WOMEN IN THE HOME

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 19 January 1938, Page 3

WOMEN IN THE HOME

BRIDGE PARTY

One of the simplest and nicest ways of entertaining women is to give an afternoon bridge party (writes an English woman in an exchange). Invitations are generally given by telephone, but if it is a big party, use cards.

If you are a bridge guest, reply promptly and don't cancel lightly, since this entertainment depends almost entirely on correct numbers. Also, arrive punctually sd that the game can start on time.

When arranging the card room, pay attention to space and warmth. Don t crowd the tables. In a large room extra radiators should be placed in the far corners, as the fire is so often closed in by the players nearest it.

Good lighting is another essential. Soft, subdued lights near the tables are much more effective than one central pendant. The modern card table is most attractive. The newer types of table, luxuriously fitted with ash trays and other etceteras, and covered with rich shades of velvet, go well with modern furnishings and look good in any setting.

There are certain preliminaries which require careful handling First of all. the hostess must see that players pf equal skill are arranged at the same table.

This is not so essential when the game is progressive, as individual ability is not of the same importance. Serious contract, however, can prove most embarrassing and nerve-racking to the mediocre player who is partnered for several hours with an expert. The expert suffers too

If your guests are not all known to each other, make introductions before

the game begins. The stakes should also be arranged beforehand. If a simple ruling is made at the outset, it will avoid any embarrassment later. Prizes, when necessary, are a matter of taste but anything ostentatious is best left alone.

The feature of the afternoon is tea a break about 4 o’clock should be made for this. It may be served at the card tables or in the dining room, according to the arrangements of the household.

On such an occasion the china and silver must look their sparkling beet and the lea table linen immaculate. \ finger-bowl of perfumed w’ater. with a flower petal floating on top, and towels should be in readiness on & salver for the convenience of the guests when tea is over.

Serve Indian and China tea. with milk or lemon. Delicate, original sandwiches are the best eats to offer. Rolled bread is a pleasant idea, too This can be made more interesting by the addition of an asparagus tip or a little fresh green cress

To roll bread, it must first of all be buttered and cut into very thin slices. Remove crusts and place each slice on & damp doth for about half an hour. Insert the filling roll the bread up neatly, placing it on the plate with the seam down. This will keep it in roll, but i l ' you have any difficulty, use a cherry stick to fix it.

Sandwich butter is a nice filling. To prepare beat butter to a cream in a warm basin, and add a touch of celery or onion salt for flavour. Cress, anchovy essence, or any tasty paste can be added. Olives, stoned and chopped, finely-shredded celery, grated cheese, or chopped egg may also be added to the butter and used as a spread. Heavier fillings of fish and meat are not suitable for an afternoon tea

Fresh tomato, green salad and cream cheese with nuts are better. The open-faced sandwich is gaining in popularity and can be made with rounds of bread, oval-shaped biscuits, or fingers of pastry. A smooth seasoned butter is generally used, piped on with a rose tube, and decorated on top with hard-boiled egg, chopped gherkin, nuts, olives, or paprika An assortment of cakes nicely ar ranged on a platter looks attractive, but choose these for easy handling. A large variety can be made with a slab of Genoese pastry cut out with a sixpenny set of fancy cutters showing the card symbols.

To make Genoese cakes, clarify three ounces of butter by heating it and straining it through muslin. Heat and sieve three ounces of flour. Whisk together four eggs and four ounces of castor sugar in a bowl over hot water until light and thick. Remove from the heat and whisk until slightly cooled. Add the sieved flour and the cooled melted butter to the mixture, stirring very lightlx Turn into a greased and papered flat baking tin and bake in a steady oven for about 20 minutes, until firm and lightly browned Turn on to a wir<? tray and cool before cutting out.

This can also be made into littie cakes sandwiched together with jam. lemon curd, or almond paste, or. again, brushed over with a little apricot marmalade and dipped in nuts. Decorate with icing and pistachio nuts.

If the slab is cut across in halves and sandwiched together with butter icing, cream or jam, it makes a delightful sponge, further improved if covered with American icing To make this icing, put into a pan nine ounces cf sugar and one gill of boiling water and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring slowly to boiling point without stirring. Skim thoroughly and have ready the white of an egg stiffly beaten Boil the sugar and water without stirring until it will make a thread when dropped from the end of a skewer, 232 degrees F for those who have a thermometer Cool slightly then pour gradually over the stifly beaten v'hite, whisking until it is of a

spreading consistency. This can be done over hot water until the icing becomes slightly granular round the side*; ot the bowl.

Whisk in a few drops of lemon juice, being careful to catch the icing at the right coating consistency. Spread it quickly over and round the cake, pulling it while still soft into rough points with the handle of a teaspoon.