Domestic

New Zealand Tablet, 15 July 1915, Page 57

Domestic

(B? Maureen.)

Testing Heat of Oven for Baking. A good test is to sprinkle a little flour on the bottom of the oven and shut the door. If in five minutes the flour is found to be colored a golden brown the bread may, with safety, be put in. If, on the contrary, the flour is a deep brown and smells burnt, the oven is too hot, and the fire should be slightly checked, also the oven door be left open for a few minutes. Scotch Breakfast Rolls. Four breakfast cupfuls of flour, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, one teaspoonful of sugar, and a little salt. Rub well together, moisten with sweet milk, and mix into a very light dough. Roll out lightly to the thickness of an inch, and cut into three-cornered shapes. Bake in a fairly quick oven. If for tea-cakes, use the same mixture, with a little butter rubbed through and passed through a fine sieve. Spiced Rhubarb. Bare the white cuds, cut of! the green leaves and cut into one-inch lengths four pounds of rhubarb. Sprinkle two pounds of sugar over it in an earthen vessel and let stand over night. In the morning drain off -the syrup into the preserving kettle, add to it a cupful of vinegar and half a cunful of water. But the kettle on the stove, adding a third of a teaspoonful each of mace, cloves, allspice, ginger, and cinnamon. Boil until the syrup thickens, then strain, return to the stove, add the rhubarb and simmer gently for an hour. This keeps very well, and is a. delicious spring relish with cold meals.

Kedgeree of Fish. Take from one-half to three-fourths pound of cold boiled fish, or one smoked haddock free the fish from skin and bone, and break up into small pieces. Wash and boil in plenty of water four ounces of rice; when done, drain and cool the rice. Boil also two eggs till hard, remove the shells, take out the yolks,' and cut the white into small dice or shreds. Melt two rounding tablespoonfuls of butter in a stewpan; put in the fish, rice, and hard-cooked whites of the eggs season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, mix well, and stir over the fire for five minutes, and keep hot. Dish up neatly in the form of a pyramid. Rub the yolks of eggs through a coarse sieve, and decorate the surface of the shape with it; garnish also with chopped parsley' Put the dish in the oven for a few minutes, and serve'hot. Renovating the Wardrobe. Felt Hats.—Sponge the brim with ammonia till quite damp, then lay. a thin cloth or old handkerchief over same, and iron with hot iron till dry. Tear off the cloth quickly, to raise the nap. Stuff the crown well with paper, and repeat process. Velvet Hats.—Take a hot iron and pass it all over the hat, being careful not to touch the velvet; the heat will draw up the pile and freshen all. Black Straw Hats.—lronmongers have a good black slain which can be applied with an old toothbrush: rub well in. It may want two coats. White Felt Hats.—Rub with a cloth ball or with powdered magnesia. Trimmings may be sponged and ironed ; flowers brushed and bent into shape : wings sponged, smoothed, and dried slowly in warm room. A new head-lining gives a fresh appearance. Household Hints. To keep your teapots that arc seldom used from smelling musty, wipe them out very dry after using, and put a lump of sugar inside, leaving the lid open. Nails driven first into a bar of soap will not split furniture or delicate woodwork.