Evening star., 1901-10-12
Table and Kitchen.
HOW TO TELL GOOD MUSHROOMS
AND WAYS TO SERVE.

to our foods.
1t is absurd to suppose for a moment
that articles that have been for centuries
considered not only fit but nourishing sub
stances for human consumption in other
lands are in any way dangerous to US. 1t
is also unfair to denounce the whole tribe
OF mushrooms because it has few con-
nections that are dangerous associates for
the inner man.
1t is stated that in continental Europe
thousands of the inhabitants subsist al
most entirely for several months upon
this class of food 'Tis said that the
Russian peasant is never without them.
They are hung up to dry on the roofs
of their cottages like the oatcake of Lam
cashire or the dried apples in the old New
England kitchen or the chilies in the Span
ish hacienda or Mexican adobe kitchen, in
some parts of Germany they are much used.
and it goes without saying that in France
they are fully appreciated.
Probably no other country, unless 1t be
Russia, can produce such an abundance
in quantity or variety as our own; and
yet we choose to let 'hundredweights of
rich wholesome diet rot under trees, woods
teeming with food and stay the hand to
gather it, because, forsooth. some few per-
sons died from eating toadstools, where
thousands die yearly from eating and
urlnklnS Otner POISONOUS 1OOQS ana DeVer-
ages, slower, more insidious, but not the
less sure in their nefarious work.
A Simple Rule.
This is one rule given by a well-known
authority on mushrooms: Never touch a
mushroom whose lower gills are white.
Another tells us that you cannot skin
toadstooi and an attempt will cause it to
break off in fragments, while the covering
of the non-poisonous, on the contrary, will
peel off without the slightest difficulty.
There Is another test called the onion
test. Take half an onion peel off the dry
outside skin. and boil it with the musn-
rooms; If the color of the onion changes to
a blush or black tinge, it will indicate
that poisonous fungi are present; while if
the onion preserves it's color there is no
danger.
Fungi growing in damp, wild, woody
places is dangerous and to be avoided.
Old pastures on the farms produce the
finest mushrooms. and while the toadstool
may be found side by side with the edible
fungi there is little danger of mistakng
1t if one mas fair knowledge of their dis
tinctive points of difference.
Frequently mushrooms may be made ut
terly unfit for use by the manner of pre-
pairing them. Only dishes that are porce-
lain-lined should be used for cooking them,
and it Is safest to use silver spoons and
knives. These will indicate the presence of
poisonous elements by becoming diScolored
when they come in contact with the fungi.
Mushrooms that are too old or have begun
to decompose after exposure to rain in the
fields are not fit to use. There is one
point that is invariably overlooked in Civ
ing points on the gathering and prepara-
tons of mushrooms, especially those grown
out of doors or uncultiyated; before peel
ing them break the stem close to the top
ard examine closely; if II is Wormy throw
it away at once. Even young, fresh mush-
rooms may be wormy in a very damp sea-
son.
Those who have once enjoyed the outdoor
field mushroom, especially the fairy ring
variety, will be tempted to take consider
able risk to again obtain them.
Mushrooms are most delightful substi-
tute for butchers meat. and half a pound
of the former will be far more satisfying
than double the quantity of the latter and
1t is safe to say that one runs less risk
from eating this common growth of mother
earth than the dead animal.
GriIIed Mushrooms.
The grill should be silver or aluminium;
select the fully grown mushroom Peel the
mushroom and remove the stem Ghese
can be used in soup or sauce), brush
each one with oil or butter and lay on the
grill with gills away from the fire; broil
few minutes and turn carefully and cook
until they are tender. Have a dish of
fresh buttered toast arranged on a hot dish
and lay the mushrooms these with giiis
up: season with salt and pepper and
little melted butter. Serve at once.
SpindIed Mushrooms.
These are considered even nicer than
the grilled by many. Prepare the mush-
rooms as above and arrange on silver or
wooden skewers. alternating with thin
strips of bacon. Lay the skewers across
baking pan, resting on the edge, and broil
in the under oven of gas range.
Mushroom Pie IA Vegetarian Dish).
of
mushrooms Che button size are besO and
raw potato dice; place in alternate layers
in a buttered baking dish, seasoning each
layer with salt and pepper and bits of but
ter, and moisten with water. Cover with
baking powder paste and bake half an
hour. Use the stalks of the mushrooms if
large ones are used, in white sauce to
serve with the pie. Cream may be used to
moisten the pie instead of butter and water
Baked Mushrooms.
Peel and remove stems from the cup
shaped mushrooms; place in agate bak-
ing dish close enough together to keep
them upright, but not 10 crowd them. Chop
enough mushrooms to fill these cups very
full; season with salt and pepper and put
a small lump of butter on top Of each one
Bake, and when nearly done cover the top
with buttered crumbs and brown. Serve
with a brown sauce favored with lemon
juice anu d iltlle minced
Mushroom Soup.
Take quart of the common mushrooms;
cut off the stem ends, wash and peel, put
them into an agate saucepan with two
ounces of butter, salt, pepper and half
a pint of stock. Simmer until tender; re-
move from the fire drain out the mush-
rooms and chop fine. Add sufficient stock
with the liquor from the mushrooms to
make three pints of soup. Thicken slightly
with little butter and equal quantity of
flour rubbed together. Boil up and serve.
Deviled MushrOOms.
Break off the stalks even with the head,
wash and peel neatly. Brush them well
inside with softened but not melted butter.
and season with salt, pepper and a small
quantity of cayenne. Put them on the
gridiron and broil over clear fire When
done arrange them on hot dish and sprin-
kle few drops of peppersauce over each
Mushroom BOrdelafse.
Pour enough oil in baking pan or dish
to cover the bottom sprinkle thickly with
bread crumbs and minced parsley, then
put IN layer of peeled, trimmed and
washed mushrooms, with under side up,
NIA;c n