Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-11
SOME DAINTY DESSERTS
That Are Prepared at the Pure Food Expo
sition.
And Something About the Young WO-
man Who Has Made Such n Rep
utatiOn for Good Cookery.


That the pure food exposition now In pro-
gress at Convention Hall is a decided sue
cess Is evidenced by the large attendance 1t
attracts every afternoon and evening. The
Star has heretofore pictured the many
handsomely arranged exhibits OF food pro-
ducts to be seen scattered throughout the
great hall, the delightful music Of the Ma
rine Band and the interesting electrical dis
plays; but interesting and entertaining as
those things undoubtedly are, the one great
feature Of the exhibition is the course of
instruction in cooking and kindred house.
hold matters daily given by Miss Helen
Louise johnson of Table Talk" whose
reputation as an authority in such matters
had preceded her engagement and first ap-
pearance.
A Quick Reputation.
Miss Johnson who is a native of Water
town, N. Y, graduated from Wells Col
lege in 1887, just two years after Mrs.
Cleveland graduated there Hence, 1t will
be seen that the young lady has in very
few years gained the enviable position she
holds in the culinary art. In 1889 she fin
ished a course at the celebrated Philadelphia
Cooking School. graduating with the high
est honors, and in 1880 she commenced to
in cooking throughout the country. Small
and slight, with brown hair and eyes.
quietly active in her movements, intensely
enthusiastic in her work, clear and earnest
in all She has to say, those who have listen
ed to her she has practically illustrated
her lectures here have been both greatly in
structed and highly entertained by all she
says and does, and the throng of women
and girls In attendance upon her lectures
has daily increased.
Eawerly Listened To.
These lectures are given every afternoon
and upon a stage erected at the X street
end Of the hall. partitioned OF from the rest
OF the exhibition by great. fragrant pines
from Maine. a fully equipped and most con-
veniently arranged kitchen has been set up.
Facing the stage comfortable chairs to the
number Of several hundred have been so
placed that every one may see and hear
everything done and said At the afternoon
lectures the attendance is composed almost
exclusively Of the gentler sex. from the
school girl barely in her teens to the aged
grandmother, but at the evening demon
STATIONS, when the subjects are designed by
Miss Johnson to appeal more strongly to
the tastes Of men. the attendance comprises
hardly less men than women. OF course,
every woman and girl attends with a pencil
and pad. and in very many instances they
carry a small spoon. With the pencil and
pad they Jot down the innumerable inter-
esting and Instructive things said by Miss
Johnson, and with the spoons they carry the
delicious productions of the fair lecturers
skill are sampled as they are passed
through the audience.
Dainty Desserts.
Yesterday afternoon a representative of
The Star attended, when the subject of
Miss Johnson's lecture was Dainty Des-
serts." and under that head the following
dainties were concocted: Jelly a la russo.
Titian creams and violet russo.
OF course. Miss johnson has right at her
hand every convenience and ingredient
known in modern cooking, and she is as
sisted by "Aleck, very black young fell
low in a spotless white suit and cap who
was her assistant at the worlds fair. She
first gives the name of the dish she is about
to prepare. and then she slowly states the
recipe, 30 that those of her auditors who
desire may note it down. That DONE she
pro leeds In the preparation of the dish,
not only describing infinitely what she does
as it is done. but also stating why she does
this and that. In pursuing such a course
rarely are inquiries made necessary, al
though she is anxious to have it under
stood that she is glad to answer all ques-
tons asked. As dish is completed she
passed through the audience, first for in
spection, and next to be sampled
Some Explanations.
In her lecture yesterday Miss johnson
explained that granulated sugar was the
best for cooking purposes. and the whittier
1t was the better. Green was the best
coloring in extracts. although often sup
posed to be the worst. Jelly, she said,
should not be too firm or solid, 1t being
at its best when it fell in small pieces.
In coloring jellies eight. If not twelve, DIFF
ferent colors could be obtained by mix
ing the colorings as paints were mixed.
When Jelly would not readily leave the
mold warm, damp cloth spread over 1t
would quickly dislodge 1t. In making wine
jellies lemon or orange Juice softened the
harsh flavor Of the wine. Using a little
ingenuity. remarked Miss Johnson. a dir-
ferent jelly for every day Of the month
could be devised.
While making the cream delicacy, Miss
johnson remarked that cream should never
be whipped slowly. for If 1t was butter
would result. She also impressed upon her
audience the Importance Of strictly OBJ
serving the recipes given. Often sad mis-
takes were made because of a failure to
do go. Yet many Of them arose from a
confounding of simple terms. For instance
a spoonful Of butter melted was quite q
different thing from a spoonful of melted
butter. A pint Of cream whipped made a
quart of bulk. Cream for whipping should
be fresh, whipped with a churn, and after
it was once whipped it should never be
whipped again.
Speaking Of favoring extracts. Miss
johnson explained that vanilla should al
ways be used in connection with other
extracts, as 1t gave the flavor desired body.
The secret Of French cooking was that
all ingredients used blended, like the many
instruments in an orchestra, in one grand
effect. 1t was not generally known, stated
Miss johnson, that there was violet
flavorirg extract which was as sweet as
the odor Of English violets. In favoring.
she said that she depended more upon
taste than upon rules.
In concluding her remarks. Miss John
son explained that there was nothing so
comparatively easy the preparation
of desserts. Most of the delicacies found
upon hotel tables with unpronounceabIe
names were nothing but the simplest des-