View page [front cover]

> Practical
Housekeeping



[Illustration: The initial capital is illustrated with a shaft of wheat.]











View page [title page]

TRIED AND APPROVED.
BUCKEYE COOKERY
AND
PRACTICAL HOUSEKEEPING.
COMPILED FROM ORIGINAL RECIPES.


" Bad dinners go hand in hand with total depravity, while a properly fed man is already half saved."

TWENTY-FIFTH THOUSAND.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
BUCKEYE PUBLISHING COMPANY.
1877.




View page [copyright statement]


COPYRIGHT, 1877,
BY
BUCKEYE PUBLISHING COMPANY.


PRINTED AND BOUND AT THE
United Brethren Publishing House,
DAYTON, OHIO.


STEREOTYPED AT THE
FRANKLIN TYPE FOUNDRY,
CINCINNATI.





View page [dedication]


TO THE

> PLUCKY HOUSEWIVES


OF 1876,
WHO MASTER THEIR WORK INSTEAD OF ALLOWING IT TO
MASTER THEM,
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED.





View page [4]

> TABLE OF CONTENTS.




Pages.

BREAD-MAKING................................................... 7--40

CAKE-MAKING.................................................... 41-- 82

CREAMS AND CUSTARDS............................................ 83-- 92

CONFECTIONERY.................................................. 93-- 98

CANNING FRUITS................................................. 99--106

CATSUPS AND SAUCES............................................. 107--112

DRINKS......................................................... 113--119

EGGS........................................................... 120--125

FISH........................................................... 126--133

FRUITS......................................................... 134--139

GAME........................................................... 140--146

ICES AND ICE-CREAM............................................. 147--153

JELLIES AND JAMS............................................... 154--160

MEATS.......................................................... 161--180

PASTRY......................................................... 181--194

PUDDINGS AND SAUCES............................................ 195--212

PRESERVES...................................................... 213--222

PICKLES........................................................ 223--236

POULTRY........................................................ 237--250

SALADS......................................................... 251--257

SHELL-FISH..................................................... 258--276

SOUPS.......................................................... 265-276

VEGETABLES..................................................... 277--298

BILLS OF FARE.................................................. 299--304

FOR ADDITIONAL RECIPES......................................... 305--320

[Editorial note: In the Table of Contents 15 pages are attributed to "For Additional Recipes", however, only 4 pages are in the original text.]


FRAGMENTS...................................................... 321--329

TABLE OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.................................. 330

COOK'S TIME-TABLE.............................................. 331

HOUSEKEEPING................................................... 332--349

DINING-ROOM.................................................... 350--355

KITCHEN........................................................ 356--367

MANAGEMENT OF HELP............................................. 368--370

MARKETING...................................................... 370--374

CARVING........................................................ 375--376

HOW TO CUT AND CURE MEATS...................................... 377--382

HINTS ON BUTTER-MAKING......................................... 383--384

LAUNDRY........................................................ 385--395

CELLAR AND ICE-HOUSE........................................... 396--400

SOMETHING ABOUT BABIES......................................... 401--403

HINTS FOR THE WELL............................................. 404--408

HINTS FOR THE SICK-ROOM........................................ 409--418

THE ARTS OF THE TOILET......................................... 419--424

ACCCIDENTS AND SUDDEN SICKNESS................................. 425--431

MEDICAL........................................................ 432--439

FLORAL......................................................... 440--444

MISCELLANEOUS.................................................. 445--454

ALPHABETICAL INDEX............................................. 455--464





View page [preface]

> PREFACE.


IT is becoming fashionable in these pinching times to economize, and housekeepers are really finding it a pleasant pastime to search out and stop wastes in household expenses, and to exercise the thousand little economies which thoughtful and careful women understand so readily and practice with such grace. Somebody has said that a well-to-do French family would live on what an American household in the same condition of life wastes, and this may not be a great exaggeration. Here, the greatest source of waste is in the blunders and experiments of the inexperienced. Women are slow to learn by the experience of others. Every young house-keeper must begin at the beginning (unless her mother was wise enough to give her a careful training) and blunder into a knowledge of the practical duties of the household, wasting time, temper and money in mistakes, when such simple instructions as any skillful housewife might readily give, would be an almost perfect guide. Lately there have been attempts to gather such instructions as are needed into a book, but they have been partial failures, because the authors have been good book-makers, but poor bread-makers, or because, while practically familiar with the subjects treated, they have failed to express clearly and concisely the full processes in detail. In compiling this new candidate for favor, the one aim has been to pack between its covers the greatest possible amount of practical information of real value to all, and especially to the inexperienced. It is not a hap-hazard collection of recipes, gathere at random from doubtful sources, but has


View page [vi]
been made up without sparing time, labor, or expense, from the choicest bits of the best experience of hundreds who have long traveled the daily round of household duties, not reluctantly like drudges, but lovingly, with heart and hand fully enlisted in the work. Those housewives, especially, whose purses are not over-plethoric, will, it is believed, find its pages full of timely and helpful suggestions in their efforts to make the balance of the household ledger appear on the right side, without lessening the excellence of the table or robbing home of any comfort or attraction.


The arrangement of subjects treated, whenever practicable, has been made in the simple order of the alphabet, and for the sake of still more ready reference a very full alphabetical index has been added. The instructions which precede the recipes of each department, have been carefully made up, and are entirely trustworthy, and the recipes themselves are new to print, and well indorsed. Several suggestive articles have also been introduced, which, though not belonging strictly to cookery, bear such close relations to it that the fitness of their appearance in the connection is evident.


There has been no attempt at display or effect, the only purpose being to express ideas as clearly and concisely as possible, and to make a thoroughly simple and practical work. In the effort to avoid the mistakes of others, greater errors may have been committed; but the book is submitted just as it is to the generous judgement of those who consult it, with the hope that it may lessen their perplexities; and stimulate that just pride without which work is drudgery and great excellence impossible.





View page [7]

> BREAD-MAKING.


THE old saying, "bread is the staff of life," has sound reason in it. Flour made from wheat, and meal from oats and Indian corn, are rich in the waste-repairing elements, starch and albumen, and head the list of articles of food for man. Good bread makes the homeliest meal acceptable, and the coarsest fare appetizing, while the most luxurious table is not even tolerable without it. Light, crisp rolls for breakfast, spongy, sweet bread for dinner, and flaky biscuit for supper, cover a multitude of culinary sins; and there is no one thing on which the health and comfort of a family so much depends as the quality of its home-made loaves.


Bread-making seems a simple process enough, but it requires a delicate care and watchfulness, and a thorough knowledge of all the contingencies of the process, dependent on the different qualitites of flour, the varying kinds and conditions of yeast, and the change of seasons; the process which raises bread successfully in winter making it sour in summer. There are many little things in bread-making which require accurate observation, and, while valuable recipes and well-defined methods in detail are invaluable aids, nothing but experience will secure the name merited by so few, though earnestly coveted by every practical, sensible housekeeper--"an excellent bread-maker." Three things are indispensable to success--good flour, good yeast, and watchful care. Good flour adheres to the hand, and, when pressed, shows the imprint of the lines of the skin. Its tint is cream white. Never buy that which has a blue-white tinge. Poor flour is not adhesive, can be blown about easily, and sometimes has a dingy look, as though mixed with ashes. Never use flour without sifting; and a large tin or


View page [8]
wooden pail with a tight-fitting cover, kept full of sifted flour, will be found a great convenience. All kinds of flour and meal, except buckwheat and Graham, need sifting, and all except wheat flour should be bought in small quantities, as they become damp and musty by long standing.



THE SPONGE.

This is made from warm water or milk, yeast and flour
(some add mashed potatoes), mixed together in proper proportions. In summer, care must be taken not to set sponge too early, at least not before eight or nine o'clock in the evening. Make up a rather thick batter of flour and tepid water or milk. (Sponge mixed with bran water, warm in winter and cold in summer, makes sweeter bread. Boil bran in the proportion of one pint to a quart of water and strain.)
When milk is used, scald to prevent souring, and cool before using; add yeast, cover closely, and place to rise on the kitchen table.
In very hot weather, sponge can be made with cold water.
In winter, mix the batter with water or milk at blood warmth, testing it with the finger, and making it as warm as can be borne; stir in the flour, which will cool it sufficiently for the yeast; cover closely and place in a warm and even temperature. A good plan is to fold a clean blanket several times, and cover with it, providing the sponge is set in a very large crock or jar, so that there is no danger of its running over. As a general rule, one small tea-cup of yeast and three pints of "wetting" will make sponge enough for four ordinary loaves. In all sponges add the yeast last, making sure that it will not be scalded; when placed to rise, always cover closely. Many think it an improvement to beat the sponge thoroughly, like batter for a cake. All the various sponges are very nice baked on a griddle for breakfast-cakes, or, better still, in muffin-rings. When used in this way, add a little salt and make the sponge rather thick.





TO MAKE GOOD BREAD.

Always be


"Up in the morning early, just at the peep of day,"


in summer time to prevent the sponge becoming sour by too long standing, and in winter to be getting materials warmed and in readiness for use. A large, seamless tin dish-pan with handles and


View page [9]
a tight-fitting cover, kept for this purpose alone, is better than a wooden bowl for bread. It should be thoroughly washed and scalded every time it is used. Measure and sift the flour. It is convenient to keep two quart cups, one for dry and the other for liquid measuring. In winter, always warm the flour and also the sponge. Put the flour in a bread-pan, make a large well in the center, into which pour the sponge, adding two level tea-spoons of salt (this is the quantity for four loaves of bread); mix well, being careful not to get the dough too stiff; turn out on the bread-board, rub the pan clean, and add the "rubbings" to the bread. Knead for fully twenty minutes, or until the dough ceases to stick to either the board or hands. The process of kneading is very important. Some good bread-makers knead with the palm of the hands until the dough is a flat cake, then fold once, repeating this operation until the dough is perfectly smooth and elastic;
others close the hands and press hard and quickly into the dough with the fists, dipping them into the flour when the dough sticks, or, after kneading, chop with the chopping-knife and then knead again;
others still knead with a potato-masher, thinking it a great saving of strength. No exact directions can be given, but experience and practice will prove the best guides. After the bread is thoroughly kneaded, form into a round mass or large loaf, sprinkle the bread-pan well with flour, and, having placed the loaf in it, sprinkle flour lightly on the top; cover, and set to rise in a warm temperature; let it rise well this time, say from one to two hours, owing to the season of the year. Place again on the bread-board, knead lightly with elastic movements for five minutes, again form into one large loaf, return to pan, and let rise, but not so long this time. Then knead down in the pan, cut into equal parts, place one at a time on the board, mold each into a smooth, oblong loaf, not too large, and put one after another into a well-greased baking-pan, and set to rise. Loaves made in the French style, long and narrow, are about half crust, and more easily digested, the action of heat anticipating part of the digestive process. In molding, do not leave any lumps or loose flour adhering to the outside, but mold until the loaves are perfectly smooth. No particular directions can be given in regard to the time bread should stand after it is molded and


View page [10]
placed in the pans, because here is the point where observation and discretion, are so indispensable. In hot weather, when the yeast is very good and the bread very light, it must not stand over fifteen minutes before placing to bake. If it is cold weather and the yeast is less active, or the bread not perfectly raised, it may sometimes stand an hour in the pans without injury. When it is risen so as to seam or crack, it is ready for the oven; if it stands after this it becomes sour, and even if it does not sour it loses its freshness and sweetness, and the bread becomes dry sooner after baking. Bread should undergo but two fermentations; the saccharine or sweet fermentation, and the vinous, when it smells something like foaming beer. The housewife who would have good, sweet bread, must never let it pass this change, because the third or acetous fermentation then takes place. This last can be remedied by adding soda in the proportion of one tea-spoon to each quart of wetting; or, which is the same thing, a tea-spoon to four quarts of flour; but the bread will be much less nutritious and healthful, and some of the best elements of the flour will be lost. Always add salt to all bread, biscuit, griddle cakes, etc., but never salt sponge. A small quantity of white sugar is an improvement to all bread dough. Bread should always be mixed as soft as it can be handled.



> TO BAKE BREAD.


Here is the important point, for the bread may be perfect thus far and then be spoiled in baking. No definite rules can be given that apply equally well to every stove and range; but one general rule must be observed, which is to have a steady, moderate heat, such as is more minutely described in the directions for baking large cakes. The oven must be just hot enough; if too hot, a firm crust is formed before the bread has expanded enough, and it will be heavy. Many test the oven by sprinkling a little flour on the bottom; if it browns very quickly, it is too hot, but if it browns gradually, it is just right. An oven in which the hand can not be held longer than to count twenty moderately, is hot enough. When the bread is done (to test which, break apart and press gently with the finger; if elastic it is done, but if clammy, not done; and must be returned to the oven), wrap in a coarse towel


View page [11]
or bread cloth and place each loaf on its edge until cool. If by accident or neglect the bread is baked too hard, rub the loaves over with butter, wet the towel in which they are wrapped, and cover with another dry towel. In winter, bread dough may be kept sweet several days by placing it where it will be cold without freezing, or by putting it so deep into the flour barrel as to exclude it entirely from the air. When wanted for use, make into bread, or, by adding the proper ingredients, into cake, rusk, biscuit, apple dumplings, chicken pie, etc.

> GRAHAM AND CORN BREAD.


It is very desirable that every family should have a constant supply of bread made of unbolted flour, or rye and Indian corn. Most persons find it palatable, and it promotes health. For these coarse breads, always add a little brown sugar or molasses, and the amount given in the recipes may be increased according to taste. They rise quicker and in a less warm atmosphere than without sweetening. A little lard or butter improves bread or cakes made of Graham or Indian meal, rendering them light and tender. Graham rises rather more quickly than fine flour, and should not be allowed to rise quite as light. The fire should be steady and sufficient to complete the baking, and the oven hot when the bread is put in. A fresh blaze will burn the crust, while a steady fire will sweeten it. Graham bread bakes more slowly than fine-flour bread, and corn bread requires more time and a hotter oven than either. Use either yellow or white corn, ground coarse, for mush, and white, ground fine, for bread, etc. In cutting the latter while warm, hold the knife perpendicularly. Rye is said to absorb more moisture from the air than any other grain; hence, all bread from this meal needs a longer application of heat, and keeps moister after being baked than that made from other grain.



SPONGE FOR WINTER USE.

Peel and boil four or five medium-sized potatoes in two quarts of water, which will boil down to one quart when done, take out and press through a colander, or mash very fine in the crock in which the sponge is made; form a well in the center, into which put one


View page [12]
cup of flour, and pour over it the boiling water from the potatoes; stir thoroughly and when cool add a pint of tepid water, flour enough to make a thin batter, and a cup of yeast. This sponge makes very moist bread.





BREAD SPONGE.

Six potatoes boiled and mashed while hot, two table-spoons of white sugar, two of butter, one quart tepid water; into this stir three cups of flour; beat to a smooth batter, add six table-spoons of the yeast, set over night, and, in the morning, knead in sufficient flourto make a stiff, spongy dough; knead vigorously for fifteen minutes, set away to rise, and, when light, knead for ten minutes, mold out into moderate-sized loaves, and let rise until they are like delicate or light sponge-cake.--Mrs. George H. Rust, Minneapolis, Minn.





BREAD SPONGE AND BREAD.

Five pints of warm water, five quarts of sifted flour, one coffee-cup of yeast; mix in a two-gallon stone jar, cover closely, and set in a large tin pan, so that if the sponge rises over the top of the jar, the drippings may fall into the pan. Set to rise the evening before baking. In winter be careful to set in a warm place. In the morning sift six quarts of flour into a pail, pour the sponge into the bread-pan or bowl, add two table-spoons of salt, then the flour gradually; mix and knead well, using up nearly all the flour. This first kneading is the most important, and should occupy at least twenty minutes. Make the bread in one large loaf, set away in a warm place, and cover with a cloth. It ought to rise in half and hour; when it should be kneaded thoroughly again for ten minutes. Then take enough dough for three good-sized loaves (a quart bowl of dough to each), give five minutes kneading to each loaf, and place to rise in a dripping-pan well greased with lard. The loaves will be light in five or ten minutes; and will bake in a properly heated oven in half an hour. Make a well in the center or the remaining dough and into it put one-half tea-cup of white sugar, one tea-cup of lard, and two eggs, which mix thoroughly with the dough, knead into one large loaf, set in a warm place about fifteen minutes to rise, and, when light, knead five minutes and let rise again for


View page [13]
about ten minutes, when it should be light. Take out of pan, knead on bread-board, roll about an inch in thickness, cut out with a biscuit-cutter, and place in dripping pan; let rise five minutes and bake twenty minutes. In winter more time must be allowed for rising. This makes three loaves and ninety biscuit.--S. A. M.





BREAD WITH BUTTERMILK.

The evening before baking, bring to the boiling point two quarts of buttermilk, and pour into a crock in which a scant tea-cup of sifted flour has been placed. Let stand till sufficiently cool, then add half a cup of yeast, and flour to make a thick batter; the better and longer the sponge is stirred the whiter will be the bread. In the morning sift the flour into the bread-pan, pour the sponge in the center, stir in some of the flour, and let stand until after breakfast; then mix, kneading for about half an hour, the longer the better; when light, mold into loaves, this time kneading as little as possible. The secret of good bread is having good yeast, and not baking too hard. This makes four loaves and forty biscuit. --M. C. M.





BREAD WITH POTATO SPONGE.

Pare and boil four or five potatoes, mash fine, and add one pint of flour; pour on the mixture first boiling water enough to moisten well, then about one quart of cold water, after which add flour enough to make a stiff batter. When cooled to "scarcely milk warm," put in one-half pint (or more will do no harm) of yeast, and let it stand in a warm place over night; in the morning add to this sponge one cup of lard, stir in flour, and knead well. The more kneading the finer and whiter the bread will be; pounding also with a potato-masher improves the bread greatly, and is rather easier than so much kneading. When quite stiff and well worked and pounded, let it rise again, and when light, make into loaves or biscuit, adding no more flour except to flour the hands and board--merely enough to prevent the bread from sticking. Let it rise again, then bake; and immediately after taking from the oven, wrap in a wet towel until partly cold, in order to soften the crust. If yeast and flour are good (essentials in all cases), the above process will make good bread.--Mrs. Clara Morey.






View page [14]


BREAD, IN SUMMER OR WINTER.

In summer take three pints of cold or tepid water, four table-spoons of yeast, one tea-spoon of salt; stir in flour enough to make a thick sponge (rather thicker than griddle-cakes). Let stand until morning, then add more flour, mix stiff, and knead ten minutes; place in a pan, let rise until light, knead for another ten minutes; mold into four loaves, and set to rise, but do not let it get too light; bake in a moderate oven one hour. If breadis mixed at six o'clock in the morning, the baking ought to be done by ten o'clock.



In winter take one pint of buttermilk or clabbered milk; let it scald (not boil); make a well in the center of the flour, into it turn the hot milk, add one tea-spoon of salt, enough flour and water to make sufficient sponge, and one tea-cup of yeast; let stand until morning and then prepare the bread as in summer. This is more convenient to make in winter, since a hot fire is needed to heat the milk.--Mrs. D. Buxton.





BREAD WITH MUSH.

Pour two quarts hot corn-meal mush, made as for eating, over two quarts flour, (wheat or Graham); when cool, add one quart sponge, half cup molasses, one tea-spoon salt, half tea-spoon of soda; mix well together; add more flour if needed, and knead thoroughly; mold into small loaves; let rise and bake in small dripping-pans, (a loaf in a pan) or pie-tins, in a moderate oven; when done, rub over with butter and wrap in a cloth.--Mrs. W. W. W.





GOOD BREAD.

For four small loaves boil four large potatoes; when done, pour off the water, and when it cools add to it a yeast cake; mash the potato very fine, put through a sieve, pour boiling milk on as much flour as is needed, let stand until cool, add the potato and yeast, a large tea-spoon of salt and one table-spoon of sugar; stir very stiff, adding flour as is needed. Let stand in a warm place until light, dissolve one tea-spoon of soda in a little hot water, mix well through with the hands, mold into loaves, and let rise again. When sufficiently raised place in a moderately hot oven, keeping up a steady fire.--Mrs. Governor Hardin, Missouri.






View page [15]


HOP-YEAST BREAD.

One tea-cup yeast, three pints warm water; make a thin sponge at tea-time, cover and let it remain two hours or until very light. By adding the water to the flour first and having the sponge quite warm, it is never necessary to put the sponge over hot water or in an oven to make it rise. Knead into a loaf before going to bed; in the morning mold into three loaves, spreading a little lard between as they are put in the pan. When light, bake one hour, having oven quite hot when the bread is put in, and very moderate when it is done. (Bread made in this way is never sour or heavy.)
To have fine, light biscuit, add shortening at night, and in the morning make into biscuit and bake for breakfast. By this recipe bread is baked before the stove is cold from breakfast, and out of the way for other baking.



To cool bread there should be a board for the purpose. An oaken board, covered with heavy white flannel, is the best; over this spread a fresh linen bread-cloth, and lay the bread on it right side up, with nothing over it except a very thin cover to keep off the flies. It should be placed immediately in the fresh air or wind to cool; when cool, place immediately in a tin box or stone jar, and cover closely. Bread cooled in this way will have a soft crust, and be filled with pure air.--Mrs. J.T. Liggett, Detroit, Michigan.





MILK-YEAST BREAD.

Put into a pail holding two quarts and a half, one pint of new milk, and one pint of boiling water; mix with this one table-spoon of sugar, one of salt, and three pints of flour; beat well together, and cover tightly. Set pail into another pail or kettle, with water enough to come nearly to the top of it; to have the water of the right temperature, let half be boiling and half cold. Be very particular to set it where it will keep about the same temperature until risen. Beat the batter as often as once in every half hour until the last hour, when it must not be disturbed: it will rise in about five hours, and when risen enough the pail will be full. Put two quarts of flour into a pan, make a well in the middle of it, dissolve a tea-spoon of soda in a little hot water, and when the batter is risen just enough, turn it into the middle of the flour, pouring


View page [16]
the dissolved soda in with it; knead well and make into loaves. Set them where they will be warm, and let them rise forty-five minutes; bake in a quick oven. It will take nearly a pint of flour to knead the bread on the board. This bread makes the nicest dry toast and sandwiches.--Mrs. W. A. James.





POOR-MAN'S BREAD.

One pint buttermilk or sour milk, one level tea-spoon soda, a pinch of salt, and flour enough to make as stiff as soda-biscuit dough; cut into three pieces, handle as little as possible, roll an inch thick, place in dripping-pan, bake twenty or thirty minutes in a hot oven, and when done, wrap in a bread cloth. Eat while warm, breaking open like a biscuit. Each cake will be about the size of a pie.--Mrs. D. B.





YEAST BREAD.

