IN PRAISE OF SIEVES

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21185, 7 August 1940, Page 3

IN PRAISE OF SIEVES

Why are sieves so unpopular in ordinary kitchens? There is no doubt about it, they certainly are. Take, for instance, the tiresome job of peeling potatoes. Haven’t you often wished they had no skins? Peeling them cooked is a shade quicker, as well as more economical, but it still takes time. Your sieve, however, comes nobly to the rescue when you are rushed. Boil the washed potatoes in their skins (cut up fine if you like, for speedy cooking); drain them in your sieve, and mash them straight through it. The skins will remain behind, leaving no waste whatever.

It will save the situation, too, if your white sauce should catch when your back is turned. Just put the whole thing, lumps and all through the sieve; it will emerge professionally smooth again.

You will find it a real boon for making economical soups in the shortest possible time. The remains of any stew or casserole dish, sieved and mixed with stock or milk and water make delicious soup—which nobody will recognisq<! Leeks or carrots, cooked with a few potatoes and treated in this way are equally good. And when you want to offer guests something quite unusual, try sieved pumpkin soup, served with a teaspoonful of fresh cream in each bowl for garnish. They are certain to be delighted with its delicate flavour, and when you find that it cooks in about 15 minutes, you’ll get quite attached to it yourself.

When it comes to the sweet course, your sieve is still invaluable for such things as fruit purees. Here is an American idea, very simple and very popular with children: Stew some dried apricots, sieve them and mix with any quantity of condensed milk, the more the better. This produces a stiff puree of glorious orange colour. The activities of your sieve need not be confined to cooking, however. Do you, for example, ever do any home dyeing? If so, you have probably found out by bitter experience how important it is to get every particle of dye absolutely dissolved. A handy way of ensuring that no undissolved specks reach the bath is to spread a piece of waste cotton or linen over your sieve, and pour the dye through it. Before the week’s out you’ll probably find a dozen clever new tricks with your sieve. But there is just one thing to beware of. Don’t try to use it for bananas. For some mysterious reason these almost disappear in the process!