The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-10-13
THE HOUSEHOLD.
The Dining Room and Its Furnishings.

or three hours over dinner is practically
unknown in this country, except at din
ner parties, and even then most of the
guests seem to feel stiff and bored. 1t
ought to be pleasant for family to
linger at the table. Such companion
ship of near kinsmen should be good.
ly and pleasant thing. 1t is only at
mealtimes, probably, that the members
of the household come together. Some
times the children scarcely know their
parents, especially their father, be
cause they seldom meet except at din
ner, and dinner is regarded as serving
no purpose except the consumption of
the needed quantum of food. This is
one reason urged by the Puritan for
making more of the dining room. Fol-
lowing are some of the opinions ex-
pressed on the subject:
To make an attractive place, rather
than mere feeding box, it should be
as large as possible-as large, if you
are building house, as you can afford
to make it. 1t should be cheerful and
airy, with a high ceiling. For its deco
rations dark Indian red az the pre-
dominant tone will te found as rich
and pleasing as any color. The depth
of the shade should, of course, be gov
erned by the amount of light in the
apartme MT A japanese pressed paper
in red and bronze is probably the rich
est and most efft wall hanging
that can be obtained for modest out
lay.
The dining table is the central and
most important article of furniture.
The round lat lie is III every way prefer
able to the obl)ng affair, which some
how is always reminiscent of boarding
houses and military barracks. 1t is more
sociable and lends itself admirably TO
decoration, while it may, if desired, be
made long and narrow by the inter-
polation of leaves. A more artistic way
of increasing its circumference is to
have false top of large dimension
made 10 fit securely over It. Armchairs
for every one at table are now in vogue.
They certainly are great luxury and
do away with that temptation which so
often comes to one to rest ones arms
upon the table.
RECEIPTS.
Grape Jelly.-Add half pint of
water to each quart of grapes. Boil
until the seeds separate, when bruised
with spoon. Strain through a flannel
bag without hard pressure. Put in a
long pan one cup of sugar for each cup
of juice. Set in the oven four minutes {;
add the sugar to the juice and boil ten
minutes. Skim, and turn into tumbers
and set in the sun. When "set," COW
er with pare fine paper and put in a
cool, dry place. Another good rule was
sent from California, the land of grapes ,
which gives more exact measures.
Grape Jelly, No. 2.-To every eight
pounds of fruit, take coffee-cupful of
water; put them into a porcelain. lined
kettle and boil until quite soft; strain
through cloth strainer; measure the
juice; measure and set aside an equal
quantity of granulated sugar; then boil
the juice half an hour; add the sugar,
and let it boil five or eight minutes
longer. All jelies to be good, such
have nearly all the boiling done before
adding the sugar, and fruit that is only
partially ripe makes the prettiest COL
ored jellies.
Apple Jelly.-Wipe and slice good
fair apples; use skins, seeds and all;
cook them soft in cider enough to cover
them; strain through cloth laid in a
sieve; add one pound of sugar to one
pint Of juice and boil few minutes.
Grape Jam.-Separate the skin and
pulp, boil the pulp sufficiently to rub
through sieve all but the skins; to
this add the skins and to every pound
add three-fourths of pound of sugar.
Boil until well cooked taking care that
it does not burn.
Picked Blue cherries. Twelve pounds
of berries, one quart of vinegar and
three pounds of good brown sugar; ;
make a syrup of the vinegar and sugar,
put in the berries and boil them twenty
five minutes.
Currant Jelly for Meats Heat the
currants and strain off the Juice; boil
it slowly for fifteen minutes; add one
half the weight of it in sugar, and boil
eight minutes longer and pour out. A
little of this spread on hot beefsteak or
served with roast pork, veal, or lamb is
very good. Thin slices laid over pud-
dings, with sweet frostings, make an at
tractive garnish.
Picked OniOns.-Take one-half peck
of onions, peel and put in about one
cup of salt, and pour over enough
boiling water to cover the onions. Let
stand over night, drain, and do the
same for three nights. Then cover
with cold, sharp vinegar and spice, u.s.
ing whole spice. Let them stand a
week before using. They are cooked
enough by the applications of the boil
ing water.
Rice Waflles.-One cup of boiled
rice, one pint of milk, two eggs, one
scant tablespoonful of cottolene, one
half teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoon
full cream tartar. Flour for thin batter,
to bake in wa ffle-irons.
Cookies.-Take one cup of sugar, one
egg, one-half cup of butter, four table
spoonsfuls of sweet milk, one and a
half teaspoonful of vanilla and enough
flour to roll fairly WELL Roll this very
thin and cut into fancy shapes with a
cooky cutter. Bake light brown.
Egg Rolls.-Two eggs, well beaten,
one small teacup milk, one tablespoon
full lard or melted butter, two table,
spoonful Cleveland's Superior Baking
Powder, and enough flour to make stiff
as biscuit Roll out, cut the desired
-. Il Ill. -. -.