Make a well in the middle of four quarts flour, into which turn one table-spoon sugar, one of salt, and one cup of yeast; then mix with one pint of milk which has been warmed by adding one pint of boiling water; add one table-spoon lard, knead well, and let rise over night; in the morning knead again, make into loaves, let them rise one hour, and bake fifty minutes.
Water can be used instead of the pint of milk, in which case use twice as much lard.





BOSTON BROWN BREAD.

One heaping coffee-cup each of corn, rye and Graham meal.
The rye meal should be as fine as the Graham, or rye flour may be used. Sift the three kinds together as closely as possible, and beat together thoroughly with two cups New Orleans or Porto Rico molasses, two cups sweet milk, one cup sour milk, one dessert-spoon soda, one tea-spoon salt; pour into a tin form, place in a kettle of cold water, put on and boil four hours. Put on to cook as soon as mixed. It may appear to be too thin, but it is not, as this recipe has never been known to fail. Serve warm, with Thanksgiving turkey. The bread should not quite fill the form, (or a tin pail with cover will answer;) as it must have room to swell. See that the water does not boil up to the top of the form; also take care it does not boil entirely away or stop boiling. To serve it, remove the lid and set it a few moments into the open oven to dry the top,


View page [17]
and it will then turn out in perfect shape. This bread can be used as a pudding, and served with a sauce made of thick sour cream, well sweetened and seasoned with nutmeg; or it is good toasted the next day.--Mrs. H. S. Stevens, Minneapolis, Minn.





EASTERN BROWN BREAD.

One pint each of rye or Graham and Indian meal, one cup molasses, three-fourths cup sour milk, one and one-half tea-spoons soda, one and one-half pints cold water. Put on stove over cold water, steam four hours, and brown over in the oven.





BROWN BREAD.

Two and one-half cups sour milk and one-half cup molasses; into these put one heaping tea-spoon soda, two cups corn meal, one cup Graham flour and one tea-spoon salt. Use coffee-cups. Steam three hours--better steamed longer.--Mrs. D. Bassett, Minneapolis, Minn.





BOSTON CORN BREAD.

One cup sweet milk, two cups sour milk, two-thirds cup of molasses, one cup flour, four cups corn-meal, two tea-spoons soda; steam three hours, and brown a few minutes in the oven.--Mrs. Canby, Bellefontaine.





MRS. B.'S CORN BREAD.

One quart sour milk, three eggs, two table-spoons lard or butter (or half and half), one table-spoon sugar, a pinch of salt, handful of wheat flour, and enough corn-meal (sifted) to make a good batter; add one heaping tea-spoon soda, stir thoroughly, and bake in long dripping-pan.





PLAIN CORN BREAD.

One pint corn meal, one of sour or buttermilk, one egg, one tea-spoon soda, one of salt; bake in dripping or gem-pans.
If preferred, one heaping table-spoon of sugar may be added.





CORN CAKE.

One pint corn meal sifted, one pint flour, one pint sour milk, two eggs beaten light, one-half cup sugar, piece of butter size of an egg; add, the last thing, one tea-spoon soda in a little milk; add to the beaten egg the milk and meal alternately, then the butter and sugar.
If sweet milk is used, add one tea-spoon cream tartar; bake


View page [18]
twenty minutes in a hot oven.--Mrs. H. B. Sherman, Milwaukee Wisconsin.





CORN BREAD.

Take one quart buttermilk, and one heaping pint corn meal, one tea-spoon soda, one tea-spoon salt, one table-spoon sugar and three eggs; have the stove very hot, and do not bake in too deep a pan. The batter seems too thin, but bakes very nicely.--Mrs. J. H. S.





STEAMED CORN BREAD.

Two cups each corn meal, Graham flour, and sour milk, two thirds cup molasses, one tea-spoon soda; steam two hours and a half.--Mrs. Jennie Guthrie Cherry, Newark.





GRAHAM BREAD.

Take a little over a quart of warm water, one-half cup brown sugar or molasses, one-fourth cup hop yeast, and one and a half tea-spoons salt; thicken the water with unbolted flour to a thin batter; add sugar, salt and yeast, and stir in more flour until quite stiff. In the morning add a small tea-spoon soda, and flour enough to make the batter stiff as can be stirred with a spoon; put it into pans and let rise again; then bake in even oven, not too hot at first; keep warm while rising; smooth over the loaves with a spoon or knife dipped in water.--Mrs. H. B. Sherman, Plankinton House Milwaukee, Wisconsin.





GRAHAM BREAD.

To one and a half pints of tepid water add one heaping tea-spoon of salt and one-half cup of sugar; stir in one half pint or more of the sponge made of white flour, as in recipe for "Bread with Potato Yeast," add Graham flour until almost too stiff to stir, put in the baking-pan and let rise well, which will take about two hours, bake in a moderate oven, and when done, wrap in a wet towel until cool.--Mrs. Clara Woods Morey.





QUICK GRAHAM BREAD.

One and a half pints sour milk, half cup New Orleans molasses, a little salt, two tea-spoons soda dissolved in a little hot water, and as much Graham flour as can be stirred in with a spoon; pour in well-greased pan, put in oven as soon as mixed, and bake two hours--Mrs. E. J. W.






View page [19]


RYE AND INDIAN BREAD.

One quart of rye meal or rye flour, two quarts of Indian meal, scalded (by placing in a pan and pouring just enough boiling water over it, stirring constantly with a spoon, to merely wet it, but not enough to make it into a batter,) one-half tea-cup molasses, two tea-spoons salt, one tea-spoon soda, one tea-cup yeast; make as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon, mixing with warm water, and let rise all night; then put in a large pan, smooth the top with the hand dipped in cold water, let it stand a short time, and bake five or six hours. If put in the oven late in the day let it remain all night.
Graham may be used instead of rye, and baked as above. In the olden time it was placed in kettle, allowed to rise, then placed on the hearth before the fire, with coals on top of lid, and baked.--Mrs. Charles Fullington.





RYE BREAD.

Make a sponge of one quart warm water, one tea-cup yeast, thickened with rye flour; put in warm place to rise over night; scald one pint corn meal; when cool add it to sponge, and add rye flour till thick enough to knead, knead but little, let rise, mold into loaves, place in deep pie-tins or small pudding-pans, let rise and bake: or, thicken the sponge with rye flour, and proceed as above.
Wheat sponge may be used instead of rye.--Mrs. Eliza T. Carson.




> BREAKFAST AND TEA CAKES.



To make biscuit, take a part of the dough left from bread-making when it is ready to mold into loaves, work in the lard and any other ingredients desired, such as butter, eggs, sugar, spice, etc., also using a little more flour; let rise once, then mix down and let rise again; turn out on the bread-board; knead a few minutes, roll, and cut out with a biscuit-cutter or mold with the hand. Place in a well-greased dripping-pan, and when light bake in a quick oven from fifteen to twenty minutes. To make them a nice color, wet the top with warm water just before placing in the oven. To


View page [20]
glaze, brush lightly with milk and sugar, or the well-beaten yolk of an egg sweetened, and a little milk added.


Biscuit may be baked in eight minutes by making the oven as hot as can be without burning, and allowing it to cool off gradually as they bake; this makes them very light, but one has to watch closely to keep them from being scorched. Any kind of bread or pastry mixed with water requires a hotter fire than that mixed with milk.


Biscuit for tea at six must be molded two hours before, which will give ample time for rising and baking. Parker House rolls for breakfast at eight must be made ready at five. Many think it unnecessary to knead down either bread or biscuit as often as here directed; but if attention is given to the dough at the right time, and it is not suffered to become too light, it will be much nicer, whiter and of a finer texture if these directions are followed.





Soda biscuit must be handled as little and made as rapidly as possible; mix soda and cream tartar or baking-powder in the flour,
(with sweet milk use baking-powder or soda and cream tartar, with sour milk soda alone,) so that the effervescence takes place in the mixture. One tea-spoon soda and two of cream tartar, or three tea-spoons baking-powder, to every three pints of flour, is about the right proportion. Bake in a quick oven as soon as made, and they rise more quickly if put into hot pans. Gems of all kinds require a hot oven, but the fire should be built sometimes before they are put into the oven and allowed to go down by the time they are light, as the heat necessary to raise them will burn them in baking if kept up:


Soda and raised biscuit and bread or cake, when stale, can be made almost as nice as fresh by plunging for an instant into cold water and then placing in a pan in the oven ten or fifteen minutes; thus treated they should be used immediately.




Waffle-irons should be heated, then buttered or greased with lard, and one side filled with batter, closed and laid on the fire or placed on the stove, and after a few minutes turned on the other side. They take about twice as long to bake as griddle-cakes, and are delicious with a dressing of ground cinnamon. Muffins are


View page [21]
baked in muffin-rings. In eating them, do not cut but break them open.


The success of these recipes and all others in this book in which soda and cream tartar are used, will depend on the purity of these ingredients. Always buy the pure English bicarbonate of soda, and the pure cream tartar. They are higher-priced, but cheaper in the end, and are free from injurious substances. When not found at the grocer's, they may generally be had at the druggist's.



BAKING-POWDER.

Sixteen ounces corn starch, eight of bicarbonate of soda, five of tartaric acid; mix thoroughly.--Mrs. Dr. Allen, Oberlin.





BAKING-POWDER.

Eight ounces flour, eight of English bicarbonate of soda, seven of tartaric acid; mix thoroughly by passing several times through a sieve.--Mrs. Trimble, Mt. Gilead.





BAKING-POWDER.

Two parts pure cream of tartar, one part of bicarbonate of soda, one part corn starch; mix well.--Mrs. B. H. Gilbert, Minneapolis, Minn.





BREAKFAST-CAKE.

Two table-spoons sugar, two of butter, two eggs, one cup milk, one (scant) quart flour, one tea-spoon soda, two of cream tartar; bake twenty minutes in a quick oven.--Miss Emily L. Burnham, South Norwalk, Conn.





CINNAMON CAKE.

When yeast bread is ready to knead from the sponge, knead and roll out three-fourths of an inch thick, put thin slices of butter on the top, sprinkle with cinnamon, and then with sugar; let rise well and bake.--Miss M.E. Wilcox, Selma, Alabama.





BUNS.

Break one egg into a cup and fill with sweet milk; mix with it half cup yeast, half cup butter, one cup sugar, enough flour to make a soft dough; flavor with nutmeg. Let rise till very light, then mold into biscuit with a few currants. Let rise a second time in pan; bake, and when nearly done, glaze with a little molasses


View page [22]
and milk. Use the same cup, no matter about the size, for each measure.--Mrs. W. A. James.





BUTTERED TOAST.

Although toast is commonly used, few know how to prepare it nicely. Take bread not too fresh, cut thin and evenly, trim off the crust-edges for the crumb-jar; first warm each side of the bread, then present the first side again to the fire until it takes on a rich, even, brown color; treat the other side in the same way; butter and serve immediately. The coals should be bright and hot. Toast properly made is very digestible; because all the moisture is extracted, and the bread has become pure farina of wheat, but when it is exposed to a hot fire and the outside charred, the inside remains as moist as ever. Butter applied to it while warm does not penetrate, but floats on the surface in the form of rancid oil. Or, beat one cup of butter and three table-spoons flour to a cream, pour over this one and a half pints boiling water; place over a kettle of boiling water for ten minutes, dip into it the toast, and serve hot.



Or, dip each slice of toast in boiling hot water (slightly salted), spread with butter, cover and keep hot.





BREAKFAST-TOAST.

Add to one-half pint of sweet milk, two table-spoons sugar, a little salt and a well-beaten egg; dip in this slices of bread (if dry, let it soak a minute), and fry on a buttered griddle until it is a light brown on each side. This is a good way to use dry bread.--Mrs. Dr. Morey.





MENNONITE-TOAST.

Beat up three eggs well, add a pint of sweet milk and a pinch of salt; cut slices an inch thick from a loaf of baker's bread, remove crust, dip slices into the eggs and milk, fry like doughnuts in very hot lard or drippings till a delicate brown, butter and sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve hot.--Mrs. J. P. Rea, Lancaster, Pa.





LUCY'S POP-OVERS.

Two tea-cups sweet milk, two tea-cups sifted flour heaped a little, butter size of a walnut, two eggs, one table-spoon sugar. a little salt; bake in hot gem-pans filled half full for twenty minutes, and serve immediately.--Mrs. W. A. James.






View page [23]


POCKET-BOOKS.

Warm one quart new milk, add one cup butter or lard, four table-spoons sugar, and two well-beaten eggs; stir in flour enough to make a moderately stiff sponge, add a small cup of yeast, and set in a warm place to rise, which will take three or four hours; then mix in flour enough to make a soft dough and let rise again. When well risen, dissolve a lump of soda size of a bean in a spoon of milk, work it into the dough and roll into sheets one-half inch in thickness; spread with thin layer of butter, cut into squares, and fold over, pocket-book shape; put on tins or in pans to rise for a little while, when they will be fit for the oven. In summer the sponge can be made up in the morning, and rise in time to make for tea.
In cool weather it is best to set it over night.--Mrs. J. H. Shearer.





RUSK.

Two tea-cups raised dough, one tea-cup sugar, half cup butter, two well-beaten eggs, flour enough to make a stiff dough; set to rise, and when light, mold into high biscuit, and let rise again; sift sugar and cinnamon over the top, and place in oven.--Mrs. Mary Lee Gere, Champaign, Ill.





RUSK.

One pint milk, three eggs, one cup butter, one cup sugar, and one coffee-cup potato yeast; thicken with flour, and sponge over night; in the morning stir down, let rise, and stir down again; when it rises make into a loaf, and let rise again; then roll out like soda biscuit, cut and put in pans, and, when light, bake carefully. Or, when baking take four cups dough, one-half cup butter, one cup sugar, three eggs; mix thoroughly, adding enough flour to mold easily; let rise, make into rather high and narrow biscuit, let rise again, rub the tops with a little sugar and water, then sprinkle over them dry sugar. Bake twenty minutes.





LEBANON RUSK.

One cup mashed potatoes, one of sugar, one of home-made yeast, three eggs; mix together, when raised light add half cup butter or lard, and flour to make a soft dough, and when quite light, mold


View page [24]
into small cakes, and let them rise again before baking. If wanted for tea, set about nine A.M.--Mrs. J. S. Stahr, Lancaster, Pa.





SUPERIOR BISCUIT.

Three and a half cups sweet milk, one cup butter and lard mixed; add yeast and flour and let rise over night. In the morning add one beaten egg, knead thoroughly, and let rise again, then form into biscuit; when light, bake delicately.--Mrs. B. T. Skinner.





HARD TEA BISCUIT.

Two pounds of flour, one-fourth pound butter, one alt-spoon salt, three gills milk; cut up the butter and rub it in the flour, add the salt and milk, knead dough for half an hour, cut cakes about as large as a small tea-cup and half an inch thick, prick with a fork, and bake in a moderate oven until they are a delicate brown.--Mrs. Denmead, Columbus.





MARYLAND BISCUIT.

Three pounds flour, one-half cup each butter and sweet lard, a little salt, water enough to mix; work an hour, roll, cut into cakes and bake.--Mrs. G. W. Hensel, Lancaster, Pa.





SOUTH CAROLINA BISCUIT.

One quart sweet cream or milk, one and a half cups butter or fresh lard, two table-spoons white sugar, one good tea-spoon salt; add flour sufficient to make a stiff dough, knead well and mold into neat, small biscuit with the hands, as our grandmothers used to do; add one good tea-spoon cream tartar if preferred; bake well, and you have good sweet biscuit that will keep for weeks in a dry place, and are very nice for traveling lunch. They are such as we used to send to the army, and the "boys" relished them "hugely."--Mrs. Colonel Moore, Hamilton.





SODA BISCUIT.

Put one quart of flour, before sifting, into sieve, with one tea-spoon soda and two of cream tartar (or three of baking powder), one of salt, and one table-spoon white sugar; mix all thoroughly with the flour, run through sieve, rub in one level table-spoon of lard or butter (or half and half), wet with half pint sweet milk,


View page [25]
roll on board about an inch thick, cut with biscuit cutter, and bake in a quick oven fifteen minutes.
If you have not milk, use a little more butter, and wet with water. Handle as little and make as rapidly as possible.--M. Parloa.





SODA BISCUIT.

One quart sifted flour, two large tea-spoons cream yeast, one table-spoon lard, a little salt; mix thoroughly and add milk enough to stir nicely, roll out half an inch thick, cut the proper size, and bake in a hot oven.--Mrs. Governor J. D. Bedle, New Jersey.





SPOON-BISCUIT.

One quart sour milk or buttermilk, one tea-spoon soda, a little salt, two table-spoons melted lard, and flour enough for a stiff batter; drop in a hot gem-pan and bake in a quick oven.--Mrs. A. B. Morey.





SALLY LUNN.

One quart flour, two eggs, one pint sweet milk, two table-spoons sugar; piece of butter size of two eggs (large size), one-half tea-spoon salt, two tea-spoons cream tartar, one tea-spoon soda; beat butter and sugar together; add eggs well beaten. Mix soda with milk, and cream tartar with flour.--Mrs. H. B. Sherman, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.





TEA CAKE.

One quart flour, one cup sour milk, one tea-spoon soda, one-half pound lard, one-half pound chopped raisins or currants; roll two inches thick and bake in a quick oven; split open, butter, and eat while hot.--Mrs. Canby, Bellefontaine.





EGG ROLLS.

Two tea-cups of sweet milk, two eggs, a little salt, three and a half scant cups of sifted flour. Bake in hot gem-pans.--Mrs. L. S. W., Jamestown, N. Y.





EVERY-DAY ROLLS.

Take a piece of bread dough on baking day, when molded out the last time, about enough for a small loaf, spread out a little, add one egg, two table-spoons of sugar, and three-fourths cup of lard; add a little flour and a small tea-spoon of soda if the least bit sour;


View page [26]
mix well, let rise, mold into rolls or biscuit, set to rise again, and they will be ready for the oven in twenty or thirty minutes.





FRENCH ROLLS.

Peel six common-sized, mealy potatoes, boil in two quarts of water, press and drain both potatoes and water through a colander; when cool enough so as not to scald, add flour to make a thick batter, heat well, and when lukewarm, add one-half cup potato yeast. Make this sponge early in the morning, and when light turn into a bread-pan, add a tea-spoon salt, half cup lard, and flour enough for a soft dough; mix up, and set in a warm, even temperature; when risen, knead down and place again to rise, repeating this process five or six times; cut in small pieces and mold on the bread-board in rolls about one inch thick by five long; roll in melted butter or sweet lard, and place in well-greased baking-pans (nine inches long by five wide and two and a half in depth, makes a convenient-sized pan, which holds fifteen of these rolls; or, if twice the width put in two rows); press the rolls closely together, so that they will only be about half an inch in width. Let rise a short time and bake twenty minutes in a hot oven; if the top browns too rapidly, cover with paper. These rolls, if properly made, are very white, light, and tender.



Or, make rolls larger, and just before putting them in the oven, cut deeply across each one with a sharp knife. This will make the cleft roll so famous among French cooks--Mrs. J. W. R.





MINNESOTA ROLLS.

Rub one-half table-spoon of lard into one quart of flour, make a well in the middle, put in one-half cup of baker's yeast--or one cup of home-made--two tea-spoons sugar, one half pint cold boiled milk; do not stir, but let stand over night; in the morning knead well, after dinner knead again, cut out, put in pans, and let rise until tea time. Bake in a quick oven.--Mrs. Judge West, Bellefontaine.





PARKER HOUSE ROLLS.

Rub one half table-spoon of butter and one half table-spoon of lard into two quarts of sifted flour; into a well in the middle pour one pint of cold boiled milk, and add one-half cup of yeast, one half


View page [27]
cup of sugar, and a little salt. If wanted for tea, rub the flour and butter, and boil the milk, and cool it the night before; add sugar, yeast, and salt, and turn all into the flour, but do not stir. Let stand over night; in the morning stir up, knead, and let rise till near tea-time; mold and let rise again, and bake quickly. To mold, cut with cake-cutter; put a little melted butter on one-half and lap nearly over on the other half. Place them in the pan about three-quarters of an inch apart.--Mrs. V. G. Hush, Minneapolis, Minn.





WEDDING SANDWICH ROLLS.

Late in the evening make a rather stiff potato sponge (see directions under "Bread-Making"), and in the morning mix in as much flour as will make a soft dough, knead well, and place to rise; when sufficiently light, knead down again, repeating the operation two or three times, remembering not to let the dough become sour by rising too light; mold into common-sized loaves, place in your dripping-pan to rise, and bake very carefully, so as to secure the very lightest brown crust possible. On taking out of the oven, roll in a cloth tightly wrung out of water, with a large bread-blanket folded and wrapped around all. Let cool three or four hours, cut lengthwise of the loaf (not using the outside piece), first spreading lightly with good sweet butter, then cutting in slices not more than a quarter of an inch, or just as thin as possible, using for this purpose a very thin, sharp knife; lay on cold boiled ham cut in very thin shavings (no matter if in small pieces), roll up very slowly and carefully, and place where it will not unroll. Treat each sandwich in the same manner, always spreading the bread with butter before cutting. If by chance the bread is baked with too hard a crust, cut off a thin shaving of the brownest part very smoothly before making into sandwiches. These sandwiches are truly delicious if properly made, but they require great care, experience, and good judgment. Served on an oblong platter, piled in pyramid style, row upon row, they will resemble nicely rolled dinner napkins. They must be made and served the same day.--Mrs. James W. Robinson.





WINTER ROLLS.

Put three quarts of flour into a large crock or jar, scald one quart


View page [28]
of buttermilk, add one cup of lard, and pour all over the flour, beating it up well, then add one quart of cold water, stir and add one-half cup of potato yeast, or one cup of brewer's; beat in well and set in a warm place to rise over night. In the morning add salt and flour enough to make a moderately stiff dough; set in a warm place to rise, and, when risen, knead down and set to rise again. This time knead down and place in a large stone crock or bowl, covered tightly with a tin pan to prevent the surface from drying, and set away in a cool place. When needed, turn out on a bread-board, cut off a piece as large as you wish to use, roll out to the thickness of ordinary soda biscuit, cut, and put in the oven to bake immediately. Set away the rest of the dough as before, and it will keep a week in winter, and is very convenient for hot breakfast rolls.--Mrs. D. Buxton.





VIENNA ROLLS.

Have ready in a bowl a table-spoon of butter or lard, made soft by warming a little, and stirring with a spoon. Add to one quart of unsifted flour two heaping tea-spoons of Royal Baking-Powder; mix and sift thoroughly together, and place in a bowl with butter. Take more or less sweet milk as may be necessary to form a dough of usual stiffness; according to the flour (about three-fourths of a pint) put into the milk half a tea-spoon salt, and then stir it into the flour, etc., with a spoon, forming the dough, which turn out on a board and knead sufficiently to make smooth. Roll out half an inch thick, and cut with a large round cutter; fold each one over to form a half round, wetting a little between the folds to make them stick together; place on buttered pans, so as not to touch, wash over on top with milk to give them a gloss, and bake immediately in a hot oven about twenty minutes. It will do them no harm to stand half an hour before baking, if it is desired.





