Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-03-27
SALADS FoR EARLY SPRING

SALADS FOR EARLY SPRING.
The use Of salads for winter foods
seems wholly Inappropriate to some per
sons, for they argue that It Ii not natura
for greeh plauts to grow In winter, and
therefore such things are not suitable
for food ut that season. But with 0ul
artificial manner Of living We require
green food In winter almost 40 much q
In summer. Certainly when the spring
days approach We need to vary our diet
~ we do our clothing.
In most Of the larger towns lettuct
can be obtained at moderate prices the
year around. But even without lettuce
or celery, palatsble salads can be made
from the standard vegetables and fruits
which are with rs practically all the
year, like the cabbage, potato, onion and
canned tomato. Crisp, tender cabbage
well favored with celery salt, can hard.
~ be told from celery when combined
with chicken and mayonnaise.
Apples are growing In favor as an
ingredient In salads; after cutting In
small bits, the fruit should be dressed
Immediately with lemon juice or vinegar
to prevent the discoloration which fol
lows exposure to the air.
Onion IL essential for first-class po
tsto salad. The large Spanish onions
are mild and unohjectionsble to most
pslates. II an onion Ia suspected Of be
Ing too strong, pour boiling water ovel
IL and let II stand for half an hour, ther
drain, shake 10 towel to remove all the
water, and combine with the potato AND
dressing. Bermuda onions are not ex,
pensive, and should be used freely In
the spring. Eat onions In May, and al
the year after physicians may play
says the old rhyme.
Canned tomato will supply FRESHNESS,
and acidity when nothing else IL avail
able, and the tomato jelly salads have
been deservedly popular because they
are ornamental as well as appetizing
The jelly may be served alone with 4
syonnsise dressing, or used rs medi.
um to mould meats or fish In fancy
shapes, or these materials can be heaped
up In ring of bright jelly, or the red
jelly can be cut In tiny cubes aud mixed
with flakes Of white fish and dressed
with msyonnaise.
Ii is not desirable to make clear jelly
from the tomato, because then the bright
color 10 lost. The tomato should bt
turned from the can Into q saucepan
with any hsvors desired, such as few
cloves, slices Of onion or q pinch Of
OF mixed herbs, salt and pepper, ant
stewed for hslf an hour. Add u half
box Of gelstipe soaked In hslf-cup Of
cold water, and rub all but the seed.
through q strainer. As the jelly cools
stir Il occasionally that the pulp may b
mixed evenly throughout. A generous
isvoring Of psprika will serve to inteps
ify the color.
Aspic jelly IL quickly made with souI
stock or beef extract, gelstine and fla
voriug materials that will combine vel
with the special meat or fish TO be used
A jellied salad In which the chicken,
celery, and msyonnaise are combined ant
held In place by the aspic jelly lie made
as follows:
To one pint Of msyonpaise dressing
add one cupful Of aspic jelly made with
one cupful highly seasoned soup stock
and one half box OF gelstine. MIX TO
gether when the jelly begins to thicker
and beat thoroughly.
Line a mould with this and mix the
remainder with about one quart Of iisf
or meat or celery fine cut. Pack Into
the lined mould and set away to grow
firm. Turn out on bed Of shredded
lettuce.
Cspers, olives and pim-olAs are moi
only attractive for gsrnish, but will to
some extent take tie place OF Other
greens" In salad.
When the pim-olss (olives suited with
peppers) are cut In cross sections, the
brilliant red centre surrounded by olive
green Is a very effective decoration.
Edible garnisbes are the only one.
which should be allowed. Occasionally
we may serve the salad 10 baskets made
from the half skins Of small grape fruit
oranges or large lemons, or In apples or
cooked beets, or the boat-like shape OF a
half cucumber.
A medley of lettuce, parsley, capers,
celery, eggs, tomatoes and beets, or any
similar variety Of shades and colors can
not be considered artistic. The best
effects are produced by few material:
contrasting well, or by two or three
shsde OF the same color. No interven.
ing color can produce good effect from
the combination OF tomatoes aud red
beets, nor can 9 combination OF stewed
tomato and yolk Of egg be made very
harmonious. The gsrnish should not
detract from the main substance.
While many Of our foods are served In
a most unsttractive form, Others are so
excessively gsrnished as TO be tswdry
We should aim between these extremes
and make our food pleasing to the eye
without wasting labor or bringing inhar-
monious colors together.-Miss Anna
Bsrrows in The American Kitchen Mag
szine.