Evening star., 1898-08-27
HOUSEHOLD HINTS

| While most of the common varieties OF
| pears lack the decided flavor that makes
| them a choice preserve when used alone,
| they will be found delicious used in COM
| bnation with lemon peel and juice or the
| green ginger root, which comes in the late
| summer and autumn from the West In
| dies. Even hard pears or "windfalls,
| pared, cored, filled with sugar and grated
| lemon rind and baked, closely covered, un-
| til juicy and tender, may be canned and
| kept indefinitely. Gingered pears make
rich sweetmeat. Peel, core and cut rather
| hard pears into Trim slices. Allow to eight
| pounds of sliced fruit eight pounds sugar,
| a pint of water, the juice and rind OF four
| lemons, and half a pound of ginger root
| sliced thin. Cut the lemon rind into long.
thin strips and put all together in the
| preserving kettle. Simmer gently for an
| hour, then pack in jars or cans Picked
| pears are always in order and will prove
| an arpetizing addition to every Sunday s
dinner. If the pears used for picking are
| the tender little Seckles, they do not need
| pairing, but the larger varieties usually do.
| The stem should be left on, but the bios
| som end removed. AS fast as pared drop
into a pan of cold water to prevent their
| turning black. Make rich sirup, allow
| ing to eight pounds of fruit four pounds of
| sugar, one quart of vinegar and one cup
| mixed spices, cassia, buds, stick cinnamon
cloves and allspice. Tie the spices in a
| Skim thoroughly, then add the fruit-a por-
| tion at a time, and cook slowly until
scalded and tender enough to be readily
pierced with a straw Skim out the fruit,
put in a stone jar or glass cans boil the
sirup a little longer and pour over. The
old method was to repeat the scalding OF
| the sirup for two three mornings, but
| this is not necessary. Keep the bag OF
| spices in the jar if the pears put in
| one large crock. A few cloves stuck in
| each pear are deemed an improvement by
many.
While branded peaches have lost pres
tfge these few years, save in the families
who cling tenaciously to the culinary tradi-
tiCps, which include picked oysters, pound
cake fruit cake and their ilk, there occa-
slonally comes the request from young and
ambitious housekeepers to know the modus
operandi of preparing the rich and delicious
sweet Select any fine peaches that VIII
not cook to pieces, drop in hot water, and
let them remain few moments, until the
skin will slip off. Weigh and allow three
quarters of a pound of sugar to each pound
of fruit. Make sifup, allowing cuptui
of water to each pound of fruit. Boil,
skim until clear, add the peaches, and cook
until transparent. Just the peaches are
taken from the fire add brandy, allowing
a half cup OF the best brandy to each
pound of fruit Seal. The peaches may
be halved or left whole, if desired; but if
they are halved use some of the pits TO
improve the flavor.
Every one who has been in France or at
any of the better French restaurants il
this country will recall with longing the
delicious puffy souffle potatoes which al
ways accompany the order OF beefsteak-
These potatoes are the despair of the
American housewife until the secret OF
their evolution is disclosed, and she can
follow suit. The potatoes must always be
sliced lengthw ise-else they will not puff
out-and cut a little thicker than Sara toga
potatoes, in order to make two crusts. II
I ba1r cfan in, nnl1 It-nt for he
cooking, much the better. When ready
to drain and wipe dry. Have two ket-
ties of fat ready for the frying-one smok-
ing hot the other even hotter. Drop few
at a time in the first kettle. When half
done skim out and drain for three four
minutes in the oven or back OF range, where
they will keep warm. Then drop in the
second kettle, when they will Immediately
puff up, and cook until well Drowned. While
the French cook always uses by preference
the small yellow Holland potatoes, any
mealy kind will produce satisfactory re-
suits.
Many are the summer sojourners in the
country who learn from bitter experience
that there Is a vast difference between
woodbine and poison ivy and that the
latter is apt to impress Itself on the mem
ory in a way not readily forgotten. While
some people can handle the ivy with i'm
punity, in others the poisoning is evil
dent that it affects the entire body, and
calls for the care of physician. In Or
uludTy cases d weak SOlullOn Oh
soda and water applied to the affected parts
will usually suffice to allay the irritation.
The juice of the tomato is also recommend
ed as a specific. A good point to impress
upon children before allowing them to roam
the woods and fields at will is that the poi
son ivy to be Stunned has three leaflets
and white berries, while the harmless wood
bsne has black berries and five leaflets.
Pear marmalade is a welcome addition
to the housekeeper's fruit closet. Cut up
fine favored pears, but do not peel or core.
Cook half an hour in very little water,
then press through a sieve SO as to sep
arate the pulp frCm the seeds and peel.
Measure the pulp and allow three four
pounds of sugar to five pints of the strain
ed pulp, the juice of two lemons and the
grated peel of one. Cook the pulp and
sugar together until thick. Orange peel
may be. substituted for the lemon, and part
apple pulp may be used in combination
with the pear. Put in little earthen pots
or glasses, and seal
For plain canning or for making brandy
pears, the Bartlett stands facile prin-
ceps. Select ripe but firm pears, peel and
boil in rather weak strip until they are
tender Take the fruit out, pack in cans
and fill the jars containing with a rich,
hot srup made with or without brandy
desired. A few bits of lemon peel or ginger
root may be added to taste.
Peaches served whole should have the
down removed WIN a SO1t Inc
very large, soft ones are frequently served
cut in two and eaten out of the skin with
a spoon. A dolly should always accompany
the service of peaches, as there is stain
so difficult to remove. Renewed applica-
tions of Javelle water chlorate of lime
are the on}.A means Of removing peach
stains.
Corn to be at it's best should be gathered
the same day it is to be used and left in
the husk until just before cooking. Strip
the husks from the ear, remove every bit
of the silk and plunge into boiling water
Over the top Of the kettle put a Layer OF
the thin inner husks. Cook from eight to
twelve minutes, according to the size of
the corn, sprinkle with salt and serve pip
ing hot.
Never cook tomatoes in a tin or allow
them to stand in metal.
Many a woman, no bigger than a gun
boat to look at, when cleared for action
proves to be battle ship.-Lifs.
'|Tz,1fl Il >NINFIt7