Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1930-12-25
SERVE NUTS AFTER
CHRISTMAS DINNER

ERoM the days OF our venerable
forefathers 1t has been the Gus
tom to close our holiday dinners with
nuts. Not only DO they balance the
more cloying sweetness Of plum pud-
ding and hard 1auce and after dinner
bon bons. bbt they represent In them
selves the observance of the pleasant
est Of old customs.
Many of US have seen on the shelves
of confectioners and hightlass gro
Gerry stores jars and boxes and cans
OF salted nuts, plump. brown and In
Wiling. We have inquired the price,
or even dared to ask timidly for 4
very small quantity. They were de-
iicious, It's true. but prohibitlvs In
price for the ordinary family. !
Happily nuts can be sailed and
splced at home. and those best adapted
for this use-beanuts and almonds
are nok fabulously expensive, bought
In quantity and In condition for home
treatment. ~ 49,
In purchasing nuts however. wheth-
er shelRd or In their shells, Insist on
being allowed to make sure that they
are free from insects and imperfec-
lions. Ascertain n well ~ you can
whether they are really fresh. Other
wise your labor will be In vain. II
pecans are favprite In the family.
1t IL best to- buy your supply already
shelled, for they are difficult to re-
move. Peanuts bought for home use
should be raw. To blanch your holi-
day nuts, place them In a pan and
pour boiling water over them. allow
Ing them to remain In 1t for two min
utes. Then the water is drained away
and cold water Is run over them until
they are cool. The skins should then
slip off readily. When they are re-
moved the nuts SHOULD be dried with
4 towel. Occasionally nuts. such NJ
flberts and pistachio nuts, part with
their skins rather unwillingiy. They
will have to take hot bath OF three
to five minutes duration before their
coats will come of.
Our homemade" nuts may be
Drowned on top OF the stove, In the
oven or In deep frying fat. Al Is most
convenient. Experience however, has
proved that the latter method Is BY
far the most uniformly satisfactory.
Good vegetable fat or olive oil Is nee
essary for browning. 1t must be put In
deep kettle and brought to heat of
800 degrees. To insure success, q
deep fat thermometer should be used.
The nuts, thoroughly dry by now. are
placed evenly In a layer In the bot
tom Of frying basket and immersed
In the hot fat to fry for two minutes.
When delicate brown they must be
removed Immediately and placed on a
sheet Of brown paper or towellng to
drain. They should be sprinkled with
plenty Of table salt and spread out to
grow dry and crisp before serving.
II you prefer even browning to the
above method, place your banched
nuts In shallow pan containing fat
put In 350-degree oven and roast the
nuts until delicately brown. stirring
them often. For browning on top OF
the stove a tablespoonful Of fat oil
is allowed to each cup Of nuts. They
are distributed evenly over the surface
OF the pan and fried with constan,
stirring until they are the right color
When your nuts are Drowned yon
may make mixture OF three-fourths
OF teaspoonful OF salt. half a tea
spoonful each OF cinnamon. cloves and
allspice to each cupful OF nuts ane
sprinkle the spicy mixture freely ovel
them. Frank Ell. Sweet.
To- 1877 Western Newspaper unlon.)
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