, the manufacturers have introduced some new materials which, although dark in themselves, sparkle with interwoven metal threads, or are made vivid with silk and wool embroideries. These are for formal day dresses. ‘For the evening there are embroideries in sequins, seed pearls, diamante, metal threads again, beads and gleaming silks. The favourite black satin, chiffon or taffetas evening gown is brightened by a complementary little, jacket glistening with sequins or crystal bead embroidery. Again it may have a long, wide scarf covered with silver or gold pailettes. With both these dainty trifles, to be worn alternately, the same dress could appear again and again, and create the impression of two sep&rate toilettes. The New Hats

. Hats with brims are shown by the leading modistes, and here again the flowery way is followed. Some of the new models hint at the sailor shape with the flat crown and straight brim which, however, is often weighed down in the centre front or over one eye with a small cluster of flowers. Another arrangement is the posy placed under the brim at the back, turning it up and seeming to tilt the chapeau slightly forward. This is a piquant, old world style, and the flowers are usually grouped in a semi-crescent form. An amusing high-crowned hat, reminiscent of the national Welsh head-year minodified form, has a plain gros-grain band finished in the centre front with a bunch of coloured feather flowers.

Floral toques are still seen, with delicate veils floating from them. The all flower beret is pretty and usually becoming. And, still on the subject of head-dress, the evening cap of fine gold net, closely fitting and encircled by a narrow band of artificial rosebuds, violets or any small flowers, from which wreath an airy, narrow veil droops all round, is finding favour amongst the younger set.

One more item of millinery news—an effective mixture of superfine felt and coarse straw is found in at model which also illustrates the fashion for relieving black with a bright colour. The crown, pinched and dented Lo suit the individual wearer, is in red felt, and the brim, a turned up sailor shape, is varnished black straw, the gros-grain band repeating the colour of the crown. An all black hat in the two materials, with a coloured ribbon band, is good style and a naVy blue one, similarly blending felt with straw, looks well with a gold kid band, accompanying one of the new navy blue walking dresses with gold kid trimmings.

WINE AND THE GLASS

(By Mabel L. Tyrell)

“Good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used.” So said Shakespeare, and, having admitted the fact, we ' may enlarge a little on the subject of wine which, by tradition, is more than a mere drink, having become symbolic of faith, hope, and charity. As a nation the English are not wine drinkers, and do not appreciate it in the same way as the Latin races do. It was sold in England as a cordial, by apothecaries, in the year I 300, and for a long time after that it was regarded as a medicine a cjuality which still clings lo it. Nevertheless, in the: accounts of King John there is mention of “wine for the King which was

