The morning call., 1894-11-10
FOR THE TABLE.

thanksgiving being so essentially feastdav
OF Ne" England's making, il seems most ap-
piopiiaIeIy observed by making ourselves i'll in
.u0 y! 'houoA manner on the dishes which won
lame 10r our grandmothers rather than on the
Tess substantial French entrees and desserts
fIohiheht among these dishes is the chicken
Pie, which upon the old-time table divided the
nonors with the noble turkey
Inc juvenile portion of the New England
community must have lived in the odor OF
pastry as well as of sanctity on the day OF our
national least. for there were set upon the table
over night pies OF all kinds, mince, pumpkin,
apple aud cranberry, upon which 10 whet the
appetite Tor breakfast, which consisted gener-
ally OF chicken, either fricasseed or fried
made into pies. Turnovers and tarts baked in
saucers were distributed after breakfast TO sus-
tain life until The eventful moment when dinner
was announc d.
The New England chicken pie, baked In a
deep earthen dish. was generous in lis proper
tions, gladdenng the present hour with prom
tse of plenty for the mortow-not meager
plateful but ample crust ana plenty of gravy.
1t Constructions requires for an ordinary fam.
iIy TWO or three chickens, which need not of
necessity be young though the opposite ex
treme should be carefully aEQided. Plump,
yellow legged hens past the roasting age are
best.
They should be carefully cleaned and wiped
boiling water allowing about three piuts 10
each chicken, aud adding TO that quantity
tablespoonful of salt, saltSpoOnful of pepper
and three slices of lat salt polk 10 each chicken.
Cook The chickens slowly TIL they are very ten
der but not iii the meat drops from the bones
as the additional cooking in the oven would be
too much Tor them. Then remove them from
the liquor in which they were boiled ana set
them away to cool.
Reduce the liquor in the pot 10 two quarts,
then add TO il nearly quarter Of pound of
butter 10 each chicken. working well into IL
TWO tablespOonfus Of flour. Pour little of the
hot stock over this rouX before adding 1t TO
the pot that il may not lump, then stir IL we'll
In and boil for ten minutes, add pint of
cream, let 1t come 10 boil, strain and set away
for use later.
When the chickens are cold cut them at the
joints ami lay the pieces in a deep dish. heap
ing them toward the center. lay the slices OF
pork ia and pour part of the gravy over them
reserVng some 10 be served in a separate bowl.
The crust for this pie was net ordinarily
made of puff paste, though our grandmOtners'
cookbooks prove that they knew all about that
luxury but was rather palmer affair, made
Will yeast powder, but 1t was very light, tender
and taKy.
1t is made By Sitting three pints of flour with
a teaspoonful and half of yeast powder and d
teaspoonfUl of salt; rub into this three table
SpooHfulS of lard and mix TO dough with
milk; -four the bread board, lay the dough
upon it, form with tue hands into ball. roll 1t
out TO about the thIckness of half an iAch and
spread upon II, very evenly, at least half a
pound of butter; make this into a compact roll,
and natten again until II IS rather less than an
inch III lex; cut from 1t piece tile shape of the
dish III which the pie is 10 be baked, only an
inch or TWO larger TO allow its shrinking.
Roll The fragments of paste together into a
linn Yri,, 10 FIa of
the dish, but put no crust The bottom. Let
The strip come well over the edge of the sides,
Wei 1t with Cgg and lay upon II aud over The
otis OF chicken the lid, In which slit has been
cut TO allow the escape OF steam. Bake this in
an oven rather more than moderately heated al
first. then allowed TO cool little, Ior an hour
and half. This may be done the day before
Thanksgiving If the stove oven is too small ~
admit both the pie aud the turkey al The same
time, in which case 1t will need only TO be re-
heated.
Tie portion OF the pie which is left can be
warmed over as good as new by adding to ii
The superfueus gravy and covering all with a
thick paper 10 prevent drying aud burning.
Some think that chic Ell pie is nothing without
pun paste and mushrooms or ruffte>, which
adds 10 its richness ana favor. Where puff
paste is used it Is customary TO indulge in a
little decoration. q few oak leaves and rose,
or some equally appropriate design. Little tin
cutters come for The leaves, but the construc-
ton OF the floral emblem is a WORK of att
Roll small bit OF paste very thin, cut it square,
fold twice TO make t reain its shape. gather
lie four corners together, turn the thing UPSIDE
down and with sharp penkniie cut a deep
cross upon ii. This makes he rose, which IS
usually placed over the slit In the pie, and eau
De removed If IL Is necessary 10 add gravy be-
lore serving.
Fresh mushrooms are best for This pie, and
now they coming into market in abun-
dance, delicious Wild ones, selling for forty
cents pound; but pound is small quantity
after cooking, dish OF mushrooms still re-
mains expensive luxury.
Asparagus is now lii marker, slender, rather
unattractiye looking. and rather high in price
but promising better things in The future.