THE CHRISTMAS MENU

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2959, 23 December 1916, Page 5

THE CHRISTMAS MENU

How to Chooso Poultry.—lt is not difficult to tell an old turkey from a young bird. Tho former will have rough legs of a reddish colour; tho latter mil havo logs that aro smooth and black. A good test as to tho freshness of the bird is to talco the beak between tho fingers and try to break it. If it snaps off short you may bo sura that tho bird has been freshly killed. On tho other hand, if tho beak bonds it is a sign that tho turkey has been in cold storage for some time. In the case of geese, tho legs and feet aro red when tho birds aro old, and yellow when they are young. If the bird has been freshly killed, tho feot aro pliable, but with keeping they tend to becoino very stitt. Young fowls havo smooth legs and combs. If tho birds aro old theso aro rough, and on tho breast may he discovered certain long hairs that do not come away with plucking. Sometimes an attempt is made to singo theso hairs away, but it is usually quite easy to feel where they have been by passing tho hand over tho breast of the bird.

Cooking a Goose.—To prevent gooso being greasy, it is a good plan, after it is stuffed with sage and onions, to pare a largo lemon very thin, so that all tho white part remains, and place it insido the goose. Remove just before dishing up. The lomon absorbs nearly all tho excess of fat, and gives a delicious flavour to tho seasoning. It wiil be found full of fat, and should be thrown away.

A delicious pudding in which breadcrumbs are substituted for flour is made as follows:—14lb. breadcrumbs, Jib. suet or butter, Jib. prunes, 1-Jlb. apples, Jib. 6ultanas, Jib. sugar, 2 eggs, a small teaspoonful of mixed spice, a little' milk. Chop prunes (which must first be stoned), suet, and apples very fine. Mix all well together. Put into well-greased basins. Place a pieco of white paper on top, tie down with cloth, and steam for five hours. This pudding is pleasant to eat when cold.

Economical Plum Pudding.—Take Jib. breadcrumbs, Jib. flour, Jib. finely shredded suet, Jib. each of currants, raisins, peel, and brov/n sugar, 1 teaspoonful mixed spice, 2 tablespoonfuls treacle, 1J teaspoonfuls baking powder, 1 egg beaten up with a little milk. Beat all well together, put into a greased basin, and tie down firmly with a floured cloth. Boil for three hours.

Christmas CJakes.—What is known as picture icing is a novel and attractive way of decorating cakes for a juvenile party. First tho cake is frosted with a hard sugar coating. Some chocolate is melted in a small enamelled saucepan and the picture selected which it is desired to copy. A new paint brush with a fine point will be required. Tho background may be worked m with tho tip of tho little finger dipped in chocolate, and the sharp outlines aro painted with the brush. Too much chocolate should not bo used at a timo, and great care must bo taken not to smear the objects. Then white icing may he coloured any tint, and used for cake painting. All kinds of pretty designs can be carricd out in shaded flowers.