Household Hints

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 300, 5 October 1910, Page 6

Household Hints

WHEN A CHILD STEALS SUGAR. When the child steals sugar it is not to be regarded as an early manifestation of criminal tendencies, but as the sign of parental negligence. Such, in effect, is the statement made at a public health meeting in Manchester by an eminent surgeon, Mr John Howson Ray, who, of course, ought to know. A child's real need and capacity for sugar, he said, is greater than his parents give him credit for. His bodily growth demands a large sugar supply, and so great is his natural craving for it that stealing is no more than a thing to be looked for where the supply is deficient. But the sugar, he added, should be pure, not sugar in the form of sweets.

STIFF COLLARS DANGEROUS. Women do not perhaps realise that the high stiff collars some are so fond of wearing are not only unbecoming to the majority, as the hard lines accentuate those of the face, but are really somewhat dangerous. Only a month or so ago a young postal clerk in London was asphyxiated by her collar after a fall, and a well-known medical man has since said that in nine cases out of ten the same result would a fainting fit, as the sharp edge of the collar would cut into the throat and press on the windpipe, with a speedy fatal result. The stiffness or "collar supports" now so much worn with transparent collars, were, he said, not quite so bad, but, as they crush the side of the throat, were also dangerous. HOW TO USE APPLES.

Apple Snow. —Pare and steam one dozen good-sized apples, steam them until tender, pass them through a sieve or force them through a patent potato masher; add the white of an egg, and beat with an egg-beater until white and light as a meringue; flavour with sugar and a little lemon juice. Serve with sponge cake. Apple Fritters. —Two eggs, beaten separately, tablespoonful of butter, one cup sweet milk, teaspoonful of baking powder, and enough flour to make a batter a trifle thicker than for pancakes. Add one-half dozen apples, chopped fine, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful of sugar; fry until a light brown, in deep lard, and sift powdered sugar over them when done. Serve hot with sweet sauce or maple syrup.

Apple Sherbert.—-Boil the apples, pared and cored, in sufficient water to float them until they are reduced to a fine pulp; strain them, and to half a pint of water add half a pound of sugar, the juice of a lemon, and, if necessary, a little water; when cold freeze as ice cream.

Apple Cake. —Put a pound of sugar and half a pint of water in the preserving pan, boil it until candied, then add two pounds of apples; the rind and juice of two lemons. Keep the apples under the syrup with the back of the spoon until soft, then stir well, and serve, spread on thin layers of sponge cake.

TO PREPARE CHICKEN. Take a young pullet, trussed for boiling, place in a stew-pan with Jib butter melted; turn it over a few times, take out, and mix with the butter 2oz flour and a pint of white stock (good). Put the pullet in, and add three small onions, a few button mushrooms, parsley, spoonful of lemon juice, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and a bay leaf. Stew gently for one hour. When done, dish and keep hot. Strain the gravy, and mix with it the beaten yolk of an egg; stir over fire to thicken (upon no account allow it to boil, or it will curdle). Pour over the chicken, and garnish with slices of lemon.

HOP-TOP SOUP. In the spring take a large quantity of hop-tops when they are in their greatest perfection. Tie them in bunches of twenty or thirty in each, lay them in spring water for an hour or two, drain them well from the water, and put them to some thin pea soup. Boil them well, and add three spoonsful of the juice of onions, some pepper and salt. Let them boil some time longer, and when done soak some crusts of bread in the broth and lay them in the tureen. Then pour in the soup. STEWED MUTTON AND CUCUMBER. Peel a large cucumber, slice and dry in a cloth. Dip each piece into egg and breadcrumbs, and fry in hot fat. Now take a pint of cold mutton cut into dice, place these in the frying-pan in which the cucumber was cooked; toss the meat over until all sides are browned. Drain and pile on the centre of a hot dish, and arrange the cucumber round. To the gravy left in the pan add a teaspoonful of flour j cook and pour over the meat.