LETS GO GOSSIPING

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 55, Issue 3929, 21 July 1937, Page 4

LETS GO GOSSIPING

WOMEN’S INTERESTS: THE HOME.

(By

MISS MARY TALLIS.-

—Special Service to Te Awamutu Courier.)

DRESS. RAIN PROOF. Gaiety, tempered with common cense is, of course, the rule for the tainy season, and there is a whole world of attractive new rainwear from which to choose. Smart waterproof coats of velvet corduroy, transparent oilskins with a lovely gleam that makes you look as if every single rain drop in the sky had alighted on you and left you shining, but dry; satin,r urfaced “macs” in almond green, lido blue or cherry red; very trim spot designs, white dotted navy blue or pine green. These are just a few of the temptations to be found in the shops, and they almost invariably have pert little turn-up hats to match. If your curls ere difficult by nature and it is essential to keep them dry, you can choose a dainty umbrella, too, and with a reasonably nice pair of shoes your rainy day outfit is good for several seasons’ faithful wear. The chief winter enemy to beauty is cold; and everything you can do to keep yourself warm will help. Do try hard to get at least half-an-hour’s exercise each day, even if it means geting up a little earlier to walk to the office, or, if you are a housewife, planning your shopping differently so that you can go out each day instead of three times a week. If you are one of the “frozies” and, try as you will, your nose turns pink and your complexion slightly mauve when you go out in the cold air, try the effect of a course of calcium tablets from your chemist. Calcium is invaluable for giving your blood the nourishing elements it needs, and splendid for chilblains. THE HOME. THRONGED PAPER PARCHMENT LAMP SHADES. Thronged parchment paper lamp shades are rightly very popular just now. You will require a wire frame (this need not be new, of course), some parchment paper and oddments of wool in three shades, left over from knitting or embroidery. The frame should be one which has four or six straight edged panels. Lay the frame on its side on a sheet of paper, and take an exact pattern of the panel by pencilling along the outsides of the wires forming it. Cut out the shape obtained, and use it as a pattern for the parchment paper panels, which must be cut without turnings. With an embroidery stiletta or pointed scissors make thronging holes all round each panel, Jin inside the edge and tin apart. Cut three needlesful of wool, one of each colour, and thread them all together into a bodkin. Place the first panel against the wire frame, on the outside, and overcast (throng) its top to the top wire. Continue down a side wire, here not only thronging the first panel to the frame but a second one to cover the next wire section. Place the holes of the second panel exactly over those of the first one, and throng them both at once to the frame. Secure all the panels in place down the side wires in the same way; then throng them along the top and bottom of the frame. From the rest of the wool make small vari-coloured tassels, and hang cne at the bottom of each vertical wire. COOKING. NEW STYLE PANCAKES. You certainly like omelettes, but after a time they get slightly wearisome; then why not try these new style pancakes. They make a delicious change. Kidney pancake has an easily made filling, and this should be folded in a pancake as thin as paper, and crisp and delicious. Take 3J ozs self raising flour, 1 cup milk, 1 egg, and a pinch of salt. Sieve the flour and the salt

