Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-09-28
PORTALS LETTER.

city, after three days on a most restful |
quiet farm. You must close your /
worldly Flora Mac Flimsy ear and
open your housewifey one, for ] am not ,
going to tell you thing about
fashions this week, but about the red,
juicy tomato, which was raised IN SUCH
abundance on this farm.
/ truly think that you may search
from end to end of the vast Louvre
YOU may travel to the Prado, ride in
HYDE Park, drive in Central Park, and
no richer, stirring arrangement of color
will you find than in that corner OF
your garden where the red tomato
grows From under the leaves Of green
the red fruit looks up to the sun in
splendor unsurpassed by paint upon
canvas. The tomato whose triumphant
march into the realm of epicurists is
within the recollection of our con-
temporaries, is of Indian origin. Peru
is said to be its native country. but
not until 30 years ago was 1t cultivated
and thought fit to adorn our table. 1t
is difficult to imagine the gourmet's |
table without this scarlet addition. 1t
was for an American epicure to- dis
cover it, and with the canvas back |
duck, the shad and yellow Indian
corn, it claims America for its homo |
aud it has become as Indispensable to |
us as salt or butter Only few years
ago we looked upon it with suspicion
and thought it a poison. And the
| English were no wiser. Ills only
within the last decade that 1t has been
welcomed into British gates, and now
not country in Europe but has this
delicious fruit.
Many and beautiful are the dishes
the tomato adorns in the land Of gar
lick, and the very Spaniard nourishes
tender passion for this red fruit
The French truly love it and call it
the pomme d'amour. The "loye apple"
was what we called it years ago. Now
that the tomato has forced itself into
the year around, and when cruel frosts
come and the garden no longer protects
its own, the dollhouse offers home to
this luscious edible.
Let us consider the tomato in its
raw state first, and remember that 1T
must be deftly sliced in its skin, or else
the Juice escapes. Let us remember
that "a touch OF onion adds delight to.
its rich flavor. Dressing of oil and
vinegar, pepper and salt, is the best.
though good mayonnaise is preferred
by some people. A delightful dish for
luncheon may be obtained by dropping
the scarlet tomatoes into hot water, to
remove them OF their skins, and placing
. them cold on porcelain dish. Let
them get ice-cold and smother them
under a thick layer Of whipped cream.
To further beautify this dish stick in
/ the top of each tomato pistachio nut.
, Sliced and served on lettuce leaves,
with suspicion or two Of onion and
the whole floating in French dressing,
! the tomato is fit to offer any epicure.
:. Another delightful way is to take the
|, whole tomato, dip in hot water and
skin, then after they are cold dig q
!. hole in the middle of them, which you
Z must fill with combination made of
anchovies, chopped celery, parsley, a
!, little onion, mixed with mayonnaise
: dressing. Some tomato-lovers eat them
:. with only salt for SAVIOR. but this ex-
I I cessive devotion is hardly to be COM
= mended, for unlike beauty, un-
: adorned the tomato is not adorned the
most.
Let us now take this delicious love
apple and see what we Can do with
o him cooked. First, stewed he has the
merit of simplicity by no means to be
" under estimated. PiTo do this, pour
boiling water over the tomatoes, re-
Al move the skins, cut them in small
pieces, stew in porcelain vessel fol
n half an hour and then add to every
:. quart of tomatoes n tablespoonful o.
d butter, u teaspoouful of sugar, thicker
with bread crumbs, add II slice o.
Z onion and salt and pepper to taste
:, Stew for IL minutes longer, or unit
/ they are of the desired thickness.
Il Farci tomatoes may not be easil,
surpassed. For this you must prepare
chopped mushrooms, parsley. garlic
II al nl,, 1rnal mn hQ n
salt and pepper. Put layer of tolna
toes, cut in half, in the baking dish
over which spread this rich preparation
then another layer of tomatoes anC
another layer of the combination. Pou
melted butter over the whole and bak,
in a quick oven 20 minutes. This disl
is often called on the menus 'Tomatoe
| a la grimod do la Reyniere, /" but what
| ever you call them count upon hap
II piness in the eating.
H What housewife can resist tn
n seduction of the fried tomato? II
H prepare them this way, cut the to
H matoes in half place in frying psi
H with the skin side down, put butter i
H small pieces over the tomato, dus
| with salt and pepper and fry slowly
II Turning them when the upper side j
H heated, and when the tomatoes ar
H tender, slide them on to a heated dish
II Now draw the pan over quick hire
H add two tablespoonful of ilonr an
H mix with the butter until it is mic
H brown, and then add IA pint of milk Q
II cream. Season with salt and peppe
IL and pour over the tomatoes.
HI Some housewives prefer before fryin
II the tomato to dip it into an egg beate
II and then into bread crumbs.
Nj Broiled tomatoes-For this purpos
II the Tomatoes must be very firm. Cr
II them in half and place them in
II hroiler. Sprinkle salt and pepper ovt
II them and broil for 20 minutes; pot
H melted butter over them to serve.
III The delight Of the tomato as a
auxiliary cannot be too highly est
II mated. Thus, the association OF IL
H scarlet tomato with the pale yello
II spaghetti or macaroni is delight
the epicure, and with bottle
II chianti and dish Of rice with tom
II toes, or grilled as a garniture. for
II fillet, you see Italy like map befo
II your minds eye.
HI AS an accompaniment to chops. al
II steak, tomato sauce holds his
II place. To make this, take pint
II stewed tomatoes, put them on the Fl
II with one onion, one bay leaf, spr
II of parsley and mace, and let it simnl
II for 10 miEutes. Then add tabl
II spoonful of -four mixed with a tabl
II spoonful Of butter, stir for a while al
press this through a sieve. Add 81
and pepper and serve around dish
u Dreaded chops or steak.