The Portland daily press., 1899-08-05
THE HOME.
HOUSEKEEPING IN SPAIN.


simost blocked by Kettles OF doughnuts
frying In oil and baskets Ct frosted jun
bles and cakes. Outside these stand rows
Of little dcnkeys, their prnniers empt.e5.
! waiting to take the lucky sellers back to
the country.
As for the laundry, the family washing
is carried to the nearest convenient pond
or brook; the laundress steps into the
cold water and rubs the clothes on rough
stones, using strong acIds in place OF
soap. Sometimes the soil is rubbed OF,
sometimes the clothes are, and always the
trimming disappears Then the linen Is
hung uron Lrier-bushes, for cioshes-pius
have not found their way to Spain. and
hillside is transformed into what feems
to be snow-landsospe.
The kitchens are almost bare OF uteu-
sils with which 10 cook. The long range,
with its coal-tin tuilt into one end,
would senm to indicate that great
amonrt Of cooking could be done bu. the
ilre-box Is small. Patent convenienoes
such as ilour-siftsrs ra.sin-seedsrs, and
measuring glasses have never been heard
OF IN that lsisurly land. Evsn roliing-pIns
and Tread boards are unknown, foi the
bread and pastry are furnished from the
bakery every morning. One pound of -four
will last family for weeks, as It's only
use in the household is TO thlcken graviss
end sauces.
| The bread by the way. is closely -rrained,
looking almost solid, tut one soon ac-
quires a taste for 1t. 1t IL kneadei BY
| being repeatedly thrown under heavy,
revolving wheel which presses 1t fat hum
dreds OF times before 1t lie taken up and
moulded into lnaves. A tire is made on
the iloor OF the brick oven, from which
when 10 is well heated, al the Goals are
removed and the bread laid In its place
on the oven-hoor. Even small villages
furnish p6stry-oooks and confectioners
whose windows set forth a countless varl
ETY. OF almond and cocoanut cakes, maca-
rooms, tarts and buns. "Mazapan.''
made of the Hour Of the almond, mixed
with honey appears at Christmas time,
especially in the shape Of fish, the symtol
OF Christ, and woe to the small boy who
forgets the effect Of an overdose Of such
rich food.
Almost all home-cooking Is done on ton
OF the stove. Tho flesh CT cattle TWO
years old. which 10 something between
veal and beef, but tougher than either,
Is The commonest meat. This, rubbed
with gn-lic, seasoned with pepper, salt
aid saffron, and covered with lard Is put
Into ran nearly full Of water. Onion,
tomato and lemon are added to give
flavor to tina sauce and in this the meat
siews on top of the range.
The most distinctively Spanish dish,
"beJzR," appears as the FIRST course OF
every dinner, and for the poor, comprises
the entire meal, 1t is made of cornell
beef, sausage and pork, boiled with peas,
hean, cabbage and squash. or indeed any
other vegetables In season, and tserved all
together In one dish.
1 kgre and ou,qIpte ar,a ypnOh uoa n nd
they are fried in oil, as is everything else.
The oil ordinarily usei Is rancid. Butter
ts almost unknown, and all dairy pro-
ducts are scarce, for littls pasturage is
TO be found in the entire breadth of tho
country.
before rising one takes coffee or choco.
late. Abe chocolate Is very rich, often
thifkened with corn -starcb, and favored
with cinnamon. IL is served In tiny cups
and on the tray lis brought n glass OF
sweetened water and some ladies' fingers
rather sweetment for n. IN.
At eleven or twelve lunch Is served AMI
at four, more chocolate or wine and
bread. just now 1t is In vogue among
certain families of the upper GLASS to imi-
tate English customs, ana 'sfive o'clock"
Is the name given TO afternoon teas. In
most parts OF the Peninsula, however, tea
| Is considered a medicine only, and always
avoided as bitter herbs.
From seven 60 niue comes the elaborate
dinner of many courses. each richer than
the last, and after the theatre or late
promenade. midnight supper. --Ameri-
can Kitchen Magazine.
A HINT ABOUT CANDLES.
The sojourner in the country cottage, to
which the convenience of gas is stranger
must frequently resort to the use of
candle, whose huttsrings and drippings
drive him to evaporation, and threaten
ruin to garments, carpets and rugs. This
dripping tendency may be greatly less
ened IL the candles are, during the day.
light hours, Kept in the Ice box. They
will burn twice as long and drip one
quarter ns much IL they are kept on Ice
until such time as they are needed for
immediate use. When the maid prepares
the teds for the night the chilled candles
| may be bought forth and placed in the
eandlesticks. Weekly.
VALUE OF FRESH AIR.
Admit sunlight at least a rart of the
day in as many Of the rooms as is :possi
be. especially in the sitting room. dining
room eni kitchen. Every room should bs
aired daily and given the benefit of the
sunlight II not of the sunshine directly.
| Should you close the house or part of
it during the day, do not do 1t so COM
pietely as to shut out the moving air, but
invite 1t In though the open windows at
the bottom, AMI after its mission Of puri-
| fication Is accomplished, give &c free
agress through the windows opened at the
| top. The dust may find its way in also,
but better soma dust and some air than
no dust and no air. Bear In mind that
q cool room In summer Is not desirable
nor healthful IL the GOODNESS has been pur-
chased at the expense of fresh air and
sunshine. Do not fail to have every
window of every living room lowered
from tine top, " only a few inches
Ladies' Home Journal
Miss Elsiia B. Hamlin. of York City,