davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

or balls or cones with the hands and let
them stand on the ice or in a cold place for
two hours before frying them as you would
chicken croquettes When rightly made
these are delicious. If you care for the
favor OF nutmeg you may add wee pinch
of this to tire seasoning.
FISH CRoouETTEs.
Flake up any kind of fish, either fresh OF
salt boiled, baked, or fried, until you have
two eupfus OF this. Cook together table
spoonful of flour and two of butter until
they bubble. pour upon them cupful OF
milk, stir to a smooth sauce. add the nsh,
season to taste with salt and pepper. put
aside until cold, form into croquettes and
fry in deep fat Always recollect that the
fat must be deep enough TO immerse the
croquettes completely
FRIED OYSTERS.
Drain well, dry on a clean soft cloth.
roll In sated cracker crumbs, put in cold
place for an hour, roll in crumbs again, and
fry in deep fat, few at time.
FRIED OYSTERS GsAUTE).
Drain and dry the oysters season with
salt and pepper. roll in fine crumbs, and
brown in a little butter In a frying pan
Have the butter hot when the oysters 60
in and do not cook long enough to scorch
or become too brown. Serve hot.
POTATOES SAUTE.
Heat a Tablespoonful of butter or good
dripping in a frying pan, toss in 1t cold
boiled or baked potatoes, coarsely chopped.
pepper, and salt to taste. Cook potatoes to
a good brown.
CHICKEN FRITTERs.
Prepare the chicken as for croquettes. by
cooking together butter and -four until
they bubble, pouring hot milk on them and
stirring until you have a smooth sauce;
then add minced chicken and seasoning.
Make a frying batter by pouring by degrees
upon cupful of sifted -four scant cupfui
of warm water in which you have melted
a tablespoonful of butter The batter should
mask the back of spoon dipped into II.
Add little salt and tho beaten white OF
one egg. Form the chicken mixtures into
ilattoned balls, dip each into the batter,
and drop into boiling deep fat, just as you
would croqucttes.
FRUIT FR1TTERS.
Chop or cut fruit OF any kind-apples.
peaches, aprcots, bananas, oranges-into
small pieces, make batter such as de-
scrbed, stir the fruit into 1t and then drop
by the small tablespoonful into boiling lard.
Leave in just long enough to cook 10 good
brown, remove. sprinkle with powdered
sugar after draining the fritters on soft
paper in hot eolander. and serve hot with
hard sauce.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
Offers Free Lessons.

Pardon me if l give you a little account
of my life as an explanation of why make
the offer shall outline further on, and also
of the request l make for a wheeled chair.
From my carly childhood | have been an
invalid, and my parents were in no eircum-
stances to give me an education. had lost
the use of my legs. and had to use my hands
on the floor in getting from one room to
the other. Yet l learned to use a needle
and by this means obtained piano and a
musical education of some Importance
since it enabled me to support devoted
wife and my two little children. Now, II
you will send me some young pupil who
because of poverty, i'll health, or other
affliction is unable to pay will be glad to
give one lesson week gratis to July l. and
perhaps longer 1t is understood, however.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

the right tint of brown. Never use an unper-
forated spoon or you cannot help taking
up little of the fat with them. Have a
sheet of clean soft paper spread in your
colander and transfer the croquettes or
doughnuts to this at once Keep them hot
while the others are cooking. If the fat is
cooled by the addition Of the food, move
the saucepan to hotter part of the stove
for moment or two, until its contents re-
gain their heat. While the fat is the right
temperature it sears the surface and pre-
vents the entrance of grease; when it cools
it soaks into the food and makes it indi-
gestible.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

