The herald., 1894-02-25

berries, gooseberries, raspberries and
currants (red, white and black.
In winter apples and pears, as they
become perfectly mellow, especially
sweet apples are the best perhaps for all
seasons; grapes, sweet oranges and
bananas are available all the year. The
latter must be fully ripe, even those
black outside. if pretty firm within, are
the best and most complete foods. Gus
tsrd apples, mangos, persimmons and
guavas are all good, wholesome sub
tropical foods when wholly ripe.
OF dried fruits, figs, especially the
fresh, natural or impressed and black
figs; dates, if not too pithy, raisins and
dried plums, both in great variety; dried
apricots, peaches, nectsrines, pears and
apples. The apples, thick-skinned
prunes and raisins only will need half
an hours etewing.
At first the peel, skin and pips of fruit
are best to be avoided.
GENERAL RULES.
No fruit should be used unless it is
completely ripe. Liquids are best at
least half an hour before or three hours
after meal.
Uncooked, fully matured fruits are
more digeetible than cooked, and the
latter are better than any sort of glace
or crystallizing, iced sugar in any form
being as Objectionable and about as diff
ficult to digest as starch food. Bottled
fruits are always better than timed.
Dried fruits il fully ripe, can be nsu-
ally soaked quite soft in cold water in 10
or IL hours. Black fgs and dates only
need rinsing a few minutes "a day or two
before using them may be preferred).
Where subacid fruits like apricots, APP
Piles or prunes are used, some raisins,
Sultanas, or dates or figs can be added
to sweeten according to taste.
Jams, iellies, msrmalades and sugared
fruits are best avoided as regular foods.
A few stoppered. air-tight bottles will
be found very useful to soak the dried
fruit in, cay enough for three or four days
at time.
1t is safe rule to use nothing that is
not palatable uncooked. citron or orange
peel or rhubarb will be thus avoided to
advantage.
An assortment OF canned fruits Gin
bottles is to be preferred) may always
be kept in reserve for emergencies. They
should be of selected fruit or from we'll
ripened brands, and without the much
praised heavy syrup. Pine apples sliced,
fresh or canned, go well with dates.
Canned figs, prunes, peaches, apricots,
or cherries are the most useful sorts.
TOMATO SALAD.
Canned tomatoes are not nearly 80
good as fresh, but are useful when COM
bned in salad of the sliced raw, add
ing olive oil and little orange or lemon
- kx.A
Of onion or shsllot may be added. A
good salad dressing is made with fresh
curds or cottage cheese; "brie," or any
new fresh cheese or cream will do we'll
pounded with fork into the oil before
mixing the salad.
Besides fruit knives, nut-crackers and
picks, an extra plate for shells and rinds
should be always placed to each guest.
Pears and apples and oranges are often
served peeled.
1t is as we'll to crack dozen for each
guest before sitting down; these being
our main staff of life they may be per-
haps valued in the following order: Wal
nuts, pecans, almonds, filberts, hazels,
Brazils, cocoanut, pine keruels and ches-
nuts peanuts are rather doubtful, and
in America pecans, hickory, butternuts
and black walnu.s and Virginia peanuts
are ali much appreciated where plenti-
full. Fresh cocoanut meal, or that i'm
ported from Ceylon, is very thrifty,
pure food, coarse or finely ground ;
ground almonds, as used for macaroons
or for marzapan, as well as the purer
sorts of nut candies can be used to ad-
vantage for time, but none are equal
to the fresh nut thoroughly well masti.
Gated. II nut meal is used it should be
mixed with some whole nuts to cause
better mastication.
To commence with, all nuts can be
used with little salt, or if taken with
pure honey, or maple sugar, they com
bine into the best of all sweets and
should be substituted for ordinary con-
fectionery or gums; ground cocoanut
will be found nice made up into balls
with white OF eggs and put into dates
stoned or figs.
A DAYS FRUIT FARE.
May be got in either three or four meals
to commence. The exact quantity will
depend upon the age, size, occupation,
personal constitution, season of the
year and other circumstances. If fruit
is only taken in place of bread, starch
and vegetable food, probably from two
to three pounds daily of apples or grapes
or equal amounts of other sweet and
Juicy fruits, will suffice. OF dried fruits,
a half to one pound will be found enough
daily and it will be always best to take
cooked or dried fruits at separate meals
from the fresh or raw fruits. The usual
meat rations or animal productss like
eggs, cheese, milk and cream can be
used with the above or only at the
principal meal as preferred. When nuts
and fruits are depended on entirely,
about one pound of the former Cor less
to start with) will be found enough Gun
less for very hard work. for a days fare
taken at the two chief meals. Four to
six pounds of the ripe, fresh fruit in
sum mer and three to four pounds in
winter, will, as a rule, suffice for the
daily fare.
FEW ATTRACTIVE DISHES.
Baked custards OF eggs and milk can
DE cooked in large cups and supply al
ways kept in the cupboard. Instead of
sugar. honey or little grated cheese or
cocoanut meal or stoned or sliced dates
or etoneless raisins (Sultanas), may be
added; boiled milk may be poured into
jugfulof dates or Sultanas or figs, to be
used when nearly cold, as substantial
breakfast dish.
ANY sort of such dried fruits will make
nice salad for lunch, combined with