CRUMPETS.

One quart of milk with two table-spoons yeast, and flour enough to make a stiff batter; let rise over night, and in the morning add four eggs, two table-spoons of sugar, one-half cup of butter; put them in muffin-rings; and let them rise nearly half an hour; bake quickly.--Miss Mary Gallagher.






View page [29]


MUFFINS.

Mix one tea-spoon of baking-powder and a little salt into one pint of flour; add to the beaten yolks of two eggs one tea-cup of sweet milk or cream, a piece of butter (melted) half the size of an egg, the flour with baking-powder and salt mixed, and the well-beaten whites of the two eggs. Beat well, bake immediately in gem-pans in a hot oven, and take out and send to the table immediately.--Mrs. Gib Hillock, New Castle, Ind.





QUICK WAFFLES.

Two pints sweet milk, one cup of butter (melted), sifted flour to make a soft batter; add the well-beaten yolks of six eggs, then the beaten whites, and lastly (just before baking) four tea-spoons baking-powder, beating very hard and fast for a few minutes. These are very good with four or five eggs, but much better with more.--Mrs. C. W. Morey.





OHIO WAFFLES.

Four eggs, beaten separately, one quart of sweet milk, one-fourth pound of butter, a little salt, flour to make a not very thick batter; heat and butter the irons well, and bake very quickly.
If for tea, grate on a little sugar and nutmeg, or cinnamon; if for breakfast, only butter. --Mrs. O. M. Scott.





RAISED WAFFLES.

One quart of flour, one pint of sweet, luke-warm milk, two eggs, a table-spoon of melted butter, tea-spoon of salt, half tea-cup of good yeast.--Mrs. L. S. Williston.





RICE WAFFLES.

Boil half a pint of rice and let it get cold, mix with it one-fourth pound of butter and a little salt. Sift in it one and a half pints of flour, beat five eggs separately, stir the yolks together with one quart of milk, add whites beaten to a stiff froth, beat hard, and bake at once in waffle-iron.--Mrs. S. C. Lee, Baltimore, Md.





EGG CRACKERS.

Six eggs, twelve table-spoons of sweet milk, six table-spoons of butter, one half tea-spoon of soda; mold with flour half an hour and roll thin.--Mrs. J. S. Robinson






View page [30]


BUCKWHEAT SHORT-CAKE.

Take one pint of sour milk, one tea-spoon of soda to sweeten, and a little salt; stir in buckwheat flour enough to make quite a stiff batter; and bake in dripping-pan. Two table-spoons of melted lard may be added for shortening, if desired. This takes the place of griddle-cakes, and is very nice to eat with meat, butter, honey, or molasses.--Mrs. Viola Wilcox, Midland, Mich.





CORN DODGERS.

To one quart of corn meal add a little salt and a small table-spoon of lard; scald with boiling water and beat hard for a few minutes; drop a large spoonful in a well-greased pan. The batter should be thick enough to just flatten on the bottom, leaving them quite high in the center. Bake in a hot oven.





CORN ROLLS.

One pint of corn meal, two table-spoons of sugar, one tea-spoon of salt, one pint of boiling milk; stir all together and let stand till cool. Add three eggs well beaten, and bake in gem-pans.--Mrs. Capt. J. P. Rea, Minneapolis, Minn.





CORN MUSH.

Put fresh water in a kettle to boil, salt to suit the taste; when it begins to boil stir in the meal, letting it sift through the fingers slowly to prevent lumps, adding it a little faster at the last, until as thick as can be conveniently stirred with one hand; set in the oven in the kettle, bake an hour, and it will be thoroughly cooked. It takes corn meal so long to cook thoroughly that it is very difficult to boil it until done without burning. When intended for frying cold, some add, while making it, about a pint of flour to three quarts of meal. Have a hard-wood paddle, two feet long, with a blade two inches wide and seven inches long, to stir with.--Mrs. W. W. Woods.





FRIED MUSH.

A delicious breakfast relish is made by slicing cold mush thin and frying in a little hot lard.
Or, dip in beaten eggs salted to taste, then in bread or cracker crumbs, and drop in hot lard, like doughnuts.--Miss A. W. S., Nashville, Tenn.






View page [31]


HOE-CAKE.

Mix corn meal with water or milk (adding a little salt) to the thickness of stiff batter; stir thoroughly, spread on the baking-board, and tip up before the fire. On southern plantations they are often baked on the broad hoes used in the fields, hence the name.





ALABAMA JOHNNY-CAKE.

Cook a pint of rice till tender, add a table-spoon of butter; when cold add two beaten eggs and one pint of meal, and when mixed spread on an oaken board and bake by tipping the board up before the fire-place. When done on one side turn over. The dough should be spread half an inch thick.





JOHNNY-CAKE.

Two-thirds tea-spoon of soda, three table-spoons of sugar, one tea-spoon of cream of tartar, one egg, one cup of sweet milk, six table-spoons of Indian meal, three table-spoons of flour, and a little salt. This makes a thin batter.





RHODE ISLAND "SPAT-OUTS."

One pint of sweet milk, four table-spoons of wheat flour, two eggs well beaten, Indian meal to make a stiff batter, and a little salt; spat into round cakes half an inch thick, fry in lard like doughnuts, split, and eat warm with butter.--One hundred years old.





COLD-WATER GEMS.

With very cold or ice-water and Graham flour, and a little salt, make a rather stiff batter; heat and grease the irons, and bake twenty minutes in a hot oven.--Mrs. O. M. Scott.





GOOD GRAHAM GEMS.

Three cups of sour milk, one tea-spoon of soda, one of salt, one table-spoon of brown sugar, one of melted lard, one beaten egg; to the egg add the milk, then the sugar and salt, then the Graham flour (with the soda mixed in), together with the lard; make a stiff batter, so that it will drop, not pour, from the spoon. Have gem pans very hot, grease, fill, and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven.--Mrs. J. H. S.





MRS. BUXTON'S GRAHAM GEMS.

Take one egg and beat well; add pinch of salt, one quart of


View page [32]
buttermilk or sour milk, and Graham flour enough to make a stiff batter; add one heaping tea-spoon of soda and stir thoroughly with a spoon; heat and grease gem-irons, and after dipping the spoon in cold water, drop a spoonful of batter in each pan, repeating until all are filled; bake in a quick oven half an hour. This measure will make a dozen.





SWEET-MILK GEMS.

Beat one egg well, add a pint of new milk, a little salt, and Graham flour until it will drop off the spoon nicely; heat and butter the gem-pans before dropping in the dough; bake in a hot oven twenty minutes.--Mrs. R. L. Partridge.





GRAHAM MUFFINS.

Two cups of sour milk, two table-spoons of brown sugar, a little salt, one tea-spoon soda, sufficient Graham flour to make moderately stiff.
If not convenient to use sour milk, use sweet, adding cream of tartar.--Mrs. H.B. Sherman.





GRAHAM MUSH.

Sift meal slowly into boiling salted water, stirring briskly until it is as thick as can be stirred with one hand;
serve with milk or cream and sugar, or butter and syrup. It is much improved by removing from the kettle to a pan as soon as thoroughly mixed, and steaming for three or four hours. It may also be eaten cold, or sliced and fried like corn mush.





OAT-MEAL MUSH.

To two quarts boiling water well salted add one and a half cups best oat-meal. (Buy Irish, Scotch, or Canadian.) Stir in meal by degrees, and after stirring up a few times to prevent its settling down in a mass at the bottom, leave it to cook three hours without stirring. Cook in a custard-kettle with water in outer kettle. (While stirring in meal put inner kettle directly on stove.)
To cook for breakfast it may be put on over night, allowing it to boil an hour or two in the evening, but it is better when freshly cooked. Serve with cream and sugar. This is unsurpassed as a breakfast dish, especially for growing children, who need bone and muscle-producing food. To be wholesome it must be well cooked, and not


View page [33]
the pasty, half cooked mass usually served at boarding-houses. In lieu of a custard-kettle the mush can be made in a pan, or small tin bucket, and then placed in a steamer and steamed three hours.





CRACKED WHEAT.

Two quarts salted water to two cups best white winter wheat; boil two or three hours in a custard-kettle: Or, soak over night and boil at least three-fourths of an hour: Or, put boiling water in a pan or small tin bucket, set on stove, stir in wheat, set in steamer and steam four hours: Or, make a strong sack of thick muslin or drilling, moisten wheat with cold water, add a little salt, place in sack, leaving half the space for wheat to swell in. Fit a round sheet of tin, perforated with holes half an inch in diameter, to the inside of ordinary kettle, so that it will rest two or three inches from the bottom; lay sack on the tin, put in water enough to reach tin, and boil from three to four hours, supplying water as it evaporates.
Serve with butter and syrup, or cream and sugar.
When cold, slice and fry; or warm with a little milk and salt in a pan greased with a little butter; or make in griddle-cakes with a batter of eggs, milk, and a little flour, and pinch of salt.





FINE WHITE HOMINY OR GRITS.

Take two cups to two quarts salted water, soak over night, and boil three quarters of an hour in a custard kettle;
serve with milk and sugar, or when cold slice and fry.




> FRITTERS.



Make fritters quickly and beat thoroughly. A good rule for them is two eggs, one-half pint milk, one tea-spoon salt, and two cups flour; have the lard in which to cook them nice and sweet and boiling hot; test the heat by dropping in a tea-spoon of the batter--if the temperature is right it will quickly rise in a light ball with a splutter, and soon brown; take up carefully the moment they are done, with a wire spoon; drain in a hot colander and sift powdered sugar over them; serve hot.
Pork fritters are made by dipping


View page [34]
thin bits of breakfast bacon or fat pork in the batter;
fruit fritters by chopping any kind of fresh or canned fruit fine and mixing it with batter, or by dipping quarters or halves in batter. The fruit may be improved in flavor by sprinkling sugar and grated lemon peel over it, and allowing it to remain two or three hours, after which drain and dip as above.





APPLE FRITTERS.

Three eggs beaten very light, one quart of milk; make a thin batter, add a little salt and the grated rind of one lemon; pare, core and slice thin one quart nice tart apples, add, and drop in spoonfuls in boiling lard; serve with sauce.--Mrs. E. L. Fay, Washington Heights, New York.





APPLE FRITTERS.

Make a batter in proportion of one cup sweet milk to two cups flour, a heaping tea-spoon baking powder, two eggs beaten separately, one table-spoon sugar, and salt-spoon salt; heat the milk a little more than milk-warm; add slowly to the beaten yolks and sugar, then add flour and whites of eggs, stir all together, and throw in thin slices of good sour apples, dipping the batter up over them; drop in boiling lard in large spoonfuls with piece of apple in each, and fry to a light brown. Serve with maple syrup or a nice syrup made of sugar.--Mrs. James Henderson.





CLAM FRITTERS.

Take raw clams, chopped fine, and make a batter with juice, an equal quantity of sweet milk, four eggs to each pint of liquid, and flour sufficient to stiffen; fry like other fritters.--Mrs. H. B. S.





CORN OYSTERS.

To one quart grated corn add three eggs and three or four grated crackers; beat well and season with pepper and salt; have ready in skillet butter and lard or beef-drippings in equal proportions, hot but not scorching; drop in little cakes about the size of an oyster (for this purpose using a tea-spoon); when brown turn and fry on the other side, watching constantly for fear of burning. If the fat is just the right heat, the oysters will be light and delicious, but if not, heavy and "soggy." Serve hot and keep dish well covered.


View page [35]
It is better to beat whites of eggs to a stiff froth and add just before frying.--Mrs. V. G. Hush, Minneapolis, Minn.





CORN OYSTERS.

Mix well together one quart grated sweet corn, two tea-cups sweet milk, one tea-cup flour, one tea-spoon butter, two eggs well beaten; season with pepper and salt, and fry in butter like griddle-cakes.--Mrs. H. B. S.





CREAM FRITTERS.

One and a half pints flour, one pint milk, six well-beaten eggs, one-half nutmeg, two tea-spoons salt, one pint cream; stir the whole enough to mix the cream; fry in small cakes.--Mrs. M. K. P.





CUCUMBER FRITTERS.

Peel four large cucumbers, cut and cook in a sauce-pan with just a little water; mash and season well with salt and pepper, add two beaten eggs and flour to make a thick batter; put a table-spoon of lard in a skillet, make hot, and fry in little cakes.--Mrs. A. H. T., Troy, New York.





SNOW FRITTERS.

Stir together milk, flour, and a little salt, and make a rather thick batter; add new-fallen snow in the proportion of a tea-cup to a pint of milk; have the fat hot before stirring in the snow, and drop the batter into it with a spoon, or bake like pan-cakes on a hot griddle.





VANITIES.

Beat two eggs, stir in a pinch of salt and a half tea-spoon of rose-water, add sifted flour till just thick enough to roll out, cut with a cake-cutter, and fry quickly in hot lard. Sift powdered sugar on them while hot, and when cool put a tea-spoon of jelly in the center of each one. Nice for tea or dessert.--Mrs. D. C. Harrington, Westfield, N. Y.




> GRIDDLE-CAKES.



Griddle-cakes should be well beaten when first made, and are much lighter when the eggs are separated, whipping the yolks to a thick cream, and adding the whites beaten to a stiff froth just


View page [36]
before baking. Some never stir buckwheat cakes after they have risen, but take them out carefully with a large spoon, placing the spoon when emptied in a saucer, and not back again into the batter. In baking griddle-cakes have the griddle clean, and, if the cakes stick, sprinkle on some salt and rub with a coarse cloth before greasing; or, better still, provide a soapstone griddle which needs no greasing. (It must be made very hot, but if greased it is spoiled.) Griddle-cakes may be made with new-fallen snow, in the proportion of a tea-cup of snow to a pint of milk. Fresh snow contains a large proportion of ammonia which renders the cakes light, but which soon evaporates, rendering old snow useless for this purpose.





BUCKWHEAT CAKES.

Buckwheat flour, when properly ground, is perfectly free from grit. The grain should be run through the smutter with a strong blast before grinding, and the greatest care taken through the whole process. Adulteration with rye or corn cheapens the flour, but injures the quality. The pure buckwheat is best, and is unsurpassed for griddle-cakes. To make batter, warm one pint sweet milk and one pint water, (one may be cold and the other boiling); put half this mixture in a stone crock, add five tea-cups buckwheat flour, beat well until smooth, add the rest of the milk and water, and last a tea-cup of yeast.
Or, the same ingredients and proportions may be used except adding two table-spoons of molasses or sugar, and using one quart of water instead of one pint each of milk and water.--Miss S. A. Melching.





BREAD CAKES.

Take stale bread and soak over night in sour milk; in the morning rub through a colander, and to one quart add the yolks of two eggs, one tea-spoon salt, one tea-spoon soda, two table-spoons sugar, and flour enough to make a batter a little thicker than for buckwheat cakes, add last the well-beaten whites of the eggs, and bake.





CRUMB GRIDDLE-CAKES.

The night before using put some bread crumbs to soak in one quart of sour milk; in the morning rub through a sieve and add four well-beaten eggs, two tea-spoons soda dissolved in a little


View page [37]
water, one table-spoon melted butter, and enough corn meal to make them the consistency of ordinary griddle-cakes. It is better to beat yolks and whites separately, stirring the whites lightly in just before baking.--Mrs. W. E. Scobey, Kankakee, Ill.





FLANNEL-CAKES.

Make hot a pint of sweet milk, and into it put two heaping table-spoons butter, let melt, then add a pint of cold milk, the well-beaten yolks of four eggs--placing the whites in a cold place--a tea-spoon of salt, four table-spoons potato yeast, and sufficient flour to make a stiff batter; set in a warm place to rise, let stand three hours or over night; before baking add the beaten whites; fry like any other griddle-cakes. Be sure to make batter just stiff enough, for flour must not be added in the morning unless it is allowed to rise again.





CORN CAKES.

One pint corn-meal, one of sour milk or buttermilk, one egg, one tea-spoon soda, one of salt.
A table-spoon of flour or corn starch may be used in place of the egg; bake on a griddle.





INDIAN PANCAKES.

One pint Indian meal, one tea-spoon salt, small tea-spoon soda; pour on boiling water until a little thinner than mush; let stand until cool, add the yolks of four eggs, half a cup of flour in which is mixed two tea-spoons cream tartar; stir in as much sweet milk or water as will make the batter suitable to bake; beat the whites well, and add just before baking.--Mrs. W. W. Woods.





RICE GRIDDLE-CAKES.

Boil half a cup rice; when cold mix one quart sweet milk, the yolks of four eggs, and flour sufficient to make a stiff batter; beat the whites to a froth, stir in one tea-spoon soda, and two of cream tartar; add a little salt, and lastly the whites of eggs; bake on a griddle. A nice way to serve is to spread them while hot with butter, and almost any kind of preserves or jelly; roll them up neatly, cut off the ends, sprinkle them with sugar, and serve immediately.--Mrs. Walter Mitchell, Gallipolis.






View page [38]


SOFT SHORT-CAKE.

One cup sour cream, one tea-spoon saleratus; stir in flour enough to make a batter a little stiffer than for griddle-cakes; bake on a griddle, split open and put on milk and butter.--Harriet O. Backus, West Killingly, Conn.





TOMATO BATTER CAKES.

Make an egg batter as for batter cakes; take and slice large, solid ripe tomatoes, cover with batter and fry on a griddle like any griddle-cakes; season with pepper and salt while frying. Tomatoes so prepared make a nice breakfast dish.--Mrs. G. W. Collins, Urbana.




> YEAST.



There are various ways of making, but the three best kinds are dry, soft hop, and potato yeast. The dry should be made in May or June for summer use, and in October for winter use. In hot and damp weather, dry yeast sometimes loses its vitality; however, many use it on account of its convenience, since there is no danger of its souring in summer or freezing in winter. Soft hop or potato yeast will keep in a cool place one or two weeks in warm weather, and in cold weather five or six weeks, care being taken that it does not freeze. Never add soda to yeast; if it becomes sour it will do to start fresh yeast, but will never make good bread. Potato yeast is made either by boiling and mashing the potatoes, or by grating them while raw, and adding them to the boiling hop water immediately, for if allowed to stand they darken; and the yeast will not be as white.
A good way to prevent the potatoes from darkening is to grate them into a pan half filled with cold water. As grated the potatoes sink to the bottom; when done grating, pour off the water and add the potatoes to the boiling hop water. A stone jar with a close-fitting cover is best to keep yeast in, and should be scalded as often as emptied. In taking out for use, stir up well from the bottom.





DRY YEAST.

Boil two large potatoes and a handful of hops (the latter in a bag) in three pints water; when done, take out potatoes, mash


View page [39]
well, add one pint flour, and pour boiling hot water over all; beat well together, adding one table-spoon salt, one of ginger, and one-half cup sugar; when luke-warm add one cup good yeast and let stand two days (or only one day, if very warm weather), stirring down frequently; add good white corn meal until thick enough to make into cakes about half an inch in thickness; place to dry in the shade where the air will pass freely so as to dry them as soon as possible; turn the cakes frequently, breaking them up somewhat so they will dry out evenly; when thoroughly dried put in a paper sack, and keep in a dry place. A small cake will make sponge sufficient to bake five or six ordinary loaves.--Mrs. E. T. Carson.





HOP YEAST.

Boil four potatoes and a small handful of hops tied in a bag in one gallon water; when the potatoes are done, pour the water over four table-spoons flour in a stone jar, mash and add potatoes; let stand until milk warm, then add one cup hop yeast, stir well and let remain in kitchen cupboard for twelve hours undisturbed; then add half a cup sugar, put in a stone jug, cork tightly and set in a cool place. In summer add one table-spoon ginger and three of salt; shake well and take one cup yeast to three pints water. This yeast will keep sweet for six weeks.--Mrs. J. T. Liggett, Detroit, Michigan.





POTATO YEAST WITHOUT HOPS.

Four good-sized potatoes peeled, boiled and mashed, four table-spoon white sugar, one of ginger, one of salt, two cups flour; pour over this a pint of boiling water, and beat till all the lumps disappear. After it has cooled, add to it one cup good yeast and set away to rise; when risen put in glass or stone jar, cover and set away in a cool place.--Mrs. George H. Rust, Minneapolis, Minn.





POTATO YEAST.

Boil one cup hops in a sack in two quarts water for fifteen minutes, remove sack with hops, add five good-sized Irish potatoes, peeled and grated raw, one cup white sugar, one table-spoon salt, and one of ginger; stir occasionally and cook from five to ten minutes, and it will boil up thick like starch; turn into a jar, and when just tepid in summer, or quite warm in winter, add one-half pint


View page [40]
good yeast (always save some to start with); set jar in a large tin pan, and as often as it rises, stir down until fermentation ceases, when it will be quite thin. Cover closely, and set away in a cool place and it will keep two weeks. When yeast smells sour but does not taste sour it is still good; if it has no smell it is dead. One cup will make six good-sized loaves.--Mrs. D. Buxton.





TO HASTEN MILK YEAST.

Take one tea-cup of wheat "shorts," one tea-spoon salt, one of soda, one of ginger; add boiling water enough to make a thin batter. Two table-spoons or less added to common milk or salt-rising yeast will cause it to rise in an hour or two. If kept in a cool place it will be good for two weeks in winter.





YEAST.

Pare and boil four ordinary-sized potatoes, boiling at the same time in a separate vessel a good handful of hops. When the potatoes are done, mash fine and add, after straining, the water in which the hops were boiled; put into this one cup white sugar and one-half cup salt, and add sufficient water to make one gallon; when cold add one cup of good yeast, let stand in a warm place for a few hours until it will "sing" on being stirred, when it is ready for use. Keep covered in a cellar or cool place--Mrs. C. M.







View page [41]

> CAKE-MAKING.



