Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-04-01
Original Designs In Cookery.
(By Mrs. z. B. Cuttings.

There is a certain friend of mine whose
invitations to 'take pot-luck" with her
are always eagerly accepted. Common
decency often impels me to restrain too
open manifestations Of joy at these invi-
tations, lest she suspect that my own
cuisine is so deficient as to cause my
ready acceptance of her hospitality.
Why do 80 especially enjoy her table?
Not because she 10 an unusually expert
cook, for have many friends quite her
equal In this line, but the charm lies in
the novelty of the viands that furnish
her unpretentious meal. There is gen.
orally something just little different"
Her always savory salads have some un-
usual Ingredient. Her sand wiches have
favor that might be described by Dean
Swift's famous line on the onion in salad,
land half suspected, animates the
whole" As for her buildings, their
name is legion and scarcely two are alike,
and her soups would make chapter OF
their OVID. Ask her for recipe for
some particularly toothsome dish and
she will probably reply:
I'm afraid l can't tell you exactly, l
just worked over what happened to
have In the house,"
Pressed for details, she will sometimes
enlighten you as 10 what she happened
| to have in the house." For example,
some delicious pastry, cinnamon rolls at
luncheon one day elected the following:
"These rollsp o, they are modifica-
ton Of those mother used to make
can remember watching her do them.
There would be a little leftover pie
crust,-we didn't call 1t pastry then,-
which she would roll thin and cut into
little squares, sprinkle literally with
cinnamon and sugar and roll up, care
fully pinohing together the ends, and
bake them q delicate brown. When /
came to make them for myself, having
lost my growing girl Appetite" sup.
pose l was bit critical, and thought
them too dry to be real good. Yester.
day when making squash pies there was
some crust left over, and also tiny bit
of filling. Suddenly l thought, China
mon rolls with little of this squash
custard on each to keep them moist.
and here you have them. Nothing like
original designs in cookery"
So here was the secret. A few ,funda-
mental principles, embodying hsrmoni-
Gus combinations of foodstuffs and
favors, good deal of mother wit to
discover new possibilities, and not only
were the family appetites whetted with
that keenest OF appetizers, variety, but
many dime WAS saved by this careful
use of "left-overs." Asked about her
plum puddings, she answered:
You know most anything can 20 into
plum pudding. This particular one2
Let me see. First a spoonful Of cooked
breakfast food left this morning, then q
piece of corn bread from yesterdays
dinner, little bit of canned raspberries,
too small to put on the table again, half
q cup OF the browned-and ground bread
crumbs, which always keep on hand,
yolks Of two eggs, left~from cake frost
ing, remnant Of boiled custard in place
OF milk; then, OF course, raisins, citroD,
spice and sugar-O yes, q spoonful of
mapleine and some ground chocolate to
darken It'll believe that's all. IL 1t |
good?"
"Good! It's delicious revelation of
skill and economy"
"There's almost no limit to the things
that can 60 into plum pudding or mince |
Woo's ~ yVu yubt IomomUoT tuo biWplo
formula of sugar and spice and every. |
thing nice,' and that the pudding must
have something for body and for bind |
err That 10 what the breakfast food,
bread crumbs and egg furnish. Lacking |
egg, oornstarch or -four will answer. |
Speaking of the rolled bread crumbs,
they, too, have almost limitless possibil-
tiles. For quick. plain pudding try q
cup Of crumbs, q cup Of milk, raisips,
sugar and splice; cook In double boiler |
and serve with any good sauce or cream.
I forgot to say that q teaspoonful of |
baking powder will keep your pudding |
from being heavy or 'pasty.'"
A. went home with the subtle flavor |
of that pudding lingering In my memory,
] thought: II more house mothers made
this careful study Of the everyday meal
with the double thought of economy and
toothsomeness In mind, what . marked
stretohing of family income would ensue,
and how much less Of that expensive
and tiresome ''tin-can and psper-sack"
meal getting wonld be 10 vogue! Why
not give, ut least. - much thought to
"ofiginal designs" In cookery ~ In plan.
ming our wardrobes or fancy work? With
soups, salads, puddings, mincsmsat and
Dressings for roast meat and fowls 70 30