n MoNG many housekeepers and others
~ frying has gained bad name. You
~ have heard remarks on the subject
yourself. If you read housekeeping
magazines and domestic articles you
are pretty sure to come across attacks on
the frying pan as the worst feature of the
American kitchen, to be told that much of
the national dyspepsia and other digestive
disorders are due to the prevalence of fried
foods on our table. The more rabid among
the health food enthusiasts do not hesi-
tate to condemn unreservedly any foods
fried in fat. whether this be deep or shallow,
and to declare they should be banished abb
solutely from our tables.
While I do not for a moment advocate
fried foods for persons with delicate stom-
achs or intestinal disturbances, yet feel
that much undeserved blame is laid at the
door of frying. The fault is often not so
much with the process as with the way in
which it is done and the articles to which
it is applied. When you see how some foods
are fried which have no business to be
prepared after this fashion you do not won
der at the harsh words uttered concerning
the frying pan.
To take one simple instance, fried steak
has come to be synonym not only for in
digestibility but for misuse of a good cut
of meat-and rightly. You know how it IL
cooked by some ignorant ones. A lump of
fat is put into a warm or cold frying pan.
and before this is hot the steak is laid in it
and allowed to soak up the fat and then
simmer in 1t until it reaches state of
greasy toughness no stomach could hope to
digest Almost any kind of meat, chops.
outlets, etc, is cooked in the same way.
Such a product as this process turns out
is enough to bring uncomfortable disgrace
on the very name of frying.
4: x
Little judgment is required to compre-
hend how this operation differs from fry
ing properly done. Suppose you have Gro
quettes, or doughnuts, or fritters to cook
For this you must have deep fat and it must
be hot not lukewarm grease which will
soak into the food you wish to fry. Have
either deep frying pan a shallow sauce
pan, put in plenty of fat-a pound or 4
pound and a half of lard or oil, or whatever
other frying medium you use is none too
much-and let it heat slowly until it reaches
a temperature where bit of bread dropped
into it turns deep yellow immedia tely and
browns in less than minute.
When you have reached this stage put in
your croquettes or doughnuts, few at a
time The croquettes should have been
made long enough in advance to be firm,
the doughnuts shaped and set aside to stiffen
little. Watch them as you put them in
strainer to lift them out as soon as they are
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
the land and see if 1t won't be success.

the land and see if 1t won't be success.
=" A FARMER"
I have printed this letter at such length
because it is rich in good advice. Many
of our readers live on farms, large or small.
and this counsel from one who has gone
through the same experience and made it
pay in the face of early Encouragement
ought to be an incentive to those who are
debating whether to go to the city or stay
where they are. In one beautiful hill coun-
try with which l am familiar the slopes
and plains are covered with abandoned
farms. and the glorious views are wasted,
the meadows untitled, the pastures grow
ing UP into brush. Here and there few
foreigners have come in and are cultivating
bits of land. but the native Americans are
crowded into manufacturing towns hard
by and have lost-or rather given up-the
homes they had been born in and which
in many cases their father and grand
fathers had worked to gain So when I
read letter like the foregoing I am happy
to think its words of wisdom may perhaps
persuade few here and there to try to
make good in the country and to keep
out of the cjtv life
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

the applicant must come to me for lessons,
as l can go nowhere. 1t is for this reason
/ apply for the wheeled chair, with the
hope, should l be so fortunate to get one,
that little fresh air may restore my
health, which has suffered from the many
years of confinement. f. A n"
While this correspondent makes a re-
quest he couples with IT a generous offer
which, If accepted by the right person and
utilized properly, would mean much more
than the worth of wheeled chair. | hope
the student who accepts his offer may be
able to secure the wheeled chair for the
musician. hold his address. and hope TO
have speedy application for it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
Want Advice and Help.