"LET all things be done decently and in order," and the first to put in order when you are going to bake is yourself. Secure the hair in a net or other covering, to prevent any from falling, and brush the shoulders and back to be sure none are lodged there that might blow off; make the hands and finger-nails clean, roll the sleeves up above the elbows, and put on a large, clean apron. Clean the kitchen table of utensils and every thing not needed, and provide every thing that will be needed until the cake is baked, not forgetting even the broom-splints previously picked off the new broom and laid away carefully in a little box. (A knitting-needle may be kept for testing cake instead of splints.) If it is warm weather place the eggs in cold water, and let stand a few minutes, as they will then make a finer froth, and be sure they are fresh, as they will not make a stiff froth with any amount of beating if old. Grease the pans with fresh lard, which is much better than butter; line the bottom with paper, using six or eight thicknesses if the cake is large, and greasing the top one well. (In some ovens, however, fewer thicknesses of paper would be needed on the bottom, and in some the sides also should be lined with one or two thicknesses.) Sift flour and sugar (if not pulverized) and measure or weigh. Firkin or very salt butter should be cut in bits and washed to freshen a little; if very hard, warm carefully, but in no case allow any of it to melt. Good butter must be used, as the heat develops any latent bad qualities. Beat the yolks of eggs thoroughly, and strain; set the whites away in a cool place until the cake is ready for them, then beat them vigorously in a cool room, till they will


View page [42]
remain in the dish when turned upside down. Sift a part of the measured flour with the baking-powder or soda and cream tartar through a hand-sieve (which should be among the utensils of every housekeeper), and mix thoroughly with the rest of the flour.
In using new flour for either breador cake-making, it can be "ripened" for use by placing the quantity intended for baking in the hot sun for a few hours, or before the kitchen fire.
In using milk, note this: that sour milk makes a spongy, light cake; sweet milk, one that cuts like pound cake; remembering that with sour milk soda alone is used, while with sweet milk baking-powder or soda and cream tartar are to be added.


Having thus gathered the material, beat the butter to a cream, add the sugar gradually, then the milk in small quantities (never use fresh and stale milk in same cake), next the yolks of eggs, then a part of the flour, then a part of the whites, and so on until the whole is used; lastly, add the flavoring. There is great "knack" in beating cake; don't stir, but beat thoroughly, bringing the batter up from the bottom of the dish at every stroke; in this way the air is driven into the cells of the batter, instead of out of them--but the cells will be finer if beaten more slowly at the last, remembering that the motion should always be upward. In winter it is easier to beat with the hand, but in summer a wooden spoon is better. Never beat a cake in tin, but use earthen or stoneware. All cakes not made with yeast should be baked as soon as possible after they are mixed. Unskillful mixing, too rapid or unequal baking, or a sudden decrease in heat before it is quite done, will cause streaks in the cake.





FRUIT CAKE.

Most ladies think fruit cake quite incomplete without wine or brandy, but it can be made equally good on strictly temperance principles, by substituting one-third of a cup of molasses for a wine-glass of brandy.
To facilitate the operation of seeding raisins, pour boiling-water on a few at a time. This will not injure the fruit or cake. To seed, clip with the scissors, or cut with a sharp knife. Do not chop too fine; if for light fruit cake, seeding is all that is necessary. Slice the citron thin, and do not have the pieces too large, or they will cause the cake to break apart in cutting.


View page [43]

Currants should be kept prepared for use as follows: Wash in warm water, rubbing well, pour off water, and repeat until the water is clear; drain them in a sieve, spread on a cloth and rub dry; pick out bad ones, dry carefully in a cool oven, and set away for use. When the fruit is all mixed, cream the butter and sugar--this is very important in all cakes--add the spices, molasses, or liquors, then the milk (if any is used), next the eggs well beaten, adding whites with the flour as previously directed. Always beat whites and yolks separately if many eggs are used, but if only a few, it is just as well to beat both together. Next add the flour (which in making black fruit cake may be browned), prepared with baking-powder or soda and cream tartar, then the flavoring (if any is used), and lastly the fruit dredged with a very little flour.
Some prefer to mix the fruit with all the flour.



In making very large cakes that require three or four hours to bake, an excellent way for lining the pan is the following: Fit three papers carefully, grease thoroughly, make a paste of equal parts Graham and fine flour wet with water just stiff enough to spread easily with a spoon, place the first paper in the pan with the greased side down, and spread the paste evenly over the paper about as thick as pie-crust. In covering the sides of the pan, use a little paste to stick a portion of the paper to the top of the pan to keep it from slipping out of place, press the second paper carefully into its place with the greased side up, and next put in the third paper as you would into any baking-pan, and pour in the cake. Earthen pans are used by some, as they do not heat so quickly, and are less liable to burn the cake.



All except layer cakes should be covered with a paper cap when first put into the oven. Take a square of brown paper large enough to cover well the cake-pan, cut off the corners, and lay a plait on four sides, fastening each with a pin so as to fit nicely over the pan. This will throw it up in the center, so that the cover will not touch the cake. Save the cap, as it can be used several times.



> THE OVEN.


Too much care can not be given to the preparation of the oven, which is oftener too hot than too cool; however, an oven too cold at


View page [44]
first will ruin any cake. Cakes should rise and begin to bake before browning much, large cakes requiring a good, steady, solid heat, about such as for baking bread; layer cakes, a brisk hot fire, as they must be baked quickly. A good plan is to fill the stove with hard wood (ash is the best for baking), let it burn until there is a good body of heat, and then turn damper so as to throw the heat to the bottom of oven for fully ten minutes before the cake is put in. In this way a steady heat to start with is secured. Generally it is better to close the hearth when the cake is put in, as this stops the draft and makes a more regular heat. Keep adding wood in small quantities, for if the heat becomes slack the cake will be heavy. Great care must be taken, for some stoves need to have the dampers changed every now and then, but as a rule more heat is needed at the bottom of the oven than at the top. Many test their ovens in this way: if the hand can be held in from twenty to thirty-five seconds (or while counting twenty or thirty-five), it is a quick oven, from thirty-five to forty-five seconds is "moderate," and from forty-five to sixty seconds is "slow." Sixty seconds is a good oven to begin with for large fruit cakes. All systematic housekeepers will hail the day when some enterprising Yankee or Buckeye girl shall invent a stove or range with a thermometer attached to the oven, so that the heat may be regulated accurately and intelligently. If necessary to move the cake while baking, do it very gently. Be careful not to remove from the oven until done, and do not leave oven door open. Allow about thirty minutes for each inch of thickness in a quick oven, and more time in a slow one. Test with a broom-splint or knitting-needle, and if the dough does not adhere, it is done. Settling away from the pan a little, and stopping its "singing," are other indications that the cake is ready to leave the oven. It should remain in the pan at least fifteen minutes after taking from the oven, and it is better to leave the "cap" on until the cake is carefully removed from the pan and set away, always right side up. A tin chest or stone jar is best to keep it in. Coffee cake should be put away before it is cold, and so closely wrapped in a large napkin that the aroma will not be lost.




View page [45]


SPONGE-CAKE.

The good quality of all delicate cake, and especially of sponge-cake, depends very much upon its being made with fresh eggs. It must be quickly put together, beaten with rapidity, and baked in a rather quick oven. It is made "sticky" and less light by being stirred long. There is no other cake so dependent upon care and good judgement in baking as sponge-cake.
In making white cake, if not convenient to use the yolks that are left, they will keep until the next day by being thoroughly beaten and set in a cool place.
To prepare cocoa-nut,cut a hole through the meat at one of the holes in the end, draw off the milk, pound the nut well on all sides to loosen the meat, crack, take out meat, and set the pieces in the heater or in a cool, open oven over night, or for a few hours, to dry, then grate; if all is not used, sprinkle with sugar (after grating) and spread out in a cool, dry place, and it will keep for weeks. In cutting layer cakes, it is better to first make a round hole in the center, with a knife, or a tin tube, about an inch and a quarter in diameter. This prevents the edge of the cake from crumbling in cutting.





CENTENNIAL CAKE.

Two cups pulverized sugar, one of butter rubbed to a light cream with the sugar, one of sweet milk, three of flour, half cup corn starch, four eggs, half pound chopped raisins, half a grated nutmeg and two tea-spoons baking-powder.--Mrs. A. S. Chapman.





BUCKEYE CAKE.

One cup butter, two of white sugar, four of sifted flour, five eggs beaten separately, one cup sour milk, tea-spoon soda, pound seeded raisins chopped a little; beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the yolks and milk, and stir in the flour with soda well mixed through it; then add the white of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and lastly the raisins dredged with a little flour; bake one and one-half hours. Use coffee-cups to measure. This makes a cake for a six-quart pan.--Mrs. W. W. W.






View page [46]


ALMOND, HICKORY-NUT OR COCOA-NUT CAKE.

Three-fourths pound flour, half tea-spoon salt, fourth pound butter, pound of sugar, tea-cup sour cream, four eggs, lemon flavor to taste, and a tea-spoon soda dissolved in two tea-spoons hot water; mix all thoroughly, grate in the white part of a cocoa-nut, or stir in a pint of chopped hickory-nuts, or a pint of blanched almonds pounded.--Mrs. J. W. Grubbs, Richmond, Ind.





BLACK CAKE.

One pound powdered white sugar, three-quarters pound butter, pound sifted flour (browned or not as preferred), twelve eggs beaten separately, two pounds raisins stoned and part of them chopped, two of currants carefully cleaned, half pound citron cut in strips, quarter ounce each of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves mixed, wine-glass wine and one of brandy; rub butter and sugar together, add yolks of eggs, part of flour, the spice and whites of eggs well beaten; then add remainder of flour, and wine and brandy; mix all thoroughly together; cover bottom and sides of a four-quart milk-pan with buttered white paper, put in a layer of the mixture, then a layer of the fruit (first dredging the fruit with flour), until pan is filled up three or four inches, and then bake four hours. A small cup of Orleans molasses makes the cake blacker and more moist, but for this it is not necessary to add more flour. Bake three and one-half or four hours in a slow oven.--Mrs. M. M. Munsell, Delaware.





BLACK CAKE.

One pound butter, one of brown sugar, one of flour, one of raisins, one of currants, half pound citron, table-spoon each cinnamon, allspice and cloves, ten eggs the whites and yolks beaten separately, three tea-spoons baking-powder; add just before baking a wine-glass brandy, or third cup good molasses; seed raisins, chop citron fine, and wash and dry the currants; mix butter and sugar, add the eggs, and lastly the flour in which the fruit, spices and baking-powder having been well mixed; bake in a six-quart pan four hours.--Miss Mary Sealls, Mt. Vernon.





BLACK CAKE.

One pound flour; one of currants, one of raisins, one of sugar,


View page [47]
half pound citron, half pound chopped figs, three-fourths pound butter, ten eggs leaving out two whites, tea-cup molasses, one of sour cream and soda, one gill brandy or good whisky, half cup cinnamon, two table-spoons allspice and cloves, four table-spoons jam.--Mrs. Gov. Kirkwood, Iowa.





BLACK CAKE.

Two cups brown sugar, one and one-half cups of butter, six eggs beaten separately, three cups flour (brown the flour), two table-spoons molasses, one of cinnamon, one tea-spoon mace, one of cloves, two cups sweet milk, two pounds raisins, two of currants, a half pound citron, one tea-spoon soda, two of cream tartar. Bake three hours.--Mrs. A. B. Morey.





BREAKFAST CAKE.

One cup Orleans molasses, one of brown sugar, one of shortening (butter and lard mixed), one of cold coffee, four of flour, one tea-spoon soda in the coffee, one each of cloves, cinnamon and allspice, and one nutmeg. Add fruit if desired.





BUFORD CAKE.

One quart flour, one pint sugar, a cup butter, a cup sweet milk, four eggs, spices of all kinds in small quantities, tea-spoon soda, two of cream tartar, half pound raisins, half pound currants; this quantity will make two large loaves.--Mrs. Gov. D. H. Chamberlain, South Carolina.





BREAD CAKE.

Three coffee-cups yeast dough, light enough to bake for bread, two and two-thirds cups sugar, one cup butter, three eggs, one nutmeg; put all together and work with the hands until smooth as pound-cake. It is very important that all should be mixed very thoroughly with the light dough. Add raisins and as much fruit as desired and let rise half an hour in the pans in which you bake. The oven should be about right for bread. This is easily made and is quite as nice as common loaf-cake.--Mrs. Chas. Fullington.





BREAD CAKE.

Two cups light bread dough, one and one-half cups sugar, half cup butter, three table-spoons sour milk in which has been dissolved


View page [48]
half tea-spoon soda, half a grated nutmeg, tea-spoon cinnamon, cup raisins chopped a little and floured; stir all well together, adding fruit lastly, let rise half an hour and bake in a moderate oven.--Mrs. Hartle, Massillon.





BRIDE'S CAKE.

Whites of twelve eggs, three cups sugar, small cup butter, a cup sweet milk, four small cups flour, half cup corn starch, two tea-spoons baking-powder, lemon to taste. Adding a cup citron sliced thin and dusted with flour, makes a beautiful citron cake.--Mrs. Harvey Clark, Piqua.





CREAM CAKE.

Put two cups flour in a crock and mix with two level tea-spoons cream tartar and one of soda, make well in the center into which put one cup sugar, one of sweet cream, one egg and small tea-spoon salt; mix all quickly together, flavor with tea-spoon lemon; put in pan to bake. Add cup raisins, or currants if you like and it makes a nice cake pudding to eat hot with sauce.
Sour cream can be used instead of sweet by omitting the cream tartar and using two eggs instead of one.--Miss Sarah Cryder.





WHIPPED-CREAM CAKE.

One cup sugar, two eggs, two table-spoons softened butter and four of milk; beat all well together, add a cup of flour in which has been mixed tea-spoon cream tartar and half tea-spoon soda. Bake in rather small square dripping-pan. When cake is cool have ready a half pint sweet cream whipped to a stiff froth, sweeten and flavor to taste, spread over cake and serve while fresh. The cream will froth easier to be made cold by setting on ice before whipping.--Mrs. Wm. Brown, Massillon.





CORN-STARCH CAKE.

Two coffee-cups pulverized sugar, three-fourths cup butter, cup corn starch dissolved in a cup of sweet milk, two cups flour, whites of seven eggs, two tea-spoons cream tartar, tea-spoon soda mixed thoroughly with the flour; cream butter and sugar, add starch and milk, then add the whites and flour gradually until all is used. Flavor with lemon or rose.--Mrs. W. P. Anderson.






View page [49]


COFFEE CAKE.

Two cups brown sugar, one of butter, one of molasses, one of strong coffee as prepared for the table, four eggs, one tea-spoon saleratus, two of cinnamon, two of cloves, one of grated nutmeg, pound raisins, one of currants, four cups flour.--Mrs. Wm. Skinner, Battle Creek, Mich.





COFFEE CAKE.

One cup brown sugar, cup molasses, half cup butter, cup strong coffee, one egg or yolks of two, four even cups flour, heaping tea-spoon soda in the flour, table-spoon cinnamon, tea-spoon cloves, two pounds raisins, fourth pound citron, Soften the butter, beat with the sugar, add the egg, spices, molasses and coffee, then the flour, and lastly the fruit dredged with a little flour. Bake one hour in moderate oven or make in two small loaves which will bake in a short time.--Mrs. D. Buxton.





COCOA-NUT CAKE.

One cup butter, three of sugar, one of sweet milk, four and a half of flour, four eggs with whites beaten to a stiff froth, a tea-spoon of soda, two of cream tartar, one grated cocoa-nut.--Mrs. J. Holland, New Castle, Ind.





CARAMEL CAKE.

One cup butter, two of sugar, a scant cup milk, one and a half cups flour, cup corn starch, whites of seven eggs, three tea-spoons baking-powder in the flour; bake in a long pan. Take half pound brown sugar, scant quarter pound chocolate, half cup milk, butter size of an egg, two tea-spoons vanilla; mix thoroughly and cook as syrup until stiff enough to spread; spread on cake and set in the oven to dry.--Mrs. George Bever.





CINCINNATI CAKE.

Pour over one pound fat pork chopped fine one pint boiling water, two cups brown sugar, one of molasses, one table-spoon each of cloves and nutmeg, and two of cinnamon, two pounds raisins, fourth pound citron, half glass brandy, tea-spoon salt, three of baking-powder, and seven cups of sifted flour. Bake slowly two and a half hours.--Mrs. G. E. Kinney.






View page [50]


CUP-CAKE.

One pound flour, one pound sugar, half pound butter, eight eggs beaten separately, a nutmeg, a cup milk, two tea-spoons yeast-powder; cream butter with half the flour; mix yeast powder with the remaining portion of the flour, sift it into the batter, add the sugar and eggs which have been beaten together, and put it all into the pans.--Mrs. Gov. Hendricks, Indiana.





CIDER CAKE.

Six cups flour, three of sugar, one of butter, one of sour cider, tea-spoon soda, four eggs; beat the eggs, butter and sugar to a cream, stir in the flour, and then add the cider in which the soda has been dissolved.--Miss Mary A. Dugan.





CHOCOLATE CAKE.

One cup butter, three of brown sugar, one of sweet milk, four of flour, yolks of seven eggs, nine table-spoons grated Baker's chocolate, three tea-spoons baking-powder. This may be baked as a layer cake, making a white cake of the whites of the eggs, baking in layers, and putting them together with frosting, alternating the layers.--Mrs. Frank Woods Robinson, Kenton.





DELICATE CAKE.

Three cups flour, two of sugar, three-fourths cup sweet milk, whites of six eggs, half cup butter, tea-spoon cream tartar, half tea-spoon of soda. Flavor with lemon.--Miss Mary E. Miller.





DELICATE CAKE.

One cup sugar, small half cup butter, half cup sweet milk, whites of four eggs beaten to a froth, one and a half cups flour, a tea-spoon baking-powder, two of lemon, a cup seeded raisins. Bake slowly.--Mrs. Hyde, Mt. Vernon.





DELICATE CAKE.

Four cups fine white sugar, five of sifted flour, one of butter, one and a half of sweet milk, one tea-spoon soda dissolved in the milk, two of cream tartar, whites of sixteen eggs; stir sugar and butter to a cream, then add whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, next add flour, then the milk and soda; stir several minutes, and then add


View page [51]
cream tartar and flavoring. This makes a large cake.--Mrs. Mary S. Moore, Granville.





EVERLASTING CAKE.

Beat together the yolks of six eggs and three quarters of a pint white sugar, add one and a half pints blanched and shelled almonds, half pound sliced citron well floured, and the whipped whites with one and a half pints sifted flour; pour one and a half inches thick in well-greased dripping-pans, bake in a quick oven, and, when done, cut slices one inch thick across the cake, turn each slice over on its side, return to oven and bake a short time. When cold place in a tin box. These will keep a year and a half or more, and are nice to have in store.--Mrs. J. S. Williams, Brooklyn.





EGGLESS CAKE.

One and a half tea-cups sugar, one of sour milk, three (level) of sifted flour, half cup butter, tea-spoon soda, half tea-spoon cinnamon, half tea-spoon grated nutmeg, tea-cup raisins chopped and well floured.--Miss Louise Skinner.





SALEM ELECTION CAKE.

Four pounds flour, one and a half of sugar, half pound butter, four eggs, one pint yeast, and spice.--One hundred years old.





OLD HARTFORD ELECTION CAKE.

Five pounds sifted flour, two of butter, two of sugar, three gills distillery yeast or twice the quantity of home brewed, four eggs, gill of wine, gill of brandy, one quart sweet milk, half an ounce of nutmeg, two pounds raisins, one of citron; rub the butter and flour together very fine, add half the sugar, then the yeast and half the milk (hot in winter, blood-warm in summer), then add the eggs, then remainder of the milk, and the wine; beat well and let rise in a warm place all night; in the morning beat a long time, adding brandy, sugar, spice, and fruit well floured, and allow to rise again very light, after which put in cake-pans and let rise ten or fifteen minutes; have the oven about as hot as for bread. This cake will keep any length of time.
For raised cakes use the yeast made from Mrs. Buxton's recipe; if fresh-made, it is always a perfect success for cakes. This recipe is over one hundred years old.--Mrs. Eliza Burnham, Milford Center.






View page [52]


APPLE FRUIT CAKE.

One cup butter; two of sugar, one of milk, two eggs, tea-spoon soda, three and a half cups flour, two of raisins, three of dried apples soaked over night and then chopped fine and stewed two hours in two cups molasses; beat butter and sugar to a cream, add milk in which dissolve soda, then the beaten eggs and flour, and lastly the raisins and apples well stirred in; pour in pan and bake an hour and a half.--Mrs. C. M. Ingman.





FRUIT CAKE.

One cup butter, one of brown sugar, half pint molasses, two eggs, cup sour milk, tea-spoon soda, pound of flour, one of currants, one and a half pounds raisins. Flavor to taste.--Mrs. M. E. Nicely.





FRUIT LOAF-CAKE.

One cup butter, two of brown sugar, one of New Orleans molasses, one of sweet milk, three eggs, five cups sifted flour, two tea-spoons cream tartar in the flour, teaspoon soda in the milk, table-spoon cinnamon, one nutmeg, one pound raisins, one of currants, quarter pound citron
(citron may be omitted, and half the quantity of raisins and currants will do). Put flour in a large crock, mix well with cream tartar, make a well in the center, put in other ingredients, having warmed the butter and molasses a little; mix well together with the hands, putting in the fruit last after it has been floured; bake two hours in a moderate oven. This will make two common-sized loaves.--Mrs. N. S. Long.





FRUIT CAKE.

Five cups flour, five eggs, one cup butter, one of lard, two of sugar, one of molasses, one pound raisins, one of currants, half pound citron, half tea-spoon soda, and a half tea-spoon cream tartar.--Mrs. H. E. Roberts, Upper Allen, Ill.





FRUIT CAKE.

Three pounds butter, three of brown sugar, beaten to a cream, three of flour, six of currants, six of raisins, after seeds are removed, one of citron sliced thin, three glasses brandy, twenty-eight eggs, one ounce cinnamon, one of grated nutmeg, three-quarters ounce cloves, half ounce mace; roll the raisins, currants, and citron in part of the flour.--Miss H. D. Martin, N. Y. City.






View page [53]


FRUIT CAKE.

One pound brown sugar, one of butter, one of eggs, one of flour, two of raisins, two of currants, half pound citron, a nutmeg, table-spoon cloves, one of allspice, half pint brandy, and two tea-spoons baking-powder. After baking, while yet warm, pour over cake a half pint wine. This makes the cake delicious.--Miss Angie Skinner, Somerset.





EXCELLENT FRUIT CAKE.

One and a half pounds raisins, one and a fourth pounds currants, three-fourths pound citron, pound butter, pound sugar, one and a fourth pounds flour, ten eggs, two table-spoons lemon, two tea-spoons yeast powder, and a fourth pound flour mixed in the fruit.--Mrs. J. W. Grubbs, Richmond, Ind.





SCOTCH FRUIT CAKE.

A cup butter, two of white sugar, four of sifted flour, three-fourths cup sour milk, half tea-spoon soda, nine eggs beaten separately, one pound raisins, half pound currants, a fourth pound citron; cream the butter and sugar, add milk gradually, then beaten yolks of eggs, and lastly, while stirring in flour, the whites well whipped. Flavor with one tea-spoon lemon and one of vanilla extract, and have raisins chopped a little, or, better still, seeded, and citron sliced thin. Wash and dry currants before using, and flour all fruit slightly. In putting cake in pan, place first a thin layer of cake, then sprinkle in some of the three kinds of fruit, then a layer of cake and so on, always finishing off with a thin layer of cake. Bake in a moderate oven for two hours.--Mrs. J. H. Shearer.





