New-York tribune., 1892-03-27
HOME AND SOCIETY.
CHAT OF THE SEASON
THE LAST DAY OF MARCH-HoT CROSS Rims
BELLE OBJ THE oLpEN TIME-How
TO MAKE FISH sA1AD

BELIZE oF THE OLDEN TIME-HOw
TO MAKE FISH SALAD
The last days OF March recall the old srrerst,,,o
oonnected with them. No handicraf houseryiforv
or undertaking Of any kind was begun on the last
three days OF March, FOR they were ranked ne fatally
unhchS III an calendars So strong this feeling
in Scotland that old Covenanter uyeacber once
mentioned the pleasant weather that prcva,,ed as q
special dispcnsatfon OF Providence in favor of the
Covenanters' army which compelled 70 march
during these days No fisherman would set ont IN
Ash. or scamen begin a voyage on these days I'm
happy. indeed. would be the bride who would marry
In such malevoent time, unhappy the child whose
birthday fell therein and reckless indeed the servant
who would seek new place then. These were the
borrowed days." which March is tabled to hav.
borrowed from Aprl-for no more important purpose
the old Highland nursery tale than to kill three
yearifnS lambs which had ventured out in such an
untn,ey season. The old rhyme Says Of these days
The first o. them wind ard weet
The second o. them was snaw and sleet.
And the third o. them Sic a freeze
II frcze the birds nests 10 the trees
But 10 the sati sfacton of all the bonny little
listeners 70 this Highland tale all this wicked plot
ting OF March against the innocent lambs came to
naughA for when the three days were past and
gone the three lambs came limpng home having
learned a lesson, no doubt, but not otherwise the
worse for their imprUdeDce There is other
for this old fable apparently than the uncertain
character Of these last three days and the singular
dread which they inspired in Scotland and the north
Of Dogiand. Even In our own time and climate there
no days more uncertain and uncanny than these
same days. There were number of other days in
the year which appear to have been very generally
rcckoned unlucky by supcrstitious people. Some
OF these traced back far old Egyptian
hbls and hence were known Egyptian days.
Some old writer's many thiry-two un-
luoky days In the II is curious fact that the
superstnon In reference TO Friday is found in the
traditions Of people all the world, even among
the Brahmns OF India.
The hot cross buus Of Good Friday rs famil
ar feature Of NewYork as they Of London though
tho old CRY OF "oneapenny buns. twoa-penny buns"
Is heard in streets and have hcses de-
voted especially to the baking Of this dainty The
hot cross bun is peculiarly English institution 1t Is
not part of the observance Of Good Friday the Con
tlnent. is traced, however back to pagan custom
Ike so many good Christian observances Cakes buns
we're sacrificed Juno and the goes back to
old Egypt when little horned cakes bouns made
in honor OF the sacred OF Isis. The hot bun
has survived ancient times because it Is essentially
culinary These sweet biscuit are commonly
called "rusk" in NewEngland and some parts OF the
South.
The Good Friday bun differs from the ordinary r'isk
only IN the fact that It has black cross slashed across
it, No buns are so delicious those made at home
and baked fresh Good Friday morning, for the old
tradition says that the Good Friday bun like the Christ
mas bread mOulds. and possesses special ecacy
against all manner of Illness. For this reason 10 was
often dried when 1t would keep to an indefinite time
and few gratngs Of II given in water as gen
eral specific II IS quite likely that this is the origin
familiar sick-roon drink called toast water To
make simple English hot cross bun. beat 70 cream
q scant cup Of butter, add large cup OF sugar and
pint Of sceded milk. When these ingredients are
lukewarm add o cake OF yeast melted in cup OF luke
warm water. Sift enough -four IN these ingredients
to make batter stih you can beat 1t. When IL
S we'll beaten add three eggs beating them In, one by
one TIL the mass is we'll blstered Sprinkle q table
spoonful Of salt the whole. it very lightly
with -four. and then place close tin cover over the
bowl IL is set In. Put the batter in moderately warm
place at about O'Clock In the evening before Good
Friday, to se. shelf over the range is good place
In the morning 1t should be thoroughly light and the
-four should be well cracked open. Stir the batter
which should cleave from the eathen bowl and be
hike q dough than a batter. Turn 1t out a Toured
board and knead thoroughly like bread Put 1t back
the bowl, which must be clean and Toured. Let II
rise again a is double its bulk Turn 1t out quickly
on Toured board roll II out cut 1t into biscuit shapes
which should be about inch and quarter thick and
about two and half OF three inches in diameter.
The dough should be handled a. little possible
after this second rising II should be very son ana
tender Put the buns a Russia iron baking sheet
or paa which has been lightly roured to receive them
Cover them up well with towel and set them In mod
eratey warm place rise from hour to an hour and
a half or till each cake shall double its bulk when
moulded out. With a very sharp knife dipped In boil
ing water cut the top Of each bun and brush
this over with caramel and water Eahe the buns In
a rapid oven for from twenty minutes to hall an hour
The Cross should be cut more than quarter Of an
inch deep The Eath buns such sold by some
Of our best English and French bakers are made OF
brioche paste with humps Of dipped in little
brandy or wine and water and bits OF preserved ctTon
worked through the dough.
Ioye uhn
ties aourshed in Washington, the handsome wife OF
Senator - continued to hold her own through many
Administrations; and when she was quite an old
woman would In her dinner dress show neck that
many a younger woman might have envleo' les
Your great grand aunt complexion was quite won
derfu" said grand niece, who had been recalhhs
byeone days for the entertainment OF younger gen
enton "But I hardly think any Of you would take
the trouble she did pour the bclle The last winter
nv aunt was in Washington was In the early PaI'
OF 3Ir. Buchanan's Administration. was niue
gfrl at the time, stopping at the house, ana wei
remember the solemn rites attending the oid lsdy
toilette. She made It rule never to accept more
than two or three dinners a week. giving ono herself
M long intervals On the afternoon OF the entertain
ment she would retire to her room about oeiooh
and take q cup OF hot 'tisane'-a French herD miNt
ure of peculiar properties q wish had the recep'
nowl She would then undress. put on her night
dress and 20 10 bed covered well with heavy blankets
OF course this would induce free persprauon; ana
after .coupi, Of hours of this kind Of rest As she
called 1t, she would get up ana her mMd "ouia '"o
her NECK arms and face with some stimulating prep
nraton which also supposed to possess par
tculsr virtues. After that she was powdered WIN
rice powder like an old baby and when she was having
her pret.y fuzzy hair arranged, my little cousin ana
7 xvera allowed TO 20 into her room and witness inc
rest of the wonderful performance. shall never
forget ths delight and with which used to re
card these sacred rites Of the toilette. which seemed
to us quite natural and beftting such solemn occa
sIons: and looking back and remembering that az
that time my grand aunt must have been between
sxty and seventy. think IL oven moic "onu''i"'