Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-05-27

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ness, 'if you burn up the potatoes there
won't be anything left to give any clue
to Hannah, and you won't need to try
again till somebody shows you how. "
"But, Henry" gasped Mrs. Blossom,
eggs are five cents apiece, and You
know how I'm trying to be economical. y
81 don't care if they're fifty cents
apiece" said Mr.. Blossom, II won't
have fifty dollars worth of feeling
spent on fraud. OF course it's fraud,
I've always heard that nobody conld de
pend on cook books, and now L know
it. Ask somebody that knows"
ooh, but they're not fraud at all, y
Mrs. Blossom interrupted. I'm the
fraud for not having good one and
for trusting so to Hannah that never
go near the kitchen. I've made up my
mind now. It's burning shame and a
scandalous disgrace to have house
and feel all the time as if it were an IN
fernal machine and would go off if
Hannah left it moment. Suppose she
should get married. Why didn't some
body teach me in time ?"
81 thought it came naturally" said
MIR. Blossom refectively. "Do you
have to learn?'
eyes, you have to learn, returned
Mrs. Blossom with a groan, and went
up stairs to bathe her eyes.
That was two years ago. / am Mrs.
Blossoms next door neighbor, and from
having in the beginning regarded the
young couple as pair of pleasing in
competents where every day necessities
We're concerned, have come to very
solid respect for both. Their adven-
lures and misadventures would fill O
volume, but difficulties have been con-
quered, and it may be added that Mrs.
Blossom S receipt for fsh-balIs given be-
low in full, is the pride and delight OF
the entire neighborhood.
SALT COD.
Salt cod under the usual treatment is
second only to cabbage in its capacity
for penetrating every nook and corner
of the house, the rank, aggressive smell
being strong argument against its use
with many who would like ii were not
its preparation nuisance to every one
concerned. Yet the Oldest and dryest
cod can be brought to terms and nobody
in the house the wiser if only thepropel
method be followed, though in these
days of both boneless and desiccated
cod there is no occasion for buying the
whole fish. 1t is true that the latter is
cheaper, but when the loss of skin aud
bone is considered, the boneless, from
which both have been removed, and
which is put up now in neat five pound
boxes, is not only the most economical
for small family but decidedly more
pleasant to handle. The desiccated cod
while convenient form, is often pre-.
pared from inferior fish and is so in.
tensely salt as to have parted with most
of its real nourishment.
The method of preparation is tht
same for the whole or the boneless fish
the latter, however, requiring less cook
ing. Cover both with cold water aDt
soak over night. In the morning poul
off this water and put over the fire Will
fresh, bringing the fish to boiling point
and and then removing ii to the back O.
the stove, where it can simply simmer
but never boil. That simmering means
as actual boiling as when the pot lie
dances and a cloud of steam fills the
room, is something no average Biddy
will admit, and no matter how Otter
proved,
-" Convinced against her will
She's of the same opinion still.
Yet it is this method of boiling tha
sends that rank, offensive stean
through the whole house and has giver
salt cod the bad name that has banisheC
it almost altogether from many tables
Simmering is the essential point. Cod
fish dry from age will require not less
than three and often five or six hours
The bOneless will cook in from half al
hour to an hour. If to be served as {
dinner dish, bones and skin should bt
removed from the former kind as mucl
as possible without breaking it toe
much; the platter should be hot, ant
the appearance of the dish is greatly i'm
proved by garnishing with slices OF rec
beet and sprlgs of parsley, while the fisl
itself is covered with egg sauce. 1t il
better, however, as breakfast dish, anC
whether as hash, fish-balls, scallop or il
any of its many forms, is both savorJ
and nutritious. II requires choppine
finely and thoroughly, two pounds {
the boneless fish making little over {
pint of the chopped.
MRS. BLOSSOMS FIsH-BALLs.
One pint of fish chopped as finely as
possible, six large or eight medium sized
potatoes, boiled and mashed fine while
hot. Add to them one teaspoonful oI
butter, half cup of milk and half &
teaspoonful of white pepper aud one
we'll beaten egg. Fish varies so much
in saltness that after it has been added
to the potato it Is best to taste the mix.
ture and judge if more is required
When thoroughly mixed make into
small flat balls, and after Touring them
well fry bright brown in sweet drip
ping A still more delicate ball is made
by dipping them first into beaten egg
then IN crumbs, and frying Ike Gro
quettes, but when eggs are high th,
first method will answer. Fat, if cooled
and strained after using into small jar
can be used many times, and thing !:
never perfectly free from fat unless it il
immersed IN it when at actual boiling
point. A perfectly fried croquette, ris
sole, fish ball or potato should be so dry
and free from grease as not to soil tn,
napkin it may be served on, and while
many Mrs. Blossoms have objected
strenuousiy on the score of extrava
gance, it is really less extravagant anC
far more healthful than where a smaller
quantity is used and absorbed. .-Ou
Continent
TRoUBLED.-Not many years ago