Domestic

New Zealand Tablet, 17 March 1910, Page 433

Domestic

By MAUREEN

Mending Ornaments. - To repair a bit of fine china, apply to the edges of the broken pieces a mixture composed of plaster 'of Paris ' and dissolved gum tragacanth, fit the several parts together, tie them firmly, and leave the article. undisturbed until the cement has thoroughly dried and hardened. Or the pieces of china may be cemented together with a soft paste made of plaster of Paris and a solution of gum arabic, tied m place with a cord, and then placed in a pan containing cold milk, which should be allowed to heat slowly until it boils. The pan must then be taken from the fire, and, after its contents have gradually cooled, the china article removed and set away to dry. Silver photograph frames, candlesticks, vases, and desk ornaments may be repaired with jewellers’ solder, cleaned with whiting, and then kept permanently bright by means of a lacquer coating. White cement will hold together pieces of broken glass, provided the article is not afterwards washed in hot water. Fish glue may be used to repair ornaments of finely grained wood or of heavy porcelain, and may even be applied to things that are in constant use. To Mend China. Beat a piece of flint glass to powder, and grind it upon a painter’s stone with the white of an egg into a paste. Apply the paste neatly to the broken china, tying the parts firmly * together till the cement is dry. This cement will never come undone again. Good Things Without Eggs. Buttermilk Muffins.—One quart fresh buttermilk, one teaspoonful of soda, one pinch of salt, and enough flour to make a stiff bather; then add two or three tablespoonfuls sour cream. Dissolve the soda in a little of the buttermilk, then add the other ingredients. Bake in hot patty pans in a hot oven. * Bread Sponge Muffins. —Take one pint of warm water for every dozen muffins, one-third cake of compressed yeast, one-fourth teaspoonful of salt. Set this as a sponge in the evening, making the batter a little thicker than for pancakes, and beat thoroughly. In the morning have patty pans greased, and in cold weather warm them; pour in the batter, filling pans half full; let rise at least an hour and bake in hot oven. • Johnny Cake. — One cupful flour, one half-cupful cornmeal, one tablespoonful sugar, one teaspoonful salt, one half-teaspoonful baking soda; sift all together, then add. one and one-fourth cupful sour or buttermilk ; beat until smooth; pour into a greased pan and bake for about twenty minutes in a quick oven. Sour Cream Cakes. Take two-thirds of a cupful of softened butter, one and one-half cupful of sour cream, two cupfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of soda, and four cupfuls of pastry flour. Stir the butter and sugar together, then add the cream, then the flour in which the salt and'soda have been well sifted together. Add more flour if necessary to make a dough to be well handled. Roll out on board and cut, baking in a quick oven. Keep the materials all cold while rolling out, and the cakes will require less flour. By mixing the dough the night before and putting it to cool it will be found easy to handle. Ginger Gems. Put one cupful of treacle, one cupful of sugar, and one large tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan and warm slightly, but do not melt; beat well and stir for ten minutes; then add two tablespoon of ginger, one tablespoonful of cinnamon, and, gradually, one cupful of sour milk. Sift one teaspoonful of soda with five cupfuls of sifted flour and add to the mixture; have patty pans very hot; fill two-thirds full, sprinkle granulated sugar over the tops and bake in a quick oven. By rolling this mixture out one inch thick it can be cut into cakes. Boiled Icing.—Boil together one cupful of sugar, onehalf cupful of sweet milk, and one teaspoonful of butter until thick; add one teaspoonful of vanilla and beat until cool enough to spread on cake. Chocolate Icing. —Mix one and one-half cupful of granulated sugar, three-quarters cupful sweet cream, and four tablespoonfuls melted sweet chocolate. Boil briskly for five minutes, then remove from the fire and beat until it begins to thicken. Add one teaspoonful vanilla and spread quickly over the cake. Should it thicken too much, thin it with cream.

Maureen