The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1910-07-28
THE DANDELIoN A DAINTY.
Inherited Recipes of the PennsyIva-
MIA German Housewives.

1
MIA German Housewives.
Notwithstanding the general in
crease in the cost of living there is
] one dainty which the Pennsylvania
Germans are enjoying now just as in
the springtime of past years. That
dainty is the dandelion.
| Pennsylvania German housewives
are famous not alone for their skill as
cooks but also for producing savory
dishes at the least possible cost.
Among them the preparation of the
dandelion for the table is an art.
Usually it is cooked like spinach or
eaten as salad.
Some Of the favorite recipes have
been handed down as legacies from
mother to daughter for many genera
tions. Like most recipes of Penlsyl-
vania German cookery, they are not
written out by those who invent
them, nor do the women who possess
them seem able to impart their mys-
teries with any degree Of precision
to persons not imbued with the
Pennsylvania German culinary in
stinct. Pennsylvania German cooks
not reduce their art to cold mathe-
NAUTICAL formulas. In explaining GER
tain cOncOction to a person deemed
worthy of their confidence they say:
81 take me as much salt as will go on
the end of knife-so," or You just
take not quite a cup of -four" or
"Just pour a little molasses into it
and mix it-so."
1t seems, so far as an outsider may
penetrate the secret, that the usual
way of preparing the dandelion is to
cut off all roots and wash the leaves
thoroughly, then place them in a
saucepan full of boiling water per-
hitting it ito boil for an hour, after
which the leaves are drained and
placed in frying pan with butter,
salt and pepper, and the mixture is
stirred until thoroughly heated. 1t
is served with an egg or with sliced
hard boiled eggs.
Another method is to beat one egg
until light, add half a cuprul Of
cream, stir this over the fire until it
| thickens, then add small piece OF
butter, two tablespoonfuls OF vrnegae
and salt and pepper. The dandelion
leaves are washed and cut up, after
which the no. dressing is poured over
them, the mixture being stirred over
the fire until the leaves are wilted.
AS salad dandelion usually is pre-
pared like lettuce, though instead OF
the nayonnaise dressing popular
elsewhere a dressing of hot bacon fat
is sometimes preferred
Dandelion is also made into wine,
which is neld to be remedy for
variety of ills A firm belief exists
among the Pennsylvania Germans
that the dandelion possesses great
value as tonic, and many a farmer
would not feel himself fit for his
coming summers work without par
taking of dandelion at least once
day for a month or more. It's chlef
worth no doubt, is that it constitutes
a wholesome variation in the diet OF
the country people, who for months
have subsisted largely upon pork,
mince pies and similar food.
So long as the leaves are young and
succulent the dandelion is in daily
demand but when the plant begins
to flower the leaves become tough
and bitter and it is held to be null
sance. Some rural churches with large
burial grounds set apart day IN
June when all the members join IN
warfare upon the dandelions growing
upon the church property.
Though the dandelion grows IN al
most any place where vegetation can
subsist there are indications that even
its abundance may not save it entirely
from the spirit of commercial1sm.
Several experients have been mace in
the Pennsylvania German country IN
the cultivation of the plant for the
market. A man living at Rittersv1lle,
Lehigh county, has laid out several
large beds on the slope Of hill. The
dandelion patch evidently is as en-
ticing to certain Pennsylvania Ger
mans as the watermelon patch is TO
certain individuals of duskier race,
for this spring the owner of the R1t-
tersville plantation had a man ar
rested on a charge of surrePtitiously
digging up two bagfuls of the greens
and selling them for S.
Once Sheltered Washington.