Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1885-08-18
THE HoMENAKERs COLUMN.
rIanNnEn.


For years the cucumber has been the
most abused member Of the vegetable
family. but lately some words have been
spoken In IL defence. The famous d..
Aberne,hy once said Of oueambsr,-
Peel Il. slice !, down in pieces, pu,
vinegar and pepper 10 Il and then throw
il away" This idea was 80 general tina,
medical authorities even. considered !, no
more a. for food than iis cousin, which
furnishes colocynth. mos, poserful
drug. II seems strange 20 us that such
an opinion should have been held % late
" Of a plan, ,ha, was known and e..
iecmed hundreds Of years ago.
The Egyptians and those living in h,
countries appreciated the cool cucumber.
and used il in various ways The Rom.
an. considered 4, laSury and history
tells us that the Emperor Hbefius, made
the proper cultivation such a science that
whatever the season, the cucumber ap-
pcarcd on bis table.
Virgil and Pliny did no, consider this
plAn, beneath their notice and have lef'
"a directions fof planting the seeds. Piiny
however. decr,od that the fruit was 20
wholesome iha, i required two days io'
i's digestion After long poFioi Of
time. and By slos journeys. the eaeum'
Der came. probably, from the Netherlands
into Eaglaud. about the time d Henry
ym The GOODNESS Of the cucumber was
not - highly valued IN that climate A.
in ,he NOR, tropical; hence, probably ~
decline IN favor.
Most of The trouble arising from the
use Of cucumtsr'. comes from keeping
them until they are stale and ~i.,ed ani
then swallowing ~itholt sah-ient ehcs-
ins and wthoai enough salt. We do
az, make a. much Of the cucumber a. Ne
might. though gradually We are leaning
more o. its posihlliiic' 10 generally
appears during ihe summer On oar tables
~iihoai cooking. cat across ia thin slices
and +. served si'h al. pepper ani va.
esAr. Ani sometimes Oh of salat dressing.
A. other time. We Sc !, Ia some form u
pikcle since Il deprived ofii ablniani
supnly of water it will Ab'ofb an ,qlal
guanii,, ofvnegsf. and Therefore ia m''i
ie..nb,e pickle Add YET those ~ho
know. tell u. that the cucumber may b.
.'c~,d. friei. made iat' soups, etc. A.
Eagish paper says further
..Tasfc is. hnNtscf. auss Or iae cucln
hrr unarcrci.ie ani 600 litle knosn 10
apprerlstci "a the slCk chamber. AL
whru lce is wlih dlflel.iy O1it.nri slices
ofacurumbrf lAIt up1u ho' or acAing
heat. ar suprrmfly grateful ani fcifcsn'
Ing m thls form. inicci. the cacampff
h. worth all thr washes sni extracts tasi
have ever bern obtained from f. ih1ugh
A. Cuipeppar Informed hIs grntler rctirrs.
.ih. mice OF cucumber Is tNcrilsuti good
far sunbnrn'ug aui ffcck.rs
Cucumber figure largely ia ihe food
Of people h,iag IN boz countries. All in
our Do, season We should foilos their ~
ample The ls'se quantity o. water 'hi'
fa,, contain, being especially gfai-iil
a. ih.s time.
Before preparing cl,umbir iof 'he
table ia any form, raw Or cooked br
careful Oh remove che kin, e. bitter
. Juice Dos near BE- and a iiii'r ~ that woah
spoil ihc whole tomatoes and clcnm
b.. sliced together az preferred by many
o. either alone. The Dilosing di'c'-
tons 6r if,ins are gwen by VI" c'I-
con Oihef recipes give an ess batter
,s preferable ~ flying
Fr..I fafaaf-rs Have really over tar
Gre a ffyIng ptn containing cuunsh a. u
II D. half Al Inra deep sh.n mtItci peel
. four rurumlfrs slice fhru haf a. il.1
chick. AMI Toll them .n f1lr setsDaci Win
sa.t AMI pepper. when thr "a L. smoking
hat. uut thr curamrr iut1 10. ari ~
then br1sn on hoih sides when ihef are
brown serve thrm hos
l..t.I Ca.aai.r -fos' ani eos no
quarter. Remove th. seeds fat int1
.a'tel boiling water. ani boil uatl ienirr
whrn done. plkcr un battered toast AM
spread with batter.
n the s,yot Of onion i' liked. ali =
small oaioa cli IN slices. The whole,
cucumber .seds aai al. may De boiled
asd prepared Ike summer squash.
Another recipe gives a result much
ike egg plant
Slice them into cola watef o. boil un.
t.l tender. which will r,qlif" Anoli hiieeo
minutes skis them iutp pan. mtsh t1'm
aui season with SAILS aui p ppsr 90 h'ir b
th-n str l1 wheat fllr uniu y31 form .
tlIrk batttr-hasc rcfdY melted hui'rf To-
NhI.h to ffy them. sol cook uutI oi a
Dark nrlSa color before turn.ns. N'rvc
them either with be,f steas 10 roast
lamb
DO no, be cla'en'el with oae trial OF
any ~ ihe above. since % may take time
% l-afa to Ikea ncs dob. Another time
some s,ol recipes bf p.ckle-makins wi.
BE- given