FROM A FRENCHWOMAN’S DIARY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 3 January 1931, Page 9

FROM A FRENCHWOMAN’S DIARY

KITCHEN CORNER

FAVOURITE SHADES (By Colline Rout!—for “The Mail”) After all the talk about black and white being her first love again this season, the Parisienne is changing her mincl and wearing certain colours—chiefly green and raisin. The greens ar6 wonderfully varied. Every house lias its favourite shades: one for evening gowns, another for ensembles and coats, and a third for country clothes. GREEN TONES One “evening” shade is soft and pale like the lilac bud; another is soft and dull like mimosa, or a lily-of-tlic-valley leaf when the flower has faded and there is a sort of matt bloom on the foliage. The paler tones look best in the airy silk net; the deeper tints in georgette and marquisette. “Daytime Greens” are dark, like the darkest emeralds posed on black velvet so that there is no light in them; though tweed mixtures and heavy lainages are ol a much sharper colour and nearly always have a flecked or a looped surface in which white predominates.

There is a new tone for smooth flan-nel-like sports clothes, and this is like very bright billiard-table green.

AND RAISIN Raisin, the lovely shade which is a cross between prune-brown and bur-

gundy, is at its best in velvet, velours, and heavy georgette. I do not think it so good in any other fabric, but an ensemble can easily, be carried out in one or more of these materials. Touches of white do not look well on this colour, although flesh pink is used occasionally. BLACK, AND WHITE STILL CHIC Do not, however, think that black and white is no more. On the contrary, it is as popular-as ever, but a change of colour scheme is refreshing at times. Suits of finest black cloth, with wrapover skirts, wliite-satin-lined coats, and white satin blouses are for smart afternoon occasions. There are, too, some de r lightful ensembles in black and white pressed velvet and moire panne. THE. FITTING HIP LINE The “line” becomes more and more distinct as the season goes pn, day frocks now being as closely fitted as the evening ones. Fine lainage and fancy jersey materials arc used for morning dresses which are almost glove-like in their closeness to the figure. Velvet, georgette, crepe-de-chine and marocain afternoon models are almost as tight, except that the pouched effect above the belt is introduced in most, of them, and this is not seen on tile tweeds.

As for skirts, be they part of the frocks, or worn separately with tuckin blouses, they also lit the hips without a crease or an inch to spare. Pleats, godets or flares which fall gracefully

from these fitted hi]; lines, give plenty of room for free movement in walking.

SOME NEW IDEAS

liand-bags are not always made of the same materials as the suits and frocks nowadays. They are still produced in the same colours, however; as, for instance, the hand-crocheted bag in yellow, brown and black wool exactly matching a yellow, brown and black lainage dress. For use with thinner frocks, there are exquisite hags of leather that is worked to look like cloth. Black velvet, finest glace kid, or black crochet wool, is usually chosen for afternoon handbags, and these, if not of the pochette type, are mounted on old fancy jewelled frames or else on new frames of smoked mother o’ pearl, clear amber, jabe, or ruby coloured glass. STRANGE NECKLACES Large necklets, longer than a “choker,” not so long as the usual “string,” are made of very large round wooden beads lacquered in Chinese red or blue, or in green and gold. Others are of brightly coloured wood with white spots; others again are made of an ivory-like substance with black spots like dominoes worked into the heads. These necklaces arc voted chic with morning clothes.

Colline RoufT.

HOW TO “BOTTLE-WASH” GEORGETTE

A METHOD WHICH ENTAILS NO RUBBING

Georgette handkerchiefs, collars, scarves and underclothes are ultimately ruined by repeated washings unless they are treated by the “bottlq-wash” method.

Get a wide-necked bottle, such as a seven-pound stone jam-jar or a twogallon ginger-beer bottle, and half fill

it with warm soap-flake lather. Put in the georgette articles, cork the bottle, and shake it well for a minute or two. Leave for a further five minutes, then remove flic georgette, which should lie beautifully clean. Rinse in clear tepid witter, and, if it is necessary to speed up the drying process, proceed tints: refill flic bottle with very hot water, drv'the outside, and wrap the articles smoothly--round it, covering all'with a Turkish towel.

■ If it is not necessary to resort to “bottle-drying,” spread the articles out to dry without folding them, for the quicker georgette dries the better will it'look.when ironed. Press with a warm iron when almost dry.