THANKSGIVING FRUIT CAKE.

Six pounds flour, three of butter, three and a half of sugar, an ounce mace, two glasses wine, two glasses brandy, four pounds raisins, half pound citron, six eggs, one pint yeast, small tea-spoon soda put in at last moment. After tea, take all the flour, (except one plate for dredging raisins), a small piece butter, and a quart or more of milk, and mix like biscuit; then mix butter and sugar, and at nine o'clock in the evening, if sufficiently light, put one-third of butter and sugar into dough; at twelve add another third, and very early in the morning the remainder; about eleven o'clock, if


View page [54]
light enough, begin kneading, and continue for an hour, adding meanwhile all the other ingredients. This will make seven loaves.--Mrs. Woodworth, Springfield, Mass.





FEATHER CAKE.

Half cup butter, three of flour, two of sugar, one of milk, three eggs, a little grated lemon, two tea-spoons baking-powder.--Mrs. E. L. C., Springfield.





CHOICE FIG CAKE.

A large cup butter, two and a half of sugar, one of sweet milk, three pints flour with three tea-spoons baking-powder, whites of sixteen eggs, a pound and a quarter of figs well floured and cut in strips like citron; no flavoring.--Mrs. A. B. Morey.





GROOM'S CAKE.

Ten eggs beaten separately, one pound butter, one of white sugar, one of flour, two of almonds blanched and chopped fine, one of seeded raisins, half pound citron, shaved fine; beat butter to a cream, add sugar gradually, then the well-beaten yolks; stir all till very light, and add the chopped almonds; beat the whites stiff and add gently with the flour; take a little more flour and sprinkle over the raisins and citron, then put in the cake-pan, first a layer of cake batter, then a layer of raisins and citron, then cake, and so on till all is used, finishing off with a layer of cake. Bake in a moderate oven two hours.--Mary Wilcox, Dalton.





HARD-MONEY CAKE.

Gold Part.--Yolks of eight eggs, scant cup butter, two of sugar, four of flour, one of sour milk, tea-spoon soda, table-spoon corn starch; flavor with lemon and vanilla.


Silver Part.--Two cups sugar, one of butter, four (scant) of flour, one of sour milk, tea-spoon soda, table-spoon corn starch, whites of eight eggs; flavor with almond or peach. Put in pan, alternately, one spoonful of gold and one of silver.--Miss Emma Fisher.





HAYES' CAKE.

One cup sugar, half cup butter, three eggs beaten well together, level tea-spoon soda stirred in half cup sour milk, two small cups flour; flavor with lemon, pour in small dripping-pan, bake half an hour, and cut in squares.--Miss Flora Ziegler, Columbus.






View page [55]


HICKORY-NUT CAKE.

Two cups sugar, one of milk, two-thirds cup butter, three of flour, three eggs, two tea-spoons baking-powder, a cup nut-kernels cut fine.--Mrs. Judge West, Bellefontaine.





HICKORY-NUT CAKE.

A cup butter, two of sugar, three of flour, one of sweet milk, whites of seven and yolks of two eggs, a tea-spoon soda, two of cream tartar, one pint hickory-nut meats rolled and sprinkled with flour; beat the whites to a stiff froth.--Mrs. A. B. Morey.





IMPERIAL CAKE.

One pound butter and one of sugar beaten to a cream, one pound flour, the grated rind and juice of a lemon, nine eggs, one and a quarter pounds almonds before they are cracked, half pound citron, half pound raisins; beat the yolks light, add sugar and butter, then the whites beaten to a stiff froth, and the flour, reserving a part for the fruit, and lastly, the nuts blanched, cut fine and mixed with fruit and the rest of the flour. This is very delicious, and will keep for months.--Mrs. E. R. May, Minneapolis, Minn.





LADY'S CAKE.

One-half cup butter, one and a half of sugar, two of flour, nearly one of sweet milk, half tea-spoon soda, one of cream tartar, whites of four eggs well beaten; flavor with peach or almond.--Miss M. E. W., Madison.





YELLOW LADY'S-CAKE.

One and a half cups flour, one of sugar, half cup butter, half cup sweet milk, tea-spoon soda, two tea-spoons cream tartar, yolks of four eggs, tea-spoon vanilla.--Olivia S. Hinman, Battle Creek, Mich.





LEMON CAKE.

One pound flour, one of sugar, three-fourths pound butter, seven eggs, juice of one-and rind of two lemons. The sugar, butter, and yolks of eggs must be beaten a long time, adding by degrees the flour, and the whites of eggs last.
A tumbler and a half of sliced citron may be added. This keeps well.--Miss M. B. Fullington.






View page [56]


AUNT HETTIE'S LOAF CAKE.

Two cups sugar and one of butter beaten to a cream, three eggs, the whites beaten separately, three cups flour with one tea-spoon cream tartar stirred in, yolks of the eggs stirred well with the sugar and butter; now add three cups more flour with one tea-spoon cream tartar, one cup sweet milk and the whites of the eggs, and then stir again; add one nutmeg, one pound raisins or currants dredged with flour, one tea-spoon soda dissolved in four table-spoons of water. This makes two nice loaves, and is excellent.





FRENCH LOAF CAKE.

Five cups sugar, three of butter, two of milk, ten of flour, six eggs, three nutmegs, pound seeded raisins, a grated lemon, small tea-spoon soda, wine-glass wine, one of brandy, or, two-thirds of a cup of Orleans molasses.--Mrs. A. S. Chapman.





OLD-FASHIONED LOAF CAKE.

Three pounds flour, one and a fourth pounds butter, one and three-fourths pounds sugar, five gills new milk, half pint yeast, three eggs, two pounds raisins, tea-spoon soda, gill of brandy or wine, two tea-spoons cinnamon and two of nutmeg. All the butter and part of the sugar should be rubbed into the flour at night. Warm the milk, and pour the yeast into it; then mix together, and let rise until light. It is better to set the sponge over night, and in the morning add the other ingredients (flouring raisins), and let rise again. When light, fill baking-pans and let rise again. Bake in a moderate oven. This recipe makes three large loaves.--Mrs. Gov. John J. Bagley, Michigan.





MARBLE CAKE

White Part.--Whites of seven eggs, three cups white sugar, one of butter, one of sour milk, four of flour, sifted and heaping, one tea-spoon soda; flavor to taste.


Dark Part.--Yolks of seven eggs, three cups brown sugar, one of butter, one of sour milk, four of flour, sifted and heaping, one table-spoon each of cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, one tea-spoon soda; put in pans a spoonful of white part and then a spoonful of dark, and so on. Bake an hour and a quarter. Use coffee-cups to


View page [57]
measure. This will make one large and one medium cake.--Mrs. M. E. Smith, Cleveland.





MARBLE CAKE.

White Part.--One and a half cups white sugar, half cup butter, half cup milk, two and a half cups flour, two tea-spoons baking-powder, whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth; flavor to taste.


Dark Part.--Yolks of four eggs, one and a half cups brown sugar, half cup butter, half cup milk, two and a half cups flour, two tea-spoons baking-powder, tea-spoon cinnamon, tea-spoon allspice, quarter tea-spoon black pepper, half a nutmeg; stir butter and sugar, add the milk, then the eggs, and lastly the flour in which the spices and baking-powder have been well mixed; bake one hour. Of course the white and dark parts are alternated, either by putting in a spoonful of white, then of dark, or a layer of white and then of dark part, being careful that the cake may be nicely "marbleized."--Miss Mary Sealts, Mt. Vernon.





MARBLED CHOCOLATE CAKE.

Make a batter as for white cake, take out one tea-cup add to it five table-spoons of grated chocolate, moisten with milk, and flavor with vanilla; pour a layer of the white batter into the baking-pan, then drop the chocolate batter with a spoon in spots, and spread the remainder of the white batter over it.--Mrs. Sarah Phelps, Springfield.





ONE-EGG CAKE.

One cup butter, one and a half cups sugar, three of flour, one of sweet milk, one egg, tea-spoon soda, two tea-spoons cream tartar in the flour, cup raisins chopped fine.--Mrs. A. S. C.





ORANGE CAKE.

Two cups sugar, four eggs, leaving out the whites of two, half cup butter, one of water, two tea-spoons baking-powder, three cups flour, juice, grated rind, and pulp of one orange; use the remaining whites for frosting the top.--Mrs. D. Buxton.





PLAIN CAKE.

Three eggs, one and a half cups sugar, three-fourths cup butter, or butter and lard mixed, tea-spoon soda dissolved in a cup of sour


View page [58]
milk,
tea-spoon lemon, flour enough to make it pretty stiff; bake in quick oven.--Miss Hannah Snell.





CITRON POUND-CAKE.

One pound sugar, one of flour, three-fourths pound butter, eight large or ten small eggs, one and a fourth pound citron finely shredded; cream, butter and sugar, add the yolks, then the flour and well-whipped whites; put layer of batter in cake-pan and sprinkle thickly with citron, then another layer of batter, etc., till pan is filled. Bake slowly one and a half to two hours.--Mrs. J. M. Southard.





PYRAMID POUND-CAKE.

One pound sugar, one of butter, one of flour, ten eggs; bake in a dripping-pan one inch in thickness; cut when cold into pieces three and a half inches long by two wide, and frost top and sides; form on the cake stand in pyramid before the icing is quite dry by laying, first in a circle, five pieces with some space between them; over the spaces between these lay five other pieces, gradually drawing in the column and crowning the top with a bouquet of flowers.--





SOFT POUND-CAKE.

Half pound butter, one of sugar, one of flour, cup sweet milk, five eggs, small tea-spoon soda, two of cream tartar; flavor and add fruit if desired.--Miss Emily L. Burnham, South Norwalk, Conn.





WHITE POUND-CAKE.

One pound sugar, one of flour, half pound butter, whites of sixteen eggs; tea-spoon baking-powder sifted thoroughly with the flour; put in cool oven with gradual increase of heat.
For boiled icing for the cake, take three cups sugar boiled in one of water until clear; beat whites of three eggs to very stiff froth and pour over them the boiling liquid, beating all the time for ten minutes; frost while both cake and icing are warm.--Mrs. Ada Estelle Bever, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.





QUEEN VIC. CAKE.

One pound flour, one of sugar, half pound butter, four eggs, one nutmeg, lemon if desired, gill of wine, one of brandy, one of sweet cream, one pound raisins, two tea-spoons baking-powder in the


View page [59]
flour; rub the butter, sugar and yolks of eggs to a perfect cream, beating a long time; add cream, then flour, and fruit the last thing; bake an hour and a half. This makes two three-pint pans full.--Miss Mattie B. Fullington.





RICE CAKE.

One pound sugar, a pound of ground rice, half pound butter, nine eggs, rose-water to taste; add a little salt, beat butter and sugar together, add rose-water, salt and eggs, lastly the rice; bake in shallow pans.--Governor Rice, Mass.





SPONGE-CAKE.

Six eggs, two tea-cups pulverized sugar; beat yolks and sugar to a cream, add one and a half cups of flour with two small tea-spoons baking-powder in it; then add the whites beaten to stiff froth, and stir all slowly till top is covered with bubbles. Bake in moderately-quick oven.--Mrs. S. M. Guy, Darby Plains.





SPONGE-CAKE.

Three eggs, one and a half cups powdered sugar, two of sifted flour, two tea-spoons cream tartar, half cup cold water, tea-spoon soda, grated rind and half the juice of one lemon; bake in dripping-pan.--Mrs. Eliza J. Starr.





SPONGE-CAKE.

Twelve eggs, pint pulverized sugar, one of flour, measured before sifting, small tea-spoon salt, heaping tea-spoon baking-powder essence of lemon for flavor; beat the whites to a very stiff froth, and add sugar; beat the yolks, strain and add them to the whites and sugar, and beat the whole thoroughly; mix baking-powder and salt in the flour and add last, stirring in small quantities at a time; bake one hour in a six-quart pan in a moderate oven. This makes one very large cake. By weight use one pound pulverized sugar and three-fourths pound flour.--Miss S. Alice Melching.





SPONGE-CAKE.

One pound sugar, one of flour, ten eggs; stir yolks of eggs and sugar till perfectly light; beat whites of eggs and add them with the flour after beating together lightly; flavor with lemon. Three tea-spoons baking-powder in the flour will add to its lightness, but


View page [60]
it never fails without. Bake in a moderate oven.--Mrs. Mary Reynolds, Hamilton.





MAINE SPONGE-CAKE.

Ten eggs, their weight in sugar and half their weight in flour; beat the yolks with the sugar and flavor with lemon; beat the whites to a stiff froth and add them to the yolks and sugar; sift the flour in and stir quickly; it must not be beaten after flour is put in; bake immediately. This will make two thick loaves in six by nine pans.--Mrs. Governor Connor, Maine.





WHITE SPONGE-CAKE.

Whites of ten eggs, a tumbler and a half of pulverized sugar, one of flour, heaping tea-spoon cream tartar, a pinch of salt; put all through the sieve twice, then stir in lightly the eggs beaten to a stiff froth, flavor with vanilla or rose.--Mrs. Governor Ludington, Wisconsin.





PHIL SHERIDAN CAKE.

Four cups sugar, one and a half cups butter, whites of sixteen eggs, five cups flour, two tea-spoons cream tartar with the flour, one tea-spoon soda with one cup sweet milk. Flavor to taste.--Miss Mary Sheridan, Somerset.





SPICE CAKE.

Three pounds seedless raisins, one and a half pounds citron, one pound butter, two and a half coffee-cups sugar, two of sweet milk, six eggs, two large tea-spoons baking-powder, three tea-spoons cinnamon, two of mace, four cups flour.--Mrs. Gov. Potts, Montana.





SILVER CAKE.

Three-quarters pound sugar, three-quarters pound butter, whites twelve eggs, yolks of two, tea-cup sweet milk, three tea-spoons yeast powder, flour to suit; beat yolks and half the sugar till very light, add whites and rest of sugar, butter, and flour enough to make a batter rather stiffer than for pound-cake.--Mrs. Gov. Porter, Tennessee.





SNOW CAKE.

Half tea-cup butter, one of sugar, one and a half of flour, half cup sweet milk, whites of four eggs, tea-spoon baking powder; flavor with lemon.--Mrs. Win. Patrick, Midland, Mich.






View page [61]


SNOW CAKE.

Whites of ten eggs beaten to a stiff froth, sift lightly on this one and a half cups fine white or pulverized sugar, stir well, and add cup flour mixed with tea-spoon baking-powder; flavor with lemon or vanilla.--Mrs. Dr. Koogler, Connersville, Ind.





TEN-MINUTE CAKE.

One-fourth pound butter, a little less than a pound flour, the same of sugar, six eggs beaten separately; flavor with mace and bake in muffin-rings.--Mrs. S. C. Lee, Baltimore, Md.





TILDEN CAKE.

One cup butter, two of pulverized sugar, one of sweet milk, three of flour, half cup corn starch, four eggs, two tea-spoons baking-powder, two of lemon extract.--Mrs. T. B., Chicago, Ill.





TIN-WEDDING CAKE.

Rub one cup butter and three of sugar to a cream; add one cup milk, four of flour, five eggs, one tea-spoon cream tartar, half tea-spoon soda, one-fourth pound citron. This makes two loaves.--Mrs. J. H. Ferris, South Norwalk, Conn.





WATERMELON CAKE.

White Part.--Two cups white sugar, one of butter, one of sweet milk, three and a half of flour, whites of eight eggs, two tea-spoons cream tartar, one of soda dissolved in a little warm water.


Red Part.--One cup red sugar, half cup butter, third cup sweet milk, two cups flour, whites of four eggs, tea-spoon cream tartar, half tea-spoon soda, tea-cup raisins; be careful to keep the red part around the tube of the pan and the white around the edge. It requires two persons to fill the pan.--Mrs. Baxter.





WEDDING CAKE.

One pound white sugar, one of flour, three-fourths pound butter, a dozen eggs, two pounds raisins, two of currants, half pound citron, fourth ounce nutmeg, fourth ounce cloves, half ounce cinnamon, a cup of molasses, and a level tea-spoon soda.--Mrs. M. L. France.





WEDDING CAKE.

Fifty eggs, five pounds sugar, five of flour, five of butter, fifteen of raisins, three of citron, ten of currants, pint brandy, fourth


View page [62]
ounce cloves, ounce cinnamon, four of mace, four of nutmeg. This makes forty-three and a half pounds, and keeps twenty years.--Mrs. C. H. D., Northampton, Mass.





WHITE CAKE.

One cup butter, two of sugar, one of sweet milk, three of flour, whites of five eggs, two tea-spoons baking-powder.--Mrs. Daniel Miller.





WHITE PERFECTION CAKE.

Three cups sugar, one of butter, one of milk, three of flour, one of corn starch, whites of twelve eggs beaten to a stiff froth, two tea-spoons cream tartar in the flour, and one of soda in half the milk; dissolve the corn starch in the rest of the milk, and add it to the sugar and butter well beaten together, then the milk and soda, and the flour and whites of eggs.--Mrs. C. Jones, Bradford, Vt.




> LAYER-CAKES.


In baking layer-cakes, it is important to thoroughly grease the tins--to make it emphatic, we will say thoroughly grease and then grease again--and after using rub off with a coarse towel, taking care that they are perfectly free from all small particles of cake, grease and fill again, thus obviating the necessity of washing every time they are filled. If jelly is used to spread between the layers, it is a good plan to beat it smoothly and spread it before the cakes are quite cool: In "building," an inverted jelly-tin furnishes a perfectly level surface on which to lay and spread the cake, and it may be allowed to remain on it until perfectly cold, when it should be set away in a tin cake-box, in a cool place.



To blanch almonds, pour boiling water over them, let stand a moment, drain and throw them into cold water, slip off the skins and pound.





ALMOND CAKE.

Two cups sugar, three-fourths cup butter, one of sweet milk, two of flour, and one of corn starch well mixed, whites of six eggs, two


View page [63]
tea-spoons cream tartar in the flour, one tea-spoon soda in the milk; cream the butter and sugar, add milk gradually, then the whites of eggs together with the flour, and bake in jelly-tins. To put between layers, take two pounds almonds, blanch and pound fine in a mortar (or a cloth will do), beat whites and yolks of two eggs together lightly, add a cup and a half sugar, then the almonds with one table-spoon vanilla.--Mrs. Harvey Wood.





ALMOND CREAM CAKE.

On beaten whites of ten eggs, sift one and a half goblets pulverized sugar, and a goblet flour through which has been stirred a heaping tea-spoon cream tartar; stir very gently and do not heat it; bake in jelly-pans.
For cream, take a half pint sweet cream, yolks of three eggs, table-spoon pulverized sugar, tea-spoon corn starch; dissolve starch smoothly with a little milk, beat yolks and sugar together with this, boil the cream, and stir these ingredients in as for any cream-cake filling, only make a little thicker; blanch and chop fine a half pound almonds and stir into the cream. Put together like jelly cake while icing is soft, and stick in a half pound of almonds split in two.--Mrs. Paris Gibson, Minneapolis, Minn.





BOSTON CREAM CAKE.

Pour half pint boiling water over a cup butter, and while hot stir in two cups flour. When the whole is very smooth and thoroughly scalded, set away to cool. When cold, break in five eggs, stir until perfectly mixed, then add one-fourth tea-spoon soda. Butter a pan, drop in the mixture, a table-spoon in a place, and bake in a quick oven. When the cakes are done they will be hollow, and the top must be sliced off, the inside filled with cream, and the top replaced.



Cream for Inside.--Pint milk, half cup flour, a cup sugar, and two eggs, stirred together and heated till of the consistency of cream; flavor with lemon.--Mrs. Gov. Noyes, Cincinnati.





BOSTON CREAM PUFFS.

Boil one tumbler of water, add to it scant two-thirds cup butter; while boiling stir in one and a half tumblers flour; when cold add five well-beaten eggs and a table-spoon cold water; drop a spoonful in a place on well-greased tins one and a half inches apart, bake fifteen to twenty minutes in a quick oven; when cool enough to


View page [64]
handle, cut a hole in side,
and fill with cream made as follows: Boil two tumblers sweet milk, add two eggs, and two-thirds coffee-cup white sugar well beaten together, then stir in one-half coffee-cup flour till thick and smooth, and flavor.--Mrs. J. E. Smiffin, Pleasantville, N.Y.





BUCKEYE CREAM PUFFS.

Five eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, one and a half cups each of white sugar and sifted flour, two tea-spoons baking-powder in the flour; bake in tea-cups, filling about half full.
The cream is prepared by placing a small tin pail containing a pint sweet milk in a kettle of boiling water; beat the whites and yolks of two eggs separately; stir in the milk while boiling, a half tea-cup sugar, a large table-spoon corn starch dissolved in a little sweet milk, then the beaten yolks, and a piece of butter the size of a large walnut; flavor with lemon or vanilla. When done cut the cakes open, put in a spoonful of the cream, place together again, roll in the whites, and then in coarse granulated sugar.--Mrs. A. S. Chapman.





FRENCH CREAM CAKE.

Three eggs, one tea-cup granulated sugar, one and a half cups flour, two table-spoons cold water, tea-spoon baking-powder. This is enough for two cakes baked in pie-pans, to be split while warm, spreading the hot custard between them, or for four cakes baked in jelly-pans, with the hot custard spread between them, the latter being the preferable plan.
For custard, boil nearly one pint sweet milk; mix two table-spoons corn starch with a half tea-cup sweet milk; add two well-beaten eggs; when milk has boiled add nearly a tea-cup sugar, and stir in slowly the corn starch and eggs; add a half tea-cup butter stirred until dissolved, flavor with one tea-spoon vanila, and spread between cakes while hot.
This cake can be used as a pudding by pouring over each piece a spoonful of the custard that is left.--Mrs. Charles Morey.





GOLDEN CREAM CAKE.

Cream one cup sugar and one-fourth cup butter, add half cup sweet milk, the well-beaten whites of three eggs, one and a half cups flour, with half a tea-spoon soda, and a tea-spoon cream tartar sifted with it; bake in three deep jelly-tins; beat very light the yolks of


View page [65]
two eggs,
one cup sugar, and two table-spoons rich sweet cream-flavor with vanilla, and spread on cakes; or to yolks add one and a half table-spoons corn starch, three-quarters cup sweet milk and small lump butter; sweeten and flavor to taste, cook in a custard-kettle till thick, let cool, and then spread.--Mrs. J. M. Southard.





ICE-CREAM CAKE.

Make good sponge-cake, bake half an inch thick in jelly-pans, and let them get perfectly cold; take a pint thickest sweet cream, beat until it looks like ice-cream, make very sweet, and flavor with vanilla; blanch and chop a pound almonds, stir into cream, and put very thick between each layer. This is the queen of all cakes.--Miss Mattie Fullington.





ICE-CREAM CAKE.

