Evening star., 1938-09-19

ana tNe IlOWery rhetoric OF CtnerS, is
matter-of-fact culinary directions of
today. But the old favorites are all
there-many of them I had almost
forgotten, until the search nudged my
memory, and pictures of the past
rose before me.
can remember being sent out into
the fields at my grandfather's farm,
to pick mushrooms for grandmother's
famous mushroom catsup. The early
morning air was sweet and cool; I
knew my mushrooms" and no one
ever worried about whether would
gather in few toadstools on the side.
The baskets filled rapidly, and on
the way home there was brook, which
almost demanded wading in. And,
while remembering these things, I
have copied the spidery, faded writing
in which grandmother's mother had
written the recipe for
MUSHROOM CATsUP.
Take a bushel of large flaps Of
mushrooms. gathered dry. Bruise them
well with your hands. Put some in
the bottom of a pan, strew salt over
them. Then put more mushrooms,
and then more salt, until all are used.
Put into the pan half an ounce of
powdered cloves and mace, and the
same Of allspice, and let them stand
for day or two. Stir them up every
day. Then put them in q stew pan
and boil them. When so done. strain
them through cloth to get out the
liquor; let it stand to settle, and pour
1t off clear from the settings. 1t must
be boiled until 1t is reduced one third
Strain through a sieve into a pan The
next day pour it from the settings,
and bottle for use Cork it tight.
A ND then I came across one that
recalled visions OF Sunday night
supper, when we children had bowls
OF bread and milk and berries-and
were not allowed to taste the beautiful
red pickle that grandfather was tuck
ing away with his cold rare roast beef.
For years wondered what 1t was like
1t looked so pretty: when l finally
attained maturity enough to be permit
ted such strong foods and condiments,
I was bitterly disappointed! It took
some time Of training resentful palate
to learn to appreciate its wonderful
pungency and crisp texture. Now It,
Is one Of my favorites:
RED CABBAGE RELISH.
Slice 1t into a colander, and sprinkle
each layer with salt. Let it drain 10
days, then put 1t into a jar and pour
enough boiling vinegar over 1t to cover
it. Put in few slices Of red beet root.
Choose the purply red cabbage. Cauli-
Aower. broken into branches and thrown
in after being salted, will turn a beau
tiful red.
Along with the old nursery tongue
twister about Peter Piper who picked
peck of picked peppers. I learned
to know them by sight, lin the flesh"
as 1t were. for they were another of
my grandmother's specialties. Her
recipe for them follows. verbatim:
P1CKLED PEPPERS.
Let them stand in salt and water
a fortnight, changing it every third
day. Cut them open at the sides,
boil weak vinegar and pour over
them every day until green Then boil
the vinegar with two handfuls Of
salt. and let it get perfectly cold, and
pour over them. The unripe bull-nosed
pepper, Of all sizes. is the proper one
to use for this pickle.
X
ONE of the very best things that
ever came out of that pretty
impressive jam closet on the farm was
a concoction Of the little fellow pear
tomatoes, which, when spread on
steamy hot buttered biscuits, was Just
about tops" It was produced for
tea when there was special company,
and was delicious enough to make us
youngsters submit to having our faces
washed, hair brushed and shoes put
on. to descend and curtsy prettily
to the callers. Here it Is:
PESERVED YELLOW TOMATOES.
Procure the little yellow pear shaped
tomatoes. wash and wipe them. Weigh
them and allow three quarters of
a pound of sifted sugar to every pound
Of tomatoes. Prick each one with
coarse needle in five or six places; put
the sugar on the fire in q preserving
kettle with teacup of boiling water
to six pounds Of sugar. Stir 1t over
a slow fire until all Is dissolved. Then
put in the tomatoes and cook until
clear: when half done add the t,iice
and rind cut very thin Of two large