Evening star., 1944-02-21
BASIC RECIPE.

BASIC RECIPE.
(Thanks to Mrs. T. S. S.,
WaShington)
Perhaps it would help some of
the young housekeepers to realize
that baked omelets or baked souffles,
whether main dish or dessert types,
are made from one basic recipe.
For years I searched cook books
for a chocolate pudding I had
eaten and liked, to find eventually
that 1T was variation of my old
baked souffle. This gives the home
maker such a wealth of dishes If
she learns to make the souffle well.
Aside from the one of eggs alone,
there are those of cheese, chicken,
ham, salmon or corn, to name a
few. Then among desserts are
coconut, chocolate or custar
souf1les, usually served with sauces.
All start with a white sauce to
which beaten egg yolks are added
and beaten whites folded in. All
require a moderate oven or to be
placed in pan OF water if a hotter
oven is required for other baking.
AS a basic recipe may be used the
one of " cup white sauce, beaten
egg yolks added and beaten whites
folded in. Amounts and richness
of sauce, number of eggs and sea-
soning vary, but the principle is the
same.
Even cornmeal souff1e is basically
the same. "a cup white water
ground meal, IL cups sweet milk,
mixed and cooked over slow fire.
Add salt and l tablespoon shorten
ing. Cool somewhat. Add 3 beaten
yolks and fold in 3 whites.
WASHING CURTAINS;
RYE BREAD?
(Thanks to Mrs. J. F. C..
Wdshington.J
Curtain doing-up for me has
changed from a chore to a pleasure,
thanks to my wooden curtain
stretcher.s Straight and ruff1ed cur
tains can be done without any IRON
ing necessary. First measure all
curtains before washing, and if
new, allow an inch or more both
ways for shrinkage. Make notes of
measurements of all curtains and
keep where they can be found when
next needed. Wash curtains well,
then dip in cooked starch and keep
them quite wet. Straight curtains
are easiest; put on 4 corners first,
then catch middle of each side on
several pins, then put rest of cur
tain edge on pins. With little
practice one curtain can be put
on in 10 minutes or less, and that's
all there is to it. To save time, I
put curtains on to dry at once.
The only thing to watch is sticking
fingers with pins. My husband filed
the sharp points off all mine.
My friends usually inquire whether
I have new curtains when they
see my ruffled curtains up. For
rufhed curtains, I add to length
of curtain, the width of ruffle on
top of curtain, and use the edge
of this rufde for one side, instead
of the rod hem. Put three corners
of curtain on frame, and the fourth
which has ruffle around the corner
must be stretched across the corner
of frame and anchored on either
side about pins down from the
corner. Fasten middle of ruff1es to
frame and begin at any corner to
fasten curtain to pins. When do
ing ruff1ed side a little material
must be pulled in between each pin
which thus makes a scalloped edge
and pulls the original very small
pleated fullness of the ruffle into
more or less tiny pleats. Be sure
to keep threads of the ruffle straight
or it will seem to lean to one side
or the other.
This probably sounds complicated
but is very easy after a few tries
and the results are worth any
amount of work. If curtains dry
out before they are all on, they are
very hard to Stretch and might
tear, so take a very wet cloth and
60 over all the dry places, letting
the curtain soak up water, and then
continue putting it on pins.
If curtains are to be stored ]
just wash and dry them and then
lroll them up. When they are to
be Used rinse them once, starch and
stretch and they are just like new
for hanging.
About all I can tell you about
cooked starch is to use 2 teaspoons
of raw starch for each pair OF
curtains. You'll have to experiment
with thinning it out. I tell by the
feel! If these directions aren't
clear I'll be glad to help you further
This is my first opportunity to
help some one, after receiving SC
many useful suggestions from others
through your column. My father
reads 1t now, too, and wonders Il
lany one has recipe for rye bread!