MRS. PEPYS'S DIARY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 16, 9 April 1927, Page 5

MRS. PEPYS'S DIARY

MONDAY.—By the post do receive from Mr. Pepys’s Aunt Lettice, begging of me to write of it here, an old way whereby she hath recently cemented together some china of value, and so would pass on the good news to others in need of it. The manner of it to beat some lime into the most impalpable powder; to sift it through fine muslin; then to tie some into a fine muslin, put on the edges of the broken china some white of egg, then dust some lime quickly on the same and unite exactly. Her carrying out of this method pleasing her mightily, I pray God others may find it as much to their liking. TUESDAY”.—At the request of my good gossip, Mistress Bassett, do send her an old recipe for the making of Muscle-plum Cheese, these same being called Bullace-plums by some. For making of the Cheese the manner is to weight 61b. of fruit, to bake it in a stone jar in a cool oven, to remove the stones and to take out the kernels for putting in. Then pour half the juice on 2£lb. of good sugar; when melted and simmered a few minutes to skim it and to add the fruit. Keep it going very gently till the juice be much evaporated, taking Care to stir it constantly lest it burn. Then pour it into small moulds from which you may turn it out as you require. That nothing be wasted the remaining juice may well serve to colour creams, or be added to a pie. WEDNESDAY.—This day being near at my wits end for providing a novelty at our supper table, do procure from my greengrocer a small red cabbage, and do make a dish of it very tasty for present eating in the following manner. That to cut the cabbage very thin and to put it in your stew-pan with a small slice of ham, having first put half an ounce of butter at the bottom, i a pint of stock or gravy, and of vinegar 1 gill. Let all stew, covered, for three hours. When very tender add a little more stock is well, also salt, pepper and of pounded sugar one tablespoonful. Mix these well and boil till the liquor be wasted; then put into a hot dish and lay fried sausages upon it. THURSDAY.—Once more do I find myself writing of marrow jam, because of its being a seasonable preserve and economical, and this time my recipe, well tried, as follows, and that to take 41b. of marrow, when peeled and cut into pieces, with the seeds removed; cover with no more than a sprinkling of sugar and to leave until the following day. Then to allow to your 41b. of marrow, 31b. of preserving sugar, 1 teaspoonful of ground ginger, the peel and juice of 2 lemons, a pinch of cayenne and of vinegar 2 tablespoonsful. Boil your marrow until it be quite clear before adding your sugar and what-not, and to boil for h an hour afterwards to suffice. And so I hope all to have great luck of this who will follow me in the making of it. FRIDAY.—For any reading here in my diary who, having the opportunity to pick themselves a dish of mushrooms, I have bethought me to write a few hints, since the death of many persons has been occasioned by carelessly using the poisonous kinds. So let all «take notice that the eatable mushrooms first do appear very small and of a round form, on a little stalk. They grow very fast, and the upper part and stalk to be white. Then, as the size increases, the under part to gradualy open and to show a fringy fur of a very fine salmon-colour, which continueth, more or less, till your mushroom hath gained some size; then to turn to a dark brown. These marks to be carefully attended to, and likewise whether the skin can be easily parted from the edge and the middle. Those that have white or yellow fur to be most carefully avoided though many of them have the same smell, but not so strong, as the right sort. And so I hope all to take great heed of what I have writ. SATURDAY.—Expecting of Mr, Pepys’s Cousin Gladys, with her husband, to sup with us this night, do consider it a very fortuna-te thing that Mr. Pepys should again have a present from his friend in business, and this a brace of partridges. So with my own hand do cook them, roasting in a good oven, having a care to haste them oft with well clarified dripping. The time to allow your birds 25 minutes or 30 at your discretion, not forgetting that five minutes before serving you must flour well the breasts, and baste again until they are nicely frothed. For serving of your birds place them on neat slices of toast with a little gravy poured round and send to your tabid with gravy and breadsauce for serving. And so I hope any learning of me will be as complimented as I was to reward them of their pains. A young lady clerk, employed in a Wanganui office, and who prides herself on her appearance, was walking along the Avenue when she was stopped by a middle-aged woman, who told her to go home and lengthen her skirts. The lady was politely told to mind her own business, but paying no heed to this advice, she informed the young lady that she should be ashamed of herself for wearing sleeveless dresses. The young lady, in acquainting a “"Wanganui Herald” reporter with the incident, said that “interfering old hussy” looked as though she had just returned from Queen Victoria’s funeral. A love of the land seems to run in the Royal blood. The latest devotee of farming is Princess Mary, whose poultry farm at Goldsborough is proving so profitable that she is contem plating extending its scope. The Princess’s farm is conducted on strictly business lines, there being a full set of profit-and-loss books.