The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-01-18
WHAT WOMEN WANT TO KNOW
How to Cook an Old Hen.

Matthias Williams tells in his Chemistry of
Cookery how to cook an old hen in these
words; l killed a superannuated hen-nore
THAI six years old, but otherwise in very good
condition. Cooked in the ordinary way, she
would have been uneatably tough. Instead of
being thus cooked, she was gently stewed
about four hours. / cannot guarantee the
maintenance Of the theoretical temperature,
having suspicion of some simmer ing. After
this she was left in the water until it
cooled, and on the following day
was roasted in the usual man
ner, l. g., in a roasting oven. The
result was excellent; as tender as a full-grown
chicken roasted in the ordinary way, and of
quite equal flavor, in spite OF the very good
broth obtained by the preliminary stewlng.
This surprised mo. l anticipated the softening
of the tendon, and ligamen's, but supposed
that the extraction OF the juices would nave
spoiled the flavor. 1t must have diluted it,
and that go much renamed was probably due
to the fact that an old fowl is more fully
favored than a young chicken. Tn usual
farmhouse method of cooking old hens is
to stew them simply; the rule in the mid
lands being one honr in the pot for every
year of age. The feature of the above expert
ment was the supplementary roasting. AS the
laying season il now coming TO an end, old
hens will soon be g drug in the market, and
those nmoug my readers WHO have not a hen
roost of their own will ob!ige their pou.terers
by ordering a hen that is warranted 10 bs four
years old or upward. If he deals fairly he
viii supply a specimen upon which they may
repeat my experiment very cheaply. 1t offers
the double economy of utilizing a nearly waste
product aud obtaining chicken broth and roast
fowl simultaneously.
Little Dinners.
The littlo dinner. 10 be a success, says a
writer of the Home journal, should consist of
from six to twelve well chosen ~guests-brigh;
clever. sociabls people, who will keep the ball
of conversation rolling, changing the topics
from gravel gay, from lively to severe" The
with a pretty, well-arranged table, will
alone give a sense OF 6ien etre to peo-
pie coming in from the outside cold.
The dinner for a small parry ought to be
small. Clear soup, fish, two nice entrees IA
white and n dark, q joint (well-hung saddle of
mutton being the best game, and two we'll
chosen sweets Zone being on iced %soutfie, and a
savory will be quite enough. But everything
should be we'll cooked, az hot, il not hotter
than possible, the meat well hung, aud the
soup, fab and entrees perfect Of their kind
Let a dinner like this be served at a round
its kind; and what man-aye. and woman,
too-but what will cay: Fate eau not harm
me; 1 have dined to-day" All this to be we'll
done must entail trouble on the mistress Of the
house. But, II she ls the right sort OF woman,
thess cares will be pleasures; and if che is
not the right sort, no little dinner will ever be
. euccess in her house. even with a round
table The table decorations alone are o tie st
as to the capabilities Of the mistress Of the house.
This is with some women an Unborn gift; some
have no artistic faculties whatever. A pretty
arrangement at this time Of the year is a piece
| OF peacock blue plush in the center Of the
table, with low masses Of maiden hair fern,
| large white or yellow Japane Q chrysanthe-
mums; and. i 1 had my way no dessert should
ever be put on The table. A clearly written
menu to each guest. AND let the dinner be
soul, !" much being in the mower OF the hostess.
If u bright. intelligent woman, able to star
TOPICS, and keep the Conversation goirg with
out seeming to do q. Then lot the dinner
finish with . little dessert, some ChAteAu