Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-14
MILL1NER'S WORK IN CANDY,
Fifteen Hats, With Trimmings of Fruits and
Nuts. for an Afternoon Tea

MILL1NER'S WORK IN CANDY.
Fifteen Hats, With Trimmings of Fruits and
Nuts. for an Afternoon Tea.
TNHE ORDER WAS FOR FIFTEEN BROAD
u brimmed hats, trimmed with ribbons,
flowers and fruits. II left at mlliners shop
1t would have been commonplace enough. but
young Mrs. Noodles had stopped between two
Saturday calls TO deliver it at the caterers.
The hats were in process of making and trim
ming when a STAR reporter happened in. He
found himself in a small room with brightly
glowing furnace in one corner. In front of
the furnace stood the milliner-a Frenchnan
In white cap and apron. He had Just put on
the fire large copper saucepan half full Of
sugar and water. 1t took some time for this
to boil down to the desired consistency, and
meanwhile an assistant, also attired in cap and
apron. was rubbing butter over the marble top
Of large obiong table which occupied the mid
die of the room. At sink near by a youth was
busily engaged in securing pots and pans.
Presently the sugar was done. and some of it
was poured out of the copper saucepan upon
the table, where it formed a big round disk
Scarcely had it had moment to cool when the
assistant took bottle of peppermint extract
and sprinkled some on it. Then he threw a
little red coloring preparation upon it. raised
the edges of the disk with a knife and began in
rafferty, gingerly fashion to knead it, for it
was still very hot. A minute later be took it in
his hands and began 10 pull it, doing it very
quickly and skilfully until it was q lovely light
pink In color. Then he opened the door, and
stepping into the yard. gave it the last pulls In
the keen frosty air. Bringing it back. be put
the long stick of candy he had produced. about
the size OF an ordinary walking cane, on the
table. and with o heated knife he cut 1t into
short lengths, showing as he did SO that it was
very porous. His part of the work was over for
the time being.
side table several little trays of wire mesh on
which were Malaga grapes, each one with
stem, wainuts, the two halves of which we're
joined together with cream sugar. and filberts,
In little triangies made of three nuts each and
combined with maple sugar. There were also
small mandarin oranges, peeled but quite
whole. These fruits and nuts we're taken one
at time with tiny pair of tongs. dipped into
the hot sugar. remaining in the copper sauce
pan and set aside to cool on the table, each Of
them covered with beautiful Transparent
glaze. Then into each orange a stem was
thrust bearing some leaves and an orange BIOS
som.
The assistant brought forward at this stage Of
the proceedings a long iron rod about an inch
In diameter. one end OF which he set upon tin
pan while the other touched the table. Then
he handed the head cook a sort of brush of
wires. which looked more like an eggbeater
with the loops Gu: OFF than anytbing else This
was dipped into the still warm sugar. given a
little shake and then passed quickly back and
forth over the iron bar, spinning as il went
multitude OF fairy-iike threads that looked as if
they were made of goden-yeluw glass As
soon as little pile had accumulated the as
sistant gathered it up and laid it carefully to
one side. This was repeated a number of times,
and then the saucepan was washed, had more
sugar put in ii and was put back on the fire for
the next batch of candy.
As the sugar heated the peppermint. and
cochineal were added to il until it was a rich
dark red when into il were dipped cherries
preserved III rum. All these cherries we're
twins: They We're dipped by their stems one
at time. and We're then hung over stretched
veloped tails of superiuous candy they were
Immediately shipped off by the assistant with
pair of scissors.
NAMING THE HATS.
All the fruits gace and spun sugar for trim
mings being now made the cook or milliner
turned his attention to making the hats them
selves. The first step was to take some of the
sticks Of pink candy so carefully pulled by the
assistant and melt It sufficiently to go through
u machine that looked like clothes wringer
From this it emerged in long narrow futed rib
bohs, almost as piinble az il made Of silk Be-
meath 1t was large round tin pan turned up on
one side and on this the candy ribbon was laid
round and round in circles just as If q straw
bat were being made except that instead OF sewing
the strands OF straw together, row after row. the
CANDY was soldered here and there by the aid OF
little melted sugar. This was only the br m
OF the hat. the crown being next in order. The
latter was made in the same way, except that
round shallow mold was used to shape it in
instead OF the tin Pan. When this COM
piete the brim was set and melted into place
upon 1t.
Next came the trimmings, which, Curl
ously enough, were put inside of the
hat instead Of outside. First a broad futed
ribbon was passed through the wringer-like
machine and festOoned around the outer edge
OF the brim with most decorative effect. Then
piece Of the pink candy was heated and pulled
and twisted to make handle for it. There re-
NAMED after tina nothing to do but to put into
tho hat the spun sugar and then to tastefully
arrange upon it the candied fruits and nuts.
the whole making most effective bit of con-
fectioner's work. Some of the hats were filled
with ice cream in the shape OF flowers instead
Of with fruits. These were very pretty, too.
All the other fourteen hats were made In the
same way rs the one described. The only
variety was in the colors used, some being
green, some yellow and some white. When at
last they all stood in row, ready to be de-
hvered, the miliner cook breathed a sigh OF
relief. Their destination was a high tea at
which fifteen little round tables were to be
used, on each of which was to stand one of
these gorgeous CONNECTIONS.