HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7678, 11 April 1903, Page 3

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

To Set Dye in Black Cotton Stockings put a good handful of common salt in the washing water.

Curdi*d Salad Dressing. — If, when you are mixing salad dressing.'it curdles, add a little cold water, stir quickly, and it wiil become quite smooth agaiu. To Cook Sausages. — The flavour of sausages ia very much improved if, before frying, they are put into enough cold water to cover them, and heated quickly to boiling. To Flavour Custards in summer use a few leaves of the peaoh tree — a few at a time put into the boiling milk and removed' before it oools. These give a delicate almond flavour. For Destroying Flies. — Brush over the windows each morning with a little oil of sassafras, and provide a way of escape for the flies, who dislike the sassafras, and will not settle on or even near it.

To Prevent a Bad Smell from water which has been left to stand in tanks, a few scraps of hoop iron should be placed in -the water. As th« sulphur compound evolved from the wa'ter combines with the iron it will leave the water quite sweet.

For tho Cock. — When using sardines for savories the recipe generally directs that they shall be .kinned. To do this- just slip each one quickly in and out of Doling water, and you will be able 'to iremov. the skin quite easily with a knife. The Brefidpan. — Don't forget that this should be scalded, well dried and aired at least once ta week during hot vfcather. The best plan is to wrap the loaves in a very slightly damped cloth, and leave the lid of the pan a liny bit open, so that the air may circulate through it. A Good Skin Tonic is tmade thus: Two ounces of eau de Cologn*, one ounce of tincture of camphor, half an ounce of tincture of benzoin. A few drop* of -this should be added to tha water when bathing the face. It is better to rub the face well with the haads than to employ a sponge. .. Tongue Salad. — Have ready some nice crisp lettuce- which has stood in water some hours, dry it well, and pour over it a good mayonnaise dressing, chop up finely some capers and hard-boiled eggs. Place the- salad in, a bowj, arrange on it slices of cold boiled tongue, «__ over all scatter alternately chopped capers and hard-boiled eggs.

,A Brilliant Varnish for Paint. — Mix together white-lead paste four ounces, patent dryer half an ounce, and white spirit varnish six ounces. These are sufficient to make the varnish of the consistency of ordinary white paint. If too thick, add' _ Irttle turpentine to reduce it. Thi. would give the paint the appearance of enamel when dry. To Clean Bottom of Cream Cloth Dress.— Pkoe some flour in the oven and make it gradually quite hot, Ibut do not let it take colour. When quite hot, take a piece of new flannel, rub >th_ soil., part with flour, using thfe flannel for rubbing. Brush off with a .lean, clothes brush, and, if neccs-sary, give another application.

To Keep Bread and Butter Fresh and Moist When Cut. — Place the plate of cut bread and butter in a cool place, cover closely with a serviett. or clean cloth "that has been wrung out 7 of oold -water, and many houis after it will be as moist as when first cut. It is very convenient, to prepare the bread and butter forth, -afternoon -tea in this way. ' To Keep Milk Sweetj — A tiny pinch of carbonate of teod- or salt put into the milk a. soon aa it aftives will help to prevent it from turning sour ; And if it seems inclined to turn, and is slowly heated to nearly boiling point, and a pinch of carbonate of isoda then stirred in, the sourness will disappear. Some people also add a tiny pinch of sugar. Chiekw- Custard.— Tp tempt a capricious '" ;..,. , v • : / • ■»..._..■

appetitia try chicken custard, w'lncb. is a> nice variation from, the ordinary cblicken dishes. 'Eo :i teacupful of good chickei t stock add a fimihtr quantity of cream, and cook for a few moments in a\ double saucepan. When hot, add the beaten yolk of three eggfc and salt to taste. As tho mixture begins to thicken pour uiio custard moulds or glasses -to -cool.

Apple Chutney. — Boil two qi*ar;s of good brown vinegar, 6 ; .b of juicy co-sking apples, weighed after pceiiiig a/nd coreiwg, and 21b of moist sugar, till reduced to a pu|p. Turn this into a presyving pan, and add- lib sultanas, 4 oz salt, 2oz A Tiuistard seed, loz grated ginger, Joz cayenne iV d a clove of garlic). Let stand, stirring the ii.\edients every day for a week. Then bottle, co\ and seal securely, and store in a dark place. To Ccok a Chopv-- The best aj»d most delicious way to cook a\ut-ton shop is as follows: —Place the chop in u, colander and poui^ over it some boiling water. This seals up tbe tissues, and does not allow any _u__Uou,s juices to be wasted. Now place on a- gridiron over a hot, clear fire, and cook in the usual manner. Turn with a knife, and do not prick in any way. Serve with a. small pifece of butter ar.il- a dust cf popper and salt.

Steamed Eggs.— Take som* sib all cups and spread -the inside thickly with butter. Mix t-oge-ther a little cooked ham, bacon, veal or chicken, and chopped parsley. Press this mixture against the sides of the cups. Break au egg into the middle of each cup, cover with greased paper, stand in a saucepan with enough boiling water to cover hmlf-way up ike cup. Put on the lid oi -the pan uaid ste_i_ till the eggs feel quit. firm, when pressed. Have ready rounds of buttered toast the size of the tops of tho cups. Turn out the eggs^aud serve very hot.

Five o'Clcck Tea Cakes. — One-half cup sifted sugar, quarter cup bu:'cr, whites of two ejjg-s. half cup sweet milk, cne scant teaspoon baking powder and olio tc.sp&t-i _i.tuo.i_ flavouring powder. Cream the butter and *-_{>pr together, add the beaten egc;-*. tha-i tha _a;ik end the flavouring, and then u'ittla flour with the baking powder. Mix w?ll, and p.dd enough more flour io make a dough just stiff eiio;;;z;h to roll out quarter inch thick. Cut into biscuits, and brush them with egg yolk, over which sift a little powdered or granulated sugar. Bake in well-buttered pan3. These are delicious.