Two cups sugar, one of butter, three and a fourth cups flour, fourth cup sweet milk (some take two cups flour, one cup corn starch, and one of sweet milk), two tea-spoons baking-powder, whites of eight eggs, flavor and bake in jelly-tins. Boil two and a half cups powdered sugar in a half tea-cup water, stirring constantly; when thick and clear, pour boiling hot over the well-whipped whites of three eggs, beat till nearly cold, flavor and spread on cakes.--Mrs. Dr. D. H. Moore, Wesleyan College, Cincinnati.





COCOA-NUT CAKE.

To the well-beaten yolks of six eggs, add two cups powdered white sugar, three-fourths cups butter, one of sweet milk, three and a half of flour, one level tea-spoon soda and two of cream tartar, white of four eggs well beaten; bake in jelly-cake pans.
For icing, grate one cocoa-nut, beat whites of two eggs, and add one tea-cup powdered sugar; mix thoroughly with the grated cocoa-nut, and spread evenly on the layers of cake when they are cold.--Miss Nettie Miller, Columbus.





COCOA-NUT CAKE.

One cup butter, two of sugar, three of flour, four eggs, one cup sweet milk, one of corn starch, (not filling cups of butter and flour very full if eggs are small,) two tea-spoons cream tartar, one of soda.
Make custard as follows: One cup thick sour cream stirred thin, one


View page [66]
cup sugar, one grated cocoa-nut, one egg beaten separately; spread between layers like jelly cake.--Mrs. Mary S. Moore, Granville.





CARAMEL CAKE.

One and a half cups sugar, three-fourths cup butter, half cup milk, two and a fourth cups flour, three eggs, one and a half heaping tea-spoons baking-powder, or a small tea-spoon soda, and two tea-spoons cream tartar; bake in jelly-tins.
Make caramel as follows: Butter size of an egg, pint brown sugar, half cup milk or water, half cake chocolate; boil twenty minutes (or until thick enough) and pour over cakes while warm, piling the layers one upon the other.
For frosting for top of cake, take whites of two eggs, one and a half cups sugar, a tea-spoon vanilla, three heaping tea-spoons grated chocolate.--Mrs. Ella Snider, Minneapolis, Minn.





DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE.

The whites of eight eggs, two cups sugar, one of butter, three full cups flour, one of sweet milk, three tea-spoons baking-powder; beat the butter to a cream, stir in the sugar, and beat until light; add the milk, then the flour and beaten whites. When well beaten, divide into two equal parts, and into half grate a cake of sweet chocolate. Bake in layers, spread with custard, and alternate the white and dark cakes.
For custard for the cake, add a table-spoon of butter to one pint of milk, and let it come to a boil; stir in two eggs beaten with one cup of sugar, add two tea-spoons of corn starch dissolved in a little milk.--Mrs. J. M. Riddle, Bellefontaine.





CHOCOLATE CAKE.

One cup butter, two of sugar, one of milk, five eggs, leaving out the whites of three, four cups sifted flour, two tea-spoons baking-powder, or one small tea-spoon soda and two of cream tartar in the flour; bake in three layers in deep jelly-tins.
For icing, take whites of three eggs, beaten stiff, one and a half cups powdered sugar, six table-spoons grated chocolate, two tea-spoons vanilla.--Mrs. J. H. Shearer.





"JUST SPLENDID" CUSTARD CAKE.

Two cups sugar, two and a half cups flour, half cup milk, butter size of an egg, whites of ten eggs, two tea-spoons cream tartar, one


View page [67]
soda dissolved in milk.
For custard take three-fourths pint rich sour cream, yolks of four eggs beaten well with two table-spoons white sugar, whites of two of the eggs beaten with the same quantity of sugar, two pounds almonds blanched and chopped very fine; add the beaten yolks to the cream, and beat until as thick as sponge-cake, then add the whites and almonds; flavor with vanilla. Spread thick between the cakes.--Mrs. C. Hawks, Goshen, Ind.





CUP CAKE.

Three cups sugar, one of butter, six of flour, two-thirds pint sour cream, seven eggs (leaving out the whites of two for icing), one even tea-spoon soda in the cream, tea-spoon soda in the flour, one of cream tartar, and one of lemon or vanilla. Bake in pans one inch deep, and when done spread one with icing, and lay the other on top of it, allowing two layers for each cake.--Mrs. Dr. Thompson.





FIG CAKE.

Silver Part.--Two cups sugar, two-thirds cup butter, not quite two-thirds cup sweet milk, whites of eight eggs, three heaping tea-spoons baking-powder thoroughly sifted, with three cups flour; stir sugar and butter to a cream, add milk and flour, and last white of eggs.


Gold Part.--One cup sugar, three-fourths cup butter, half cup sweet milk, one and a half tea-spoons baking-powder sifted in a little more than one and a half cups flour, yolks of seven eggs thoroughly beaten, and one whole egg, one tea-spoon allspice, and cinnamon until you can taste it; bake the white in two long pie-tins. Put half the gold in a pie-tin, and lay on one pound halved figs (previously sifted over with flour), so that they will just touch each other, put on the rest of the gold, and bake. Put the cakes together with frosting while warm, the gold between the white ones, and cover with frosting.--Miss Tina Lay, Clyde, O.





HARD-TIMES CAKE.

Half a cup of butter, two of sugar, one of sour cream, three of flour, three eggs, half tea-spoon of soda; bake in layers and spread with jelly.--Mrs. R. M. Henderson.





JELLY ROLL.

One cup flour, one of sugar, four table-spoons melted butter, two table-spoons water, three eggs, two level tea-spoons cream tartar,


View page [68]
and one of soda sifted in the flour. Put all the ingredients together, beat ten minutes, bake in two long sheets, spread with jelly, and roll up while hot.--Mrs. Wm. Brown, Massillon.





ROLLED JELLY CAKE.

Beat twelve eggs and one pound pulverized sugar together very lightly, then stir in three-fourths pound of flour, making batter as light as for sponge-cake, and thin enough to spread nicely when poured; make up as quickly as possible. Have shallow tin-pans prepared (about twelve by eighteen inches and an inch deep) by lining with thin brown paper, using no grease on pan or paper; pour in batter, spread out with a knife as thin as possible (about half an inch thick), and bake in solid oven. When done, remove from oven, let cool a few minutes, and while still warm, but not hot, turn out of pan upside down. With a brush or soft cloth wet in cold water, brush over the paper and pull it off; spread cake thin with jelly and roll it up, being careful to place the outer edge of roll against something so that it will not unroll until cold. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. If baked in pans such as are described above, the recipe will make two rolls, each twelve inches long, which should be cut in two, making four rolls. Use no baking-powder, as it makes the cake too brittle. Many use none in sponge-cake. The paper lining should be larger than pan, to lift out the cake by taking hold of the projecting edges.--C. W. Cyphers, Minneapolis.





KELLEY ISLAND CAKE.

One cup butter, two of sugar, three of flour, four eggs, half cup milk, three tea-spoons baking-powder; bake in jelly-tins.
For filling stir together a grated lemon, a large grated apple, an egg, and a cup sugar, and boil four minutes.--Miss Greeley Grubbs.





LEMON CAKE.

One and one-half cups sugar, one of butter, two and one-half of flour, five eggs beaten separately, four tea-spoons sweet milk, tea-spoon cream tartar, half tea-spoon soda.



For Jelly.--Take coffee-cup sugar, two table-spoons butter, two eggs, and the juice of two lemons; beat all together and boil until the consistency of jelly.
For orange cake use oranges instead of lemons.--Miss Minnie Brown.






View page [69]


LADY'S-FINGERS.

One and an eighth pound of flour, one of powdered sugar, ten eggs; beat eggs and sugar as light as for sponge-cake; sift in with flour one tea-spoon baking-powder and stir slowly. Make a funnel-shaped bag of heavy ticking or strong brown paper; through the hole in the small end push a funnel-shaped tin tube, one-third inch in diameter at small end and provided with a flange at the other to prevent it from slipping quite through; tie the small end of bag firmly around the tube, and you have a funnel-shaped sack with a firm nozzle projecting slightly from the small end. Into this bag pour the batter, over which gather up the bag tightly so that none will run out, press and run the dough out quickly through the tube into a pan lined with light brown paper (not buttered), making each about a finger long, and about as thick as a lead-pencil, being careful not to get them too wide. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, bake in a quick oven, and, when cool, wet the under side of the paper with a brush, remove and stick the fingers together back to back. The bag, when made of ticking, will be useful in making macaroons and other small cakes.--Charles W. Cyphers, Minneapolis, Minn.





MINNEHAHA CAKE.

One and a half cups granulated sugar, half cup butter stirred to cream, whites of six eggs, or three whole eggs, two tea-spoons cream tartar stirred in two heaping cups sifted flour, one tea-spoon soda in half cup sweet milk; bake in three layers.
For filling, take tea-cup sugar and a little water boiled together until it is brittle then dropped in cold water, remove from stove and stir quickly into the well-beaten white of one egg; add to this a cup of stoned raisins chopped fine, or a cup of chopped hickory-nut meats, and place between layers and over the top.--Mrs. E. W. Herrick, Minneapolis, Minn.





METROPOLITAN CAKE.

Two cups sugar, one of butter, one of milk, nearly four cups flour, whites of eight eggs, three tea-spoons baking-powder, flavor with lemon. Bake a little more than three-fifths of this mixture in three jelly-tins, add to the remaining batter one table-spoon


View page [70]
ground allspice, one and a half table-spoons cinnamon, tea-spoon cloves, fourth pound each of sliced citron and chopped raisins; bake in two jelly-tins and put together with frosting, alternating dark and light.--Mrs. Dr. D. H. Moore, Wesleyan College, Cincinnati.





NEAPOLITAN CAKE.

Black Part.--One cup brown sugar, two eggs, half cup butter, half cup molasses, half cup strong coffee, two and a half cups flour, one of raisins, one of currants, a tea-spoon each of soda, cinnamon, and cloves, and half tea-spoon mace.


White Part.--Two cups sugar, half cup butter, one of milk, two and a quarter of flour, one of corn starch, whites of four eggs, small tea-spoon cream tartar; make frosting of whites of two eggs to put between the layers.--Mrs. Calista Hawks Gortner, Goshen, Ind.





ORANGE CAKE.

One cup butter, one of water, two of sugar, four of flour, three eggs, three tea-spoons baking-powder; bake in layers. Take the juice of two large or three small oranges, coffee-cup pulverized sugar, one egg; mix yolk of egg, sugar, and juice together; beat whites to a stiff froth, stir in and spread between the layers.--Mrs. W. B. Brown, Washington, D. C.





ORANGE CAKE.

Four tea-cups sifted flour, three tea-spoons baking-powder stirred into the flour, five eggs with the yolks of two left out, two cups sugar, scant cup of butter, one of milk; bake in thin layers.
For custard take juice and grated rind of one large orange, add the two yolks that were left out, sweeten to taste, place on stove, and stir until thick enough to spread.--Mrs. Sarah Phelps, Springfield.





ORANGE CAKE.

Two cups sugar, half cup butter, three and a half cups sifted flour, half cup sweet milk, three eggs beaten separately, tea-spoon baking-powder mixed in flour; bake in jelly-pans.
For jelly take the juice and grated rind of twooranges, two table-spoons cold water, two cups sugar; set in a pot of boiling water, and, when


View page [71]
scalding hot, stir in the yolks of two well-beaten eggs, and just before taking from the fire stir in the white of one egg slightly beaten, and when cold put between the layers of cake. Frost the top with the other egg. --Miss Mardie Dolbear, Cape Girardeau.





ORANGE CAKE.

Two-thirds cup butter, two small cups sugar, one cup milk, three tea-spoons baking-powder, the yolks of five eggs, three small cups flour; bake in jelly-tins. Whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, juice and grated peel of one orange, sugar to consistency; put this between the layers with white frosting on the top.--Mrs. Gov. Pillsbury, Minnesota.





PEACH CAKE.

Bake three sheets of sponge-cake as for jelly cake; cut peaches in thin slices, prepare cream by whipping, sweetening and adding flavor of vanilla if desired, put layers of peaches between the sheets of cake, pour cream over each layer and over the top.
This may also be made with ripe strawberries.--Mrs. Woodworth, Springfield, Mass.





RIBBON CAKE.

Two and a half cups sugar, one of butter, one of sweet milk, tea-spoon cream tartar, half tea-spoon soda, four cups flour, four eggs; reserve a third of this mixture, and bake the rest in two loaves of the same size. Add to third reserved, one cup raisins, fourth pound citron, a cup of currants, two table-spoons molasses, tea-spoon each of all kinds of spice; bake in a tin the same size as other loaves; put the three loaves together with a little icing or currant jelly, placing the fruit loaf in the middle; frost the top and sides.--Miss Alice Trimble, Mt. Gilead.





FAVORITE SNOW-CAKE.

Beat one cup butter to a cream, add one and a half cups flour and stir very thoroughly together; then add one cup corn starch, and one cup sweet milk in which three tea-spoons baking-powder have been dissolved; last, add whites of eight eggs and two cups sugar well beaten together; flavor to taste, bake in sheets, and put together with icing.--Walter Moore, Hamilton.






View page [72]


SPONGE-CAKE.

Four eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, two tea-cups powdered sugar, half cup corn starch, two cups sifted flour, two tea-spoons baking-powder; mix well together the flour, corn starch, and baking-powder, and add to the eggs and sugar; pour over the whole, stirring briskly, one tea-cup boiling water; flavor as you like. Put in two pans about one inch and a half deep (like jelly-pans), then put between the two cakes when done, a layer of blackberry jam. Bake carefully in a well-heated oven.





THREE-PLY CAKE.

One half cup butter, two cups sugar, three of flour, one of cold water, three eggs, tea-spoon baking-powder; take out about one-third in another dish and add to it one cup raisins, one of currants, a little citron, table-spoon molasses; spice to taste. Bake in three layers and join while warm either with currant jelly or white icing with the fruit layer in center.--Mrs. G. F. Hanford, Harlem, N. Y.





THANKSGIVING CAKE.

Make batter as for cocoa-nut cake (Miss Nettie Miller's). Bake five layers in jelly-tins; make frosting of whites of three eggs, three tea-spoons baking-powder, and three-fourths pound of pulverized sugar; with frosting for first layer mix rolled hickory-nut meats, with that for second layer mix fine-sliced figs, for third with hickory-nut meats, for fourth with figs, and on the top spread the plain frosting, and grate cocoa-nut over thickly.--Mrs. J. S. Robinson.





VELVET SPONGE-CAKE.

Two cups sugar, six eggs leaving out the whites of three, one cup boiling hot water, two and one half cups flour, one table-spoon baking-powder in the flour; beat the yolks a little, add the sugar and beat fifteen minutes; add the three beaten whites, and the cup of boiling water just before the flour; flavor with a tea-spoon lemon extract and bake in three layers, putting between them icing made by adding to the three whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, six dessert-spoons of pulverized sugar to each egg, and lemon to flavor.--Mrs. Wm. Brown, Massillon.






View page [73]


VANITY CAKE.

One and a half cups sugar, half cup butter, half cup sweet milk, one and a half cups flour, half cup corn starch, tea-spoon baking-powder, whites of six eggs; bake in two cakes, putting frosting between and on top.--Olivia S. Hinman, Battle Creek, Mich.





WHITE MOUNTAIN CAKE.

Two cups pulverized sugar, half cup butter beaten to a cream; add half cup sweet milk, two and a half cups flour, two and a half tea-spoons baking-powder in the flour, whites of eight eggs; bake in jelly-tins and put together with icing made by boiling a half tea-cup of water and three tea-cups sugar till thick; pour it slowly over the well-beaten whites of three eggs, and beat all together till cool. Beat before putting on each layer.


Sprinkle each layer thickly with grated cocoa-nut, and a handsome cocoa-nut cake will result.--Mrs. Dr. Stall, Union City, Ind.




> DIRECTIONS FOR FROSTING.



Beat whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add powdered sugar gradually, beating well all the time;
or break the whites into a broad platter, and at once begin adding powdered and sifted sugar, keep adding gradually, beating well all the while until the icing is perfectly smooth (thirty minutes beating ought to be sufficient); lastly, add flavoring (rose, pineapple, or almond for white or delicate cake, and lemon or vanilla for dark or fruit cake). If the cake is rough or brown when baked, dust with a little flour, rub off all loose particles with a cloth, put on frosting, pouring it around the center of the cake, and smooth off as quickly as possible with a knife. If the frosting is rather stiff, dip the knife in cold water. It is better to frost while the cake is still warm. A good general rule for frosting is ten heaping tea-spoons powdered sugar to each white of an egg, and some add to this a tea-spoon of corn starch. As eggs vary in size, the measurement must also vary, and practice only will teach when the frosting is just stiff enough.
If the flavor is


View page [74]
lemon juice, allow more sugar for the additional liquid. It is nice when the frosting is almost cold, to take a knife and mark the cake in slices.





ALMOND FROSTING.

Blanch half pint sweet almonds by putting them in boiling water, stripping off the skins, and spreading upon a dry cloth until cold; pound a few of them at a time in a mortar till well pulverized; mix carefully whites of three eggs and three-quarters pint powdered sugar, add almonds, flavor with a tea-spoon vanilla or lemon, and dry in a cool oven or in the open air when weather is pleasant.





BOILED FROSTING.

Whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one large cup granulated sugar moistened with four table-spoons hot water; boil sugar briskly for five minutes or until it "ropes" from the end of the spoon, turn while hot upon the beaten eggs, and stir until cold.
If preferred, add half pound sweet almonds blanched and pounded to a paste, and it will be perfectly delicious. This amount will frost the top of two large cakes.--Mrs. A. S. C.





FROSTING.

Beat whites of two eggs to a stiff froth, add gradually half pound best pulverized sugar, beat well for at least half an hour, flavor with lemon juice (and some add tartaric acid, as both whiten the icing).
To color a delicate pink, use strawberry, currant or cranberry;
or the grated peeling of an orange or lemon moistened with the juice and squeezed through a thin cloth, will color a handsome yellow. This amount will frost one large cake.--Mrs. W. W. W.





FROSTING WITH GELATINE.

Dissolve large pinch gelatine in six table-spoons boiling water; strain and thicken with sugar and flavor with lemon. This is enough to frost two cakes.--Mrs. W. A. J.





FROSTING WITHOUT EGGS.

To one heaping tea-spoon Poland starch and just enough cold water to dissolve it, add a little hot water and cook in a basin set in hot water till very thick (or cook in a crock; either will prevent its


View page [75]
burning or becoming lumpy). Should the sugar be lumpy roll it thoroughly, and stir in two and two-thirds cups while the starch is hot; flavor to taste, and spread on while the cake is a little warm. This should be made the day before using, as it takes longer to harden than when made with eggs, but it will never crumble in cutting.--Mrs. Ola Kellogg Wilcox.





HICKORY-NUT FROSTING.

Take one or two eggs according to size of cake, a tea-cup of sugar to an egg; chop the meats very fine, mix with frosting and spread on cake as thickly as you choose.--Mrs. A. S. Chapman.





ORNAMENTAL FROSTING.

Draw a small syringe full of the icing and work it in any design you fancy; wheels, Grecian borders, flowers, or borders of beading, look well.--Mrs. M. J. W.





YELLOW FROSTING.

The yolk of one egg to nine heaping tea-spoons pulverized sugar, and flavor with vanilla. Use the same day it is made.--Mrs. J. S. W.





ROSE COLORING.

Mix together one-fourth ounce each of powdered alum and cream tartar, one ounce powdered cochineal, four ounces loaf sugar, and a salt-spoon soda. Boil ten minutes in a pint pure soft water, when cool bottle and cork for use. This is used for jellies cake, ice-cream, etc.--Mrs. W. E. H., Minneapolis.




> CRULLERS AND DOUGHNUTS.


To cook these properly the fat should be of the right heat. When hot enough it will cease to bubble and be perfectly still; try with a bit of the batter, and if the heat is right the dough will rise in a few seconds to the top and occasion a bubbling in the fat, the cake will swell, and the under side quickly become brown. Clarified drippings of roast meat are more wholesome to fry them


View page [76]
in than lard. If the dough is cut about half an inch thick, five to eight minutes will be time enough to cook, but it is better to break one open as a test. When done, drain well in a skimmer, and place in a colander. The use of eggs prevents the dough from absorbing the fat. Doughnuts should be watched closely while frying, and the fire must be regulated very carefully. When you have finished frying, cut a potato in slices and put in the fat to clarify it, place the kettle away until the fat "settles," strain into an earthen pot kept for this purpose, and set in a cool place. The sediment remaining in the bottom of the kettle can be used for soap-grease. Fry in an iron kettle, the common skillet being too shallow for the purpose. Do not eat doughnuts between April and November. Crullers are better the day after they are made.



CRULLERS.

Two coffee-cups sugar, one of sweet milk, three eggs, a heaping table-spoon butter, three tea-spoons baking-powder mixed with six cups flour, half a nutmeg, and a level tea-spoon cinnamon. Beat eggs, sugar and butter together, add milk, spices and flour; put another cup flour on molding-board, turn the dough out on it, and knead until stiff enough to roll out to a quarter inch thick; cut in squares, make three or four long incisions in each square, lift by taking alternate strips between the finger and thumb, drop into hot lard, and cook like doughnuts.--Miss R. J. S.





CRULLERS.

Six eggs, one coffee-cup sugar, six table-spoons melted butter, four of sweet milk, one tea-spoon soda in milk, two tea-spoons cream tartar in the flour, one tea-spoon ginger, half a small nutmeg (or any other seasoning), flour to roll out; fry in hot lard. If the lard is not fresh and sweet, slice a raw potato, and fry before putting in the cakes.--Miss M. B. Fullington.





FRIED CAKES.

One coffee-cup of not too thick sour cream, or one of sour milk and one table-spoon of butter, two eggs, a little nutmeg and salt, one tea-cup sugar, one small tea-spoon soda dissolved; mix soft.--Mrs. S. Watson, Upper Sandusky.






View page [77]


ALBERT'S FAVORITE DOUGHNUTS.

One pint sour milk, one cup sugar, two eggs, one tea-spoon soda, half cup lard, nutmeg to flavor; mix to a moderately stiff dough, roll to half inch in thickness, cut in rings or twists, drop into boiling lard, and fry to a light brown.--Mrs. A. F. Ziegler.





DOUGHNUTS.

One egg, a cup rich milk, a cup sugar, flour enough to roll out, three tea-spoons baking-powder.--Mrs. Jenks, Bellefontaine.





RAISED DOUGHNUTS.

Warm together one pint milk and one small tea-cup lard, and add one cup yeast; stir in flour to make a batter, let rise over night; add four eggs, two and a half cups sugar, two tea-spoons cassia, half tea-spoon soda, and a tea-spoon salt; knead and let rise again; roll, cut out, and let rise fifteen minutes before frying.