together, beat the egg and gradually add the milk, beating all the time. Shake in a little of the flour and beat again; continue in this way until you nave used all the flour, then put aside for an hour. Beat for 3 minutes and leave for another hour. Into the frying pan put a nut of. lard, and when it has melted pour most of it into a basin, leaving very little at the bottom of the pan. Pour in a little of the batter and turn the pan about quickly so that the bottom is completely but thinly covered with lite mixture. It is the quickness of the hand that makes this process successful. Allow 2 kidneys for each pancake. Slice and cut them into dice. Chop finely 1 shallot and fry in 1 oz butter for a few moments. Roll the diced kidney in seasoned flour and add to the shallot. Fry until golden brown and remove to a hot plate, make the sauce by adding J oz flour to the hot butter, sirring well together until blended, then pouring in 1J gills of stock or water. When the sauce has Ihickened put in the kidney and onion and cook gently foi- 15 minutes. At the last moment stir in 1 dessert spoon of chopped parsley. The filling can be cooking while you are frying the batter, and when this is ready the centre is spread with the filling and the pancake folded over and very quickly served. Peach pancakes are a change. Take -1 ozs self raising flour, 1 egg. -I pint milk and ,a pinch of salt. Put the cur and salt into a basin, and in the centre pour the egg; mix with the our, adding the milk as you do so; beat well. Lard the frying pan, pour in the batter and fry the pancake lightly both sides. Fill the centre with sliced peaches and a dusting of castor sugar. SAVOURY STEAK AND TOMATOES. One and a half lbs chuck steak, 3 or 4 tomatoes, 1 teaspoon flour, 1 onion, J teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons crumbs, small piece of butter, 2 tablespoons water. Cut steak into pieces about 2in by 2in. Roll in the seasoned flour. Cut tomatoes into thick slices, and the onion into dice. Place a layer of tomato in the bottom of the can. Then meat and onion and continue in layers, until all are used. Sprinkle the crumbs over, add a piece of butter, .and pour in the water. Cover with the lid, and cook gently about to 14 hours. SHARP STEAK. Piece of round of rump steak, 15 lbs, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 tablespoon Worcester sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato sauce, 5 pint water. Rub the our, salt, pepper, mustard and the flour, salt, pepper, mustard and steak in the pan, and cover with the mixture of water, vinegar and sauces. Cover the pan with a tin plate or lid. Cook gently over fire until meat is tender. Very gentle cooking is essential. The meat may be cut into smaller pieces if desired. Add sliced gherkin, if liked, when dishing. STUFFED STEAK. Fill 15 lbs steak _ with some well made seasoning. Roll and tie securely with string. Fry in the pan on all sides until brown. Lift out, and make 1 pint of a rich brown gravy. Place the steak in a billy. Add the gravy and cover. Cook gently until tender. If desired the meat may be cut into small squares, stuffed and rolled, and treated in the same way as the larger roll. This fakes a savoury dish which is a departure from the ordinary stew. SUBMARINES. Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon sugar, add 4 tablespoons milk, then stir in 1 cup flour in which is sifted 5 teaspoon soda and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar. Lastly, beat in a dessertspoon of melted butter. Drop in small spoonfuls in boiling fat. To be eaten with warmed golden syrup or honey.

HOUSEKEEPING HOUSEKEEPING NOTES. To clean water bottles quickly and thoroughly drop in small pieces of newspaper with a little water and shake vigorously. When washing silver plates or dishes which have been used for fish, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the water and all traces of the fishy smell will disappear. To clear a blocked sink get some chloride of lime from the chemist, stuff it into the pipe as tightly as possible. Pour in boiling water, slowly at first. The lime will burn away the obstructing rubbish, and the pipe will be cleared. To tie jam pots quickly and securely, use wet string, which shrinks when dry and so holds. Make a loop neatly at one end of the string, slip the other end through and take round the pot again. A bassinette when not in use makes a good clothes horse. Take the canvas off and use the frame. It is easily moved and will close up. When delicate chine is being washed there is always the fear of breakage. To prevent this, cover the sides and bottom of the washing bowl with a clean, thick Turkish towel. Then pour in the water and wash the pieces one at a time. To remove grease stains from tables rub lemon juice well in. All stains will disappear. It is almost impossible to avoid touching the wallpaper when washing the paint work of windows and skirting boards in the ordinary way, but if you hold a sheet of thick cardboard, or a piece of zinc, against the wallpaper at the spot where you are working, it won’t matter if the damp cloth does go over the edge of the paint work accidentally. RUBBER TABLE MATS. Mats made from used hot water bags are very useful in the kitchen, breakfast nook or children's nursery; they save table'cloths and can be washed and dried easily. It is not necessary to iron the crochetted covers after washing, for they soon become flat again with use. Wash the cover on the mat. A set of these mats, made as follows, makes a cheap and useful present. From a small, square rubber bag cut out as much of the flat surface of each side as possible, cutting away any uneven joins at the sides, top and base. These two pieces may be cut round by placing a round plate or saucer on the rubber and cutting with the scissors against the edge of the plate. The sides of a large hot water bag will make two big mats to use under dishes. Now take a ball of silk crochet cotton that will not shrink, of any desired shade, and crochet two pieces to fit each side of the mat. Join at the edges to make fiat case; leave enough room to slip in the rubber, then sew up.