The Washington herald., 1912-04-04

The delicious touch of spring is so
often wanting when Easter comes, and
though dafTodiIs. lilies. and violets. all
harbingers Of spring, may be had for our
tables, yet alas, they have only reached
US from a distance. Still, 1t is easy to
make a dinner table spring-like. The
decorations are alI-important next to the
menu.
A small gilded cart. wreathed in vio-
lets and smilax, makes lovely center
piece. Place in II decorated eggs coiored
in tInts Of yellow and purple. and mingle
with them clusters of violets tied with
lavender ribbons
Small china eggs may be dotted about
here and there on the table filed with
vioIets. At each end or Ine table have
tall vases filled with ferns and garlanded
with vines and at every plate daffodils
growing in pots covered with green tissue
paper. Here is a simple menu:
Normandie Soup.
Fried Smelts. Lemon Sauce.
New Potatoes. Satisfy Fritters
Easter Said.
Cheese straws. Violet Mousse.
Petits Fours. Coffee.
Normandie Soup.
heaping tablespoonfuls of butter. two
uupfuls of white stock, on cupful of milk.
4 bay leaf, one tablespoonful of flour.
two teaspoonfuIs Of finely chopped pars-
ley and seasoning of salt pepper and dust
of red pepper. Wash and scrape the car
rots, then cut the red parts into small
dice. Crate the rest of the carrots. There
should be about two tablespoonfuls. You
may find it necessary to use another car
rot. Chop the onion fine. Melt the butter
in a saucepan. put in the onion and
carrots. Stir these over the fire for five
minutes. taking care that they do not
brown in the least. Next add the stock,
hay leaf and half a teaspoonful of salt
Put the lid on the pan and cook the soup
gently until the carrot balls are soft. Mix
the flour smoothly with the milk. When
the carrot is soft take out the bay leaf,
pour in the flour and stir it until II boils.
Let it simmer gently for ten minutes.
Season II carefully. add the chopped
parsley, and serve il in a not tureen.
Fried SmeIts.
Allow two moderate sized smelts for
each person. Wash. clean. and dry the
fish. Dip each one into a little flour,
20 which has been added a seasoning
OF salt and pepper. Brush over with
beaten egg. then roll in fine white bread
crumbs Fry for about five minutes in
plenty OF smoking hot fat. Drain and
serve very hot with lemon sauce. Heat
three heaping tablespoonfus of butter
and beat 1t to a cream. Whip into it
the strained juice OF two small lemons
and a generous Tablespoonful of finely
chopped parsley. Fill with this mixture
the halves Of lemon from which all the
pulp and inner skin have been scraped,
and garnish the dish of smelts with
them, serving one of the cups with
each portion Of fish.
Roast Forequarter of Lamb.
Lamb should not be hung long before
cooking, as the flavor soon deteriorates.
If you are going to roast it before the
fire. see that the fire is clear and brisk.
Or il you are going to roast it-or, prop
erly speaking, bake IL IN the oven
see that your oven is really hot before
YOU put it in. Lamb. like all young
meat. must be very well cooked. II
should not be in the least red. and at
the same time it must not be dried up.
It. must be kept well basted, therefore
II there is not much fat on the meat
Il is well to put some dripping or lard
in the pan with which to do the basting.
When the lamb is done put il on an
other pan or dish to keep hot in the
oven while you make the gravy. This
should be unthickened as for ordinary
'oast joints. Carefully pour of all the