We are city people. living on a farm.
and need lots of advice. information, and
help. would like to see a good agricul-
tural journal IL anybody has one to spare.
have a number of recipes which will
them. MRS. M"
This letter seems apropos to the other
and by coincidence came in the same mail
with it. wish !" A Farmer" " or some one
else with the same interests would send
for the address of Mrs. M. and correspond
with her on some of the questions on which
she is uncertain. l am sure her offer Of
recipes will be promptly accepted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

be glad to see her hearty acknowledgements
of their kindness. 1t seems ungracious for
me to put any qualification on the liberal
offer she makes of plants but am afraid
IL she undertakes to supply all those WHO
are willing to send postage for the chrysan-
themums and eannas she Will be over
whclmed- Still. all can do is to print her
letter and trust she may not be " showed
under by requests.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

ing the mixture as soft as it can be handled
and allowing enough time for the ero-
quettes to stand after they are shaped to
become firm and dry on the outside.
OYSTER CROQUETTES.
For this you will need twenty-five oysters.
Cook them in their liquor until they begin to
runlo--heat the liquor to boiling first and
then drop in the oysters. Take them from
the fire, drain, and chop fine Cook together
over the fire two tablespoons of butter and
the same of -four until they bubble. have
measured in cup n half pint or oyster
liquor-that in which the oysters were
cooked, and a gill-a half cupful-of
cream. If you have not enough liquor add
milk to make the required quantity. Pour
this on the butter and flour in the sauce
pan, stir to a thick sauce, add the chopped
oysters the beaten yolk OF an egg, salt. and
white pepper to taste, and put aside TO cool.
When perfectly cold form into croquettes
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

All foods cooked in deep fat should be
fried in this way. 1t makes no difference
what they are-croquettes, doughnuts. crul-
lers, fritters, Dreaded outlets, or chops
French fried potatoes, anything else. This
is the rea! frying. The correct name for
the frying in shallow fat used for some
foods Is ssuteing-a French word which
means quick cookery. The fat in this case
should also be hot, but 1t is not requisite
that it should be deep enough to permit the
food being immersed in it.
Certain foods are much better sauted
than fried; for instance, boiled sweet po-
tatoes which one hashes or slices and
browns in fat cold white potatoes minced
meat warmed over vegetables of different
sorts. In all these cases, however, half
warmed fat should be avoided a likely to
soak the food cooked into it and render it
indigestible. Have your butter or lard or
dripping smoking hot before you put the
food in it, cook it quickly, and take it out
This may be less digestible than food fried
in the deep fat. which makes a coating on
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

raw egg mixed with a tablespoon Of cold
water, then in crumbs again. Arrange on
a fiat dish and set in cool place for at
least an hour before cooking them. Two
hours is better. Have your fat boiling hot,
as already directed, slip the croquettes into
it. two or three at a time. take out as soon
as they have reached the correct shade Of
brown, lay on soft paper in a hot oolander
until all are done; serve on a hot platter
garnished with parsley.
BEEF CRoQuETTES ID.
Chop enough cold roast or boiled beef to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
An Old Hiolin.

!" We have an old violin with the follow
ing inscription Ia old lettering: 'Antonius
Stradivarius, Cremoniensis, Facebat Ammo
1885, Do YOU consider it valuable, and
how would one know genuine Stradiva-
rius from the imitation? MRS. II. b.
This question l must refer to some one
with more knowledge of violins than pos
sess. As a matter OF course, a genuine
Stradivarius Is extremely valuable, but I
have been told there are many counterfeits
and that it takes an expert to distinguish
between the true and the false. Among
our many readers i am sure there are
musicians who can inform you as to the
" earmarks, SO to speak, by which to tell
the true value Of your violin. 1 hold your
address and will be happy to give it to any
inquirer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
Barrel Of Good Magazines.

have a barrelful of good magazines of
the last two years which any one max
have who cares to pay express charges on
1t. Here is household hint: To clean
grease spots from wall paper, Try washing
1t with gasoline and a white cloth BE sure
there is no fire in the room.
Mrs. j. L. w"
Another generous offer l am grateful
for the advice relative to cleaning grease
spots from wall papor
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
BEEF cRoouETTEs un.

