HOME SCIENCE LESSONS

Taranaki Daily News, 2 June 1934, Page 18 (Supplement)

HOME SCIENCE LESSONS

RHODES FELLOWSHIP TUITION.

ACTIVITIES IN NORTH TARANAKI.

(By

Violet Macmillan.)

Dear Homemakers,—The third week of my stay in North Taranaki followed a week-end at Mrs. H. Ega'rr’s, Tariki, after which I began on the regular round. At Kaimata on Monday morning I gave the food and health lecture, which was outlined in last week’s newsletter, and in the afternoon the group practised tailoring and dressmaking finishes. I reached Hillsborough that night where we made three dress forms at Mrs. Sampson’s. On Tuesday morning the Kent Road dietetic study group met at Mrs. Parker’s, where after I had explained the relationships between diets deficient in iron and anaemia, and those deficient in iodine and goitre, the group prepared itself a lunch rich in iron and iodine. Our menu was liver pie (minced liver, bacon, onion with a mashed potato crust), spinach mould (cooked, sieved spinach, minced liver and egg steamed in a buttered basin), stuffed potatoes (baked in their jackets, the insides scooped out and mashed and mixed with minced liver, parsley and a dash of onion, well seasoned and browned in the oven), stuffed onions treated similarly after being partially cooked in water, with a dessert of Irish Moss blancmange—recipe at the end of this letter. We continued in the afternoon with a dressmaking group, altering and cutting patterns.

• After being the guest of Mrs. Weston, of Kent Road, next morning I met Mrs. McPhillips, president of the New Plymouth branch of the Women’s Division, at the Women’s Division shop, to make plans for lectures on interior decoration during show week. It was decided to plan these for Thursday evening and Friday morning (June 7 and 8) at the Whiteley Hall, so that both town and country women might attend. That afternoon (Wednesday) at Mrs. Street’s home, Smart Road, another' dress form bee, resulting in five forms, was held. After tea I again discussed food and health, and then returned with Mrs. Martin to her home in Glenalmond Road.'

On Thursday I held my concluding meetings at Tikorangi and Waitara. Tikorangi’s meeting consisted of a demonstration showing how a plain foundation pattern is used to design garments with pleats, gathers, flares, godets, puffed sleeves, etc., and how by draping on a model, dresses may be designed without any pattern being used. The afternoon meeting at Waitara dealt with the problem of constipation and advocated the use of more natural foodstuffs such as whole grain cereals, vegetables, etc., as the natural way to keep the lower bowel healthy and clean. We prepared and ate the following salads:— Carrot, apple and celery, garnished with nuts and raisins; carrot, apple and shredded cabbage; banana, nuts and lettuce; sliced apple and orange on lettuce. All were served with a savoury boiled salad dressing. • We discussed the desirability of serving mixed green salads when lettuces were scarce and went thoroughly into the subject of the devitalising of our cereal products through over-refining. On this occasion I did not grind any wheat in my portable hand mill nor make scones, etc., from the resulting flour as I usually do in this study, but merely explained the superiority of the whole of the wheatmeal dishes. I would like every one of the readers of this column to try a carrot plum pudding on the next cold day. The recipe is attached.

In the evening we held the pattern altering and fitting study. All the Tikorangi meetings were held at Mrs. James Sarten’s, and all the Waitara meetings at Mrs. Cuming’s, who was also my hostess on the Thursday evenings. On Friday and Saturday Inglewood also held its concluding meetings. “Tailoring and Finishes” was the' study theme in the morning, “Foreign Organisations” the lecture in the afternoon on Friday, and on Saturday morning I again demonstrated dress designing from the plain pattern and the • dress form. Now for the two recipes I have promised:—

Irish Moss Blancmange.

Buy some Irish Moss (white seaweed) at the chemists’ at 4d to 6d an ounce. A shilling’s worth will last a long time. Soak one-third of a cupful (packed tightly) in a cup of cold water for 15 minutes. In the meantime put on one quart (four cups) milk to heat in a double boiler. Strain off the water from the moss, and pick out all discoloured portions from it. Put the clean moss into the milk, and keep with the lid on at scalding heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain milk into a ..mould, add one-third of a cup of 'sugar, and quarter of a teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt. Stir quickly and put in a cool place to set. Serve with stewed fruit. Carrot Plum Pudding.

One cup flour, one cup raw grated carrot, one cup raw grated potato, half cup sugar, half cup melted dripping, one and a-half cups mixed fruit, one teaspoon soda, half teaspoon ■ mixed spice, half teaspoon salt (all measurements level). Method: Clean fruit. Grate vegetables. Sift all dry ingredients together. lllix all together and add melted dripping last. Steam in buttered basin for four hours.