Evening star., 1904-02-02
Table and Kitchen.
Dried Fruits.

as well as the fresh dried. Fresh stewed
figs, cereal and cream makeIan ideal break
fast dish. In fact, figs ,served in almost
any fashion are acceptable and very whole
some. There is an old saying which is
worth considering, especially during the
winter season when the human flesh seems
heir to so many evils, ''fgges. nuts and
herb grace do make sufficient medicine
against poison or the pestilence." We have
Biblical evidence of their curative and me-
diCinal properties, as in the case of Heze-
kah. Figs rate with dates as food stuff
and are highly nutritious. Both in their
81 cen and dry state they contain much
sugar-about 81 per cent of fig sugar.
Weight for weight, dried figs are consid-
cred more nourishing than bread. One
and one-half pounds of dried figs are said
to yield 400 grammes of carbohydrates or
four-fifths the total amount of that nutri-
tive Ingredient required daily. The dried
hg Is believed to be of value incidentally
in lung and kidney diseases and for various
other ailments. Figs are considered quite
laxative, especially green figs, due, per-
haps, In part to the seeds and also to the
in milder form, to principle found in the
pineapple. The fig has a very delicate
flavor, and Is not so apt to cloy as the date
or prune.
The fruit of the date palm-Phoenix dac-
tylifera-which grows extensively in the
Sahara, Persia and generally throughout
Asia and Africa. 1t bears branches of fruit
weighing twenty-five pounds, each branch
containing some 200 dates While the date
is largely imported to this country and
highly esteemed, 1t is not valued as in
the country in which it grows. There it is
one of the chief sources of wealth and an
important factor in the life of the native
who prizes 1t for it's grateful shade in desert
places, Its plentiful fruitage of dates and
for the many daily necessities and comforts
it furnishes him with He buildeth his
dwelling place with it's wood; from it's fiber
he maketh mats, baskets cordage, etc. No
part of the tree is wasted by the inhab-
itahtS OF those countries where 1T is so
greatly prizeo. The date contains a very
large amount of saccharine matter. more
tnan halr their weight, or about 5S per cent
In sugar, thus furnishing a large amonnt Of
caroohydrate They also contain a fair
amount OF nesh-forming substances, some
water, mineral salts, etc. In ali thew are
made up of more than two-thirds nutrient
matter, SO that Dinsmore's Statement thar
halt a pound of dates (dried) and half a
pin. % oi mix makes an ample meal for a
person engaged in sedentary labor seems
quite possible. Thus the leisure-lovinp
Alap thr1Ves IN peace and plenty with
milk. oi eo"'
Fresh dates ferment quickly and cannot
De exported until dried and this is the onI,,
form with which we are well acouaintad
Ihere are several varieties, the black date
the red and the large yellow dates From,
soLie lirnns may now be- obtained quite a
variety OF delicious sweetmeats sllch as
date marmalade, steffedlfdates datas o i,'
sirup, etc. 4,rteI '''o9' u"'eS III
Some Other Dried Fruit
The process of drying Most of orr native
perishable fruits has been brought to sucb
s'a'e OF perfection We may eat stewed
peaches' aprlcots pears, apples, etc, in
epru "hlch taste gust as good as they
do in the summer They are dried with srcb
qulckness and without being subjected to
violent heat enough to scorch or burn. their
naVor is in no wise injured The dllickJv
dried fruits of this class are the best as
there is no opportunity furnished for in
sects and bacteria to find 2 lodging place,
as is the case when the fruit is dried nv
the slower process of eSposfpg it to the sun
and atmosphere. Sun2dried fruit however
is petter than no fruit in winter and spring
ana II Is possible to protect the fruit while
drying with fine thin netting or cheese
cloth, and If the fruitiis thoroughly washed
soaked in warm water and then well cooked
there IS no danger from whatever foreign
and Objectionable matter may have be-
come associated with the fruit 'e
All fruits with tough or thick skins
should be pared before they are dried. as
the skins harden in the drying process and
are even more Objectionable than the skin
on the fresh fruits.
These dried fruits are best eaten with
breakfast cereals, although they may also
De eaten with meats and in this respect
are quite unlike most raw fruits which are
on account of the action of their acids on
starchy foods often quite bad for the di-
gestion. The sweet dried fruits furnish
sufficient natural sugar to sweaten the
cereal muSheS without other addition These
fruits may also be eaten with cream or fat
NJ a g xyrffh x1yat tnl, 4, IT.
assinlate.
Fig Sponge
Soak half pound of figs in warm water
until they are soft, then cut each in quar-
ters lengthwise Soften half an ounce of
gelatine in quarter of a cup of cold water.
Put two cups of milk in a double boiler.
place over the fire and scald Beat two
eggs light with half a cup of sugar pour
the hot milk over this, beating constantly:
then return to double boiler and stir and
cook until the mixture thickens Dissolve
the gelatine over boiling water, stir it INTO
the custard mixture for few minutes.
then turn out to cool. When cold but aot
stiff, begin to beat with an egg whip. grad
ually adding to the well-beaten white of an
egg. Last of all stir in the figs and turn
all into melon mold rinsed in cold wate.
Set in cold place to harden. The mold
can be decorated with the figs if you prefer
Dried Apricot Pie.
Wash carefully half pound of dried an
pricots, soak them over night in sufficient
water to cover. Simmer them gently for
two hours sweeten to taste when the fruit
is taken from the fire. Line a deep pie
plate with good crust and arrange the apri-
cots on this. pour over the juice, of which
there should be but very little, cover the top
with twisted strips of paste in diamond
pattern. Should the fruit be much broken
when cooked sift it and after the pia is
cooked remove from the oven and cover
the top with meringue with one table,
spoonful of sugar and the white of one
egg. return the pie to the oven and brown
delicate brown. All other evaporatad
fruits are delicious used in the same man
ner.
Stewed Raisins.
Select large raisins and cook In little
boiling water, allow them to stand for ten
minutes then remove the seeds, return the
fruit to the water and boil until tender. If
the raisins are not sufficiently sweet add
sugar to taste. A fiavoriIg of lemon Juice
is very delicious addition This is a very
nice winter luncheon sauce,
Raisin Spirals.
Half cupful of butter creamed with one