Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-25
HOUSEHOLD HINTS
Some Practical Suggestions About
Preserving Fruit.
HONESTY THE POLICY WITH CHILDREN
Good Cooking is the Basis of q
Happy Home Life.
AS TO PICK L ED III A S II

Written Exclusively fer The Evening Star.
Porcelain kettles are best adapted for
preserving fruits and making jellies, and
fiat-bottomed, rather broad ones arc to
be preferred because they will sit more
Level on the stove. All fruits for preserving
should be boiled rather quickly. that the
watery particles may exhale at once, with
out being subjected to a long process of
cooking that would spoil the flavor and
color On the other hand, If the fruit is
rot to be preserved in air-tignt cans, Il
viii! not keep well if 1t is not well cooked,
SO it is necessary sometimes to sacrifice a
little of the delicacy of the flavor for the
sake Of having the fruit keep well Let
| everything used for the process be very
clean. Never place the fat bottom of the
preserving kettle directly on the fire. as 1t
| will be sure to burn the liquor and fruit
unless you watch 1t all the time. Clear of
the scum as fast as 1t rises to the top of
whatever fruit you are cooking. Fruit
| which Is to be preserved in strip must
first be boiled gently, until II has suffi-
GENTLY softened to absorb the sugar and a
thin strip must be poured on It first, or it
will shrivel instead Of remaining plump
and becoming clear. The weight Of the
fruit in sugar is the right proportion. and
this should be boiled to a strip with a pint
of water to the pound. but only half Of
the weight must be taken at first, and this
must not be boiled with the water more
| than fifteen minutes at the commencement
| Of the process; a part Of the remaining
sugar must be added every time the strip
is reboiled, unless 1t should be otherwise
disposed Of in the recipe upon which you
| are working. Never use tin, iron or pew
| ter spoons or tin skimmers for preserves.
| as they will convert the color of red fruit
into dingy purple, and often impart a
| very unpleasant flavor. Never an in
| ferior article of sugar; II is a false idea of
| economy, as there is great waste from the
| scum thrown up. Do not skimp in the pro-
| portions OF sugar used IL You want your
fruit to keep well. Not enough sugar in
| your jelly will keep IL from congealing
| and II will be 'runny" Not enough in
| the preserves will render them liable TO
| work" Quart jars are best for preserves,
half-pint glasses for jelly.
|
| So many people lose their lives through
their clothing catching on fire that It
seems to me more thought should be spent
On what to do In such cases Particularly
are women in danger from working about
the stove. The first thing to do is to try
to keep your presence of mind. Then re-
member that fire cannot burn without air;
so TO exclude the air is the next thing to
pouring
water on ones clothing. because it takes a
long time to drench ones clothing thor
oughly, and until one is wet all over the
fire keeps on burning. The minute You find
! yourself on fire lie down and roll; roll hard
III rug or bed quilt. or any large article
| OF clothing is at hand, roll yourself I'D in
It, III child gets on fire. catch il to you
with the fire next you if possible, and lie
down with IL. Wrap your clothing around
1t and roll with it, The rolling will draw
% to t1a kaE
| exclude the air. Above all things when
you find yourself on fire, do not run. as that
creates draft and do not stand up.
Throw yourself on the ground the first
, thing and then-roll.
You may deceive the little one once, even
twice perhaps. with the bitter. nauseating
dose that you offer It to swallow, with the
| assurance that 1t is good" or sweet" or
nice" but the third time you offer it you
, VII! find that the lie has served its turn
and you must seek another The lesson Is
learned. however. and the child has come
to doubt your word. He will be suspicious
Of your sincerity about everything after
that and perhaps you will never be able to
| restore his confidence. Is It worth while?
Do you think you really gain anything by
telling your child an untruth to save your
self little struggle. which must inevitably
come some time. because you can't possibly
hope to 60 on lying. 1t is very poor policy
yet one that a great many mothers resort
| to. Surely they would not do IL IL they
understood for one moment how the little
things were learning to doubt mothers
word. When a little two-year-old child is
| told by its mother that she will whip II II
| Ii does a certain thing. and II stops to look
up In her face to see IL she means IL, then
II is time to put into action some of the
oft-made but never-meant-to- be- put Into
action threats Unless you mean to punish
| a child. don't threaten IL. II will surely
girl who deliberately marries without
understanding the art of cooking is commit
ting a-well, the law of the land does not
call ii a crime, but the unwrltten law of the
home certainly does constitute IL a crime
Especially is this true Of those i'm modest
circumstances, who cannot employ efficient
cooks. Burnt fingers. sour bread scorched
roasts. leathery steaks. wishy-washy coffee
and disordered stomachs are not conducive
to the happiness that one imagines the
honeymoon should be filled with There
are so many reasons. logical and philosophi-
cal, why cooking should be included in
the accomplishments of young girls that Il
Is useless to enumerate them. Good cook
ing is the basis of happiness health and
success in the home life. One may thor
oughly understand art, music architecture
science and philosophy. be familiar with
astronomy, mythology, the mysteries of
| evolution. politics and literature vet IL
the chemistry of a loaf of bread has been
neglected the education is sadly incom-
ple;e. so far as the "hoIse mother is con-
cerned.
Picked hash! That sounds perfectly aw-
full. doesn't #? But IL is an excellent dish.
Chop your bits OF meat quite fine and put
In a bunch Of chopped celery. or any such
relish as you may like, one table
spoonful OF homemade mustard, one
tablespoonful OF melted butter, one tea
spoonful of salt. half a ieaspoonful of pep
per. and two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine.
Mix the ingredients thoroughly lay sliced
hard-boiled eggs over IL and pour half a
cup of good vinegar over f.
There Is no royal road to good manners |
They are acquired like any other good
habit, by the constant repetition OF single |
acts. II they are merely the veneer of a |
coarse and selfish nature. they will give
way under pressure and show the texture |
OF the deal underneath. IL they are the
polish of mind trained In all gentle kind |
ly. unselfish ways. full Of the charity that
thinketh no evil, they will reflect the very
lAIA