Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-10-27
Autumn Hints to housewives.

ion and slip over the mar during sWooP
ing and busting time. The aprons are
of bingham, usually plain blue or pink,
and are made with long full skirt and
high square bib with bands going over
the shoulder, and down to the belt be-
hind. 1t is a good plan to have the sets
in different colors, as it is easier then to
watch that they are Numbered sufficiently
often. Some housekeepers provide and
keep these only for their own use, for
getting that the maid is much less likely
to clean promptly dusty hair and skin
than they are themselves. The outlay is
small in proportion to the tidiness
gained.
What will be new to many housekeep-
ers is the dictum of cooking teacher to
the effect that the ingredients for pam
cakes, fritters and the like should be
mixed at least two hours before the bat
ter is needed. In this way the flour has
a chance to swell and the batter is not
only better, but more wholesome.
A variation in fried bananas for dessert
is to fry them cfbquette fashion. The
skin is removed and they are cut in two,
leaving square ends so they will stand
upright. They are then rolled in flour
and fried in hot fat An excellent sauce
to serve with them Is little currant
jelly diluted with boiling water, and
added to it little shredded candied
orange peel. A lemon sauce may be
used if preferred. The liking for cooked
bananas seems to be a cultivated one,
but it is worth while to encourage the
taste, for the fruit as whole is whole
some and nutritious.
A prize recipe for plain stewed prunes
has been developed in response to a
competition started by California fruit.
growing association. AS it was selected
from those of many competitors, it may
be supposed to represent the perfected
process of serving this useful fruit in the
simplest way. Wash one pound OF
prunes in several waters, nearly cover
with water, and let stand overnight.
Then simmer on the back of the stove
until tender. Just before removing
from the stove add large tablespoonful
of sugar.
A sirloin steak served in chatting,
dish is thrifty substitute for roast beef
for small family. Select cut weigh.
/ ing not more than two pounds and half,
and have it rolled in shape to fit in an
earthenware saucepan of a size that will
90 on the chatting dish. Sprinkle the
steak with salt and pepper, melting q
bit of butter in the saucepan before the
steak is put in. Do not cover the dish
and allow each side of the steak to cook
about fifteen minutes. When done
sprinkle the top thickly with chopped
parsley, bits of butter, and few drops
of lemon juice, letting this dressing ca,
| in for five minutes more before the steak
is served in the dish in which it il
cooked.
Croquettes often break open, to the
dismay of the inexperienced cook. The
cause may be any one of several things
Either the croquettes are too large, OF
they are not thoroughly coated Will
the egg and crumb covering, or the IA
may not be hot enough, or too many ma!
have been put in the kettle at time.
The passing of the American breakfast
Except in the American clearinghouse
is almost accom plished. Few private
families think of having meat, potatoes
griddle cakes, and so forth, as wa
formerly the case. Fruit, a choice o
Iseveral of the many varieties of cereals
lnow eaten, with eggs on order, rolls ant
lcoffee, are so common a breakfast menl
as to be almost an average one. Often
lslice of bacon and a jar of marmalad
find place on the table or are at the cal
of any member of the family. The ira,
breakfast sent to the rooms is common
at house parties, and it is even less sub
Istantial than those just described. Tn
luncheon menu is in fact more like tn
Iold- time breakfast service; chops, steak
or fish with broiled vegetable or frui
and often hot bread find place on 1t
City folk going to farmhouse for tn
summer enjoy particularly the dellciou
vegetables which are offered to them. !
part of their excellence is due, no doubt
to their quick transit from garden Z
table, but good part comes, too, fron
the cream method of cooking them whic
Farmers wives have long understood
Instead of butter, few tablespoonful
of cream are added, imparting deliciou
flavor. These country folks let thei
fresh vegetables boil in very littl
water that is put on cold and is usual
Iallowed to boil away and not be draine
loft. The seasoning, with the cream,
added, and the whole heated throug
before being sent to the table. Thi
process makes new dish of peas, Linn
beans, squash, or new potatoes, and
worth trying in city kitchens.
In serving oysters roasted the ''peppe
roast" that Californians so much EMO
should be tried now and again. Pic
over one dozen large oysters, strain tn
liquor and measure it; there should be
half cupful. Add this to the oyster
with one tablespoonful of salt, tw
tablespoonful of butter, one-half of
tablespoonful of tomato ketchup, an
two tablespoonfuls of chopped green
red peppers. Turn into fiat dish an
cook in a hot oven until the edges of tn
oysters curl, then pour over buttere
toast.
If a few mint leaves are added to tn
apple sauce which is to be served wit
roast pork or roast goose, it will b
found that it's flavor is much improved
An apple mint-jelly is more elaborate
but is delicious to serve with meats
Select half-dozen apples of good tai
flavor, and cut them in small piece
without coring or pairing. Prepare
mint water by packing mint leaves in
cup until it is full. Wash them clear
chop fine, and cover with pint of he
water, allowing them to steep for te
minutes. Strain and pour the liqui
over the apples in saucepan, and le
them simmer in the mint water unit
they are perfectly tender, after whic
strain through a fine sieve and add
cupful of sugar and the juice of tw
lemons. Have ready half-box of geli
tine which has soaked for half an hou
, in cupful of cold water, and add it t
the hot apple pulp before straln'ng tn
whole through cheese-cloth. The lell
may be strained into shallow dish t
be about an inch and half thick, an
then cut in even cubes to garnish col
meats or it may be poured into yer
: small individual cups like egg holders
and turned out in these forms aroun
the meat, sprigs of parsley being use
with it.
Every housekeeper breads the shove
of coal ash which the winters fires she
upon the furniture and other home b'
> longings. Till the millennium of chea
. electric heating arrives, however, it mus
be endured with such mitigation as ma
be possible. One housekeeper finds
. degree of relief in cheese-cloth cover
: for every register. These are simpl
, pieces Of thin material cut to fit tn
register and hemmed. They are put u
with four pins, one in each corner, an
are kept constantly in place, excer
those in the parlor, which are take
J down during company hours. Ever
morning all are removed and brushed