Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-19

Among our foreign fruits the banana oc
cupies the highest place OF honor, for It's
food value. Its very heartiness, however,
is apt to cause uneasiness if taken at the
close of a full meal, being too much for
the system to readily asStmtlate. II ba-
nanas are in the slightest degree green or
unripe they should be cooked. If eaten
raw every particle of the fiber should be
removed after peeling and all discolored
places cut out. When buying look for
plumpneSs-neVer mind the length. y
long. thin banana has been picked green,
and no matter how rich a yellow it may
take on from standing, Will prove puck
cry" to the taste and disastrous to the di-
gestion. There are all sorts of nice ways
of cooking bananas. They are excellent
made with custards, creams or sOrbets,
may be baked boiled or curried, or cooked
in this way as prepared in the Philip
pines:
Bananas Ia Filipino.--Select plump,
yellow bananas whose flesh is firm.
Squeeze the fruit steadily and evenly from
end to end with the whole hand, until you
feel something give. Remove the rind
and the fruit will be found separated in
three longitudinal segments. Have IA shall
low kettle of boiling olive oil in readiness,
dip the segmentS in the white of egg for Il
moment and plunge into the boiling fat.
They will cook instantly and emerge
golden, tender morsel, fit for even deli
cate digestion. They may be eaten just so,
with salt, sugar or lemon juice, as pre-
ferred.
al
this season, and make valuable additions
To the ordinary bill of fare. Each of these
fruits should be thoroughly washed before
using, especially those put up on Turkish
soil. Even the washed figs from the sui
tan's domain require much more thorough
ablGtions after they reach here. Dates are
now being largely used in cakes. breads
and "puffs, or gems, are stewed and serv-
ed with cream, are stoned and stuffed with
Neufchatel cheese or nuts, are made into
buildings and dainty meringueS--or with Il
paste for the filling Of sandwiches. If you
have never had graham gems with dates
for breakfast. try this recipe and see if it
will not be called for again: Beat the yolk
of one egg with a half teaspoonfuI of salt
until lemon colored and thick. Add TO this
one cupful of milk, half cupful of boiled
rice. a cup and a half of graham flour and
half tablespoonful of melted butter Beat
the mixture until ii is bubbly Then add
carefully one-quarter cupfuI of chopped
dates, one teaSpoonIul of baking powder
and the stifffy beaten whites of two eggs
Fold in. but do not stir Fill buttered gem
tins half full and bake in a quick oven
If YOU are baking whole wheat or graham
bread try adding two cupfuls of seeded
dates to the mixture after the sponge has
risen for the first time knead the dates
which should be left whole In with t o
flour. taking care that they are we'll dis
tributed through the dough.
Fig Compote:-Cut one pound of we'll
washed iigs into small pieces. Have ready
a syrup made of half pound of sugar and
of stick cinnamon and couple of pieces
of sliced lemon. Simmer gently for ten
or fifteen minutes. stirring often to prevent
the figs settling and sticking to the bot
tom. Pour into dish to cool. When ready
TO use remove the lemon and cinnamon