cooking food info

MARMALADE.

One grapefruit, one orange, one lemon; shave these fine, add five times
as much water, let stand over night, then boil ten minutes; let stand
until next morning. Add the same quantity of sugar as fruit. Cook until
it jellies, and put in glasses.

SPONGE CAKE.

Eleven eggs, four cups powdered sugar, four cups flour, one cup cold
water, omit yolks of two eggs, beat nine yolks lightly and add sugar and
water gradually, add whites, also beaten until very light, then stir in
the flour, in the last cupful of which put one large teaspoonful baking
powder and one-half teaspoonful salt.

SPONGE CAKE.

Four eggs, two cups powdered sugar, two cups flour, three-fourths cup
very hot water, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, one-half teaspoonful
salt. Cream yolks of eggs and sugar, add one-half the hot water; mix
flour, salt, and baking powder, and alternate with the hot water. Beat
whites of eggs to a stiff froth and add to mixture. Flavor to taste.
Bake in moderate oven.

CHOCOLATE.

German chocolate, three sticks in a boiler; let melt. Add one pint hot
milk, let boil, then stir it for five minutes. Serve with whipped cream
on top. Melt in double boiler.

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE.

Two heaping tablespoonfuls of peanut butter, scant teaspoonful of salt,
two cups sugar, one cup milk. Put sugar and milk in saucepan, stir them,
add the peanut butter and salt. Stir occasionally while cooking. Should
be cooked slowly until a soft ball can be formed if dropped into cup of
cold water. Beat vigorously until it begins to stiffen, then pour in
butter platter. This makes a delicious, creamy candy, if beaten enough.

COCOA.

One and one-half tablespoonfuls prepared cocoa, two tablespoonfuls
sugar, two cups boiling water, two cups milk, and very little salt.
Scald milk. Mix cocoa, sugar and salt, dilute with one-half cup boiling
water to make smooth paste, add remaining water, and boil one minute;
turn into scalded milk and beat two minutes with Dover egg beater until
frothy.

A HOME-MADE FIRELESS COOKER.

Materials required: A box or barrel, one pair of strong hinges, a hasp,
material for stuffing, one or more large pails, one or more small pails
or pans, muslin–1-1/2 yard or more, depending on size of box; a

cooking
thermometer, heavy pasteboard, brown paper, tacks and screws.

The box selected may be an unpainted one, to be had from most any

store
for a few pennies, but the boards should be heavy enough to put on
hinges and a hasp. It should be four or five inches larger than the
kettle it is to contain. The easiest stuffings to procure are hay,
excelsior, or paper; among others which should be covered to keep

them
in place are wool, mineral wool, cork, sawdust and cotton. If hay is
used, it should be soft.

The best shape for the cooking utensil is a pail about the depth of its
own diameter; the sides should be straight and perpendicular to the
bottom, and the cover should fit securely in place. A smaller utensil
may be used inside the larger one; a pudding pan serves the purpose,
resting on the rim of the pail. Care should always be taken to have
covers that fit snugly on any pans that are used in the cooker.

Aluminum
ware makes the best utensil, though enameled ware or agate ware may

be
used. A six-quart pail with a pan to fit inside of it is a good size for
the ordinary family.

It is best to line the box and cover with a thickness of heavy paper or
several thicknesses of newspaper; asbestos sheeting may be used

instead
of paper. Now pack in the box a firm layer of packing material about
four inches deep, not less; this must raise the cooking pail to within
three to five inches of top of box. Place utensil in middle of space on
this layer and pack around it closely until level with top of the
kettle. When it is removed a hole will be left just large enough for it
to slip into again.

A cushion should be made to cover the kettle. If more than one kettle is
used a cushion should be made for each. The cushion must be thick

enough
to fill the box when the kettle is in place. Cut two pieces of muslin or
denim the sizes of top of box and join with a strip which is four or
five inches wide; fill with same material used in packing the box. There
should always be a slight pressure when the lid is closed.

The box is now ready for cooking. If the whole space is not firmly
filled after considerable use, more stuffing should be added. If a
covering is wanted for the stuffing, the simplest thing to use is a
sheet of very heavy paper, at least one inch larger than the top of box;
draw a circle in center of it the size of the pail. From center of
circle cut with sharp scissors to edge, to strike it at intervals of
about 1-1/2 inch. Fit paper over top of packing so that circle will come
just over nest for pail. Place pail in nest and it will crease the paper
down at exactly the right place.

Since it is very important for the food to be placed into the cooker
while it is still boiling, the box should be placed as near to the stove
as possible. Everything should be ready before the food is taken from
the fire; the cooker open and the cushion removed. The box must be

kept
tightly closed from the time the food is put in until it is entirely
done. If it is necessary to open the box before appointed time, the
contents must be reheated to the boiling point before it is replaced.
Though the time necessary to cook the foods on the stove is very

short,
they must be boiled until heated to the center. Thus the denser and
larger the food, the longer it will take to heat.

SETTING THE TABLE.

A most important thing necessary to the enjoyment of life, and an actual
aid to digestion and the preservation of health, is that each person
should make up his or her mind to forget all but pleasant thoughts and
to put an absolute bar against the discussion of disagreeable subjects
while at the table. Then only can they appreciate the fact that the meal
has been carefully prepared and the table daintily set.

To cook an excellent meal and then serve it well makes the meal perfect.
First of all the table linen should be immaculate. The more inexpensive
linens are as attractive as the handsomest damasks when absolutely
spotless and snowy white. For the lighter meals, breakfast and luncheon,
a center piece and doilies may be used instead of the table cloth. The
silver should be polished frequently and glasses wiped out carefully
before placing on the table. A small fern or low bowl filled with
short-stemmed flowers in the center of the table gives a dainty, cozy
air, while the more elaborate vases may be used on more formal
occasions. Four shaded candles on the table, when there are side lights
in the dining room, cast a soft and pleasing light, far more agreeable
to the eyes than the usual chandelier.

The placing of the silver must, of course, suit the character of the
meal. If the meal is simple, the service should be simple. A good
arrangement for an ordinary dinner is to place the fork and teaspoon at
left of space allowed for plate, the knife and butter knife at the
right, the napkin on right side and coffee spoon at the top, with water
glass at the right and butter plate at left of each place. Various
articles may be added, such as oyster fork, bouillon spoon, salad fork
and so forth.

BAKED EGGS.

Twelve hard-boiled eggs, one-half pint cream, butter size of an egg, one
teaspoonful fine chopped parsley, one tablespoonful flour, salt and
pepper. Mix cream, butter, flour and parsley. Cook till thick. Slice
eggs, after each layer of eggs one of bread crumbs; cover with sauce,
then bread crumbs, and bake till brown.

JELLIED VEAL

A knuckle of veal, with the bone chopped; cover it with cold water and
boil till the meat drops from the bone, pass the meat through a chopper;
let the liquor continue boiling, as there must not be too much when you
return it to the meat to cook a few minutes longer, adding pepper and
salt to taste. Before removing from the fire, add quickly one egg. It is
nice poured into individual molds.