St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-09-25
PUTTING UP AIUNCH,
HOW to Have 1t Inviting, Appealing n
i'm Prime Condition.


In Prime Condition.
At home with the attractions of a
"ell-appointed table, it is an easy mat
ter to serve dainty and delicious lun-
cheon; in spicy woods on the green
grass, the plainest picnic fare proves
tempting; but the most elaborate noon
day meal when transferred to lunch
basket, and opened several hours after
IN dusty shop or back Office. shows an
obstlnacy to attractiveness Well nigh
impossible to overcome. So few house
keepers send out inviting baskets; SO
many unfortunates hurriedly dispatch
heir contents as a matter of necessity,
SO many others turn away in disgust at
the sight of the cake, pie, sauce. pickles,
chunks of meat and thick crumblv slices
OF bread dotted with Jumps of butter,
promiscuously thrown together. that it
would seem to require more than ordin-
airy care and skill to prepare and pack
a lunch with pleasing result.
Only those who know by experience
ITS annovances and difficulties, can im-
aglne the perplexity of the young bride
who, flung neck and crop overheard
and commanded to swim or else sink"
IN the untried waves of domestic duties,
finds the additional encumbrance of a
lunch basket. Bravely refusing her
lovers suggestion to board and re-
alizing her inefficiency. she finds time
IN the busy months preceding her mar
riage to copy in blank book the greater
number of her mothers recipes from
plain soup to rich dessert. Armed with
this, and happy in her ignorance, she
puts her whole heart into the novelty
and excitement of the new housekeep-
ing. And behold the wife. who never
IN all her life of twenty-four years rose
and prepared the morning meal, now
stirring at five o'clock, and i'm the inter-
walls of getting breakfast arranging her
husbands noon lunch.
Her inquiry as to what his basket
had formerly contained, elected the
information that for six weeks, three
hard-boiled eggs daily had helped to
''till up" and in spite of his protesta-
tons to his landlady. To avoid wound
ing her tender feelings by returning
them, he SHE'D the unwelcome edibles
ut barking dogs on his way home. or
hid them in wood-pile. A too gener-
Gus supply of pastry of various kinds,
with dried beef and prune sauce COM
pleted the usual bill-of-fare. All this
proved no help to our novice except in
the way of warning.
For time she endured the tin pail
in use by her husband; then she hunted
tho fnwn nrI far-l
pretty straw basket bound with leather,
having strong handle in the lid. Tho
ample room inside prevented the crowd
ing of the eatables. which in the case
of the pail had been unavoidable. For
napkins, she purchased linen toweling
crossed by bars of red. This she cut
i'm squares and hemmed, furnishing
enough for a frequent change.
In order to cut thin, even slices Of
bread. she was particular to have a
sharp knife; and to spread we'll the
butter must be warmed. This was a
real care; for it passed SO quickly from
solid to a liquid, that often other
Jumps must be furnished. Indeed it
was all a real care to our Young house,
wife; and very sleepy work she found
it, the unwelcome lamp light necessary
in dark winter mornings, smarting her
eyes and compelling their attention.
Thin slices of meat she sprinkled
with salt and pepper. and sandwiched
with the bread or biscuit. Pretty
glasses of different sizes were used, ac-
cording to the sauce; if of rich pre-
serves, little in small glass was =
sufficiency; if of canned fruit, a larger
glass held more; each were provided
with tightly fitting lids. Salt and
pepper bottles with covers were found
most convenient, though often the two
condiments could be mixed, it being
desirable to use as few dishes as posi-
BILE.
In undertaking this new duty. our
friend had the advantage of having
once carried dinner basket herself,
and this in addition to her questioning
her husband in regard to the days col
1ation, and care to conform to his in
ilividual tastes, gave her hints to still
further improvement. As she became
more experienced. she decided that it
was not 50 much the quantity or variety
of the food, as the quality and arrange
ment of it in the basket, that made the
cold meal failure or success.
r. Pardy, in Good Housekeeping.