presumably drunk at table, and it is a fact that the Romans took wine with them, and had it sent to' England during their occupation. The three essential qualities of wine are flavour, colour, and perfume, or bouquet, as it is usually called. The connoisseur enjoys them equally, first lifting the glass to allow the light to fall on the wine and so enhance its sparkling hue, then savouring the perfume, and lastly drinking the beverage, with the attention necessary in appreciating a glass of wine as a food and drink should be. , , White Glasses I he wine glass is very important, loo; and so is the decanter. The first wine glasses used in England were regarded as charms. They came from Venice, and were believed to shiver,if the wine-w f Always excellent merchants, the Venetians circulated this.fable in order to induce foreigners to buy their .glass, the beauty of which was so greatly appreciated after a short time that it became symbolic of perfection. , s The perfect wine glass is white. Wine should not be served in coloured glasses because, however, attractive they may be, they spoil the colour and sparkle of the beverage and are themselves dimmed by the contents. White glass, fine, thin, cut, plain, or engraved, is the? perfect container, giving extra beauty to the wine. .The shape is a personal matter. Some people prefer the ancient' tulip form, some the round glass on a slender stem. It is a mistake to serve wine in small glasses which have to be filled to the brim. A wine glass should be no more than three-parts full in order to allow the bouquet to be appreciaated. A brimming glass is sipped anxiously, the perfume of the wine, escapes, and its flavour is not immediately apparent. “He d ocs not deserve wine who drinks it as water is a truth, but a modest glass of wine drunk in company, appreciated for its beauty and flavour, is a pleasant symbol of friendship. NURSING AT HOME THE ANAEMIC GIRL Girls between the ages of I 5 and 21 often suffer from what Is known as anaemia. In such cases the home nurse s dieting and care of the patient will do most towards effecting a cure. When a girl looks constantly pale, is easily tired and listless, sometimes'breathless, has pale gums and is given to fainting attacks, consult the doctor, who will try to discover the cause of the complaint and give certain instructions. Unhealthy surroundings, unsuitable food, lack of fresh air day and night, too much study, insufficient physical exercise are some of the possible causes. Anaemia is a deficiency in the red corpuscles of the blood, so treatment and feeding must aim at correcting this. It must also be emphasised that anaemia occurs, usually at an age when growth of the body requires most attention. If not taken in hand at once, there may be a possibility of tuberculosis. Treatment will, of course, be outlined by the doctor and is often a slow process in which improvement of the general health by attention to the diet is all important. Fresh orange juice on rising will often help. But, above all, the home nurse should know that certain foods contain natural iron and this, easily absorbed, will greatly assist the patient. Here is a list of foods containing this natural and valuable mineral: Egg yolk in particular, beaten up in orange juice, it is a splendid tonic. Other iron containing foods are: dried peas, whole meal flour, watercress, spinach, raisins, potatoes baked in their skins, cabbage (grated raw; this makes a good salad), apples and milk. Deep breathing before an open window should be practised very gently at first so as not to strain the heart. The patient should be adequately clad and should always sleep with the bedroom windows open.

KITCHEN CORNER

SOME SPECIAL BISCUIT RECIPES ■ Honey Biscuits One cup plain flour, 1 cup wheatenmcal or bran, j teaspoon cinamon, pinch of spice and nutmeg, pinch of salt, cup honey, A teaspoon bicarbonate soda, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon milk, 3oz melted butter, 1 cup chopped walnuts. Sift flour, salt, rising, and spices together. Add the nuts, then the melted butter and honey and mix to a firm dough with beaten egg, and milk (if necessary). Drop in tcaspoonfuls on to a cold greased tray, and bake in a moderate oven for about ten minutes. Butter Nuts Two tablespoons butter, 1 egg, 1 cup sugar, pinch of salt, A teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 1A cups flour, 1 cup desiccated j coconut, vanilla essence, 2 tablespoons i treacle, 1 tablespoon milk. Sift flour | with soda and cream of tartar. Add i sugar, and rug in butter. Add cocoj nut. then slightly beaten egg, milk, and I warmed treacle. Roll into balls the size of a walnut, put on buttered slide, and press into flat biscuits. Bake for about 15 minutes. CRISMES Six ounces butter, cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 2 cups flaked oatmeal, 1 dcsserti spoon treacle, golden syrup, or honey, I cup chopped nuts, 1. level teaspoon i bicarbonate of soda, 2 tablespoons boiling water. Put butter and treacle into ! a saucepan to melt, dissolve soda in the i boiling .water, and blcnd Hhe two mixi lures. ' Sjft flour, mix with the oat- ! meal' and ‘‘jjugar,. add nuts and butter ! mixture.' in spoonfuls-on a wcll--1 greased tray, -leaving plenty of room ! for spreading. Crackncll Bfkiniils To two brcakfaslcupfuls of flour add a little grated nutmeg, the yolks of 2 eggs, 2 or 3 teaspoons of rosewater, and enough cold water to make a stiff paste. Roll out several times, each time dotting the paste with butter, until Boz of butter has been rolled in. Make the biscuits into shape desired, and leave I them- for . one hour. Then put them into boiling water and boil until they I swell. Drop them, into cold water, take out, and, when dry, bake them. Arrowroot Biscuits Take (ioz of arrowroot, (ioz flour, lioz sugar, (ioz butter, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon baking, powder. Sift flour, arrowroot, and baking powder, rub in butler, and mix with the 2 beaten’eggs. Roll out thinly, 'cut into small rounds, and prick. Bake on a floured slide in a moderate oven. • Raspberry Bar

