BEVERAGES.
"The cup that cheers, but not inebriates."
"Polly, put the kettle on."
COOLING DRINK FOR INVALIDS. MRS. RETTA LUCAS.
Two teaspoonfuls arrow root wet with a little cold water, three tablespoonfuls white sugar, juice of half a lemon, and a small piece of rind; stir quickly while you fill a quart pitcher with boiling water. This is a cooling and nutritious drink for the sick.
RASPBERRY VINEGAR. MRS. E. S.
To nine quarts of mashed berries, add one quart of good vinegar; let stand from four days to a week; then squeeze out the juice. Add one quart of sugar to each quart of juice. Boil fifteen minutes; then bottle tightly.
CHOCOLATE. MRS. W. E. THOMAS.
Sc.r.a.pe fine two ounces (two squares) unsweetened chocolate. Use Walter Baker & Co.s No. 1 chocolate. Put into a granite ware pan, add a small cup or sugar, a pinch of salt, and two tablespoons of hot water; let this boil, stirring it constantly, until it is smooth and glossy, like a caramel; then add one large pint of good rich milk, and one pint of hot water; let this come to a boil, stirring constantly; add a tablespoon of corn starch dissolved in a little cold milk or water. When this boils, serve at once, with whipped cream, flavored with a little vanilla.
If you cannot have the whipped cream, pour your chocolate from one pitcher into another, or beat with a whisk until frothy. If you have to use skimmed milk, take more milk and less water. Never omit the salt, as it is very essential to the flavor.
COFFEE. EUGENE DE WOLFE.
Allow one tablespoonful to each cupful. Moisten with whole or half well beaten egg; pour on half pint cold water; let this come to boiling point; then fill up with boiling water. Stop up the nose of the coffee pot, and let stand on stove fifteen to twenty minutes.
INVALID COFFEE. MRS. S. A. POWERS.
Three cups warm water, one cup baking mola.s.ses. Take as much fresh, new bran as this will moisten (not wet); mix thoroughly, and brown in oven exactly like coffee, and to this two pounds of mixed ground Rio and Java coffee; then stir in three well beaten eggs. You will have about ten quarts of mixture when done.
FOR USING.--Take one tablespoonful of this mixture to a cup of boiling water; let boil from fifteen to twenty minutes.
BREAD.
"The very staff of life; the comfort of the husband; the pride of the wife."
DRY YEAST. MRS. W. H. ECKHART.
A large handful of hops put into one quart of water; cover, and let boil five minutes; strain over one pint of flour; beat until your arm aches, and the batter is smooth. When cool, add a cake of good yeast.
When perfectly light, mix stiff with white corn meal, and a little flour; roll out on the kneading board; cut in cakes, and dry. Turn them often.
EVER-READY YEAST. MRS. W. H. E.
Four good-sized perfect potatoes; pare and grate them quickly. Pour boiling water over the grated potato until it thickens like starch; let cool a few moments; then stir in flour to thicken. When milk warm, put in one or two cakes of dry yeast, previously dissolved in a cup of water; let stand twenty-four hours. Use one pint of this with four pints of water for four loaves of bread. Make the sponge either at bed time, or early in the morning. Will keep in a cool place two weeks.
SWEET YEAST. MRS. SUSIE SEFFNER.
Boil four large potatoes in two quarts of water. When done, mash the potatoes, and add one cup of sugar, one-half cup of salt, one-half cup of flour. Boil one pint of hops in the water in which the potatoes were boiled until strength is out; then strain in the jar with other ingredients; stir well. When cool, add one cup of yeast, or one cake of dry yeast; let raise, and put in jar. Keep in cool place.
GOOD BREAD. MRS. SUSIE SEFFNER.
Take six good-sized potatoes; cook until very soft; take from the water, and mash until creamy; turn the water over the potato scalding hot, and stir in flour until the consistency of cake batter. When cool, stir in one cup of good yeast dissolved in a little warm water; let rise over night. First thing in the morning, heat two quarts of water milk warm; add to the yeast; then stir in flour to make a thick sponge; let rise; then work to a stiff dough; let rise again; knead down; let rise again; make into loaves. When light, bake from three quarters to one hour. This makes a large baking.
AN EASY WAY TO MAKE GOOD BREAD. MRS. G. E. SALMON.
FOR THREE LOAVES.--Take three medium-sized potatoes; boil, and mash fine; add two tablespoons of flour; scald with potato water; add one tablespoon of salt, one of lard, and two of sugar. Have one quart of this, and when lukewarm, add one cake of yeast, dissolved. Prepare this at noon; let stand till morning, stirring two or three times.
In the morning, have the flour warm; mix till stiff enough to knead on the board, and knead thoroughly for half an hour; rub melted lard over top, and set in a warm place to rise. When light, make into loaves, handling as little as possible; rub melted lard over top, and let rise again. Bake fifty minutes. When taken from the oven, rub the tops of loaves over with b.u.t.ter. This will keep the crust soft.
COFFEE CAKE. MRS. U. F. SEFFNER.
When the bread is ready for the pans, leave about what you would use for one loaf in the bowl; into that, work one-half cup b.u.t.ter, one-half cup sugar, the yolks of two eggs, and the white of one egg; work thoroughly; set to rise. When light, handle carefully; don"t work or roll it; make into cakes with the hands; put into pie plates; grease the tops with b.u.t.ter; sprinkle on fine bread crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon, mixed. When perfectly light, bake twenty or twenty-five minutes.
BREAD. MRS. BELLE BLAND.
FOR FOUR LOAVES OF BREAD.--Peel five good-sized potatoes; boil until soft, and mash through a colander; then two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one of salt; and five pints of water. When about cold, add one-half medium-sized cakes of yeast, which have been well soaked. Let this stand in a warm place twenty-four hours. In the morning, mix stiff; knead well; let it rise until light; mold into loaves, and when raised again, bake in a moderately hot oven one hour.
COMMUNION BREAD. MRS. S. A. YOUNG.
Take one pint flour, one-half teaspoonful baking powder, a little salt, a teaspoonful b.u.t.ter; rub all together, and then put in enough water to make a stiff dough. Cut dough in two pieces; roll to thickness of heavy pie crust; lay on white paper, and cut into strips one-fourth inch wide. Bake between papers in slow oven.