The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-02
FOR FEMININE READERS
DIFFICULT ART OF PICNIC CATERING
REDUCED TO A SCIENCE.
The Summer Girl Needs tn Take Espe-
cial Care of Her Beauty-Gowns to
Wear-GirIs Who Cannot Spell.

''Picnics are more trouble than they are
worth, every timei" was the strongIy-ex-
pressed sentiment OF an older sister re-
Gently, who has several small brothers
to cater to in the cooking and the lunch
packing, as well as In the general super
vision necessary on such occasions, says a
writer in the Philadelphia Press. But even
when the disadvantages of catering 10 nu-
merOus small boys is not taken into con-
sderation. there is much to be said against
as we'll as for the picnic idea as it is
usually carried out. There are many sug-
gestions, however. that may add to the
pleasure OF the outing parties.
According to the opinion of a certain
matron. who has wide experience in pic
nicking, the greatest drawback TO the
pleasures Of a basket picnic is the basket.
II takes work-hours of work-over a hot
stove to fill 1T In what is generally consid-
cred a proper manner. 1t is heavy to
carry and in the way from first TO last;
never out of hand or mind until deposited
on the kitchen table after the return home.
One or two families who were very fond
Of such woodland outings, and often spent
a day in this way, and whose excursions
Of necessity were mostly by rail, and in
volved walk from the station to some
suitable place, found after many expert
ments that the dreadful baskets could lit
orally be done away with, Notwithstanding
the amount Of provisions necessary to sat-
isfy the keen appetites of dozen or more
persons spending the day in the fresh air.
The first Improvement was to substitute
pasteboard boxes for baskets. After din
ner il was usually found that one of the
smaller boxes would hold all the CUPS
The spoons, knives and forks were rolled
hfar Il
I'm paper placed on the box and the whole
secured in bOokstrap. making a compare
lively small, light package, easily carried.
The other boxes and scraps were left for
whoever might find them. pail and
pitcher We're hired for a trihe from the
village store or some farmhouse. Their
plates were the light wooden ones, such as
bakers use for holding pies. and bought by
the dozen cost only triffe. The dishes
for holding the various articles of food and
the invention of the ''old maid Of the
party. and met with universal favor from
thick. white paper and cardboard
Experience also proved that substantial
food and relishes were preferable TO sweets,
Nicely prepared sandwiches were always ac-
ceptable: ham, tongue. salmon and cheese
can be used for them. The meats can be
bought already prepared in small tin cans,
and are both very nice and inexpensive. The
salmon must have all the bones and skin
removed. the flesh minced very fine and
sandwiches. round butter crackers are used:
they are split and the grated cheese placed
between the halves. Each kind Of sand
witches should have box TO itself or il will
certainly favor all IL comes in contact with.
Hard-boiled eggs prepared in this way are
very appetiZfng. Boil a dozen fresh eggs for
twenty minutes. then put them in cold water
for a few minutes; when cool enough 10
handle, remove the shells and cut each egg
in two, exactly in the middle; remove the
yOlks putting them in a bowl, and carefully
place the whites on a platter; add a gener-
Gus tablespoonful of melted butter, a little
salt. pepper and mustard 10 the yolks and
wOlG 20 a smooth paste with a wooden
spoon. Fill the hollow in each white with
this mixture, making the two smooth and
even
Cinnamon turnovers carry nicely. Make a
good, short pie crust, roll il thin and cut
into rounds with a biscuit-cutter. On one
half Of each round put tablespoonful of
graduated sugar, cover this with ground
cinnamon, and from spoon allow water to
drop slowly until sugar and cinnamon are
mOlstened. Turn the other half of the crust
over and pinch the two edges together with
twist. Bake thoroughly in a brisk oven
Saratoga potatoes make nice relish.
They can be served very conveniently in the
small paper dishes, placing a dish beside
each plate If prepared in the following
manner they will be. nice and crisp; peel and
slice raw potatoes as thin as possible, and
let the slices stand. awhile. in cold water
Then dry them and drop into a kettle of
boiling fat, few at time. Take out with
skinner when Drowned and crisp and
sprinkle them with salt.