Prenare the meat as directed above.
put with it half cupful of bread
crumbs, instead OF mashed potato, to
two cupfuls of the beef, bring to a
pastelike consistency with gravy or with
beef extract mixed with a little hot water.
season to taste, make into eroquettes and
proceed as with the first recipe The
trouble with beef croauettes often is they
are too dry and tasteless, especially II
the meat from which they are made is
well DONE and you must make up for this
defect by wise seasoning and also by hav-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

capable Of managing hot bread of any
kind.
The recipes given below cover articles
cooked according to the different processes
of frying and sauteing and will serve as
examples to follow on preparing other
foods by the same methods:
CHICKEN CROQUETTES.
Cook together in saucepan tablespoon
each of butter and -four until they bubble,
pour upon them a cup of milk and cook.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
Book Has Been Supplied.

81 read the letter Of some one asking for
a Lutheran prayer book. I have one. IT
IL written in German and contains morn
ing and evening prayer for each day and
prayers for sickness and all trials. 1t was
given to me by our minister when 1 was
confirmed. l would be glad to tell the cor
respondent who wants one where to find 1t
il she will write to me. l have favor to
ask of you. viii you kindly inquire in tn
Corner for some one belonging to DenveT
camp of r. N. of A. to write to me?
would like to go to lodge, but don't know
any members in Denver MRS. ii. ]. D.
The correspondent In search of a Lutheran
prayer book has already been supplied, bu.
l thank you for your kindly offer. l trust
you will soon receive an answer to your
inquiry about the lodge. and l will give
your address to any one sending for it with
a view to bestowing the information you
desire.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

however. keep your address, so that IL she
sees your letter and writes for your name
l can give it to her We have printed in
this corner many long and detailed direc-
tions for getting rid of bedbugs, and among
all these l am sure you could find some
which would be efficacious.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
Seeks Missing Story

Will some one please send me the piece
of prose entitled My Son Jude?" This
was published in an engineers journal
about two years ago. My copy has been
lost and am anxious to have this piece.
l think am correct as to the title. The
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
Salad Dressing That VIII Keep.


boiled salad dressing that viii keep and
that is good? L. M c."
I am happy TO supply YOU with directions
which came to me the other day and were
vouched for as excellent by some one who
has used them In her own family for years:
One cup Of vinegar, two tablespoons white
sugar one tablespoon mustard one tea
spoon salt piece OF butter size of an egg
one-quarter saltspoon cayenne pepper: boil
until 1t thickons, allow to cool TO des-
sert spoon of this add one-quarter cup Of
cream. either sweei or sour.
u i:
Cornmeal Dressing.
Il see NJ. A. V. V. asks for recipe for
corn meal dressing for turkey, and send
one which may be what she Wants.
CORN MEAL DRESSING-Crumble
equal quantities of stale egg bread and
toasted stale light bread; roll the toasted
crumbs fine with a rolling pin; mix ana
add small onion and three stalks Of
celery. chopped fine. Season highly with
pepper, salt. and butter. and use enough
Of the water in which the turkey was par
boiled before baking to make a moist.
crumbly mixture. ~
EGG BREAD.--Iy own recipe. Bear
two eggs Hight, add two cupfuls OF butter
milk, a little salt, a teaspoonful of sugar.
and enough cornmeal mixed with a tea-
spoonful of baking pow der to make a rather
thick batter stir in scant third Of
cupful OF melted lard and just before bak.
ing add one level teaspoonful Of soda.
dissolved in very little boiling water,
SOUTHERN READER"
I give these recipes as they stand and I
have all the respect in the world for south
ern cookery--as I should have, as my
self am southerner and in many respects
prefer the cookery of my section Of the
country TO that Of any other. But take
issue with my correspondent when she al
vises parbolliny the turkey. I have had
poultry ruined to my taste too many times
by having been parboiled TO advocate the
process. unless the fowl is too old and
tough TO be cooked in the ordinary way.
In those circumstances | would not have
It roasted, but boiled or bralsed. To my
mind the parboled turkey loses its best and
richest flavor and is poor apology for the
roast turkey IN his glory!
Also I venture a protest against putting
liquid with any stufflng made of bread.
/ have never eaten it thus made whom It.
did not have a tendency TO sosginess In
stead OF the crumbly richness Of the dress-
ing molstened with melted butter or pout.
try or ham fat This is a matter OF taste.
suppose. but when ! try the cornneal
dressing on my neyt turkey the water a.
well as the parboiiing shall be conspcuoud
by its absence.
How do you other housekeepers feel
about this? ! am never too old to learn
and II you can prove to me your faith ~
Your works shall be happy to be convert
ed to your way Of thinking.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
Books for Bows.

