Housekeeper.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 412, 7 April 1904, Page 2

Housekeeper.

A SOFA BLANKET. 9£ns? SOFA blanket of light texture (ar4§! should always be kept in use. SCag e need for the light coverlet thrown over a person when lying down daring the day, even in a warm room, is explained by the reduced circulation of the blood when the body is in a recumbent posture. When one lies down, the heart, especially, is eased temporarily of its regular work. The body depends for warmth on the vigour of the circulation, and, as the blood flows so much more slowly through the veins when one is lying down, the missing warmth most be made up by extra covering. FOOD FRAUDS ABROAD. In Paris snails are popular, and the the adulterators mix them with luage of cattle and hoises. Even entirely artificial snails are manufactured. The shells, recoated with fat and slime, are filled with lung and then sold as 'Burgundy' Bnails. Lovers of fiesh rooster combs are imposed upon by a substitute cut out of hogs' intestines. Chopped artificial truffles are made out of roasted potatoes, which are flavoured by adding ether. They are said to sell well. Fish spoiled in spite of ice and borax is treated with salts of zinc, aluminium, and other metals. Rubbing the fish with vaseline to give it a fresh look and colouring the gills with fresh blood or eoein—a coal tar colour— is. resorted to. The latter is also used to intensify the red , colour of inferior crabs.

Imparting a greenish colour to oysters is another adulteration. An oyster re quires about one month in the beds to acquire the greenish colour. As this is too long a time, the dealers help them them along with an artificial colour. The chemists in the Paris municipal labors* tories have shown that tomato jelly is adulterated with turnips, and powdered pepper contains a large admixture of powdered hardtack. GERMAN POTATO SALAD. Boil six good sized potatoes in their skins, peel, and slice them, and while hot pour over the £6l.owing mixture: Cut half-a-pound of lean bacon in small dice and fry brown, season the potatoes well with pepper, salt, and finely sliced onion. Mix in the bacon, add half a ccp of white vinegar. Garnish with hard-boiled eggs cut in slices. AMERICAN PIE. Cut a pound and a half of lean beefsteak into squares of convenient sise, stew it till tender in water, not quite sufficient to cover the meat; add a tableepoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of chopped lemon thyme, a teaoupful of sliced onion, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and salt to taste. When the meat is tender, thicken the gravy by stirring in a tablespoonful of cornflour, mixed to a smooth paste, with a tablespoonful of Worcestershire sauce. Arrange the meat in a piedißh in alternate layers of thinly sliced boiled ham and slied hard-boiled eggs. Pill the dish with gravy, cover with pastry, and bake only so long as the crust requires. This pie can ba highly recommended as I a dish which is more or less pleasing to j all tastes. i