For these biscuits, which arc much appreciated by children, take A cup sugar, *loz butter, cups (bare) self-

raising flour, 1 egg. pinch of salt. Beat butter and sugar to a cream, add egg. then sifted flour and salt. Spread on a greased Swiss roll tin, and cover with raspberry jam. For the top—l egg, 1 cup dessicated coconut, 1A cups sugar. Mix together, and spread on top of jam. Bake 30-40 minutes in a moderate oven. Cinnamon Slice An unusual fruit slice biscuit is made as follows: For paste take 6oz of selfraising flour, 4oz butter, 2oz plain flour, 2oz castor sugar, 1 teaspoon of water, 1 egg, 1 dessertspoon cinnamon. For filling, mix together 1 apple (minced or chopped fine), 3 tablespoons of chop-

ped raisins, 2 tablespoons sugar, A teaspoon cinnamon, teaspoon spice, 1 teaspoon melted butter, some grated lemon rind, a little lemon juice. To make the paste, sift (lour, sugar, cinnamon, arid salt together, rub in butter, add beaten egg. and a little water if

! necessary, and make into a stiff dough. ' Roll out, and cut in half. Spread mince ■over one half, cover with the other half, and roll slightly with rolling-pin. Place on a greased scone tray, and ■mark into small squares w : ‘h the back : of a knife. Glaze with egg. and bake in a moderate oven for 20-2 E minutes, i Before quite cold cut into squares. Savoury I’ic Take All) of sausage meat, 2 large toI matoes, breadcrumbs, seasoning and 1 j teacupful of milk. Butter a piedish, put half the sausage meat in it. Skin j the tomatoes and break them up with ja fork, adding a little salt, pepper and

mustard and a tew drops of vinegai. Put half this over the meat, cover with breadcrumbs and seasoning. Then put in another layer of each. Pour the milk over it. put a few little pieces of margarine on the top and bake in a moderate oven for about an houi. Sea I’ie This dish is excellent for winter dinners: Lib beef-steak or a neck of mutton. 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 tuinip, loz Hour, 2 teaspoons salt. \ teaspoon pepper, about 1 pint of stock. For the crust —(ioz flour, 2or 3oz chopped suet, pinch of salt, water. Cut meat in piecse, and dice the vegetables. Put them in layers in saucepan, sprinkling with the flour and condiments, and cover with the stock. Make the crust, and roll to the size of saucepan. Bring the meat to the boil, then place crust on it. Put lid on saucepan, and simmer gently for two hours.

Passion Fruit and Dried Apricot Jam

One pound dried apricots, two and a-half cups cold water, 31b sugar. 10 passion fruit, juice one lemon. Wash apricots, and drain. Put into a preserving pan: pour water over, and leave all night. Next day cook for

15 minutes. Add sugar; cook about 20 minutes. Add passion fruit and lemon; cook till thick when tested on cold plate, stirring frequently. Cool; then bottle and seal down.

Pumpkin Jam

A good recipe is: Take 41b of firm pumpkin, weighed after it is peeled and cut into dice. Cut up the same weight of pineapple. Put them into a howl with 81b of sugar. Stir up, and let stand for 12 hours. Then strain off the liquid, bring to the boil, skim, and pour back over the fruit. Let stand for 24 hours; then boil all together until the fruit is clear. About 4oz of green ginger may be added if liked.

Quick Date Bread

Beat one egg with J cup of brown sugar, add one cup of sweet milk, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 cup chopped tlates. " Let rise for 20 minutes and then put in oven at about 350 degrees; turn top off and bottom lo low. Time, j to 1 hour. Sultanas or nuts can be added instead of dates, while dates and nuts or sultanas and nuts together make a delicious flavour.

Brown Egglcss Cake

One cup sugar, j cup milk, 2 tablespoons golden syrup, 1 cups flour, 2 tablespoons cocoa, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1J teaspoons soda dissolved in a little milk, jib butter. Warm syrup, milk and butter in saucepan and pour into well sifted, dry ingredients, adding soda last. Bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour and ice with caramel icing.

