The morning call., 1895-01-26
FOR THE TABLE.

mornings to leave a frost-covered sidewalk
and enter a market where ripe red tomatoes
smile at one, crisp green cucumbers CLEAN, and
peas and string beans are matters of course.
To be sure they are neither cheap nor plentiful
still their presence makes one feel that she
carries not only her own atmosphere, but her
own temperature about with her, that the
freshness is within herself and the climatic
conditions are favorable to peaches and
apricots as they are to tomatoes and cucum-
bers. This is fine weather for meat of all
kinds. 1t seems as if it must have accumu-
lated ayoirdupois after death, the Joints of beef
and mutton are so huge. Southdown mutton
is bigger and more beautiful than ever, and
canoes cut deep into its blanket of fat are
more elaborate. Beef is no whit inferior to
mutton, and poultry and game are unap-
proachable.
Yet people have been blind to the allure
ments of all these displays and have chosen tor
their dinner the dish which New Workers dub
"Cape Cod turkey" known to the most of US as
salt fish. This dish does not appeal to all the
senses equally, but it has the merit Of tasting
better than it looks and it does not look unat-
traetive, either, when it is daintily served,
wrapped in a white d'oyley. Salt fish should
never be allowed to boil or it will warp and
tougher in a distressing manner; SO the best
way is to cut the fish in large pieces, wash 1T
thoroughly and lay it in cold water to remain
there over night The next day it should be
put on to cook in cold water brought slowly to
the boiling point and then set back that it may
keep hot, but not boil. If the fish is very salt
the water may be changed once or twice, but it
must not be made too fresh.
This is all the preparation the fish requires,
but do not be beguiled into the belief that din
ner is ready because the fish is cooked; for the
accomplishments to a salt-fsh dinner are many
in number, and every one is indispensable.
The superficial area Of the stove must be gen.
erous one to hold all the saucepans necessary
for their preparation--one pan for the fish, one
for each of the vegetables potatoes, onions and
beets), one for each of the sauces-an acid
sauce for the beets, a white sauce for the on
IONS egg sauce for the fish, and lastly dish Of
pork scraps to leaven the whole; that means
eight saueepans to be wrestled with after the
dinner of salt fish has been served.
Before considering the sauces a few words
should be said in regard to the vegetables
onions and beets. The latter vegetable is some
times a delusion and a snare. After hours of
cooking they will emerge from the kettle like
sections of cable, just about as abrous and
hardly more nourishing. Again, they will be
tender and everything the fancy could paint so
far as appearance goes, but wretchedly insipid
to the taste. But really young, sweet beet is
quite the equal of any vegetable grown. 1t
should always be thoroughly cooked, and may
be served sliced with butter, pepper and salt,
always very hot with the heat of the fire, not
pepper; or they may be allowed to cook, after
being sliced, in a sauce made by melting
tablespoonful of butter, adding to it an equal
quantity of flour, stirring well and adding
cup of hot milk. When this has thickened
without Jumps add to it saltspoonful of
white pepper, two of salt, four OF sugar and
tablespoonful of vinegar. Into this CRATE half
of small onion, stir it well in and add the
slices of beet In a few minutes the pie: es of
beet will give beautiful pink tinge to the
white sauce, which can be served at once, or
can be kept hot without cooking till everything
is ready.
Onions are very nice baked. They must be
boiled first till nearly tender, after having
been deprived of their outer wrappings. To re-
move the skins always keep the onions under
water, as ones eyes and hands will suffer much
less. Put the onions on to boil in well-salted,
cold water When this reaches the boiling
point throw it off mot down the kitchen sink)
and replace it with fresh. Do this three times,
then let them boil slowly till tender. They
can be sent to the table with a white sauce
OF plain melted butter, or can be put into pan
with the white sauce, Predetermined, and
baked for twenty minutes. Some advocate
adding half milk to the last liquor in which
they are boiled, as that article makes them
very white and removes the rank taste.
The egg sauce is made by adding to a white
sauce-which the French people say is the only
one we can make-a hard-boiled egg chopped
fine. This must be served in q hot dish, and
in its companion must go to the table the pork
scraps. These are made by cutting in small
pieces about half pound of salt pork streaked
with lean. Put these fragments into hot pan
and let them Try slowly for an hour till they
are crisp and brown, when, awful as it sounds,
they are to be served with the fat they have
given out in cooking.
These sauces complete the list, but it is well
always to serve picked cucumbers with the
table is reached is the following: Take from
each dish which is passed to you, pick the fish
into fakes, cut the onion, potato and beet into
small pieces, pour over them liberal quantity
of egg sauce, and over all sprinkle the pork
scraps. The plate Will not present an elegant
appearance, as 1t is more promiscuous than
esthetic, but after the first taste appearances
viii be d1sregarded, though a Goldfish dinner
will always remain thing to be INDUCED in
IN the society OF ones own family.
There are some breakfast dishes to be made
of the cold fish, one of which, if carefully pre-
pared, is very palatable. Take an equal weight
of the fish and bread, using the crumbs dry
and the crusts after soaking in water, and then
squeezing them well, mix the fish and bread
thoroughly and add to them chopped tomato
and green pepper, also chopped. When green
peppers are out OF season use piece of a red
one or substitute q little cayenne. Fry in
tablespoonful of oil a Glove of garlic for q
few minutes; then remove the garlic and add
an onion chopped fine, cooking this till it is
brown and tender, but do not let it burn; into
the fat put the fish and bread and cook for five
minutes, turning it over and over all the time
Ii this is too dry add little soup stock or to-
mato juice. The Spanish recipe calls for the
addition of walnut meats well pounded
dozen or two walnuts TO the pound of Goldfish
Flaked or desiccated Goldfish needs less soak.
ing than the packed dry fish, but it also lacks
the flavor which that article has.
Family Retail Market