Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-08-11

TF you are irving to cook surprises
and extra dishes for your family,
you will discover that they have
lost their relish for salads and cold
desserts. and that when they come in tor
dinner nothing will be more welcome
than a well-fayored soup. We are to
take the soups without stock, and by
that | mean the purees and cream
soups with a vegetable foundation, in
stead of the heavier meat soups.
We have been talking of the values
of cold dishes, and having them served
really cold; now we must learn that
the essential point of hot food, particu-
larly soups, is to have them served al
most as hot as when they are taken
from the stove This little foreword
about service will be easily understood
If you have ever been served cold and
lumpy soup; and whatever other mis-
takes you may make, never forget to
heat the dishes in which the soup IS TO
be taken to the table.
Serve In Cups
Since soup tureens have gone little
out of style, soup is serve in plates or
cups directly from the stove. Although
one cannot answer for the changes OF
fashion, this difference in service has
been made because the fewer times soup
is poured or ladled from one receptacle
to another. the hotter it will be when
served to the person for whom It IS
intended.
Now for the soups themselves.
split-Pes Soup Easily Made
Perhaps we will begin with the most
old-fashioned of them all, a split-pea
soup. This takes time to make, which
seems to be true of almost every dish
which was a favorite with our grand
parents
To get the most from your peas, you
should soak them over night III cold
water, one cupful of the dried vegetable
to three pints of water. BY morning
they should be slightly softened, and
may be SET upon the stove in the soup
kettle to cook slowly dntil they are
thoroughly soft.
An onion cut in small pieces should
be added at once The soup should be
watched and stirred OCCASIONALLY as a
means of determining how fast the peas
are softening. Also hot water should
be added in case the soup boils away
in its lengthy cooking. Three or four
hours of simmering should suffice for
this, and, if it does not, you may know
that the peas have been kept too long
and have hardened beyond hope.
If you start your pea soup early and
vet do not wish to serve 1t until late
il does no harm to set the kettle or
the back of the stove to wait Shortly
before dinner the kettle may be brought
to the front OF the stove and allowed
20 boil before II is taken from the hrt
20 strain. e
importance of straining
One of the important factors in sue
cessfui soup making is careful straining
Have ready bowl. a wire strainer an'
mashcr, and pour the soup through tn
strainer into The bowl The liquid vii
pass through easily enough, but II VII
be necessary 10 use the nasher in orde
10 force the soitened peas and bits o
onion through the wires of the straine
in the FINEST particles, which fall AM
make a body 10 the liquid already il
The bowl.
When notii.-c remains but the shell
or husks OF the peas, lift the strainel
scrape what may adhere to the bolton
liter having passed through the wire
and then sea the strainer aside. h
-onfents Of the bowl may then be re
Turned Tnto the soup-kettle.
When the soup has been returned {
the ere take one cdpful OF milk an
pour two-thirds into the soup, stirrin
!, carefully Reserve one-third of
crpf1lI and with this mix heapin
latIee.,cCt,fui of -four Stir until thcr