Evening star., 1901-08-06
Table and Kitchen.
Practical Suggestions About What t.
Eat and How to Prepare Food.

Practical Suggestions About What to
Eat and How to Prepare Food.
Melon is the generic name that embraces
all members of the gourd family, such as
muskmelons. cantaloupes and watermeions.
When they are fully ripe there is no more
luscious and acceptable fruit. They are
perhaps the most watery Of fruits, con-
tanning more than % per cent of water;
but for this reason they are exceedingly
agreeable to the palate in hot weather
when served thoroughly chilled In Eu-
rope the melon usually follows the soup;
but in this country it has been the custom
on account of the fragrance and sweetness
or the melon to serve 1t as dessert or
sweet course, though great many have
very sensibly substituted it for the soup,
serving it with salt and pepper or a little
grated nutmeg.
Watermelons.
These must be served ice cold; when
thoroughly ripe and chilled they are crisp
and not indigestible to most people, but
melon that is not well ripened and chilled,
especially if kept too long in the heat after
picking, will be stringy and tough and not
at all digestible. There are many nice
viting dish may be made by cutting the
melon in half and with a large spoon taking
out the pulp in cone-shaped pieces; ar
range these on a dish like croquettes, plac-
ing bits of ice among them. Border the
dish with green grape leaves.
Watermelon Salad.
Cut the watermelon in half; remove the
red part carefully and cut into neat blocks;
then dig out the white part of the rind until
l., - ,t,,ly
Cut off piece from the bottom of the
melon shell or bowl SO it will stand level,
then trim the upper edge in points with
sharp knife. Put ir the melon cubes,
sprinkling each layer with sugar. Set
away on ice to chill, and when ready to
serve pour over the melon a little iced
claret and serve. Another way to serve as
salad is to cut the red part into small
blocks; dress with a little oil in which you
Let stand on ice to chill and just before
serving add more oil mixed with lemon
juice, in proportion to two-thirds oil, and
little pepper.
Watermelon Ice.
Scoop out the red part, remove seeds and
chop the pulp rather fine with a silver
knife; add cup of sugar and juice of one
lemon and freeze until the consistency of
soft snow serve in glasses. A pint of good
clareL auueu TO cQOppeu mSlOn ana
frozen as above makes a delicious ice.
The MusLmelon.
The ability to select good muskmelon
is said to indicate unerring judgment in
all things. However this may be, it GER
tainly seems to be a gift with some to
know at a glance when a melon is Just
right" and there is nothing more disap-
pointing than the discovery that the spicy
richness of flavor that makes them SO de-
licious is missing.
When selecting muskmelon or canta-
loupe see if it has odor, press gently on
the stem end, and if it is sweet and
"musky' it is quite ripe and a good melon.
Also observe if the skin between the sec
tions Is yellowish green, not bright yellow.
The skin on the raised sections should be
quite rough and green. A melon that is
too ripe is insipid and unwholesome.
How to Serve.
Ice should never touch the inside of these
melons, as it destroys the fine flavor. Such
serving indicates carelessness, as rule.
If you cannot keep your melons in a very
cold place ice for a sufficient length
of time to have them thoroughly chilled
and ready to serve at moments notice,
do not serve a warm melon packed with
chopped ice that perhaps does not do more
than chill the surface, while it spolls the
flavor entirely. Cut the melon crosswise,
take out the seeds, then place the halves
together and put the chopped ice around
them, not inside. Let them stand for an
hour. Serve these on a folded napkin. A
pretty way to send them to the breakfast
table is to cover a silver tray with cloth;
place the halved melons on this and ar
range red and purple plums among them to
give "a pleasing picture in colors.
CantaIoupe Frappe.
Select two large melons that indicate
perfect ripeness and fine flavor, cut open,
remove all seeds and scoop out the pulp;
put this through a rather coarse sieve,
season with little salt Add four table,
spoonfuls of honey to half a cup of cur
rant or cherry juice and pour over the
pulp. Let stand half an hour in the 1e
frigerator, then freeze.
Compete of Melon.
Take a muskmelon or cantaloupe that is
not entirely ripe; slice and pare and cut
each section into blocks; make boiled
syrup with pound of sugar and cup of
water: cook the melon in this for five or
ten minutes; flavor with vanilla or lemon
juice; when cold serve 1t with boiled rice.
Preserved Melon.
Muskmelons, or cantaloupes, that are
underripe and the rind of watermelons may
be preserved in this manner: Make a syrup
of sugar and water one pound of sugar to
a quart of water; when the syrup is boil
ing drop in the melon and allow to stand
until the next day: then pour off the syrup;
let it heat to boiling point and pour over
the melon slices and let stand until cold.
Repeat this for three days. After boiling
up the syrup the last time. and before pour
ing it over the fruit, flavor delicately with
vanilla extract.
Spiced Melon.
Select melons not quite ripe, or take the
rind of watermelons, slice, pare and cut
into strips or blocks. Steep these for twen-
ty-four hours in cold water and vinegar;
have water enough to cover and add
enough vinegar to make the water tart,
but not very acid. Then drain them and
put them into cold syrup made of sugar
and water boiled together Bring slowly to
boiling; then let get cold; then drain off the
syrup: add to it few sticks of cinnamon
a few cloves and little ginger root; boil up
and pour over the melon slices; repeat for
three days; then seal up in jars.
Another Way.
Take five pounds Of the fruit cut into
blocks put into stone jar. Boil thsee
pounds of sugar with one quart of vinegar
and pour over the fruit. Continue to do
this for eight days. The following day
pour off the syrup, add to 1t half an ounce
Of whole cloves and one ounce of stick Gin
namon; boil together for a few minutes;