Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-01
HARVEST HOME COOKS
A Few of the Delicious Dishes
II
Served in Pennsylvania.
AUTUMN CELEBRATIONS
TooTHsoME WAYS OF PREPARING
RICH PIES AND CAKES.
A Round Half Dozen Of Formulas for
Icing-Individual
Pies.

n1Zed feature IN church Ire, even In large
cities removed from agricultural districts.
but the celebration seldom goes beyond
the church services. There is, however
in the heart of Pennsylvania most ia
nous farming district colony whose
members follow up the church service
commemorative of generous harvest with
harvest home gathering held at the
home of some leader of the clan.
Families for generations back have
intermaried, until it would take a gen.
ealogical expert to determine their rela-
tionship but they have no difficulty in
determining which head Of the clan they
are to follow on the day set aside for
celebrating the conclusion of the har-
vest.
AS the gathering generally follows the
church service on Sunday, the feast is a
cold one save for tea and coffee, and for
days beforehand the women of the house.
hold are engaged in preparations
The long table has centerpiece or py-
ramid of fruit All the choice gatherings
of late summer and fall are saved for this
pyramid, being wrapped in cotton and
kept in cold storage. Apples, pears.
peaches, plums and grapes are used for
the centerpiece and at intervals on the
length of the table are vases containing
bouquets of late garden flowers, such Is
the hostess and her daughters offer for
sale at the markets in the nearest city.
BEFORE the most is placed a DakeQ nam,
and before the man next in order of i'm
portance are set platters of cold meats,
such as beef and veal loaf and fried
chicken Cold slaw, apple sauce, jellies and
pickles furnish the relishes, and all sorts
of sweet rolls and baking powder biscuits
are served in addition to bread
The next course includes the fruit, with
such cakes and pies as only these Penn
ing of these good women is famous
through that section of the country,
and some of their recipes have been col
lected for those who have never had the
pleasure of attending a harvest home
diner.
Baked Ham-Soak the ham over night.
In the morning scrub it thoroughly with
water in which baking soda has been dis
solved Rinse thoroughly. Now put it
in an agate or granite kettle, cover with
cold water and let it come slowly to a
boil. Pour off this water, cover it again with
fresh cold water and when 1t reaches the
boiling point the second time add a couple
of bay leaves and a teaspoonful of whole
cloves. Boil gently two hours Remove
from the water and drain in a sieve or col
ander. Remove the skin, set the ham into
roasting pan and pour around it a pint of
water and cider mixed Decorate the top
with squares of bread crumbs sifted over
with black pepper; or, if preferred, the en-
tire top may be covered with bread crumbs.
Bake until tender, basting frequently In a
moderately hot oven.
Beef Loaf-Boil one cup of milk and mix
with 1t one cup of pulverized bread or
cracker crumbs and two eggs we'll beaten.
While still hot mix into it three pounds of
chopped raw beef, salt, pepper, two table
Spoonfuls OF parsley chopped very fine and
one small onion chopped Pack into
mold, so that when it comes out 1T will re-
tain perfectly the shape of the mold. Turn
1t into dripping pan and bake in mod
crate oven for two hours, basting it occa-
slonally with little beef stock, but. do not
pour over enough of the liquid to make it
lose its shape. Serve cold with horse radish.
Veal Loaf-Chop three pounds of veal
very fine and mix with it four pulverized
crackers one teaspoonful black pepper, one
large tablespoonful salt, one tablespoonful
sage three tablespoonfuls of cream and
three eggs beaten light. Form into a loaf
and bake three and a half hours, basting
with stock or with butter and water.
Cold Slaw.-Select firm head of cabbage
and discard the soft outside leaves. Shred
very fine with sharp knife, but do not
chop. Put this into a pan filled with ice
water and soak for one hour. Drain off
the water and dry thoroughly by shaking it
in clean towel and serve with dressing
made follows:
Beat two eggs with two tablespoonful of
sugar, a teaspoonful of mustard, dash of
salt and small teacup of vinegar. Put
this into 81 double boiler, add piece of
butter as Dig walnut, and cook until
1t forms a soft custard. When cold add
half cupful of thick sweet cream whipped
to a froth-
But it is in the sweet dishes and relishes
that these cooks excel. Th-.r preserves are
the clearest, their jellies of just the right
appetiZing flavor, and in the matter of
cakes and pies they have rivals. At
least four varieties of pie and twice as
many cakes will be served at a harvest
home dinner, and there is much rivalry
among the clans in this matter of pastry
and cake recipes.
They have special recipe for pies re-
quring only an undercrust For each pie
allow three heaping tablespoonful of flour,
sifted thoroughly. Rub into it a heaping
tablespoonful of butter that is ice cold and
bit salty. mix with cold water-just
enough to form smooth, stiff paste-and
the pastry for each pie should be made
separately, as it is never so successful when
mixed in large quantities.
chess pie. and the recipe given will fill two
crusts Whip the yolks of five eggs with
one cup of sugar, until very light, cream
three quarters of cup of butter and add
quickly and lightly to the whipped yolks
and sugar. Flavor with half teaspoon
full of vanilla and divide between two
undercrusts. 1t VIII rise as light as a
feather Have ready the whites of five
eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and sweeten
with pulverized sugar Spread over the
top and brown quickly. On taking them
from the oven change directly from the pie
tir to china plate.
Lemon Meringe Pie-This is a pie which
requires care in preparation. Crate the
rind of two lemons into a deep bowl. Add
a cup and half of white sugar and Two
heaping tablespoonful of unsifted flour,
or one of corn starch. Stir these together,
then add the yolks of three beaten eggs.
Beat this thoroughly and add the Juice
of two lemons, two cups of water and
piece of butter the size of a walnut Set
the bowl into saucepan containing boil
ing water and cook until it thickens and
will drop from a spoon like cold honey.
Remove it from the fire. and when 1t is
cool pour it into a deep pie tin lined with
pastry. When baked, have ready The
whites beaten stiff, with three level table
spoonfuls of pulverized sugar. Spread this
cover the top and return to the oven to set
and color a golden brown. ff
Caramel Cake.-Two cups Of pnlverized
sugar, one-half cup of butter; one cup Of
milk, three cups of flour, whites of six
eggs, three teaspoonfuls baking powder,
flavor with vanilla and bake in layers.
Icing.-One pound of brown sugar, one
half cup of water, one-fourth cake of chocO-
late, butter size of walnut. Boil until 1t
can be rolled between thumb and finger,
forming soft ball. Spread upon layers
and on top of cake.