THE HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12478, 23 January 1904, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE HOME.

THE TABLE. Indian Custard I'if. : Warm half an ounce of butter in a saucepan with half a pint of milk, pour this on three ounces of dessiccated coeoanut and let it get cold, then beat the yolks of two eggs, and add to it sugar to taste. Line a greased piedish with pastry, ornament the edges with pastry leaves or rings, pour in the custard, and bake in a quick oven till set, probably about twenty minutes. When cooked whip the whites of the eags to a stiff froth, sweeten and flavour them" and pile on the top. Put back the dish in i? cooler part of the oven till the meingue is lightly browned, then strew cocoanut over and serve hot or cold.

Cauliflower with Mushroom Sauce: Required:, One cauliflower, buttered toast, one dessertspoonful ot chopped parsley. For the sauce: Six fair-sized mushrooms, one ounce of butter, one Mince of flour, half-pint of milk, one yolk of egg, one tablespoonful of lemonjuice, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Soak and wash the cauliflower, and divide it into nicely-shaped pieces. Cook in boiling water-and-salt till tender, but not- broken. Drain, lay on buttered toast, pour the sauce over, and garnish with the chopped parsley. To make the sauce, prepare the mushrooms for cooking, and chop very finely. Melt the butter in an enamelled saucepan, stir in the flour. Add the milk, and stir till it boils end thickens. Add the mushrooms, and cook gently for a quarter of an hour. Draw luck, and, when it has slightly cooled, stir in the yolk of an egg well beaten. Stir over a, slow fire till it thickens. If allowed to bod it will curdle. Add seasoning to

Chocolate Custards : Set one pint of milk over the tire in a double saucepan, and when it quite boils add a largo spoonful of sugar and two of grated chocolate. Stir while all boils slowly for five minutes, and add the beaten yolks of two eggs, gradually stirring the custard meanwhile. By degrees add some essence of vanilla to taste. This custard must not boil, and directly it thickens should be removed from the fire; beat briskly, and when cool enough pour into custard glasses. Whip the whites of eggs to a stiff froth with castor sugar, and a little flavouring, and heap some on each custard.

lapioca Cream : Required: Three ounces of tapioca, one pint of milk half-pint of cream, sugar, lemon-juice or sherry, essence of almond, four penny sponge cakes, one ounce almonds. "Wash the tapioca, and put to soak in the milk the evening before it is required. Cook slowly till tender. Add sugar to taste, and let cool. Put the sponge cakes into a glass dish, and pour over enough lemon juice or sherry to soak them. Pile the tapioca roughly aver, whip the- cream, heap it on top, and. decorate with the almonds shelled and cut into spikes.

HOUSEHOLD HINTS. A thin* coating made of three-parts lard, melted with one part resin, and applied to stoves and grates will prevent their rusting when not in use. To keep flat-irons clean and smooth, rub them first with a piece of wax tied in a cloth, and afterwards scour them qn a paper or cloth strewn with coarse salt. The best way to remove sand and grit from small fruit, when washing is necessary, is to lay the fruit loosely in a clean basket, and dip the basket into fresh clean water. It is said that it a lamp wick is soaked in vinegar 24 hours before being placed in the lamp a clearer flame will be ensured. Wicks should be changed often, as they soon become clogged and do not permit the free passage of the oil. If a cloth is wet in vinegar and then wrung out as dry as possible with the hands, and wrapped around cheese, and then the whole put. ill a large paper bag and kept in a cool place, the cheese will retain the moisture and freshness of a new-cut cheese, and wiil not mould.

Tannin stains on teacups can be removed by rubbing with a damp flannel dipped in prepared chalk or whiting. Salt can be used in the same way for common china and ware, but it injures the surface of the more delicate ware.

The water in which rice is boiled is too valuable to be thrown out; add tomatoes to it- and make a soup for the next day's luncheon or dinner. Water in which onions are boiled may be put over the bones with ordinary water for stock-making. Water in which potatoes are boiled should be thrown away; it contains a poisonous alkaloid, and is unwholesome; this is also true of the water in which asparagus is cooked, but the water in which other vegetables are cooked is worth saving. The water in which pens, beans, and cauliflower are boiled may he added to the water in which a leg of mutton or beet" was boiled, and carefully reduced byrapid boiling, strained, and put aside to use for sauces or soups. ' Beef Juice for Invalids: Take lean rumpsteak, slightly heat in a pan over the lire, then squeeze in a warmed lemon-squeezer. Season with a little pepper and salt, and it is ready. Invalids often take a dislike to beef-juice on account of its colour, so it is best to serve it in a coloured claret glass.

HOW TO LAY A HOMELY CLOTH. To lay a cloth tastefully and prettily is an accomplishment well worth knowing. One of the first duties of the young housekeeper is to bestow much attention upon this particular branch of the household duties.

No matter how simple the meal, it is absolutely necessary that the cloth should bo spotless and good, the plate polished brightly, the knives well cleaned, and the glass clear. The cloth should be large enough to cover the table, and hang down at least half-a-yard upon each side and end. It must, when removed from the table after a meal, be carefully folded in its proper folds and smoothed as much as possible. If there is a press so much the better, and they are really invaluable in economy. " - Common table-linen is a mistake. It never lasts, and is anything but pleasing in appearance. Breakfast and dinner each require their own cloth. Never make one do dutv for two meals.

Serviettes should be laid with every meal ; but when economy has to be studied", dinner is the meal from "which they cannot be banished. They should be folded nicely, or else neatly rolled and placed in rings. Everything required for laying a cloth should be brought into the room first, with due regard as to what is to by served. Remember the fish knives and forks when fish is to form part of the meal, and extra spoons for soup. These are laid to the right hand of each person. The same rule applies to glasses, fish-knives, etc. A crystal jug of fresh water will be required, plenty of salt-cellars and pepperpots, so as to avoid unnecessary passing. A. small dinner-roll or piece of bread cut thick must be laid by each napkin. A dainty vase of flowers should grace the centre of the table.

Cold or hot plates must be put before dishes for which they are intended. Knives, forks, and spoons should be evenly arranged about half-an-incli from the edge of the table, and glasses placed according to their order, just about- the point of the knife. If these rules are properly carried out, the roost homely meal will appear attractive.

GOLDEN THOUGHTS. Hate is a hard pillow. A vise is a spoiled virtue. Small things build up eternity. A mother's mission lies at home. There may tie worship without words. The gifts of heaven are the graces of earth. Big pride and little self-respect ton often marry. Religion dyed in fear never long keeps its colour. God's riches are not quoted 011 the Stock Exchange. Fortune is oftentimes kindest to those upon whom she frowns. Attachment to Christ is the only secret of detachment ficm the world. A very small stock of discontent will set one up in business. No other capital doubles itself so ouickly. DREAMING. ONLY one dream is sweet, dear, Only on& dream is true; Who shall dream it with me, dear? Who shall dream it with you? Dream m.v heart i? a nest, dear— Droair. your heart is a dove: Life is the sweetest and best, dear. Dreaming the dream of lovo.