Making Good Wives Better

NZ Truth, Issue 1144, 3 November 1927, Page 14

Making Good Wives Better

YOUR HOUSEHOLD MENDING

A Stitch In Time Saves More Than Nine

IT'S one thing to know how to make a frock, but quite another to know how to go about household mending.

THAT is, m a manner that will enable you to perform these necessary little duties m the quickest and shortest way. A stitch m time saves nine — particularly so when applied to household linen and children's clothing. Take, for instance, socks and stockings. Their lives will be considerably lengthened if they are darned at toes and heels with strong, but soft, wool. This "reinforcing" is done by running the wool through and through as you do when darning and the holes do not come so quickly. Suspender holes may be prevented by sewing on to the wrong side of the stocking, a small piece of material — something soft, yet

strong, about two inches square, just where the button will come. Or, If preferred, the two-inch space may be strengthened with a chain stitch m rows up and down m harmonizing silk, thread or wool. This will save much darning and "ladders" will be fewer. The openings of children's frocks, smocks, and undies should be strengthened with a gusset of linen tape. These- little garments are subjected to severe wear and tear and the sewing of tape round all the openings will save much mending. The corners are always the first to wear out m such things as tablecloths, sheets, towels and tea-cloths, but if each corner is "tipped" with a strip of broad tape, they will stand up to the strain of being pegged on the line. When sewing buttons on to

heavy garments, the use of beeswax will be found a great help. Rub the thread through the wax and it will make it' much stronger and easier to work. When replacing tape buttons, use narrow, fiat elastic instead of tape. There is more "give" m the former and its wearing properties are far superior to tape, which frays and rips so easily. A discarded safety-razor blade is excellent for cutting buttonholes. First carefully mark .the size of the buttonhole, using chalk on dark materials: and pencil on lig-ht. I

Pictures posed by "N.Z. Truth's" own mannequin

CHOCOLATE PUDDINGS

DUB four ounces of butter into six ** ounces of flour, one ounce of ground almonds, two ounces granulated sugar, and two ounces of grated chocolate. Mix well with one teaspoon of baking powder. Add a well-beaten egg and two tablespoons of milk. Turn into a buttered mould and steam for three hours. Decorate with an ounce of blanched almonds cut m strips.

BAKED CHOCOLATE PUDDING

DISSOLVE two ounces of grated **^ chocolate m half a pint of hot milk. Take it off the fire, add one ounce of ground almonds, one ounce of castor sugar, a few drops of vanilla, and the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. Turn the mixture into a buttered dish and bake m a moderate oven till set.

NiiHiiimimmiiiNiMmimimiiwimmiimiiiiiiiiiimimiimiiii.iiniiiiJiiiiiiiiiiii CUTLETS IN MINT JELLY DRAISE the chop end of a small loin ** of lamb m vegetables and a-little broth, and while still warm —not hot — cut into small, neat chops. Trim away nearly all the fat. Have ready some warm mint jelly —made by dissolving half an ounce of gelatine m a halfpint of mint sauce —pour a little m a shallow tin, set the cutlets m it rather closely, pour over them the rest of the liquid jelly and leave to set. When firm, cut round each cutlet with a sharp knife, and set each m a paper cutlet frill, or m a glass dish, one row overlapping the other.

• • • CELERY AND MACARONI

DEQUIRED: Three heads of celery, ** milk, water, one bay leaf, two ounces of macaroni, half a pint white sauce, pepper, nutmeg, salt. Trim and wash the celery, put it m a saucepan with enough water to cover, season the milk and water with the bay leaf -and salt. Boil the celery till tender, then drain it and cut into two-inch pieces. Boil the macaroni m salted water, drain on a sieve, and cut into short pieces. Put the white sauce m a pot and heat, add the celery and macaroni, season with pepper and a grate of nutmeg, and let simmer for 15 minutes or longer.

# # CELERY FRITTERS

DEQUIRED: Frying batter, two heads ** of celery, pepper and salt, a little chopped parsley, frying fat. Wash and trim the celery and chop it into pieces about three inches long, then put them m fast-boiling, salted water, and boil till tender. Drain off the water, dry m a cloth, and season with salt and pepper and a little parsley. Dip each piece into the batter and fry m deep fat till a nice golden brown.

# * * SAVORY CAULIFLOWER

DEQUIRED: — One mcd ivm -sized cau- "■ liflower, half a pint of white sauce, half a pound of tomatoes, two ounces of cheese, salt and pepper, one ounce of butter. Well wash the cauliflower and remove most of the green leaves, except those next the heart. Boil till tender but unbroken. Drain thoroughly, put m a hot dish, pour sauce over and serve at once.

To make the sauce, cook the tomatoes till soft, then rub through a sieve. Add this puree to the white sauce, stir m the grated cheese, a good seasoning of salt, pepper and cayenne. Make very hot — but not boiling — and use.