!" 1t has been my privilege ID fill the
wants of others a number Of times. and
now l come with the offer of historical
works for boy, shut-in or otherwise who
Graves such reading matter. 1 prefer to
give these books to boys living near.
sent today few stray books. games. pic
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

story is of mother in the country who vis-
its her son in the city. and she describes
the visit and dinner which takes place
while she is there. A copy of this story
will be gratefully received and l will glad
ly make any return l can.
Mrs. NJ. o. b"
Il trust this selection may be in the pos
session of some reader of the Corner who
will be able to comply with the request
of Mrs. NJ o. Il
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
Not on File.

VIII you please send me the address OF
j. ii. A., telling OF the method by which
she exterminates bedbugs? This letter
was printed a few weeks ago.
:" MRs. j. c. u
Unfortunately we do not keep the ad-
dresses of correspondents unless they
make some definite offer or request, and SO
cannot supply that of J. H. A. I will.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
Wants Embroidery Patlern.

W uTTIS LHTUTUTuCTV 7 uITcTH.
L see that some one offers embroidery
patterns to those who wish them. ! would
much like pattern for pincushion to be
stamped on white linen in a daisy design.
Mrs. G. @"
If you had given me the signature ap
pended to the letter containing the offer |
could have put you in touch with the cor
respondent who made the.offer As 1t Is
/ have not the least idea of her name or
adiress All | can do Is to print your let
ter in the hope it may catch her eye. In
that hope | will keep your address to send
to the friend who made the offer or to any
one else who can supply your wish.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
Spanish Wedding Customs.

have some magazines all dated from
1913 back which / would be glad to give
to any one desiring them. who will either
come and get them or pay express charges
for them to be sent; also a sewing ma
chine which is old but still is in running
order. 1 would like some information il
you can give 1t to me. Please tell me what
the bridal attire of Spanish girl consists
of--that is. a Spanish girl living in Mexico
and what are some of the noticeable fea-
lures about the wedding. NJ. G.
/ shall be happy to give the writer's ad-
dress to applicants / must ask the in
formation requested as to the Spanish bridal
costume from some one better acquainted
with Mexican and Spanish ways than am /.
1t will give me great pleasure to print it
Is soon as I receive It, and do not doubt
that this will be at an early day.
\: i:
Lutheran Church Papers.
i have a large number of Lutheran
church papers which have hesitated to de-
stroy, thinking there might be some one
who would be glad to receive them. I
in your Corner that some one had
sent church papers to poor people who
were glad to get them If you think this
would be worth while. ] would be glad
of your help in finding some one who would
care for my papers. Mrs j. X. H."
Among our many German readers there
must be some persons belonging TO the
Lutheran church who would be happy to
receive these papers. I shall be glad to
supply the address to any one asking for it.
Il -
An Offer of Plants.
Your blessed Helping Hand people have
proved worthy OF their name! In reply to
my letter have several good lots Of stereo-
scope views and several packages of other
things for the children also some good
books and papers. surely did enjoy them.
too. Now. by way of return, would like
to know If any OF the sisters would like
some nice chrysanthemum plants or some
Gamma lilies? l would like TO send some
10 all those Who will send postage.
&C NJ. S"
l am sure those who contributed so gem
srously to this correspondents wishes will
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22

stirring constantly until the sauce is
smooth and thick. Stir in a cup and hatf
of chicken, either roast or boiled minced
fine and seasoned with celery salt, plain
salt white pepper, and tiny pinch of mace
or nutmeg. When the mixture is heated
through take from the fire and set aside
until perfectly cold. Form into croquettes
with the hands-do not make them too large
--roll in fine crumbs. then in the yolk of a