Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-03-24

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.
what to DO with Dry dread.

The accumulation of scraps of bread is
sometimes one of the many perplexing
problems which every housekeeper has to
meet. Yet, If little systematic care is
exercised in this matter, there need not be
a crumb wasted. AS soon as the semi
weekly baking is over and the new supply
of bread has cooled, every scrap of the old
bread should be removed from the bread
box, the box wiped out, and once a month
scalded out and thoroughly dried before
the new bread is put in it. The larger
scraps of bread should be cut in triangular
form or heart-shaped pieces for large crou-
tons, about two and half inches long, to
decorate spinach fricassees of chicken
and various other dishes. Smaller pieces
may be cut in squares for soup croutons.
These are not more than three.quarters of
an inch square.
The bread for both these purposes must
be thoroughly dry, so it is free from all
moisture, when the crouttons will keep an
indefinite time shut up in boxes. If these
garnishes are always on hand, they may in
a moment or two be Drowned in the oven
or dried on topOf the stove, or toasted and
added to the soup or ragout Where there
are large pieces of loaf, they may be used
for toast or stuffings. For either of these
purposes, the crust is usually removed and
added to the small scraps of bread, which
should be dried in The oven until they are
free from all moisture, rolled fine and sift-
ed for bread crumbs.
These crumbs are invaluable to the cook.
They are used for bread sauces, cakes and
puddings, but especially for breading meats,
croquettes and other fritters. A cup of
these dried crumbs makes much more de-
licious pudding when properly soaked out
than crumbs fresh from the loaf. II you
would know how delicious bread pud-
ding may be- take a cup of these bread
crumbs, pour quart of boiling milk over
them and let them stand for two hours, UNI
I'll the crumbs have become thoroughly
soaked out in the milk. Pass the milk and
bread crumbs througha colander, then add
the yolks of four eggs, well-beaten, a scant
cup of sugar, heaping tablespoonful OF
butter, and the grated rind of a lemon,
using only the thin yellow skin on the out
side. Beat all the ingredients well togeth-
er and bake the pudding in little custard
cups, or in large pudding dish set in a
pan Of boiling water When the pudding
is baked, spread layer of currant jelly
over it. In order to do this successfully,
the Jelly must be melted in a little water
and spread over the pudding when the lat
ter has cooled a little. Now make mer-
ingve of the whites of four eggs, beaten to
a stiff froth, with a scant cup of powdered
sugar and the juice of lemon. Heap the
meringue over the pudding, covering it
with irregular hillocks. Put it in slow
oven where it will become slightly Drowned
in 20 minutes. Serve II when cold with a
sauce of sweetened cream.
If you wish hot bread pudding, take
half pound Of these dried crumbs, pour
about a quart of scalding hot milk over
them, and let them swell for two or three
hours. When they are cold add quarter
of pound of beef marrow, chopped fine
or If this is not convenient, quarter of a
pound of the best kidney suet, also chop
ped fine. Add six eggs, well beaten but
not separated, half pound of raisins
stoned, half pound of currants, half a
pound of sugar, and three ounces of cit
ron, cut in shreds. Beat all these ingre-
dients we'll together and mix in a cup Ia
blespoonful of mace, one of cloves, ia
blespoonful Of cinnamon and grated nut
meg. Bake the pudding in a slow oven
for two hours and serve it hot with a rich
sauce.-N. Y. Tribune.