The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-07-13
HAPPY HOUSEHOLD.
Suggestions from Practical HouseIxeepers in
Baking and Picking.

BAKING-PowDER BISCUITS.
One of our young c. G. housekeepers writes that
she has no success with baking powder biscuits,
although she works them smooth and cannot
understand why they should be hard and tough.
In her confession, that she works them
smooth the whole difficulty, doubtless, rests.
Biscuits ust not be worked smooth, worked in
any way. Now, If good little friend. who is
anxious TO succeed, will give careful attention to
The following directions she cannot possibly fail
For family of two persons take one even pint
of -four one heaping teaspoonful OF baking powder,
and much salt as you can hold between your
thumb aHd forefnger. Sft all together into your
baking bowl, and with the tips of your fingers mix
in Two full tablespooufnls of soft butter lard.
Then wet with sweet milk, or water until you
have a soft dough. easily rolled. Be very careful
not TO get !: too soft, this means working in
-four, and that would make your biscuits hard
and tough"
Sprinkle your breadboard with -four, and rub
your rolling. pin with -four. and lay your biscuit
dough. II it runs you have moistened too much.
and you must sprinkle over more flour and pinch
It together. The secret, however. is 10 add the
milk and water carefully that your dough, like
the big bears porridge. is neither too hard nor
too soft, but just right.
Before making your biscuits you should have
your oven sizzng hot, and your pans well creased,
evenly and smoothly, without stTeaks of grease.
Put your biscuits in the pans, bake quickly, and
! they choice. either hot or cold.
The same recipe makes delicious short cake, for
| Strawberries raspberries. and on, except that
you should stir with spoon until as thick as cake
| batter, and drop and spread without rolling.
Not only for baking powder biscuits but for soda
and biscuits the essentials of soft
| mass and hot oven must be remembered.
sTREAKY BISCUITS.
ITI,fla
| time since propounded by c. C.. presents itself:
| Why are my soda biscuits streaky?"
The answer is that you have not mixed them
! properly. You should allow even teaspoonfnl
/ Of cream of tartar and the same of soda TO each
pint of -four the soda 60 be mashed smooth before
measuringi your milk TO be well soured
Put the cream Of tartar in the -four and sift; dis
solve the soda in a spoonful of boiling water and
mix well with The milk. Add your shortening to
the four and, when thoroughly mixed wet with
the milk, As for baking-powder biscuits. BY fol-
lowing this rule you will never have streaky bis
cults, that abomnation any table.
NEW BREAD-MAKISG RECIPE.
DEAR II. H.: Since reaching the Worlds Fair
! City have learned a way Of making light
bread will call it Cousin Lbs" light bread :
Put into the bread-rAiser good tablespoonful each
OF salt sugar and lard; pour these one coffee
| cupful Of milk and three Of water both hot. Into
a cup of luke-warm water put cake OF COM
pressed yeast aud let IL soak until yon have IA led
the ingredients in the raiser into stiff batter with
| -four.
Now stir in yonr yeast and mix hard. for
loaves-bTeBd, until smooth and lei raise then into
4 loaves, raise again. aud bake. Girls try this. II
we set the bread at night we have the baking done
by o'clock the next morning; or set la tho morn
| ing and be through by noon.
Inez Woodruff wghiman, 45f Fulton street,
Chicago. H.
SWEET CUCUMBER PICKLES.
Mrs. Peter Sells: You will End in the follow.
ing recipe directions for excellent sweet pickles
| Pick your cucumbers before they are too ripe OF
| before the seeds harden. Let them stand In q
basket box for few days 10 cure; then, in the
afternoon or evening, pare, cut open. and scrape
the seeds all out. Pot them into a vessel, add sail
enough TO make weak brine, and pour over boil.
ing-hot water. Turn plate over them, weight
them down. and let them stand till morning Ir
the morning make your pickle. adding one pound
Of sugar 10 quart of good vinegar and all kinds
OF spice you like. Have just enough of this pickle
TO cover your cucumbeTs; set ii the stove Il
| heat Drain the eucumbers from the brine ant
boil them in clear until they soft enough
TO stick fork through. Pick them out of til,
water, put them in The pickle, simmer two O
| three hours. and they are DONE
This recipe is good for any kind of fruit.
Yours Pro Patra-L. T. Foss, Evansville, vi
n. 7. G. G. GUARDS.