Should the things bo of printed georgette, it will be safer to add a little salt to the lather and also to the rinsing water. Crepe de chine and chiffon may he equally well dealt with by this method, l>ut chiffon, having a distressing tendency to go limp, should lie slightly stiffened with gum water afterwards. MAKE A MENTAL NOTE .... Remember that it pays to say what you mean. Prevarication only leads to misunderstandings, and misunderstandings often lead to terrible unhappiness. Remember that, behind each cloud, the sun is shining with its usual brilliance.

Remember that cruelty is a crime—even cruelty, of.speech. Remember that you can do as good work as any other woman has done.

’■Remember that triumph and disaster are, in the words of the poet, to be treated as imposters.

Remember that troubles always seem worse ati night than in the morning. Cheer up, then, and see what rest will do for vou.

Remember to remember the good that people do, not the evil. Remember that it’s easier to make mischief than it is to mend it.

Eomember that there is good in the worst of ns : ; and that there is also evil in the best of us. ' Remember that true love is quite unselfish.

Remember that love of animals is a certificate of sincerity.

THE POSSIBILITIES OF FELT NECKLACES AND TABLECLOTHS (By Mary Lovat) Felt would scarcely have impressed me as a possible medium for a necklace, had 1 not seen and handled a charming specimen fashioned of tli I unpromising material. Out of pieces of bright green, black and orange felt had been punched rounds the size of a farthing. Half a dozen rounds of green had been strung close together, the cord knotted, and a white glass bead added. After a further knot came six rounds of orange with a black round in the centre; then another crystal; a scries of green; and so on again.

The result was a necklace of the newest order, and the effect was more striking than that produced by crepe do chine necklets, especially in showing off a smart sports outfit.

A felt tca-cosv is most attractive when grass green has been chosen for the base, and the decorations consist of tree-trunks in brown, lambs in cream, and buttercups and daisies in yellow and white felts. The appliques are not sewen down, but fixed with some sort of gum adapted to the purpose.

Felt is an ideal substance for protecting a dining-table from hot plates and dishes. So what do you say to a complete dinner cloth of parchmenttinted felt, each “place” worked with a little posy of felt flowers? These blossoms are quite formal and of extreme simplicity, but they make a delightful splash of colour, and the whole forms a welcome change after a plethora of small table mats. What about these as suggestions for the Christmas present list? The cuttings from one type of felt composition will form appliques for another. And so expense may he reduced.

A NEW TOMATO HORS D’OEUVRE

Ingredients: Eight tomatoes, two tablespoonsful boiled bottled peas, a small boiled polalo, six sardines, mustard pickles, salt and pepper, olive oil. stoned and stuffed olives.

Cut the tops off' the tomatoes and scoop out. as much as possible of the pulp, leaving firm unbroken cases. (The pulp can he beaten up and made into a sauce by boiling with water, salt, pepper, a little butter and some cornflour).

Chop up and mix ' tho peas and potato. Clean and chop the sardines,, and add them with the chopped pickles, salt, pepper, and enough olive, oil to moisten the whole. Mix well, heap the filling into the tomato cases, and stick an olive or two on top of each. Serve as hors d’oeuvre with fingers of toast or crisp rolls and butter, decorated with sprigs of parsley, celery leaves, or cress in season. They can be served also with hard-boiled eggs as a salad.

TRIED RECIPES Almond and Sultana Pudding Try this pudding for a .change. Butter a, plain mould and stick a layer of split almonds and sultanas round it—you will need 2oz. of each. Pour one breakfastcupful of warm milk over ono leneupful of fine breadcrumbs. Leave it to soak for a few minutes, then add a small piece of butter, a dessertspoonful of sugar, the grated rind of a lemon and two well-beaten eggs. Beat all together and pour into the mould. Cover, and steam for two to three hours. Cheese Canapes

Prepare a piece of hot buttered (oast for each person, and spread each with a good layer of cheese. Place a slice of tomato on the top of the cheese, and a thin slice or roll of bacon on the top of the tomato. Place the canapes under

the grilicr, and cook them from five to ten minutes, till they arc brown and crisp. Spaghetti Cheese Cook some spaghetti in boiling salted water, and strain off any water that has not been absorbed. Mix with it a cup of tomato pulp, a cup of grated cheese, a tablespoon of capers, and half a cup of melted butter. Pour the mixture into a greased piedish, and cover with a good layer of grated cheese. Bake it in a slow oven till it is hot all through. Eggless Pudding Ingredients: lilb each of currants, sultanas and raisins, l-41b peel, l-41b nuts of any kind (peanuts will do uf liked), nearly lib brown sugar, nearly lib suet,

