The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-14

looking a II, but remember II does no
afford Others the same pleasure, so, M
dear sisters, If YOU have nothing 10 say
wipe your pen anI put il away, and de
vote the time YOU would have was &c
on letter to improving yourself in
some way. Study and read. and mayb,
YOU will soon have something to tell u
that we will be glad to hear.
Now. as | have undertaken to give
advice. | must try TO do some good
! Some member of the Household (who
certainly does not waste space or words
asks how ladies, who have TO do their
own cooking. can manage it without be-
( ing worn out over a hot stove. Now II
/ | had 10 cook | should certainly have
what the Yankees call baking DAYS
Say twice a week | would cook a good
supply of bread. cakes and pes. and
! boil "A ham or roast a good sized piece
| of beet. a OF thus could be done AZ
once Then | won 4 haze kerosene
stove on my side table in dining room.
on which | could make coffee boil or
scramble egg. aud prepare d great
many dishes without heating myself or
the room. | nave used kerosene stove
for years, and would not be without one
for anything. suppose one can be
bought now for IS or 81
II the money wa>'cd IN some fa, lie.
on poor cooks, tough beef and strong
bacon. could be invested in fresh eggs,
milk, butter. and fruits, aud the house
wife would learn to make good bread,
there would be much more comfort and
better health.
Fruits and tomatoes ought to be on
every breakfast and dinner table during
the summer. These. with good bread
coffee. and eggs. will make a fine break
fast for any one, and with 50 little work.
if the bread box is kept well supplied
with beautiful light white bread | can
give such simple recipe for this that
an inexperienced hand can hardly fail.
First. to make the lcaven. take a cup
full Of mashed Irish potatoes U gener-
ally prefer to grate cold ones left from
dinner). half cupful of sugar. two cups
of -four. Mix these well in bucket or
jar and pour slowly in three cups of
boiling understanding well all the time.
1t must be a nice smooth batter as for
waffies Let stand till warm, and then
add one or two (according to size) cakes
of leayen, or cuptul of good sweet yeast.
Beat in we'll. and set to rise in a warm
place in winter five or six hours. In
summer a cool place two or three hours
will do. Beat down two or three times
while rising. When light sift in enough
meal to make into cakes in the hand,
and spread on a tray or pastry board.
Set n a warm place in winter for an
hour or so to rise;-as soon as cakes
look light aud begin to crack open.
break up and put out i'll the sun and air
if weather is cool and continue to break
and stir as it dries. l never make it in
damp weather. and even in hot weather
| put it in the sun early in the morning
and late in the afternoon.
Now for the easiest of the many ways
| have tried for making bread. Into a
bucket or crock, | put pint of hot wa
ter. a tablespoonful of lard. a heaping
teasp0Onful of salt and one of sugar.
As soon as the lard melts | add enough
sifted flour to make batter as for wat
tins, beat well and let stand till only
warm then add two good tablespoontuls
of leaven which has been soaking iii a
little warm water. Set batter in a warm
place in winter for five or six hours. and
when light. add enough flour to work
out into rolls, let rise and bake. 1t is a
good rule to let batter and rolls always
rise as high again as they are at first. l
wish every housekeeper had a sitter like
mine. 1t i. like a deep tin bucket, with
handle on side, and with a crank to turn
which sits the flour. 1t holds 3 pints.
keep mine in my flour bin, and can
measure | qt. or pts. with it, hold it
over my bucket, turn the crank and in
two or three seconds the flour is sifted,
and not dust of it on my dress or
table. SO you see in two or three min
utes my bread is made and set to rise
and no mess mate on hands, dress or
table. OF course when rolls are work
ed out. a tray has to be used.
To some of my young friends who
seem to have nothing to say, | will give
a little work to do. want to know
which are the fifteen decisive battles of
tie world l think | can mention eight
or nine, but | want some one fresher
from the study of history. and with
more time than l have to try to give
them ALL Can any one tell me the six
greatest generals of the world?
JESSIE