HOME HINTS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 77, 31 March 1931, Page 4

HOME HINTS.

HOUSEHOLD KNOWLEDGE.

, If lemons are warmed before they are used nearly double the quantity of juice is obtained. , Equal quantities of margarine and lard are an excellent substitute for butter when making pastry. When cleaning windows, add a little vinegar to the water, and you will be astonished at the brilliant polish it produces. | Medicine stains on silver should be rubbed with methylated spirit. Afterwards wash the silver in warm, soapy [water. j To S et rid of beetles, mix four parts of ground plaster of Paris with one part of oatmeal and sprinkle it thickly on the floor in places where they are to be found. j When making jam wipe the inside of the copper pan with a piece of paper which has been rubbed over with margarine. This will prevent the jam, when boiling, from adhering to the pan and burning. Aluminium cooking utensils should never be washed with soda, as this makes them dull and shabby-looking. Warm water and soap should be used, and a polish given with a soft cloth after drying them. Beware of Too Much Salt. Many cooks have a tendency to add too much salt to meat and vegetables. jA little is good, for it brings out the .flavour of a dish; but not only does [an over-salted dish taste unpleasant; it is detrimental to health. It is said by ' some medical authorities that too much salt in food is bad for those who suffer from rheumatism and high bloodpressure. The natural mineral salts that are found in vegetables, fruit and particularly in lettuce, spinach and tomatoes are, however, essential for health. When arranging a menu, therefore, avoid too much highly seasoned and spiced foods, and include plenty of salads, fresh fruits and vegetables, and remember, too, that currants contain mineral salts, so use them freely when making home-made cakes and puddings. Staring Apples and Pears. Sound fruit of a kind that keeps well will, if stored in a cool, dry atmosphere, be in an excellent condition in some months’ time. Apples require a colder temperature than pears. Apples keep well in a dry attic, but for pears a warmer room is desirable. A shed which is damp and frost-proof is a good place in which to store fruit. Pears require a temperature of about 40 degrees. Trays with open lath bases, on which the fruits are placed in single layers, scarcely touching each other, are useful. These trays can be bought with a wooden frame in which to place them one above the other, so that; when the fruit has to be examined, as it must be done frequently, the trays can be pulled out one by one. Apples and pears always should be stored in single layers, and on plain wood; if not on trays, then on tables or the floor. Small quantities of choice fruits may be stored in pots of dry, fine sand, in a frost-proof or damp-proof place. Late pears often are stored to ripen in boxes of dry bran kept in a fairly moderate warm room.