The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-04-06
(By Cornelia C. Bedford.)

~ AN
heavier winter fare, craving for greens
and acids. II we live out of town
we a find the early dandelion. the
sweet mild cowslip, poke shoots and
brook cress to add to the usual dishes.
In the city markets are crisp radishes.
small, but firm tomatoes. lettuce
blanched TO a golden hue and cucum-
bers-all from hot houses or those
warmer ATTITUDES where frost has the
briefest reigns. Lest neither country
weeds" nor southrn greens are at
tainable we Will follow the middle
course and choose, for our dinner for
six, such foods as can be readily pro-
cured in a majority of markets.
Spinach Soup
Dreamed Fish a Ia Manhattan
Steamed Chicken Egg Sauce
Rice Tomatoes Baked in Shells
Lettuce or Dandelion Salad
Waters Mixed Cheese
Cake with Whipped Cream.
Coffee
In purchasing let the marketing iist
read as follows: Two quarts of spin
acn, one pound of cooked fish. one
n good sized fowl Tor two of medium
siZe) one a of tomatoes, one cupful
and q quarter of rice, one large firm
head Of lettuce or one quart of young,
very tender %dandelion leaves, one
Philadelphia cream cheese, a little
grated sapsago cheese, one cupful and
a half Of rich cream, nearly two quarts
of milk, one onion. four potatoes, two
eggs, a loaf of stale bread, materials
for a French dressing, seasonings,
favoriIgs, six penny sponge cakes
and coffee.
In preparing the soup pick over the
spinach, discarding roots and wilted
Or yellowed leaves. Wash thoroughly
through five or six waters to rid il OF
all sand and grit. Put in a dry sauce
pan over the fire and stir constantly
for fifteen minutes until wilted and
cooked, then drain, putting carefully
aside all the liquid which drains from
it. Chop very fine then run through
a sieve. Mix with it the water Whish
was drained off, add n tablespoonful
of chopped or grated onion and put
over the fire in a double boiler. In a
saucepan make a thin sauce with one
tablespoonful of butter. two table
%spoonfuls of -four and one quart Of
milk. Mix this gradually and smooth
ly with the hot spinach and season
we'll. Stir often and when scaIding
hot it is ready to serve. If for a COM
pany meal it will be best to rub again
through a sieve and reheat before
serving.
Fish which has been left from a pre-
vious meal can be utilized for he
second course providing there is fully
a cupful and a half after picking over
and taking. If purchased specially
any firm feshed fish such as cod OF
white fish, or canned salmon may be
used when no other kind is available;
the raw fish should be steamed 3r
simmered and a mild Favored fish such
cod would be improved by adding
to the water in which it is cooked q
slice Of MON, a spoonful of vinegar,
a stalk Of celery Or parsley. For this
dish and the served with the
chicken melt in a saucepan three table
.spOOnfulS of butter and stir into 1t
three slightly heaping tablespoons of
flour. Cook slowly for a moment then
add gradually a pint of milk stirring
until the mixture is thick and smooth.
From this sauce take three quarters
of a cupful, add to it the faxed fish,
season highly with salt and pepper,
add a drop of tabascO, a dash of celery
salt, and stand covered hot water
Have the four potatoes pared and
boiled. Press them through a sieve or
ricer, add seasoning, a little butter and
hot milk and beat until light then
put in a pastry bag with a rose tube.
Fill individual ramekin dishes with
the fish and pipe the potatoes around
the edge. Place in a quick oven until
lightly Drowned then serve.
Clean the chicken as for roasting.
Make j stuffing with a pint of stale
bread crumbs, a high seasoning of salt
and pepper, half a cupful of chopped
almonds CT walnuts (these may he
omitted when not liked and a third
of a cupful of melted butter. Sew and
truss as usual. The length of liIre
needed for steaming will vary accord
ing to the size and age of the chicken
about an hour and a half for a young
one, twice as long for a mature fowl.
Before serving remove strings or
skewers and when on the platter gar
nish with cress or parsley. Take the
remainder of the sauce, thin it with
a quarter of a cupful of hot milk, add
salt, pepper, a little lemon juice AID
chopped hard boiled eggs. Serve
this as a sauce for the fowl.
Wash the rice through several
waters until il runs off clear. Have
ready a kettle containing four or FIVE
quarts or rapidly boiling sailed water.
in tho rice and Eoan ar q gallon
ing boil until on trying a few grains
between the thumb and finger they
feel tender and through. This viii
take from ten TO twenty minutes ac-
cording to the variety of rice used.
Drain and let steam at the side of The
fire for a few minutes. Mold in a
slightly buttered cup, turn out on a
hot platter and sprinkle with choppe5
parsley.
Some time during day rub through
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