Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-01-27
DOMESTIC.

used in Italy, and We have very
amusing account of an Englishman's &
first impressions in regard to the GUS
tom:
I observed" he says, ga custom in
all those italian cities and towns
through which l passed, that is not
used in any other country that / saw in
my travels, neither doe 1 thinke that
any other nation of Christendome doth
use it, but only Italy. The Italian, and
also most strangers that are commorant
in Italy, doe alwaies at their meals, use
little forke, when they cut their
meate. For while with their knife,
which they. hold in one handle, they cut
the meate out of the dish, they fasten
their forke, which they hold in the
other handle, upon the same dish. This
form of feeding, understand, they use
in all places in Italy, their forke being
for the most part made of yron or steel,
and some of silver, but those are used
only by gentlemen. The reason of this,
their curiosity, is because the Italian
can not by any means indure to have
his dish touched with fingers, seeing
all mems fingers are not alike clean.
Hereupon, / myself, thought good to
initiate the italian fashion, by this
forked cutting of meate, not only while
L was in Italy, but also in Germany,
and oftentimes in England since came
home. ."-Coryan.
The salt cellar at this time occupied
the middle of the table, and thus the
table was divided into two distinct
parts the more eminent guests and
head of the family sitting, "above the
SALT" while interiors and dependents
sat below. Thus, Ben Johnson says,
of proud and contemptuous person,
| that "he never drinks below the salt. J"
The dresser or cupboard and its
| furniture became great means of dis
play among the wealthy. A prince of
the royal blood might have five steps to
his dresser; mobiles of the highest rank
could have four dukes three, knights
two.
The guests sat now not in couples,
as described of the Normans, but in
fours, each four eating from the same
dish and served by one attendant. This
was called a mess, term still used,
particularly in the army. One of the
dishes at dessert was a castle made
| from sugar and almonds, which the
guests would playfully attack with sugar
plums and batter it to pieces. Taylor
says:
Castles for ladies and for carpet knights,
uuInercifully spoiled at feasting fights,
Where batterlng bullets are hne sugared plums."
The custom of pledging in drinking
was carried to great excess. Each
person, in turn, drank to the health of
some person at the table. To show
that they had emptied the cup, they
would turn it over and pour what re-
mained on the nail. If any ran off,
they were condemned to fill the cup
again and drink.
1t was against such excesses that the
Puritans especially exclaimed, and over
which they finally prevailed. Surely
neither Englishman nor American
would feel at home at the table of his
ancestors, neither will any admit that
the present is not the better way. Yet
it is granted that on this side the ocean,
at least, we have much to learn before
our tables are generally supplied with
the right kind of food, cooked in the
best manner, and eaten so as most to
promote health.
CLEANSING CAsKs.-The inquiry is
often made regarding the best method
of deodorizing and cleansing old cider
and beer barrels, bottles, etc. Chem
istry furnishes an agent in the per-
manganate potassa which fully meets
this want. A pint of the permanaganate
turned into the most musty, filthy cider
or beer cask, and rinsed about few min
utes, will entirely decompose all fungoid
growths and fermenting matter and
render the cask as sweet as those that
are new. The deodorizing, disinfecting
power of the permanganate, holding as
it does five equivalents of oxygen, is
wonderful it will even deodorize
carbolic acid. The only way to remove
Immediately the odor of carbolic acid
from the hands, is to immerse them in
the liquid permanganate.
COFFEE STARCH.-This is an excellent
starch for black calicoes and colored
linens, much better than that made with
water, for it increases rather than
lessons hedepth ofthe color. Take cup
d pom two tablespoonfuls ofstarch mixed
with Just enough water to make it into
a thin, smooth paste. Let it boil for
fifteen or twenty minutes, and stir it
around two or three times with a
paraffine or spermaceti candle. When
nearly cold starch dark colored calicoes,
black muslins and brown linens with it.
CASSEROLE OR DRESSED MUTroN. To
have it as it should be, the dish must
l,1 1.naI ,ooehal tha
mutton nicely minced and properly
seasoned, placed in the dish little
stock added, and then covered over
with mashed potatoes, roughed with a
fork, and place before the fire, till the
little dish assumes the appearance of a
nicely-browned baked hedgehog. The
hotter served the better it will be
relished, provided it has only been al
lowed to simmer and not to boil.
A COOP AND INEXPENSIVE SoUP.-The
following is good soup for the family
dinner-table, and one which does not
cost much Three pounds of the neck
of beef, one cowheel, a penny worth of
carrots and turnips, half a head of
celery, one bunch of tied-up sweet
herbs, four onions Drowned, one pint
of peas, all put together in three quarts
of water, and after boiling some hours,
well strained. The best part of the
cowheel may be cut in square pieces
and served up in the soup.
To Fry CHICKEN. The best fried
chickens are thus prepared: The
chickens are killed. scalded, picked and
washed out cleanly in water, then
quartered and thrown into boiling lard.
In few minutes they are done brown,
and are then to be removed and served
up hot and dry, not put into grease
again. In this way the fowl is ''tender
as chicken" and is great delicacy. Ii
you don't believe it. try it, and if you
do believe it, try it.
PUMPKIN SAUCE.-This is an excellent
substitute for apple sauce; take about
two quarts of pumkin cut in pieces the
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