The Washington times., 1927-05-31
By MABEL PENDExTER
Instructor in Cooking and
Home Economics with the
LEWIS HOTEL TRAINING
SCHOOL.


With the advent OF summer, and
many of lis having none.too-cool
kitchens, we begin to think OF
meals which can be prepared dur
Ing the coolest part of the day and
kept in the refrigerator until ready
To serve. Cold.plate dinners. are
not only boon to the housewife,
st1t real satisfaction to the other
members Of the household.
Some foods are better suited for
cold summer suppers than others.
hfrst, Meats-Boiled such as ham,
tongue and corned beef. Roast,
such as beef, ham, lamb and chicken.
Omit fresh pork from your summer
menus, because of its high fat
content, making it too heating; also
because of its poor keeping quality,
and lastly, because in hot weather
II doesn't seem to have the same
flavor that it has in cold weather.
Fish has very definite place
IN our diet, and may be used fresh
or canned. Tuna, salmon, shad roe,
lobster. shrimp and crab flake are
the most popular for salads. The
last three should be secured fresh
when possible. However, use pro.
TEN foods sparingly. The human
engine can get along with much
less in hot weather. The chief
carbohydrate dish may be potato
salad, Of which there are innum-
cradle varieties, Or macaroni salad.
Peas, eggs and cream cheese are
excellent meat substitutes and make
dainty, delicious salads.
There is an endless list of suitable
salad vegetables and fruits, among
them being tomatoes, cucumbers.
string beans, carrots, celery, rad
ishes, peppers, onions, asparagus,
grapefruit, oranges. p i n apple,
peaches, cherries, apricots, pears, |
bananas. The bedding" or back
ground may be OF lettuce, romaine, |
endive, Watercress or chicory.
There are four essential features |
of all good salads. First-Bedding |
must be of best quality and thorl
oughly washed-not just rinsed off |
under the faucet or in a colander, |
but actually "bathed. There are
several serious intestinal diseases |
which are gotten from just this
source-dirty, raw vegetables, such |
y >
1t has been washed at least twice. |
Drain well and wrap in a damp
cloth, or put into a container and
cover tightly.
A stone crock is very good. Place
in refrigerator. The bed of a salad
should be so cold, crisp and dry that
1t cracks" when cut with fork. |
Seeond-IngrSdient may be loose"
or jellied, always of the best quail |
tty, neither too green nor too ripe,
thoroughly cleaned and cut into
pieces of uniform size. There are
certain combinations which are
pleasing and others which simply |
don't go together at all. Don't try
to be too original. Consider color, |
texture and flavor
All of the ingredients may be |
prepared early in the day, but |
should not be combined until nearly |
ready to use.
Garnishes, those little accessories |
which may add or detract so much |
from the general appearance, must |
be suited to the type of salad. |
Cherries, nuts currants and mint
leaves for fruit salads. Pimiento,
green pepper, etc, for vegetables.
Eggs. capers, lemon. grated cheese,
etc. for meat, fish and cream
cheese salads.
Third-The dressing must suit
the salad, rather poppy one for
meats, fish, cheese and vegetables,
and a bland or sweet one for fruits,
Fourth, plates-First of all they
must be Of proper size, no less than
seven inches in diameter, and of
suitable design and color, either
in china or glassware. Somehow
salads always look and taste colder
and crisper when served on a green
glass plate. green In itself being
''cooP' color. Plates, of course to
be ice cold.
To paraphrase a well-known re-
mark, The salads the thing"
Since this is the piece de resis-
tance" to so many people, and now
that one,piece dinners are accepted
like onepiece dresses, only bread
or rolls, preferably the latter of
the hard variety, beverage and
dessert are needed to complete a
simple summer supper.
Iced tea and coffee are the most
popular cold drinks to be served
with a meal. Make enough coffee