TRIFLES.

A quart flour, a cup sugar, two table-spoons melted butter, a little salt, two tea-spoons baking-powder, one egg, and sweet milk sufficient to make rather stiff; roll out in thin sheets, cut in pieces about two by four inches; make as many cuts across the short way as possible, inserting the knife near one edge and ending the cut just before reaching the other. Pass two knitting-needles under every other strip, spread the needles as far apart as possible, and with them hold the trifles in the fat until a light brown. Only one can be fried at a time.--Miss Ettie Dalbey, Harrisburg.




> COOKIES AND JUMBLES.


These require a quick oven. A nice "finishing touch" can be given by sprinkling them with granulated sugar and rolling over lightly with the rolling-pin, then cutting out and pressing a whole raisin in the center of each; or when done a very light brown, brush over while still hot with a soft bit of rag dipped


View page [78]
in a thick syrup of sugar and water, sprinkle with currants and return to the oven a moment.



ADA'S SUGAR CAKES.

Three cups sugar, two of butter, three eggs well beaten, one tea-spoon soda, flour sufficient to roll out.





COOKIES.

One cup butter, two of sugar, one of cold water, half tea-spoon soda, two eggs, and just flour enough to roll.--Mrs. Mary F. Orr.





GOOD COOKIES.

Two cups sugar, one of butter, one of sour cream or milk, three eggs, one tea-spoon soda; mix soft, roll thin, sift granulated sugar over them, and gently roll it in.--Mrs. Judge West.





LEMON SNAPS.

A large cup sugar, two-thirds cup butter, half tea-spoon soda dissolved in two tea-spoons hot water, flour enough to roll thin; flavor with lemon.--Mrs. E. L. C., Springfield.





MOLASSES COOKIES.

Two and a half cups of sugar, half cup molasses, a cup butter, half cup sweet milk, two eggs well beaten, a level tea-spoon soda, and flour enough to roll out.--Miss J. O. De Forest, Norwalk.





NUTMEG COOKIES.

Two cups white sugar, three-fourths cup butter, two-thirds cup sour milk, nutmeg or caraway seed for flavor, two eggs, half tea-spoon soda, and six cups of flour or enough to roll. Roll thin, and bake in a quick oven.





PEPPER-NUTS.

One pound sugar, five eggs, half pound butter, half tea-cup milk, two tea-spoons baking-powder, flour enough to roll.--Mrs. Emma G. Rea.





SAND TARTS.

Two cups sugar, one of butter, three of flour, two eggs, leaving out the white of one; roll out thin and cut in square cakes with a knife; spread the white of egg on top, sprinkle with cinnamon and


View page [79]
sugar, and press a blanched almond or raisin in the center.--Miss Clara G. Phellis.





COCOA-NUT JUMBLES.

Two cups sugar, one of butter, two of cocoa-nut, two eggs, small tea-spoon soda mixed with flour enough to make a stiff batter. Drop heaping tea-spoons on buttered paper in pans.--Miss M. E. C.





JUMBLES.

Three cups sugar, one of butter, four eggs, a tea-spoon soda, and nutmeg or vanilla to flavor. Stir in flour until it will roll; roll out, sprinkle with sugar and roll it in gently, and cut out round, with a hole in the center.--Mrs. J. Holland, New Castle, Ind.





JUMBLES.

One and a half cups white sugar, three-fourths cup butter, three eggs, three table-spoons sweet milk, half tea-spoon soda and one of cream tartar; mix with sufficient flour to roll; roll and sprinkle with sugar; cut out and bake.--Mrs. Mollie Pilcher, Jackson, Mich.




> GINGER-BREAD.


If in making ginger-bread the dough becomes too stiff before it is rolled out, set it before the fire. Snaps will not be crisp if made on a rainy day. Ginger-bread and cakes require a moderate oven, snaps a quick one. If cookies or snaps become moist in keeping, put them in the oven and heat them for a few moments. Always use New Orleans or Porto Rico molasses, and never syrups. Soda is used to act on the "spirit" of the molasses. In making the old-fashioned, soft, square cakes of ginger-bread, put a portion of the dough on a well-floured tin sheet, roll evenly to each side, trim off evenly around the edges, and mark off in squares with a floured knife or wheel cutter. In this way the dough may be softer than where it is necessary to pick up to remove from board after rolling and cutting.




View page [80]


AUNT MOLLY'S GINGER-BREAD.

Three and a half pounds flour, one of butter, one quart molasses, half pint milk, one tea-spoon soda; mix the milk, molasses, and flour together, melt, and add the butter; roll out on the sheets and bake. This recipe is one hundred years old.--Mrs. Woodworth, Springfield, Mass.





ALUM GINGER-BREAD.

Pint molasses, tea-cup melted lard, table-spoon ginger, table-spoon salt, tea-cup boiling water; in half the water dissolve table-spoon pulverized alum, and in the other half a heaping table-spoon soda; stir in just flour enough to knead, roll about half inch thick, cut in oblong cards, and bake in a tolerably quick oven.--Mrs. Wm. Patrick, Midland, Mich.





GINGER-BREAD.

One gallon molasses or strained honey, one and a quarter pounds butter, quarter pound soda stirred in a half tea-cup sweet milk, tea-spoon alum dissolved in just enough water to cover it, flour to make it stiff enough to roll out; put the molasses in a very large dish, add the soda and butter melted, then all the other ingredients; mix in the evening and set in a warm place to rise over night; in the morning knead it a long time like bread, roll into squares half an inch thick and bake in bread-pans in an oven heated about right for bread. To make it glossy, rub over the top just before putting it into the oven the following: One well-beaten egg, the same amount or a little more sweet cream, stirring cream and egg well together. This ginger-bread will keep an unlimited time.
The recipe is complete without ginger, but two table-spoons may be used if preferred.--Over fifty years old, and formerly used for general muster days.





EXCELLENT SOFT GINGER-BREAD.

One and a half cups Orleans molasses, half cup brown sugar, half cup butter, half cup sweet milk, tea-spoon soda, tea-spoon allspice, half tea-spoon ginger; mix all together thoroughly, add three cups sifted flour and bake in shallow pans.--Mrs. S. Watson.



[Editorial note: Handwritten variations (in brackets) to the following recipe for "SPONGE GINGER-BREAD": "One cup sour milk," changed to "One (and 1/2) cup sour milk (and cream); "a half cup butter" change to "did not one"; "two eggs" changed to "1" egg; and "one teaspoon soda" changed to "one teaspoon soda (tablespoon in a little hot water)".]



SPONGE GINGER-BREAD.

One cup sour milk, one of Orleans molasses, a half cup butter two eggs, one tea-spoon soda, one table-spoon ginger, flour to make


View page [81]
as thick as pound-cake; put butter, molasses and ginger together, make them quite warm, add the milk, flour, eggs and soda, and bake as soon as possible.--Mrs. M. M. Munsell.





GINGER COOKIES.

Two cups molasses, one of lard, one of sugar, two-thirds cup sour milk, table-spoon ginger, three tea-spoons soda stirred in the flour and one in the milk, two eggs.--Miss Tina Lay, Clyde.





EXCELLENT GINGER COOKIES.

Put one tea-spoon saleratus in a tea-cup, pour on it three table-spoons boiling water, add four table-spoons melted shortening, fill cup with molasses, and add salt and ginger to the tasete; mix as soft as can be rolled.--Mrs. S. Annie May, Stockbridge, Mass.





GINGER CAKES.

One quart Orleans molasses, pint lard or butter, pint buttermilk, two table-spoons soda, two table-spoons ginger, flour enough to make a stiff batter; pour the molasses and milk boiling hot into a large tin bread-pan in which have been placed the ginger and soda (the pan must be large enough to prevent running over), stir in all the flour possible, after which stir in the lard or butter; when cold mold with flour and cut in cakes. Care must be taken to follow these directions implicitly or the cakes will not be good; remember to add the lard or butter last, and buttermilk, not sour milk, must be used; boil the molasses in a skillet, and after pouring it into the pan, put the buttermilk in the same skillet, boil and pour it over the molasses, ginger and soda.--Mrs. R. M. Henderson.





GINGER DROP-CAKES.

Take three eggs, one cup lard, one of baking molasses, one of brown sugar, one large table-spoon ginger, one table-spoon soda dissolved in a cup of boiling water, five cups unsifted flour; drop table-spoons of this mixture into a slightly-greased dripping-pan, about three inches apart.--Mrs. L. McAllister.





BEST GINGER-DROPS.

Half cup sugar, a cup molasses, half cup butter, one tea-spoon each cinnamon, ginger and cloves, two tea-spoons soda in a cup boiling water, two and a half cups flour; add two well-beaten eggs


View page [82]
the last thing before baking. Baked in gem-tins or as a common ginger-bread, and eaten warm with a sauce, they make a nice dessert.--Mrs. C. Hawks, Goshen, Ind.





GINGER-SNAPS.

Two cups molasses, one of lard, one table-spoon soda, one of ginger, flour to roll stiff.--Miss Mary Gallagher.





HOTEL GINGER-SNAPS.

One gallon molasses, two pounds brown sugar, one quart melted butter, half tea-cup ground cloves, half tea-cup mace, half tea-cup cinnamon, half tea-cup ginger, two of soda.--Mrs. Hattie Clemmons.





MOLASSES CAKE.

Two cups molasses, one scant cup melted butter, two tea-spoons soda in one cup hot water, two tea-spoons ginger or one tea-spoon nutmeg, flour enough to make a stiff batter.--Mrs. S. N. Fuller, New York City.







View page [83]

> CREAMS AND CUSTARDS.



For creams and custards eggs should never be beaten in tin, but always in stone or earthen ware, as there is some chemical influence about tin which prevents their attaining that creamy lightness so desirable. Beat quickly and sharply right through the eggs, beating whites and yolks separately.
When gelatine is used for creams, it is better to soak it for an hour in a little cold water or milk, set in a warm place; when dissolved, pour into the hot custard just after removing from the stove.
For custards the common rule is four eggs, one cup sugar, and one small half tea-spoon salt to each quart of milk. Bake in a baking-dish until firm in the center, taking care that the heat is moderate or the custard will turn in part to whey. The delicacy of the custard depends on its being baked slowly. It is much nicer to strain the yolks, after they are beaten, through a small wire strainer kept for this purpose by every good housekeeper.
For boiled custards or floats the yolks alone may be used, or for economy's sake the entire eggs. Always place the milk to boil in a custard-kettle (made of iron with another iron kettle inside, the latter lined with tin), or, in a pan or pail set within a kettle of boiling water; when the milk reaches the boiling point, which is shown by a slight foam rising on top, add the sugar which cools it so that the eggs will not curdle when added.
Or, another convenient way is to mix the beaten and strained yolks with the sugar in a bowl, then add gradually several spoonfuls of the boiling milk, until the eggs and sugar are heated through, when they may be slowly stirred into the boiling milk. Let remain a few moments, stirring constantly until it thickens a little, but not long enough to curdle, then either set the pail immediately


View page [84]
in cold water or turn out into a cold dish, adding flavoring extracts after removing from the stove. Peach leaves or vanilla beans give a fine flavor, but must be boiled in the milk and then taken out before the other ingredients are added. Boiled custards are very difficult to make, and must have the closest attention until they are finished.





In making charlotte-russe it is not necessary to add gelatine. The filling may be made of well-whipped cream, flavored and sweetened. Fill the mold and set on ice to harden. If preferred, it may be made up in several small molds, one for each person.
In the use of spices it is well to remember that allspice and cloves are used with meats, and nutmeg and cinnamon in combination with sugar. The white part of lemon rind is exceedingly bitter, and the outer peel only should be used for grating. A better way is to rub the rind off with hard lumps of sugar. The sugar thus saturated with the oil of the lemon is called "zest," and is used, pounded fine, for creams, etc.





BOHEMIAN CREAMS.

One quart cream, two table-spoons sugar, one ounce gelatine soaked in water until dissolved; whip half the cream (rich milk may be substituted for cream) to a stiff froth; boil the other half with the sugar and a vanilla bean until the flavor is extracted (or vanilla extract may be added just after it is removed from the fire), take off the fire, add the gelatine, and when cooled a little, stir in the well-beaten yolks of the four eggs. As soon as it begins to thicken, stir steadily until smooth, when add the whipped cream, beating it in lightly. Mold and set on ice until ready to serve.



To flavor with strawberries, strain two pounds berries through a colander, sweeten to taste, add to the dissolved gelatine, set on ice, and when it thickens stir until smooth, add the whipped cream as above, and mold.



To flavor with peach, boil a dozen and a half choice fruit, sweeten and strain through a colander; add the dissolved gelatine and a tea-cup of cream, set on ice, and when it thickens stir until smooth, add the whipped cream, and mold.



To flavor with a pine-apple, cut fine, boil with half a pound pulverized sugar, strain through a colander, add the dissolved gelatine,


View page [85]
set on ice, and when it thickens stir until smooth, add the whipped cream, and mold. Canned pine-apples may be used instead of fresh. In all these, never add whipped cream until the mass is cool and begins to thicken.--Mrs. W. R. Jones, Pittsburgh, Pa.





CHARLOTTE-RUSSE.

One ounce gelatine, one pint sweet milk, one of cream, four eggs, sugar to taste; beat the sugar and yolks of eggs together until light, boil the gelatine in the milk and strain over the eggs and sugar; whip the cream, which must be very cold, to a nice froth and add to the above; flavor with vanilla. Line the dish you wish to serve it in with sponge-cake, and pour the mixture in, then set it on ice till wanted.--Mrs. Gov. Osborn, Kansas.





CHARLOTTE-RUSSE.

Cut stale sponge-cake into slices about half an inch thick and line three molds with them, leaving a space of half an inch between each slice; set the molds where they will not be disturbed until the filling is ready; take a deep tin pan and fill about one-third full of either snow or pounded ice, and into this set another pan that will hold at least four quarts. Into a deep bowl or pail (a whip-churn is better), put one and a half pints of cream (if the cream is thick take one pint of cream and a half pint of milk,) whip to a froth, and when the bowl is full, skim the froth into the pan which is standing on the ice, and repeat this until the cream is all froth; then with the spoon draw the froth to one side, and you will find that some of the cream has gone back to milk; turn this into the bowl again, and whip as before; when the cream is all whipped, stir into it two-thirds cup powdered sugar, one tea-spoon vanilla, and half a box of gelatine, which has been soaked in cold water enough to cover it for one hour and then dissolved in boiling water enough to dissolve it (about half a cup-ful), stir from the bottom of the pan until it begins to grow stiff; fill the molds and set them on the ice in the pan for one hour, or until they are sent to the table. When ready to dish them, loosen lightly at the sides and turn out on a flat dish; have the cream ice-cold when you begin to whip it, and it is a good plan to put a lump of ice into the cream while whipping it.--M. Parloa.






View page [86]


CHARLOTTE-RUSSE.

One quart milk, six ounces sugar, two ounces isinglass; put all into a sauce-pan and on the stove; when dissolved, take off, strain through a sieve and put on ice until it begins to set, then add one cup of wine and flavor to taste; when it begins to set, take one quart cream, beat to a stiff froth, and stir all together. Then take charlotte-russe molds, line them with sponge-cake, with a layer of jelly at the bottom, fill with the custard, and set on ice for two hours.--Mrs. H. B. Sherman.





CHARLOTTE-RUSSE.

One ounce gelatine dissolved in two gills of boiling milk, whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one and a half cups white powdered sugar, one pint thick cream whipped to a froth, and rose-water or vanilla for flavoring; line a large mold with thick slices of sponge-cake, mix the gelatine, sugar, cream, and flavoring together, add lightly the frothed whites of the eggs, pour into mold, set away on ice till required for use. This is an easy and excellent mode of making this most delicate dessert.--Mrs. V. G. Hush, Minneapolis, Minn.





HAMBURG CREAM.

The rind and juice of two large lemons, yolks of eight eggs, one cup sugar; put all in a bucket, set in a pan of boiling water, stir for three minutes, take from the fire, add the well-beaten whites of the eggs, and serve when cold in custard-glasses.--Mrs. C. Fullington.





ITALIAN CREAM.

Soak one-third box gelatine half an hour in cold milk, put a quart milk on to boil, and when boiling stir in yolks of eight eggs well beaten, add one cup and a half sugar and the gelatine; when the custard begins to thicken, take it off and pour into a deep dish in which the eight whites have been beaten to a stiff froth; mix well together and flavor to taste; put in molds, and allow four hours to cool. This cream is much more easily made in winter than in summer.--Mrs. N. P. Wiles, Ripley.






View page [87]


ROCK CREAM.

Boil one cup rice in a custard-kettle in sweet milk until soft, add two table-spoons loaf sugar, a salt-spoon salt; pour into a dish and place on it lumps of jelly; beat the whites of five eggs and three table-spoons pulverized sugar to a stiff froth, flavor to taste, add one table-spoon rich cream, and drop the mixture on the rice.--Miss Libbie S. Wilcox, Madison.





RICE CREAM.

Boil one pint new milk in a custard-kettle, thicken to the consistency of cream with rice flour, sweeten and flavor, set in a cool place; dissolve half an ounce gelatine in half pint cold water, set in a warm place, and when dissolved beat to a froth with an egg-beater, add the well-beaten whites of two eggs, sweeten and flavor, pour in mold and place on rice to cool; turn out on dish, and serve with the rice cream around it.--Miss Alice Trimble.





SPANISH CREAM.

One box Coxe's gelatine dissolved in a pint of cold milk; into two quarts boiling milk, stir one and a half cups sugar, and the yolks of eight eggs; pour all upon the dissolved gelatine, stirring well. When cool add half a pint wine, or flavor with lemon or vanilla, place in dishes and cover with a meringue made of the beaten whites, the juice of one lemon, and one cup sugar; brown in oven two minutes and eat ice-cold.--Susan R. Howard, Brooklyn, New York.





TAPIOCA CREAM.

Soak over night two table-spoons tapioca in one-half tea-cup milk (or enough to cover); bring one quart milk to boiling point; beat well together the yolks of three eggs, half tea-cup sugar, and one tea-spoon lemon or vanilla for flavoring, add the tapioca, and stir the whole into the boiling milk, let boil once, turn into the dish, and immediately spread on the whites. Serve when cold.--Mrs. R. M. Henderson.





WHIPPED CREAM.

Place cream over ice until thoroughly chilled, and whip with an egg-beater or whip-churn until it froths. While whipping, place froth on a sieve, and return to bowl to be re-whipped all that passes


View page [88]
through. When cream is difficult to whip, add to it and beat with it the white of an egg. Sweetened and flavored this is a choice dessert alone, but it may be served in various ways. Baked apples, and fresh or preserved berries are delicious with it. Jelly-glasses, one-third full of jelly and filled up with cream, make a very wholesome and delicious dessert.





WHIPPED CREAM.

One and one half pints good rich cream sweetened and flavored to taste, three tea-spoons vanilla; whip to a stiff froth. Dissolve three-fourths ounce best gelatine in small tea-cup hot water, and when cool pour into the cream; stir thoroughly, pour in molds and set on ice, or in very cool place.--Mrs. Emma Craig, Washington, D.C.





SNOW FLAKE.

One package gelatine, pint cold water, quart boiling water, pint wine, three lemons, three pounds sugar, half small bottle vanilla; put this away until cold; take the whites of six eggs, beat stiff, then beat up with the jelly, and place in molds.--Mrs. Col. Woods, Greensburg, Pa.





APPLE CUSTARD.

One pint of mashed stewed apples, one pint sweet milk, four eggs, one cup sugar and a little nutmeg; bake slowly.--Mrs. G. W. Hensel, Quarryville, Pa.





APPLE SNOW.

Pare, core and bring to boil in as little water as possible six tart apples, cool and strain, beat well and add the well-whipped whites of three eggs, sweeten to taste and beat thoroughly until a dish of snow is the result, flavor with lemon or vanilla, or add the grated rind of a lemon; serve with sweetened cream.
Or make custard of yolks, sugar, and a pint milk, place in a dish, and drop the froth on it in large flakes.--Mrs. T. J. Buxton, Minneapolis, Minn.





BLANC-MANGE.

Dissolve three heaping table-spoons corn starch and three of sugar in one pint of milk; add to this three eggs well beaten, and pour the mixture into one pint of boiling milk, stirring constantly until it boils again; just before taking from the stove flavor to suit the taste and pour into cups or small molds; when cool take out and


View page [89]
place on a glass dish with a mold of jelly in the center. Serve a spoonful of jelly and a sauce of sweetened cream with each mold.--Mrs. E. M. R.





CHOCOLATE BLANC-MANGE.

Half box gelatine, soaked till dissolved in as much cold water as will cover it, four ounces sweet chocolate grated, one quart sweet milk, one cup sugar; boil milk, sugar and chocolate five minutes, add gelatine, and boil five minutes more, stirring constantly; flavor with vanilla, put in molds to cool and eat with cream. If wanted for tea, make in the morning; if for dinner, the night before.
For a plain blanc-mange omit the chocolate.--Mrs. Dr. Houston, Urbana.





RASPBERRY BLANC-MANGE.

Stew nice fresh raspberries, strain off the juice and sweeten it to taste, place over the fire, and when it boils stir in corn starch wet in cold water, allowing two table-spoons of corn starch for each pint of juice; continue stirring until sufficiently cooked, pour into molds wet in cold water and set away to cool; eat with cream and sugar.
Other fruit can be used instead of raspberries.--Mrs. J. P. Rea, Minneapolis, Minn.





CHOCOLATE CUSTARD.

Two sections chocolate dissolved in one quart of milk, one cup sugar, yolks of six eggs, a heaping table-spoon corn starch; beat the yolks, add the sugar and corn starch, stir all slowly in the boiling milk in which the chocolate is dissolved, add a pinch of salt, and let cook a few minutes, stirring constantly; eat cold with white cake.--Miss Burnie Johnson.





CORN MEAL CUSTARD.

One-fourth pound corn meal, one pint milk, boil together fifteen minutes, add one-fourth pound butter, six eggs, rose-water, salt, and sugar to taste.--Mrs. E. M. R.





FLOATING ISLAND.

Make a custard of the yolks of six eggs, one quart milk, a small pinch of salt, sugar to taste; beat and strain yolks before adding to the milk; place custard in a large tin pan, and set on stove, stirring


View page [90]
constantly until it boils, then remove, flavor with lemon or rose, and pour into a dish (a shallow, wide one is best), spread smoothly over the boiling hot custard the well-beaten whites, grating some loaf-sugar and coacoa-nut on the top. Set the dish in a pan of ice-water and serve cold.--Mrs. W. W. W.





GOOD BAKED CUSTARD.

Eight well-beaten eggs, leaving out two whites for the top, three pints milk; sweeten and flavor to taste; bake for two hours in a slow oven. Beat the reserved whites to stiff froth with two table-spoons sugar, spread over the top, and return to oven to brown.





