From Milady's Boudoir

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 163, 28 July 1937, Page 11

From Milady's Boudoir

Hints About The Homt Orease-Proof Paper. ALL grease-prodf paper should fct saved f or it is of value to the cook in a number of ways. Placed over soasting poultry, it prevents the flesh from cooking too rapidly and becoming burnt. It should "be taken off a few minuteg before the bird is removed from the oven, to ensure that the surface is browned to the proverbial "turn." * \ Grease-proof is ideal for delicate fooda dealt wijh on the prihciple of "paperibag" cookery, at one. time sedulously followed, but now little exploited. ha ihe case of fine fish, the most appetising results are gained by wrapping Ihe fish in grease-proof paper, having put om them a few scraps of butter and thin slices of lemon, and cooking them under the grill or in a moderate oven. When it is likely that ihe family may arrive home late for dinner, meat should •be protected in the oven by grease-proof . wrappings, so Ihat it cooks slowly in ita I own steam, and may be left longer than the recipe states without risk. Grease-proof papers, dipped into milk, tightly foMed and tied over jam jars " -when making preserves, will dry in such a way as to form perfectly sealed coverJngs. The slight moisture oonnects the folds and excludes the air. When re-heating home-made tarts, or ready-made pies and patties, greaseproof paper laid over the top will enable sufhcient time to be allowed for re-cooking right to the centre, without Ihe risk of making the pastry dry and darkened. As a rule re-cooked foods come io thet table either cold insidt or burnt outside.

Your Hands. . Are your hands expressive, or ara they stiff and inarticulate? Next to the face, hands can be ihe most eloquent part of the body, .guide-posts to personality and faithful indicatora of character. * Poise and grace both in action and repose are possible for everyone's hands. They need to be flexible and strong, of course, before they can be used to the best of advantage, and there are exercises to help them in this direction. In addition,, prqctice of graceful gestures is essential. Study other people9! • hands and-learn from their misi^kes in the use of their hands as well as from the* example they may set in charminff moyements with ffie hands. How you hold a cigarette, how you pick up a book or shake hands, matter a great 'deal to the appearance. Any-of these actions may be so gracefully done that ihe. hands seem to be attractive" even if they are not so very weiti shaped. H you do any oi these things in an awkward, fumbling way, eVen .the most shapely hands will have their beauty spoiled. In practising band movements, remember that wrists and the mtiscles of the forearms are involved in all hand actions. Clench your fist and feel ihe hardemng of . the forearm muscles. Incidentally, stretching the fingers wide, clendiing the fists and then relaxing the hands is one of the best exercises for strengthening the wrists and the muscles of ihe forearm. A Pretty Dressing Table. One of the prettiest dressmg-tables I haye ever seen was made at home from the most unlikely materials. The mirrorglass door of an old-fasluoned wardrobe formed the top. It was stripped of its framework and placed across the top of two wooden packing cases, which were arranged with the open ends facing the room, and as far apart as necessary to take the mirror. A -little wooden shelf was fixed between the inner sides of the packing cases, a narrow batten on each, about halfway up from ihe floor, forming supports. Shelves were also fitted inside the cases themselves, and all the wood was enamelled powder blue, to match the other fitments in the room. Curtains were" hung . across the openings of ihe boxes. to conceal the contents — shoes, slippers, and bedroom mules in one; hats and paps in the other— and these liangings were made of pale blue glazed ehintz, spotted dark brown. A dressing-stool to match was tnade from a small wooden margarine tub, well Cleaned, and turned upside down, so that the bottom of the tub formed the top of the stool. With a kapok. padded top covered with chintz and a matching chintz frill all round, the stool looked quite decorative. A frameless mirror -fixed to the wall behind • the dressing-table completed the arrangement. The scheme is siinple to carry out and looks most effective. When a home is being modernised, an old-fashioned mir-ror-fronted wardrobe • is discarded as being out of keeping with up-to-date tdeas, and it is useful to know of. an attractive method of making use of the mirrpr.