The Washington times., 1904-06-20

! The housel0eeper who wishes her fam
! fly to reap real benefits from the early
| vegetable season markets as soon as
possible after sun-up. before heat, dust,
and handling get in their deadly work.
II she is among the first at the green
g-ocer's she has the double reward OF
serving her family well and feastlng her
own eyes on the array Of dewy. crisp
! spring cOIoiings.
I There is no such thing as bargains
! IN vegetables Green things which lie
: until wilted are sold at reduced prices,
I but the cook throws away more than
! the marketer saves. Vegetables should
| always be crisp and firm.
! When pea and bean pods refuse to
crack. but droop Imply in the hand.
! they are not worth carrying home
! Heat makes cucumbers, radishes and
all salads stringy, and where the mis-
+, tress is within daily reach of the mar
ket " Is best 10 buy only in daily
quantities.
Careful Cooking Necessary.
The freshest of vegetables may be
ruined by slovenly cooking. These gen
eral rules should always be borne In
mind:
II vegetables show TIVE slightest trace
J OF VIII. drop them in cold, clear, un-
! sailed water for hair an hour before
! cooking All vegetables should be drop
pea INTO water that is boiling briskly
| To lie for moment In iukewarm water
/ or water that IS Just coming 70 a boil
means they will become soggy and
For all green vegetables. add tea
! spoon OF salt 20 every half gallon of
water All vegetables grown under
gIOunu' such as potatoes and turnips.
should be boiled in unsalted water, as
/ salt makes them tough and hard.
FRESH vegetables should be cooked
! simply and served with a >plaln sauce
EiaDorately made dishes suggest win
| ter. not crisp. life-giving spring Salads
should not include meat. If served at
i dressing should be given the preference
with the crisp green salads.
Crisp Spring ReIishes.
Radishes and cucumbers. though OBJ
tainable all the year round from hot
houses or Southern fields. are now
more palatable. as they are apt 20 be
locally grown. But Il must be remern-
| bered that they are relish and not
strengthening Item on the bill OF fare
Spring radishes. commonly known as
button radlshes, should not be pared
and laid IL water. This makes them
sOgBy and they sour quickly. The tops
may be trimmed. all save one long,
slender leaf. which makes a dainty
handle. Then they are dropped without
p9ring into iced water for an hour
They should be sent 10 the table IN a
nest of chopped ice.
Cucumbers may be pared. thinly sliced
and dropped into clear iced water for
half an hour before serving. II is n
grave mistake TO follow the Old-fashion-
ed rule OF soaking them indefinitely In
leathery and more than ordinarily try
Ing on the digestion. Just before serv-
ing. lay them on a cold salad dish. pour
French dressing over them. and add n
bandfDI Of chopned ice to Keen then
fresh. Young onions. thinly sliced. may
be added 10 the cucumbers when they
are first soaked in cold water.
Asparagus Now Plentiful
Asparagus should he plentiful by this
time II can be made TO serve double
duty. When the stalk and tip are cook |
ed together the tip is eaten off and the
cooked separately. the stalks can be |
saved for soup. cream of aspara gus soup !
being esteemed delicacy for the spring !
dinner table.
To cook the tips. cut them two inches
I'm length. wash them and cut again into |
three pieces. Boil them. dropping them
In boiling salted water for half an hour. |
Have ready in double boiler a white 1
sauce made as follows: Rub together |
one tablespoon OF butter and the same
Of -four. and add half a pint of milk. |
Stir until smooth and add salt and pep
per to taste. Take a loaf OF stale bread, |
cut in thick slices and sCrape or CRATE |
off the outside crust, and scoop out a +
little hollow In each slice. Brush these
patty-shaped slices Of bread with melted |
butter. and brown In a quick oven. Re
move the asparagus from the fire, drain /
IL and pile the tips neatly In the pieces !
Of bread. Pour over the asparagus /
some OF the cream sauce, and serve as /
YOU would patties OF any description |
garnishing with parsley or endive.
If an asparagus salad is desired, cut |
off the tips as already described, laying |
the stalks away for soup Cook the tips
until tender, drain carefully and set !
away 10 get ice cold. Have ready some !
French dressing and some chopped !
sweet relish, sometimes called Waldorf !
relish Lay tablespoon Of asparagus |
tips on a crisp young lettuce leaf. sprin- |
kle lightly with chopped relish. pour
over this the French dressing and serve
at once on individual salad plates. The
ingredients fer this salad must all be |
cold.
Cream Cold Slaw.
Young cabbage, II crisp and white, |
lends itself just now to an old-fash- |
Toned but tasteful dish called cream |
cold slaw. Slice or shred the cabbage |
very fine and soak I'm ice cold water |
for one hour. Have ready a piece of /
clean cheeseclOth Drain the cabbage |
and lay IT on the cheeSeClOth. tie IL M |
pudding bag fashion. and shake until the /
cabbage Is dry. Have ready the follow
ing dressing: Pour two tablespoonsfuIs |
of vinegar into an enamel saucepan and |
bring II to a boil Beat two eggs with
out separating with one-half cup OF