MRS. PEPYS’S DIARY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 93, 11 July 1927, Page 4

MRS. PEPYS’S DIARY

MONDAY.— To lunch this day with Mr. Pepys's Aunt Lettice, and The begging- me to write her how she hath had some leather Pillows Washed at Home, at a great saving of cost. Now she would caution all to choose a day when the sun shines: next to make a soft lath r of soap- Hakes to which borax lias been added, to soften your water, and toremove grease from your feathers. For emptying your pillow this must be tone directly into your bath, and the tethers to be pushed immediately under the water, there to be well kntaaed and squeezed with the hands. W hen they be indeed thoroughly' cleaned, place them into a thin muslin bag. run tepid water through them and put th€* bag through your wringer. Now to hang the bag containing your feathers out to dry, and if you would have the best results constantly shake them. And so, when well dried, you may put them back into a clean tick, very satisfied of vour work in this matter. TUESDAY. —In a very old book do discover a Stuffing to be used for rendering such fish as small Cod, etc., when baked, indeed very savoury. The way to take equal parts of fat bacon, beef-suet and butter, some parsley and thyme, a little onion, a few leaves of scented mar jorum shred fine, an anchovy or two, a little salt and nutmeg and some pepper*; add crumbs and an egg to bind. WEDNESDAY. —My maid Jane out as her custom is, do prepare with my own hands a very pretty dish of Scotch eggs, this to take the place of meat at our supper. The way of it to boil hard as many eggs as you may require, and without removing them trom tne whites cover completely with sausage meat, or if this not to be had, a very good forcemeat, into which you snail mix a flavouring of chopped ham, or of anchovy, to serve you very nicely. Next fry vour eggs a beautiful yellowbrown, dish’ them up round a mouml of potato, mashed, and put a very little good gravy that is thickened, but not to overdo it, upon your eggs. The rest of your gravy to be handed as a sauce. THURSDAY. —At my reading, to my satisfaction that it should be so. do come upon a way of Cleaning Lacquei, whether it be genuine or a good reproduction. The treatment, as I learn, to rub it over with a very soft cloth wrung out, almost dry, in warm soapsuds, and for your soap one that is good and super-fatted to be used, rinsing out vour cloth as it becomes soiled. Then with aonther cloth, also soft, wrung out in cold water, cleanse your la - -iuer all over. Also do I read that for lacquer work that is cracking, and this like to happen where it be foolishly exposed to too much heat, to preserve and to renovate it you must needs wipe it over, after your cleansing, with a clean cloth sprinkled with a thin olive oil. After which polish with a dry

cluster for a finish. FRIDAY. —For the use of my good Gossip, Mistress Bassett, do write out the recipe of a most excellent Lunch Cake, the same to serve equally as well for tea where a family to be provided for. The way of it to sieve alb. of flour, 1 teaspoonful of baking powder and of salt a pinch. Next to clean 4oz. of sultanas, and to shred fine 2oz. of peel. Also to beat 3oz. of margarine and 4oz. of castor sugar to a cream, adding thereto 2 eggs, one by one, and beating in a thorough manner. Stir in vour flour, then your prepared fruit, and half a teaspoonful of grated lemon rind. Put your mixture into a greased tin lined with greased paper, and so to to your oven, moderate, to bake for 1 hour. When cooked to your liking turn on to a sieve to cool, and I think any trying this cake to be very well pleased indeed. SATURDAY. —Mr. Fenvs brings a man to sup with us this night, he a friend met at this golfing, not business, and so he would have the meal homely but of a pleasant eating. Do decide upon a Braised Oxtail, and for that purpose did set lib. of dried peas to soak over-night. This morning did put same into a pan with cold water, did bring to the boil slowly and simmered for li hours. Now is it required to cut your ox-tail into joints, to trim and soak in water that is lukewarm for 1 hour. Next drain and boil gently for 1 hour, after which you may strain your ox-tail and put it into a casserole on your partly-cooked peas, adding 2 onions, minced and 3 tomatoes cut in slices; also enough of the water in which your pease have been cooking to cover all. Season your dish well with pepper and salt, put the lid on your casserole and bake in a moderate oven for 3 hours. This dish very tasty, and for any who will trouble to make it with care, one to do them fine credit. HOW TO CLEAN MARBLE Careful cleaning improves the appearance of marble chimney pieces, statuettes, etc., but care must be taken to ensure the correct processes. Marble must first be dusted and then washed with shredded soap and water. The soapy water should be rinsed off with clean water, and the marble afterwards dried with a fine cloth, later polishing with a chamois leather. A small quantity of linseed oil rubbed over a black or grey marble chimney piece will give a very attractive gloss. Marble that is stained can be cleaned and considerably improved. Take two ounces of soda, one ounce of powdered chalk and one ounce of powdered pumice stone; pound and pass through a sieve, and make the powder thus formed into a paste, using boiling water. Spread this paste over the marble, giving a very thick application to the stained parts. Leave for a day, and then treat as before, washing with soapy water and rinsing with clear water. Ornamental parts of the chimney piece should be gone over with a brush.

Another method of dealing with stained marble is to coat it with a layer of thick hot water starch. The starch, when it dries, will peel off, bringing the majority of the dirt with it. This is particularly valuable for the efficient way in which it penetrates into crevices and extracts the dirt. The starch-paste that does not peel off can be washed off in the ordinary manner. A stain can sometimes be removed by an application of oxalic acid, but this should be used with the greatest care, and only when the marble is badly stained and other methods have failed. The acid should be put on with all speed, and washed off again quickly. A really bad stain can only be removed by having the marble repolished by an expert.

If you have any marble statuettes about the house, these cleaned with soap and water only, taking special care to see that the soap contains nothing that is gritty. Soft brushes should be used for washing, and the water must be renewed when it becomes dirty. Every trace of soap should be washed away. An excellent result can be obtained by applying the hot-water starch paste with” a soft brush. After washing, a statuette should be carefully polished with a soft cloth. W.B. To batfish fleas sprinkle coarse salt liberally on the ground underneath and around the house.