The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-02-12
Getting up a Relish.

"Aunt Prudence" in the American
Grocer, says there is one branch of
cookery which is rather apt to be ove,-
looked, and that is the preparation and
supply of some one nice, semi-hearty
dish for tea-some relish, as it is very
rightly called, some dish which may be
either hot or cold, but which must be
either salt or sour, and which will give
tone to the bread and butter and cake,
which are ordinary staples of the tea
tables Salads come as near satisfying
all tastes as it is possible to do, and are
by no means as unwholesome as is gen
orally supposed. Sweet oil, which is the
only ingredient which can be called rich,
is rather wholesome than otherwise, and
q properly made salad should not dis
agree with any one. Cream is a very
good substitute for oil in the prepare
ton of salad dressing, and fresh.
sweet butter is even better, neither of
which disagree with dyspeptics, and
both of which are easily procured in
country places, where good, sweet oil is
scarce and dear. There is always some
thing left in the cupboard which will do
for salad, if it is only dish of potatoes.
If there is slice or two of cold meat, or
a bit of cold fish, or plate of cold string
beans, old beets, a few leaves of let
tuce, dish of cold greens; in short, the
list is so long of things which make "A
good salad, that it is difficult to so
amiss among the usual household sup
plies. We will suppose that you have
only cold potatoes. In that case chop
them finely and heap them in the center
of the platter. Take an even teaspoon
full of ground mustard and saltspoon-
full of salt, and mix them up to Il paste
with vinegar. 1t is best to use fork
for this and to mix it in soup plate.
Now add the yoke of one egg, being
careful not to allow the white Of the egg
to follow that you can reserve for your
coffee the next time you brown it. Stir
the yolk thoroughly through the
mustard, and begin to add sweet oil
in small portions, not more than tea
spoonful at once, bnt add constantly as
yormix. If the dressing becomes too
hard, or looks stringy, add spoonful of
vinegar from time to time, but net
often. 1t should become light, creamy
mass, and it will if it is properly stirred
and you 90 on adding oil and vinegar
until you have the necessary quantity,
when YOU taste to see if it is sufficiently
salt or sour, and if not add either salt or
vinegar as you wish. Pour this mix
ture over the potatoes, smoothing it with
a knife blade. Now, if you wish to
impress your family with the idea that
this is something very fine, you had bet
ter make border of crisp lettuce leaves
around the salad by pushing the stems
of the leaves underneath, and if you
can find stray radish in the garden,
cut it in thin slices and lay them in
figures over the surface. The half OF an
an onion, minced very fine and mixed
with the potatoes, is to the masculine
palate great addition to the above
dish. A herring split into tbeis and
added will also meet with general
favor, and in short, dear housewives,
this plain potato salad is the canvas,
the ground work for embroidery, the
field upon which you may exercise your
fancy and your genius If you have
slice of cold corn beef or ham, or cold
lamb or mutton, chop them and add to
the potatoes. If you have cucumber,
slice that and put it in the dish. If you
have cold beans, use them alone with
bread crumbs and, in short, make your
salad of what you please, but make it
we'll