RECIPES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIII, Issue IX, 26 August 1899, Page 43

RECIPES.

TO MAKE GOOD COFFEE. I am indebted to a correspondent for'the following excellent remarks on eoffee-making. When I repeat that ninety-nine out of every hundred women buy coffee which may have been ground and wasted weeks before, and they very often "boil it” for some time before straining, I am not surprised at the quality of the "brew” which results. “Masque de Fer" writes: — “Pure Mocha beans are necessary — no chicory—either for cafe noir or cafe-au-lait. A fair allowance is 2oz. of roasted and ground eoffee to a pint of water for cafe noir: for cafe-ai:-lait three parts of hot milk may be allowed to one part of coffee. Warm the beans on a plate before grinding. When ground put in a warm jug. and slowly fill with boiling water. Then stir well with an enamel spoon for about a minute. Now let it stand, covered with a saucer. for an hour. Dip the strainer in hot water: wring out: and slowly pour the contents of the jug through the strainer into an enamel eoffee-pot. Let it come just to a boil, and it is ready for immediate use. or will keep perfectly for several days. Always wa-h the strainer in very hot water immediately after use. and leave it to dry hanging on a hook in the larder—never leave it in the eoffee-pot. Great attention should be paid to this, as a neglected strainer is enough to spoil the finest eoffee. A nainsook muslin strainer is best—metal should be avoided. Perhaps this may be the cause of so many failures in eoffee. using a metal strainer or an imperfectly ‘.-leaned muslin one. • • • FISH MAYONNAISE. It is supposed that all good housekeepers are serving fish very freely ami naturally there will be much left over to put to use. Gather it up carefully. for it may possibly be better

the second time than the first. Flake the remnants from any baked, boiled, or fried tish (rejecting browned parts) in inch-long pieces. For a dressing, mash fine th e yolks of four hard-boiled eggs, and season with salt, pepper, one level teaspoonfid of mustard, one teaspoonful of sugar, and one-quarter of a saltspoonful of mace. Hub all together with two tablespoonfuis of oil until thoroughly blended, then add slowly two tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice ami four of good vinegar. Lastly, add the well-beaten white of one fresh e£g. and blend again. Gently incorporate this into as much flaked fish as it will well moisten, saving a small extra portion to spread over the t >p when arranged in the salad-bowl, with lettuce cut* small, ami any other green stuff which may lie seasonable. • • • (OKNED BEEF SALAD. Cut up two lettuces into fine shreds ami dress them with a mixture made by blending two tablespoonfuls of salad oil and one of vinegar, a dessertspoonful of tarragon vinegar, a little pepper and salt, and a saltspoonful of made mustard. Arrange a layer of sliced cooked potatoes at the bottom of a salad bowl, then put in a layer of thinly sliced corned beef; cover the meat with dressed lettuce and scatter som e coarsely ehopped beets over the top: then put a second layer of potatoes. beef, and lettuce, and garnish the dish with beets and hard-boiled eggs eut into slices. • • • RAILWAY PUDDING. This is very quickly prepared, and cooked as well, hence the name. Take one teaeup of tl ur, one teacup of sugar, the rind of one lemon, an egg. and a littl e milk (about a teacupful). •list at the last add one teaspoon of baking-powder. Mix the ingredients together ami bake in a flat tin in a hot oven. While it is hot spread the pudding with jam. roll it over, and serve it on a hot dish. A little cream served with it is a great improvement.

SWISS PANCAKES. I think that simpl e though it is, this is one of the most delicious sweet ilishes that I know . Cut 2 slices, alumt an inch thiek. right across a day-old loaf, cut off the crust, ami trim nicely. Now melt 11 oz. butter in a fryingpan. and in it fry the bread till a golden brown. Spread apricot, or seme other nice preserve on the one, cover with th e other in sandwich fashion — sift castor sugar over: cut into "fingers.” or any other sha]>e preferred, and serve very hot. If any very luscious jam is used, a few' drops of lemon juice, squeezed ever th.- top. greatly improves the flavour. • • • A NEW SAVOURY. at least it is new to me. ami no doubt will be a novelty to many of my readers. I tasted it for the first time a few days ago at a five o’clock tea. where the hostess (wise woman!) prepared dainty savouries as an allurement to members of the “superior” sex. whose presence at that informal repast so greatly enhances its success. Her eook kindly gave me the recipe. Small circles of bread are stamped out from thin slices: these are fixed, crouton fashion, and are then spread with the following mixture: -Two par's anchovy. boned ami pounded, one part tomato pulp (or sauc e will do), lemon juice and cayenne, the whole forming a thick paste. The croutons are spread while hot. and are then put into the oven for a minute or two. a wee pinch of very finely minced parsley being sprinkled on each just Ivefore sending to table.

"SWAGGER.” A DISEASE COMMON TO BOTH SEXES. Of all the innovations of this nine teenth century, one most peculiarly its own. ami (turticularly objectionable, is that inode of expression |H»pu-l-trly known as “swagger." "Swag-ger” may be descrilied as a disease to which Imth sexes are liable, but in its chronic form chiefly assails the ft minine population. Ami the pity of it is that even the most homely ami womanly of ind!v .<iu:i!s seems liable to its insidious attack -women who, lieneath the disfiguring veneer of pseudo-fashion, possess motherlv hearts ami simple instincts. She who is to the “Manor” born takes her possessions as a matter of course, and does not obtrude the fact that they exist upon the drawingroom. She who is Ixtrn but to a villa resilience should maintain the dignity of that condition—for every condi'thm has its attendant dignity -and not sick, w hen a richer woman is callin. upon her. to make up In "swagge.-' lor ". I.at she lacks in rea ity. Ihe parvenu who has acquired “swagger" with her wealth loses no o| poiiunity of forcing upon her ee'i-libour.s' knowledge the fact. She will even allude, with a delicate languor that may be inte ded to t„. sptak an elegant indigestion, to the peach-tart and cream she partook at li.nch. or the quails she trifled with at breakfast. All this "swaggering" has left no time for a friendly interchange of thought, and the mutual sympathy that constitutes friendship ’ has no place where the hostess’s one idea is to display her own giamieur to her guest. So this benighted individual, after hearing somebody referred to as being “quite well-bred, although she lives in a small house.” will shrivel up. and bid a depressed farewell to so much magnificence.