I large cupful flour, the inside of a loaf of bread, 1 grated nutmeg, and a pinch of ginger. Moisten the mixture:;(with milk, and add a small teaspoonfull carbonate of soda. Boil for six or eight, hours. Serve with any kind of sauce. Mock Turkey Bone a breast of mutton and spread it with lin layer stuffing. This is made with C cupfuls breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoonfuls finely-chopped parsley, 1 tablespoonful fine-choppec! thyme. Season this with pepper and salt, and bind with one well-beaten egg. Roll the breast around the stuffing, tio firmly, secure the ends with skewers, bake in a hot oven, and baste occasionally. Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Mincemeat Pudding Three teacups soft breadcrumbs, ((-'cupful milk, J,-cupful sugar, 1 cupful mincemeat, 2 medium apples cored and diced, 1 cupful cold water. Cover breadcrumbs with water, add milk, and let stand while measuring out other ingredients. Add sugar, mincemeat, and apple, and mix well. Place in a buttered baking-dish, and bake in a moderate oven for about 45 minutes till the apples arc done. Serve hot, with a thin custard flavoured with lemon. Tripe Soup Take Ilb of tripe, three onions, cut up into neat pieces and blanch with water. Put them into a saucepan, and cover with half pint water and half pint milk. Add seasoning and cook gently for two hours, then strain off the liquid and use as white stock for soup. Cut into small dice two carrots, one turnip and a little celery. Simmer until they are lender, then mix in a tablespoonful of flour with your tripe stock previously prepared. Let it cook together for ten minutes. Season again, and serve with croutons of fried bread.

Oyster Soup

Take one quart of oysters, 2oz of butter, one quart of milk, half pint of water, pepper and salt. When near boiling, pour in the milk, stirring all the time. Season, and let the soup get just to the boiling point. Put in the oysters and let them stew five minutes. Then put in the butter and stir. Pretty Dish of Beef Fillets Cut the beef steak into neat round slices about an inch thick, and grill or stew these. Cook some thick slices of tomato for a few minutes. Have also ready a dish of well-cooked runner beans. Pile these on a hot dish and arrange the. fillets round with a slice of tomato on each. Serve with the gravy nicely seasoned and slightly thickened. Stuffed Steak Ingredients: lib steak (out thick). Stuffing, one teacup breadcrumbs, 2oz suet (or fat bacon), salt and pepper, pinch nutmeg, chopped parsley, egg or milk. Prepare the forcemeat stalling by mixing all the ingredients together. Make a “pocket’ ’in the beef "by splitting it with a sharp knife without, dividing it through. Pack this with tho forcemeat and secure tho end. Roast this carefully for about an hour, basting frequently. Beefsteak Pie

Ingredients! One pound beefsteak;

l-41b ox kidney, mushrooms, salt and pepper, short crust. Method: Cut up the beef and the kidney and stew gentlyfor about half an hour. Before stewing, season willi pepper and salt and roll in flour. When cold cover with a short crust, and bake from three-quarters to one hour. Before sending to the table, fill up the pie-dish with gravy. Steak en Casserole Ingredients: One pound stewing beef, one carrot, turnip, and onion, salt and pepper, stock. Method: Cut up tho vegetables, and fry these for a few minutes in the casserole with an ounce of butter or good dripping. Cut up tho meat into even,-sized pieces and fry these also for a few minutes. Cover with stock and simmer the contents of the casserole for an hour. Thicken the gravy with flour and add browning if necessary. Serve in the casserole with a serviette neatly folded round the outside. A dish of braised onions served with this will make a savoury dinner. Potted Beef Cook lib of stowimr beef until tender. Pass Ibis through a mincing machine. Season with pepper and salt, and work in about 2oz of butter. Press the mixture into jars and cover with melted butter. Beef Olives Cut the beef into strips about 4in by 2in. Spread each of these with forcemeat and roll them up. Secure these with tape and stew them in gravy for an hour. Serve with a. border of fried potatoes. They may also be accompanied by a dish of runner beans.