Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-07-19
The Chatting Dish in the Country.

When Madame spoke of carrying her
chatting dish with her to the country,
people listened politely. Perhaps they
wondered where little midnight suppers
were to come in, in that forsaken land
with only Madame and her two small
boys in the family. Perhaps they
thought, the bachelor portion, of course,
that she was going to introduce rarebit
and lobster Newburg to the nursery
menu. cat any rate" said Mrs. Quirk,
"she shows good taste in hiding her ma
chine in the country, for it is one of
those cheap iron-standard dishes with
no beauty whatever" Madame, how
ever, packed her trunks, outwardly Sc
rene, but inwardly uncertain as to the
amount of real service which her new
acquisition might give her in the wilder
ness. She had heard of chatting dishes
chiefly as parlor ornaments, valuable in
furnishing strange enigmas with which
to entertain evening guests.
A few of her friends used them in their
dining rooms on Bridget's afternoon out.
Whether practical every day use was
among its possibilities, Madame had yet
to learn. At Madame's summer home
the kitchen convenience was a wood
stove, very satisfactory when started,
but involving some trouble and dirt in
the starting. In small family, warm
ed-over tidbits are an imperative part of
the household economy. On days when
they occurred, the chatting dish was the
only stove needed to make an appetizing
meal. Madame learned to know just
how much alcohol to use for this or
that recipe, and usually enough flame
remained to heat water for dish-washing.
Wood alcohol stained the pan badly, but
it was only a plain dish, you know, and
economy is wealth." also, wood alcohol
is the sort most easily obtained in the
rural districts, where, though drug
store may be lacking, nearly every vii
lage boasts its painter.
After all, it was in the sick room that
the dish shone with greatest brilliancy.
1t saved many trip up and down stairs,
as we'll as keeping the wee invalid from
worrying over long absences for the
preparation of food or drink. Hot water
for beef tea, medicine, the hot water bag
and for the sponge bath was ready al
most at the touch of match. Broth
could be heated, milk brought to the
boiling point without spelling its taste,
junket prepared, an egg boiled or poach-
ed, and with the toaster slice of toast
made, before childish impotence had
time to fret at the delay.
To a little child, just watching the
magic of a quickly prepared meal gives
zest to the fare. These are only few
of the things Madame cooked on the
chatting dish. All sorts of creamed dish
es, potato soup, blanc mango and cocoa
we're we'll fitted for the children's meals,
and, far from gas or electricity, the
proved blessing in many
time of need.
Madame prefers the dish to a small
kerosene stove, not only because it is
cleaner for bedroom or dining-room use,
but because it heats more quickly. Its
of conveniences, in water
pan, double boiler, broiler, and II one Is
toaster, makes it possible to
get more for ones fuel than from the
small alcohol stoves in common use.
MADAME's RECIPE FOR POTATO SOUP
ON THE CHAFING-DIsH.
While the water heats in the pan, pare
and cut into bits three large raw p0ta-
toes. When the water boils, add the
potatoes and cover. In ten minutes they
will be soft. Remove with Q skinner
to the blazer, and set over the pan con- |
tanning the water in which the potatoes |
were boiled. Add to the potatoes in the
blazer, milk, salt, pepper and butter to
taste. Serve hot.-Exchange.