Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/799

 771 KITCHEN AND COOKERY of egg, and whisk the mixture to a very stiff froth. Take some small souffle cases and fasten a band of foolscap paper round each to come an inch or more above the top of the case. Fill each with the mixture to come lialf an inch or more higher than the top of the case. When the mixture is set, decorate the top of each with a little whipped cream and chopped pistachio nuts. If liked, part of the mixture could be coloured pink, the rest being left white. When the sponge is set, draw off the paper band care- fully, using, if necessary, a warm knife. N.B.— Small paper souffle cases can be bought from 2d. per dozen. If more con- venient, set the sponge in one large mould, or serve it heaped up in a glass dish. SMALL FANCY Lemon sponge CAKES For the mixture : Required : - P'our eggs. Four ounces of castor sugar. Two ounces of butter. Three ounces of Vienna flour. Line a shallow baking-tin with two layers of buttered paper. Break the eggs into a basin and whisk them until they are in a thick froth. Then add the sugar, and whisk well for a few minutes. Next place the basin over a saucepan of hot water over a low fire, and continue whisking until the mixture is thick and " ropy." Take the basin from the fire, and beat the mixture a few minutes longer. Melt the butter gently until it is just oiled. Add about half the butter and half the flour to the mixture, stir them in REMARKS ©H Probably no country possesses a better or more varied supply of vegetables than Great Britain, yet it is only comparatively lately that we have rid ourselves of the accusation that the only garden produce we eat is potatoes, and even these we do not cook successfully. Now, however, the art of dressing vege- tables has made steady and marked progress in this country, and probably equals, if not rivals, the skill of the Swiss, Italian, and German nations, who for so long have, in this matter, been so far ahead of us. Vegetables in general should be cooked as soon as possible after being cut, and eaten directly they are cooked. Most cooks err through cooking vegetables too soon for dinner and then having to keep them hot. lightly, then add the rest of the butter and flour. When all are mixed together, pour the mixture into the prepared tin, and bake in a moderate oven for about half an hour, or until the cake feels spongy, and IS of a delicate biscuit tint. Take the cake out of the tin and make up into various fancy cakes. Stamp some of the cake into small rounds with a cutter, cut these into rounds about an eighth of an inch thick, spread a little jam (any kind without stones) on one round, lay another on top. If liked, the top round could be coated with glace or cho- colate icing. LEMONADE Required : Four lemons. One quart of boiling water. About a dozen lumps of sugar. Wipe the lemons on a clean cloth. Then cut off the rinds very thinly, put- ting them in a jug with the sugar. Carefully remove all pith from the lemons. (Unless this is done, the lemonade v/ill have a bitter flavour.) Slice the lemons into the jug. being careful to take out every pip, for they, like the pith, would give a bitter flavour. Pour on the boiling water, cover the jug, and leave the lemonade until it is cold. Strain it into another jug, see that it is sweet enough, and keep in a cold place until required. N.B. — Home-made lemonade is far more refreshing and wholesome than the bought " fizzy kinds." Orangeade is made in exactly the same way, using oranges in place of lemons. VEQETABILES thus often spoiling both flavour and ap- pearance. Cleaning Vegetables. — All varieties, such as cabbage, spinach, sprouts, cauliflowers, celery, etc., need to be thoroughly washed, not only to remove insects, but also grit. But avoid soaking vegetables in water when it is not necessary. Much discomfort to the cook may be prevented, without the smallest ill-effects to the vegetables, if tepid instead of absolutely cold water is used lor washing them. Hard and Soft Water. — Whenever possible, cook vegetables in perfectly clean rainwater. Hard water spoils the colour, but the injudicious use of soda, which is commonly added to soften the water, ruins the flavour and causes young and tender vegetables