GELATINE CUSTARD.

To one-third package Coxe's gelatine, add a little less than one pint boiling water; stir until gelatine is dissolved, add the juice of one lemon, and one and a half cups sugar; strain through a jelly-strainer into dish for the table, and set in a cool place.
For custard, to one and a half pints milk add the yolks of four eggs (reserving the whites), and four table-spoons sugar; cook and flavor when cool. When required for the table, cut gelatine into small squares, and over them pour the custard. Add four table-spoons powdered sugar to the whites of four eggs well beaten, and when ready for the table, place over the custard with a spoon.--Mrs. W. A. James.





LEMON CUSTARD.

One pound sugar, quarter pound butter, four eggs, cup sweet milk, two crackers, two lemons; beat butter and sugar together until light, add eggs beaten light, next grated crackers, then grated rind and chopped pith of lemon, and one cup milk, the juice of lemon to be added last.--Mrs. Gov. J. P. Cochran, Delaware.





LEMON CUSTARD.

Beat two yolks of eight eggs till they are white, add pint boiling water, the rinds of two lemons grated, and the juice sweetened to taste; stir this on the fire till it thickens, then add a large glass of rich wine, and one-half glass of brandy; give the whole a good


View page [91]
boil, and put in glasses. To be eaten cold.--Mrs. Belle R. Liggett, Detroit, Mich.





SNOW CUSTARD.

Half a package of Coxe's gelatine, three eggs, two cups of sugar, juice of one lemon; soak the gelatine one hour in a tea-cup of cold water, add one pint boiling water, stir until thoroughly dissolved, add two-thirds of the sugar and the lemon juice; beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and when the gelatine is quite cold, whip it into the whites, a spoonful at the time, from half an hour to an hour. Whip steadily and evenly, and when all is stiff, pour in a mold, or in a dozen egg-glasses previously wet with cold water, and set in a cold place. In four or five hours turn into a glass dish. Make a custard of one and one-half pints milk, yolk of eggs, and remainder of the sugar, flavor with vanilla, and when the meringue or snow-balls are turned out of the mold, pour this around the base.--Mrs. Gov. Thayer, Wyoming Territory.





MOONSHINE.

This dessert combines a pretty appearance with palatable flavor, and is a convenient substitute for ice-cream. Beat the whites of six eggs in a broad plate to a very stiff froth, then add gradually six table-spoons powdered sugar, beating for not less than thirty minutes, and then beat in about one heaping table-spoon of preserved peaches cut in tiny bits (or some use one cup jelly). In serving, pour in each saucer some rich cream sweetened and flavored with vanilla, and on the cream place a liberal portion of the moonshine. This quantity is enough for seven or eight persons.--Mrs. H. C. Meredith, Clambridge City, Ind.





ORANGE FLOAT.

One quart water, the juice and pulp of two lemons, one coffee-cup sugar; when boiling, add four table-spoons corn starch, let boil fifteen minutes, stirring all the time; when cold pour it over four or five peeled and sliced oranges, and over the top spread the beaten whites of three eggs; sweeten and add a few drops of vanilla.--Mrs. Wm. Skinner.






View page [92]


ORANGE SOUFFLE.

Peel and slice six oranges, put in a high glass dish a layer of oranges, then one of sugar, and so on until all the orange is used, and let stand two hours; make a soft boiled custard of the yolks of three eggs, one pint of milk, sugar to taste, with grating of the orange peel for flavor, and pour over the oranges when cool enough not to break the dish; beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, stir in sugar, and put over the pudding.--Mrs. Mary A. Livermore, Melrose, Mass.





PRUNE WHIP.

Sweeten to taste and stew three-quarters of a pound of prunes; when perfectly cold, add the whites of four eggs beaten stiff, stir all this together till light, put in a dish, and bake twenty minutes; when cold serve in a larger dish, and cover well with good cream. Mrs. Belle R. Liggett, Detroit, Mich.







View page [93]

> CONFECTIONERY.



Dissolve four pounds white sugar in one quart water; place this in a porcelain kettle over a slow fire for half an hour, pour into it a small quantity of gelatine and gum-arabic dissolved together; all the impurities which rise to the surface skim off at once.
Instead of gelatine and gum-arabic, the white of an egg may be used as a substitute with good results. To make the clarifying process still more perfect, strain through a flannel bag. To make rock-candy, boil this syrup a few moments, allow to cool, and crystallization takes place on the sides of the vessel.
To make other candies bring the syrup very carefully to such a degree of heat that the "threads," which drop from the spoon when raised into the colder air, will snap like glass. When this stage is reached, add a tea-spoon of vinegar or cream tartar to prevent "graining," and pour into pans as directed in the recipes which follow.
To make round stick candies, pull, and roll into shape with well-floured hands as soon as cool enough to be handled. In pulling candy, some grease the hands, others flour them slightly. Colored candies are often injurious, and sometimes even poisonous, and should be avoided.




In baking macaroons and kisses use washed butter for greasing the tins, as lard or salt butter gives an unpleasant taste. After buttering, sprinkling lightly with flour and then shaking it off, is an excellent way to prepare the pan. When powdered almonds are to be used, they should be thoroughly dried in an open oven after blanching, and they will pulverize more easily.



ALMOND MACAROONS.

Pour boiling water on half a pound almonds, take skins off and throw into cold water for a few moments, then take out and pound


View page [94]
(adding a table-spoon essence lemon) to a smooth paste, add one pound of pulverized sugar and whites of three eggs, and work the paste well together with back of spoon; dip the hands in water and roll mixture into balls the size of a nutmeg, and lay on buttered paper an inch apart; when done, dip the hands in water and pass gently over the macaroons, making the surface smooth and shining; set in a cool oven three-quarters of an hour. If this recipe is strictly followed, the macaroons will be found equal to any made by professional confectioners.--Miss L. S. W.





BUCKEYE BUTTER SCOTCH.

Three pounds "coffee A" sugar, fourth pound butter, half tea-spoon cream tartar, eight drops extract of lemon; add as much cold water as will dissolve the sugar; boil without stirring till it will easily break when dropped in cold water, and when done, add the lemon; have a dripping-pan well buttered and pour in one-fourth inch thick, and when partly cold, mark off in squares. If pulled, when partly cold, till very white, it will be like ice-cream candy.--Mrs. J. S. R.





BUCKEYE KISSES.

Beat the whites of four small eggs to a high, firm froth, stir into it half a pound pulverized sugar, flavor with essence lemon or rose, continue to beat until very light; then drop half the size of an egg, and a little more than an inch apart, on well-buttered letter-paper; lay the paper on a half-inch board and place in a hot oven; watch, and as soon as they begin to look yellowish take them out; or, beat to a stiff froth the whites of two eggs, stirring into them very gradually two tea-cups powdered sugar and two table-spoons corn starch; bake on buttered tins fifteen minutes in a warm oven, or until slightly brown.
Chocolate puffs are made by adding two ounces grated chocolate mixed with the corn starch.--Mrs. W. W. W.





BUTTER TAFFY.

Two cups sugar, three quarters cup vinegar, one half cup butter; boil until brittle when tested in water; pour in buttered pans.--Henrietta F. Dwight, Cambridge, Mass.






View page [95]


CENTENNIAL DROPS.

White of one egg beaten to a stiff froth, quarter pound pulverized sugar, half tea-spoon baking-powder; flavor with lemon; butter tins and drop with tea-spoon about three inches apart; bake in a slow oven and serve with ice-cream.
This is also a very nice recipe for icing.--Miss Alice Trimble, Mt. Gilead.





CHOCOLATE CARAMELS.

One cup grated chocolate, four of sugar, two of molasses, two of milk, butter size of an egg, pinch of soda and flour; boil half an hour with quick fire, stirring to keep from burning; pour in pans and mark in squares when nearly cold.--Mrs. J. F. Wilcox, New Haven, Conn.





CHOCOLATE CARAMELS.

One and a half cups grated chocolate, four of brown sugar, one and a half of cold water, piece of butter size of an egg, table-spoon of very sharp vinegar; flavor with two table-spoons vanilla just before removing from fire. Do not stir, but shake the vessel gently while cooking. Boil on the top of stove over a brisk fire until it becomes brittle when tried in water; pour into a well buttered and floured dripping-pan, and check off in squares while soft.--Miss Emma Collins, Urbana.





CHOCOLATE DROPS.

Two and a half cups pulverized or granulated sugar, one-half cup cold water; boil four minutes and beat till cold enough to make into little balls; take half a cake of Baker's chocolate, cut off fine and set where it will melt, and when balls are cool enough, roll in the chocolate. This makes eighty.
Or while making into balls, mold over almond meats, roll in coarse sugar, and you have delicious "cream almonds."--Mrs. O. M. Scott.





COCOA-NUT CARAMELS.

One pint milk, butter size of an egg, one cocoa-nut grated fine (or dessicated cocoa-nut may be used), three pounds white sugar, two tea-spoons lemon, boil slowly until stiff (some then beat to a cream), pour into shallow pans, and when partly cold cut in squares.--Miss Nettie Brewster, Madison.






View page [96]


COCOA-NUT DROPS.

One pound cocoa-nut, half pound powdered sugar, and the white of one egg; work all together and roll into little balls in the hand; bake on buttered tins.--C. W. Cyphers, Minneapolis, Minn.





EVERTON ICE-CREAM CANDY.

Squeeze the juice of one large lemon into a cup. Boil one and one-half pounds moist white sugar, two ounces butter, one and a half tea-cups water, together with half the rind of the lemon, and when done (which may be known by its becoming quite crisp when dropped into cold water), set aside till the boiling has ceased, and then stir in the juice of the lemon, butter a dish and pour in about an inch thick. When cool take out peel (which may be dried), pull until white, draw out into sticks and check about four inches long with a knife.
If you have no lemons, take two table-spoons vinegar and two tea-spoons lemon extract. The fire must be quick and the candy stirred all the time.--Mrs. J. S. R.





GERMAN CAKES.

One pound flour, one of white sugar, quarter pound almonds cut into small pieces, five eggs, grated rind of one lemon; drop this mixture into a large buttered pan, a tea-spoonful in a place, and bake until tinged with brown. Eggs and sugar should be beaten fifteen minutes.--Miss Flora Partridge.





HICKORY-NUT MACAROONS.

Take meats of hickory-nuts, pound fine and add mixed ground spice and nutmeg; make frosting as for cakes, stir meats and spices in, putting in enough to make it convenient to handle; flour the hands and make the mixture into balls the size of marbles, lay them on buttered tins, giving room to spread, and bake in a quick oven.--Mrs. Walter Mitchell, Gallipolis.





HICKORY-NUT CAKES.

One egg, half cup flour, a cup sugar, a cup nuts sliced fine; drop on buttered tins one tea-spoonful in a place, two inches apart. Or, bake like sand tarts.--Mrs. Lamb, Bellefontaine.





LEMON CANDY.

Take a pound loaf-sugar and a large cup water, and after cooking over a slow fire half an hour, clear with a little hot vinegar, take


View page [97]
off the scum as it rises, testing by raising with a spoon, and when the "threads" will snap like glass pour into a tin pan, and when nearly cold mark in narrow strips with a knife. Before pouring into the pans, chopped cocoa-nut, almonds, hickory-nuts, or Brazil-nuts cut in slices, may be stirred into it.--Mrs. V. K. W.





MERINGUES.

One pound granulated sugar, whites of nine eggs. Whip eggs until dish can be inverted without their falling off, and then simply add the sugar, incorporating it thoroughly, but stirring as little as possible. Prepare boards three-fourths of an inch thick, to fit oven, and cover them with strips of heavy brown paper about two and a half inches wide; on these drop the mixture from the end of a dessert-spoon (or use the meringue-bag described in recipe for lady's fingers), giving the meringue the form of an egg, and dropping them about two inches apart on the paper, and bake till a light brown. Take up each strip of paper by the two ends, turn it gently on the table, and with a small spoon take out the soft part of each meringue, strew over them some sifted sugar, and return to oven bottom side up to brown. These shells may be kept for weeks. When wanted for table, fill with whipped cream, place two of them together so as to inclose the cream, and serve. To vary their appearance, finely-chopped almonds or currants may be strewn over them before the sugar is sprinkled over, and they may be garnished with any bright-colored preserve. Great expedition is necessary in making them, as, if the meringues are not put into the oven as soon as the sugar and eggs are mixed, the former melts, and the mixture runs on the paper instead of keeping its egg-shape. The sweeter the meringues are made the crisper will they be, but if there is not sufficient sugar added they will most likely be tough. If damp weather should cause the shells to soften, place them again in the oven to dry.--Miss Sarah Gill, Columbus.





MOLASSES CANDY.

Take equal quantities brown sugar and Orleans molasses, (or all molasses may be used), and one table-spoon sharp vinegar, and when it begins to boil skim well and strain, return to the kettle and continue boiling until it becomes brittle if dipped in cold water,


View page [98]
then pour on a greased platter. As soon as cool enough, begin to throw up the edges and work, by pulling on hook or by hand, until bright and glistening like gold; flour the hands occasionally, draw into stick size, rolling them to keep round, until all is pulled out and cold. Then with shears clip a little upon them at proper lengths for the sticks, and they will easily snap; flavor as you pour the candy out to cool.--Sterling Robinson.





POP-CORN BALLS.

Pop the corn and reject all that is not nicely opened; place a half bushel on a table or dripping-pan; put a little water in a suitable kettle, with one pound sugar, and boil until it becomes quite waxy in cold water; remove from fire and dip into it six or seven table-spoons of gum solution, (made as thick as molasses by pouring boiling water on gum-arabic and letting stand over night); pour mixture over the corn, putting a stick or the bands under the corn, lifting it up and mixing until it is all saturated, let stand a few moments, then flour the hands slightly and press into balls. This amount will make one hundred pop-corn balls such as the street peddlers sell, but
for home eating, omit the gum solution, and use a half pint of stiff taffy made as above for one peck of popped corn. This will make twenty rich balls.--Bert Robinson.





AUNT TOP'S NUT-TAFFY.

Two pints maple sugar, half pint water, or just enough to dissolve sugar; boil until it becomes brittle by dropping in cold water; just before pouring out add a table-spoon vinegar; having prepared the hickory-nut meats, in halves if possible, butter well the pans, line with the meats, and pour the taffy over them.--Estelle and Hattie Hush.





VANITY PUFFS.

Beat five or six whites of eggs very stiff, add a pound of sugar, flavor with lemon or cardamom, cut off about egg-size with a table-spoon, put on buttered paper, and let dry in a cool oven two hours.--Mrs. H. C. Mahncke.







View page [99]

> CANNING FRUITS.


Cleanse the cans thoroughly and test to see if any leak or are cracked. If tin cans leak, send them to the tinner; if discolored inside they may be lined with writing-paper just before using. In buying stoneware for canning purposes, be sure that it is well glazed, as fruits canned in jars or jugs imperfectly glazed sometimes become poisonous. Never use defective glass cans, but keep them for storing things in the pantry; and in buying them, take care that they are free from flaws and blisters, else the glass will crumble off in small particles when subjected to heat. Self-sealers are very convenient, but the heat hardens the rubber rings, which are difficult to replace, so that in a year or two they are unfit for use. For this reason many prefer those with a groove around the top for sealing with wax or putty. The latter is very convenient, as jars sealed with it can be opened readily with a strong fork or knife, and are much more easily cleaned than when wax-sealed. Putty may be bought ready for use, and is soon made soft by molding in the hand. In using it should be worked out into a small roll, and pressed firmly into the groove with a knife, care being taken to keep it well pressed down as the can cools.


Fruit should be selected carefully, and all that is imperfect rejected. Large fruits, such as peaches, pears, etc., are in the best condition to can when not quite fully ripe, and should be put up as soon as possible after picking; small fruits, such as berries, should never stand over night if it is possible to avoid it. The highest-flavored and longest-keeping fruits are best put up without paring, after having carefully removed the down with a fine but stiff brush. Use only the best sugar in the proportion of a half a


View page [100]
pound of sugar to a pound of good fruit, varying the rule, of course, with the sweetness of the fruit. Or, in canning for pies omit sugar, as the natural flavor is better preserved without it, and some prefer this method for all purposes. It is economical, and well worthy of experiment. Cans put up in this way should have a special mark so as to distinguish them from the rest. When ready to can, first place the jars (glass) in a large pan of warm water on the back of the stove, make ready the syrup in a nice clean porcelain kettle, add the fruit--it is better to prepare only enough fruit or syrup for two or three cans at a time--and by the time it is done, the water in the pan will be hot and the cans ready for use. Take them out of the water and set them on a hot platter, which answers the double purpose of preventing their contact with any cold surface like the table, and saving any fruit that may be spilled. Fill as full as possible, and set aside where no current of air will strike them--or, better, wring out a towel wet in hot water and set them on it--let stand a moment or two or until wiped off, when the fruit will have shrunk away a little; fill up again with hot syrup, or, if you have none, boiling water from the tea-kettle will do, and then seal. In canning peaches, the flavor is improved by adding two or three whole peaches, or dropping in the center of the can a few of the stones. For peaches, pears and berries, some sweeten as for eating, let stand until sugar is dissolved (using no water), place on stove in porcelain kettle and keep at boiling point long enough to heat the fruit, and then can in glass jars as directed.


There are several other ways of preparing glass cans for fruit, among them the following: Wring a towel from cold water, double and wrap closely about and under the can so as to exclude the air, and put a cold silver spoon inside and fill; or, put a towel in a steamer, set in the cans, and place over a kettle of cold water, boil the water, and when ready to fill, remove the cans and wrap in a towel wrung from warm water, put a table-spoon rinsed in hot water inside, and fill; or, wash the cans in tepid water, place an iron rod inside, and at once pour in the boiling fruit, but not too fast. In using glass cans with tops which screw on, be sure that the rubbers are firm and close-fitting, and throw away all that are imperfect. When the can is filled to overflowing, put on the top


View page [101]
at once and screw down tightly, and as the fruit and cans cool, causing contraction of the glass, turn down again and again until perfectly air-tight. Wrap as soon as cold with brown wrapping-paper unless the fruit-closet is very dark. Light injures all fruit, but especially tomatoes, in which it causes the formation of citric acid which no amount of sugar will sweeten. The place where canned fruits are kept should also be dry and cool. In canning, use a porcelain-lined kettle, silver fork or broom-splint, and wire spoon or dipper. A steel fork discolors the fruit.


Cans should be examined two or three days after filling, and if syrup leaks out from the rim, they should be unsealed, the fruit thoroughly cooked and kept for jam or jelly, as it will have lost the delicacy of color and flavor so desirable in canned fruits. Pint cans are better for berries than quart. Strawberries keep their color best in stone jars; if glass cans are used for them, they should be buried in sand.


In using self-sealing cans the rubber ring must show an even edge all round, for if it slips back out of sight at any point, air will be admitted. On opening tin cans, remember to pour all the fruit out into an earthen or glass dish. Wines, cider, shrubs, etc., must be bottled, well corked, sealed, and the bottles placed on their sides in a box of sand or sawdust. To can maple syrup, pour either hot or cold into cans or jugs, and seal well.


The fine display of canned fruits at the Centennial Exhibition was prepared as follows: The fruits were selected with great care, of uniform size and shape, and all perfect. They were carefully peeled with a thin, sharp, silver fruit-knife, which did not discolor them, and immediately plunged into cold water in an earthen or wooden vessel to prevent the air from darkening them. As soon as enough for one can was prepared, it was put up by laying the fruit piece by piece in the can, and pouring syrup, clear as crystal, over it, and then, after subjecting the whole to the usual heat, sealing up.



CANNED BERRIES.

Select those the skins of which have not been broken, or the juice will darken the syrup; fill cans compactly, set in a kettle of


View page [102]
cold water, with a cloth beneath them, over an even heat; when sufficiently heated, pour over the berries a syrup of white sugar dissolved in boiling water (the richer the better for keeping, though not for preserving the flavor of the fruit), cover the cans closely to retain heat on the top berries. To insure full cans when cold, have extra berries heated in like manner to supply the shrinkage. If the fruit swims pour off surplus syrup, fill with hot fruit, and seal up as soon as the fruit at the top is thoroughly scalded.--Miss L. Southwick.





PLAIN CANNED BERRIES.

Pick out stems or hulls if any--if gathered carefully the berries will not need washing--put in porcelain kettle on the stove, adding a small tea-cup water to prevent burning at first. When they come to a boil, skim well, add sugar to taste (for pies it may be omitted), let boil five minutes, fill in glass, stone, or tin cans, and seal with putty unless self-sealers are used.
This rule applies to raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, or any of the small berries.





CANNED CURRANTS.

Scald ripe currants, adding a pound sugar to every pound fruit, until the seeds are well heated; spread on plates or platters for a day or two in the sun, when they will be nicely jellied, and put into cans and seal; they will keep for years.--Mrs. Wm. Patrick, Midland, Mich.





GREEN GOOSEBERRIES.

Cook the berries in water until white, but not enough to break them; put into cans with as little water as possible, fill up the can with boiling water and seal; when opened pour off water and cook like fresh berries.--Mrs. O. M. S.





CANNED PEACHES.

Pour boiling water over one peck of large clingstone peaches to remove the fuzz; make a syrup of three pounds sugar and one pint vinegar, using a little water if required to cover the peaches; cook until pretty soft, and can as usual.--Mrs. Frank Stahr, Lancaster, Pa.






View page [103]


CANNED PEACHES.

Have one porcelain kettle with boiling water and another with a syrup made sweet enough with white sugar for the peaches; pare, halve, and drop them into the boiling water, let them remain until a silver fork will pierce them, lift them out with a wire spoon, fill can, pour in all the boiling syrup the can will hold, and seal immediately. Continue in this way, preparing and sealing only one can at a time, until done; boil down the water in first kettle with the syrup, if any is left; if not, add more sugar, and quite a nice marmalade will result. This manner of canning peaches has been thoroughly tested, and is pronounced by the experienced the best of all methods.--Mrs. R. A. Sharp, Kingston.





CANNED PEACHES.

To peel, place in a wire basket such as is used for popping corn, dip into boiling water for a moment, then into cold water, and strip off the skin (this saves both fruit and labor). The fruit must be at a certain stage to be prepared in this way, for if too green it will not peel, and if too ripe it will be too much softened by the hot water. After peeling, seed and place in a steamer over a kettle of boiling water, first laying a cloth in bottom of steamer; fill about half full of fruit, cover tightly, make a syrup in a porcelain kettle kept for fruit alone, let the fruit steam until it can be easily pierced with a silver fork, drop gently for a moment into the hot syrup, place in the cans, fill, cover, and seal.
The above recipe is for canning a few at a time, and is equally nice for pears.--Miss Abbie Curtis, St. Louis, Mo.





CANNED PEACHES.

Pare, halve and seed; make a syrup of a pint granulated sugar to a quart