Banana and Tineapplc Trifle

Take 5 small sponge cakes, 2 bananas, 1 tin pineapple blocks, a little castor sugar, 1 lemon, j pint cream. Slice the sponge cakes. Cut the bananas into rounds. Arrange them in alternate layers in a glass dish, and squeeze the lemon juice over them. Empty the pineapple over all. Cover the dish and let the contents soak for one hour. Whip the cream lightly, add a few drops of vanilla essence, and pour over the trifle.

Cheese Spaghetti

Break A,lb of spaghetti in a pan of salted boiling water, boil until tender and strain thoroughly. Melt loz of butter in a saucepan, stir into it a teaspoonful of flour and a tabiespoonful of mustard. Add the spaghetti with a tablespoon of milk. When hot mix in jib cheese to taste, boil up, turn into a buttered pie dish, sprinkle breadcrumbs on top with a few pieces of butter here and there. Brown on the surface and serve with dry toast. Baked rears You will never appreciate the full flavour of pears unless you serve them baked —like this: Method. —Peel pears, halve and core. Roll halves of pears in buttered breadcrumbs, sprinkle with cinnamon. Place

in casserole with little water. Bake in oven at 350dcg F. until crumbs are : golden brown. Serve hot or cold with whipped cream. Six Cup Pudding One cup flour, 1 small cup sugar, ! 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1 cup sultanas, 1 cup chopped suet, 1 cup milk or half milk and water, pinch salt. Rub suet into flour, add all other dry ingredients, lastly add milk into which a level teaspoon baking soda has been dissolved. Put mixture on to a well-flavoured pudding cloth and ; boil for about two hours. Serve with

a custard sauce. This quantity is sufficient tor a family o£ six. It is a very economical pudding, as there are no butter or eggs used, and can be well recommended. It is delicious eaten hot or cold, or any left over may be friend.

rium Pudding Without Eggs

Two cups breadcrumbs, 1 cup plain flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup seeded raisins, 1 cup sultanas. 2oz peel. 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 grated nutmeg, 1 scant teaspoon carbonate of soda. Rub the butter into the sifted flour, add the breadcrumbs, nutmeg and fruit. Dissolve the carbonate of soda in the milk, add to the other ingredients. Mix well. Tie in a floured pudding cloth, plunge into boiling water, cook three to four hours. Serve with sweet sauce.

Plain Plum Pudding

Half-pound suet, .',lb sugar, lib flour, jib currants, .'lb sultanas, 2oz sliced mixed peel, 2 teaspoonfuls baking soda, half nutmeg grated, 1 egg; mix all dry ingredients thoroughly together, and mix the treacle.with a cupful of hot milk, and then pour into the dry ingredients, mix, and boil in basin or cloth (leaving room for swelling); boil or steam f0r 222' 2 hours.

HOUSEHOLD HINTS

To prevent a mincing machine from marking a table, place a small cork mat between the clamps of the machine and the table. If the mat is placed on the underside of a cabinet front table the paint will not be marked.

THINGS USEFUL TO KNOW To Clean Wallpaper Wallpaper can be cleaned with bran. A simple way to do it is to make a cheese-cloth bag and fill it with the bran. Spots on walls can be cleaned with the crumbs of stale bread. Simple Remedies for Bruises The pain and discolouration of a briuse can be considerably lessened if a little dry starch or arrowroot, just moistened with cold water, is applied at once. Butter or olive oil, rubbed lightly over the place, are two other excellent kitchen remedies for a bruise. Cleaning Copper Copper utensils which have become dulled and blackened by contact with the fire can be cleaned by rubbing over with a cut lemon dipped in salt. They should afterwards be washed in warm water to prevent the acid eating into the surface.

When frying pancakes be sure that the lard in which they are cooked is smoking before you pour in the batter, or the pancakes will stick.

Potatoes bake more quickly and are more palatable if allowed to soak for a few minutes in hot water before being put in the oven.

Rice will not stick to the pan when cooking if the latter is well greased first. If it is also greased to a depth of one inch round the top the rice will not boil over. To keep the grains separate and white, add a little lemon juice to the water.

Clean coat collars by rubbing thoroughly with a flannel dipped into ammonia and boiling water in equal quantities. As the surface of the flannel becomes dirty apply a fresh side.