Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/416

 KITCHEN AND COOKERY 394 and put awav it will case the work of doing up parcels, and probably save shillings in the year. MANAGEMENT OF THE STOREROOM It is a good plan to have regular times for ordering in a fresh supply of stores, either quarterly, monthly, or weekly, as is most convenient. Only a bad manager sends out dailv for small quantities of sugar, coffee, soap, etc. It is most inconvenient and very bad economy, for some stores are cheaper when bought in larger quantities. All goods should be checked on arrival, and for this reason it is well to use a duplicate order-book. Stores should be given out to the servants at stated times, either at a fixed hour each day or each week. This will save much time and many interruptions for the mistress. BEETLES AND MICE should never be found in an ideal storeroom, so be careful that no crumbs, sugar, or other stores are left about. For this reason a small dustpan and brush should be kept in a convenient place, for unless they can find a meal waiting for them mice and vermin will never come. Lastly, remember the door of the store- room or cupboard must always be kept locked, and the key kept by one responsible A WORD ABOUT THE STORES Tea must be kept in an airtight tin in a cool place. Coffee should not be bought in large quantities, as it loses flavour. To be in perfection it should be roasted and ground daily. It must be kept in airtight recep- tacles. * Sugar of all kinds should be kept in closely covered tins or jars. The best sugar is the cheapest, as it is the sweetest. Flour must be kept in an airtight place, as it soon absorbs moisture, and this turns it musty. " Household " flour, is more nourishing than the finer varieties. Grains of all kinds should be bought in small quantities, otherwise they may get tiny insects in them. Oatmeal soon becomes stale and sour, so should be purchased in small quantities, and kept in a tin. Soap should be bought in large quantities, cut in pieces, arranged on a shelf, so that the air can get to it. It will then dry and harden and waste much less in the witer. Dried fruit should not be bought in large quantities unless in the new fruit season, and it should be stored in jars. Spices are best bought in small quantities, as they soon lose flavour ; they must be stored in airtight tins. FREFARIMG FOR De.ders who like Christmas have. a rich fruit cake for I hope, followed the advdce given in Part II. of Every Woman's E.NXYCLOP^DiA, and made the cake some time ago, wrapped it up in grease-proof paper, and put it away in a warm place to mellow and ripen. It is now time to think of icing it ; but, before giving instructions how to make the various icings, I will give two more cake recipes, one for those who prefer a less rich mixture than the one already given, and one suitable for children. SULTANA CAKE Required : One pound of flour. Half a pound of butter. Half a pound of castor sugar. Half a pound of sultanas. A quarter of a pound of mixed peel. The grated rinds of two lemons. I-ive eggs. One teaspoonful of baking powder. Qii'irter of a pint of milk. Brush a cake-tin over with a little melted butter, then line it with two layers of buttered paper. Cream the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until they are soft and white. Beat the eggs until they are frothy, then add them gradually to the butter and sugar. Beat the mixture thoroughly. Sieve together the flour and baking-powder ; then add them very lightly to the butter, etc. Mix together the chopped peel, cleaned sultanas, and grated lemon-rinds, stir them CHRISTMAS CAKES lightly but thoroughly, lastly add the milk gradually. Put the mixture into the prepared tin, and bake it in a moderate oven for about two hours. To make sure that it is baked through, it is advisable to stick a clean, bright skewer into the middle of it ; if it comes out looking sticky and with mixture adhering to it, the cake requires longer baking. If it is quite clean the cake is done. Take it out of the tin, take off the paper, and put the cake either on a sieve or to lean up against something, so that the steam may escape from it. THE CHILDREN'S CAKE Required : One pound of flour. Half a pound of butter. Half a pound of castor sugar. Five eggs. Two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. - Two lemons. Four ounces of glace cherries or sultanas. Six tablespoonfuls of milk. Prepare the cake. Sieve together the flour and the baking-powder, beat the butter and sugar to a cream; if it is very cold let it soften by the fire, but on no account let it oil. Beat the eggs until they are frothy, add them to the butter and sugar, and beat them well for five minutes. Add the flour very lightly ; the grated rinds and the cherries cut in quarters, or, if preferred, chopped. Stir in the milk. Put the mixture in the prepared tin, and bake the cake carefully H
 * >erson. This is only fair to the maids.