Evening star., 1896-11-14

erage or a garniSh. 1t is a form OF Anglo
mania to add to champagne or Moselle cup
the small blue blossom of the borage,
which gives peculiar fragrance and is a
most pleasing English habit. BY the way
of Germany. this idea has reached America,
and here 1t is carried out so extensively
that flowers mingle with our food through
out a dinner. Marigold blossoms float over
the soup, rose petals are scattered over the
pastry, nasturtiums grace the salad, and a
sweet jessamine lies on the surface of the
cafe-noir as it does on the tea of Lii Hung
Chang, when he dimes in Pekin.
Moreover, the imperial champagne cup
has aroused the fashionable housekeeper to
the ambition of having an eatable d
drinkable named for her, such as the heir
loom punch that the hostesses Of dear old
Virginia used to serve at ChriStmastidc
and other times of ceremonicus hospitality
This bore the family name, was first brew
ed by ancestors generations before, and the
secret OF its recipe wGs as sacredly guarded
and valued as the family portraits.
Simple Dishes the Style.
The most approved fashions in dinner
serving at present are merely revival
with modern improvements-of colonial
dinner customs; that Is to say, We are re-
turning to simpler ways than have pre-
vailed In recent years. Elaborate, mystic
rious-made dishes have lost favor. In con-
trast. old familiar vegetables are served in
numerous delicious. unhackneyed ways,
and, promoted from their former subordi-
nate position, are utilized as course, or
even as the plat de resistance. This lean
ing to simplicity will be notable feature
of the approaching Thanksgiving dinner,
and as goes the Thanksgiving dinner SO go
the dinners of the season; novelties are
first presented at this national banquet
In accordance with the popular aim to
originate palatable dish, few hints may
be of use and possibly be pressed into SER
vice for the feast that celebrates the glory
OF earths fruits. TheSei must not be re-
garded as recipes; they are only sugges-
tons for bright amateur cook ladies' TO
bring to a state of perfection, which can
easily be done. A.f1
For soups, those maze of cream have the
first choice foundation of peas is ex-
ceilent. After the cream is added, tinge to
dslicate smooth shade of green with the
Breton coloring liquid; which is SO useful
Tor sauces. 1t can be found at any lead
ing grocery house. in red, green and yell
low, and is quite harmless. Creamed to-
matoes can be turned into that beautiful
red natural to the perfect tomato, adding
the Breton by single drops until the desired
shade develops. Creamed celery, corn and
beans all delicious i'll taste, and dainty
in appearance II they are of the eensiS tsncy
of plain cream, but they must not be
starchy.
Chestnut Soup.
The 'smartest" soup is the chestnut,
made of the peeled nuts cooked to a puree
in beef stock. and whitened with pure
cream. Almond soup may be made in the
same way. These are the ambrosia of
soups.
Nuts vie with vegetables in popularity,
and in some form appear at nearly every
course of the dinner. Nut dishes, like some
other delecta BILE ones, come to from the
reign of Louis XIV, when nuts were very
much used in cooking.
For an entree of croquettes roaSted-not
boiled-chestnuts are pounded to a paste
with cream, butter and salt. A little fat
bacon chopped fine and a sprinkle of grated
lemon peel are added, then yolks of eggs
till the paste is smooth and firm. After it
has thoroughly cooled it is formed into
croquettes the shape OF large chestnut,
dipped in egg and fine crumbs, and fried.
AS vegetable chestnuts should be stew
ed in veal broth till soft, and served with
roasted meats. Peanuts can be used in
similar manner.
Again. nuts are a charming addition to
the usual fowl or veal stuffing. Almonds
and walnuts, celery and parsley should be
combined.
tco substantial for dinners, and because
one tires of perpetual lettuce, chicory and
celery, vegetable salads are in vogue.
Cauliflower is picturesquely tempting sur
peas placed in lettuce leaves. the mayon-
naise made green with chopped mint
leaves, is another new wrinkle of the
kitchen.
A Pumpkin Salad.
But the salad most appropriate for
Thanksgiving dinner is pumpkin salad
Cut the pumpkin into small squares, boil
them till tender in salted water; when
cold arrange them on the crispest and
whitest Of lettuce leaves, cover with a
mayonnaise sauce to which chopped pars-
ley has been added, and you will have
dish that you might ask the gourmet gods
from Olympia to share without misgivings.
In regard to vegetables the more quaint
and homely they are the more "chic" they
are considered if offered in novel ways
Carrots appear points upward, like conical
croquettes with brown sauce. Big Span
ish onions are boiled, Drowned in the oven
and served with tomato sauce. Bermuda
onions are chopped, after first being boiled
slightly, and scoloped like oysters, be-
tween layers of fine crumbs and butter
moistened with Bechamel sauce, or au