FRILLS FADS & FOIBLES

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 74, 18 June 1927, Page 20

FRILLS FADS & FOIBLES

MRS. PEPYS’S DIARY

MONDAY. —For the use of my maid Jane, who priding herself on goin upon her hands and knees for her polishing of floors and linoleum, doth groan mightily at her task, do this day * ,ke i “polisher” to aid her, and this no more than a brick wrapped up in polishing rags until it be well padded and covered. Here a very simple devise, but like to lighten the labour v. f any who have gumption to adopt it, the brick, as all may see, provides weight and so minimises the effort needed to induce a fine polish.

TUESDAY. —To drink a dish of tea with Mr. Pepys’s cousin Gladys, \nd there, as our wont is, our talk on matters domestic. She, it seems, to make a great matter of being served by her d.jry-man with eggs, at the price of

new-laid, but proving stale, and this a grevious state of things as I must admit. For cheering her do bid. her test the eggs, and this not a difficult matter either. The way of it is to take a basin of water and one at a time to place her eggs in it. If the egg is indeed new-laid it will sink to the bottom of the basin without delay there to remain upon its side. But if a few days old one end will ie slightly raised in the water. If your egg be stale it will assume an up-on-end position not to be mistaken. For a bad egg it will float, and this not to be missed, or eaten either.

WEDNESDAY. —At my reading do happen upon a way, new to me, for using up scraps of pastry. This way to fold all scraps together, to roll them out to the thickness of 4-inch, to cut them into rounds, half-moons or any such fancy shapes, and to fry. them in hot fat until they have puffed out in a pleasing manner and be in a colour pale brown; then to drain and to serve as a garnish for any savoury or sweet dishes. Or for sweet dishes you may brush your pastry shades over with egg after frying, and sprinkle with castor sugar, also, if you will, with chopped nuts, and so a very fine addition to stewed fruit, it is said. To which I do heartily agree. THURSDAY. —Up and betimes to my kitchen, where I would make a baking of Chocolate Biscuits, these for sending to my God-daughter, the child of my good Gossip Mistress Bassett, children having a weakness for these same biscuits, as I have reason to know, and she little time for making same. The manner of them to sieve 9oz of flour with a pinch of salt, then to beat to a cream of margarine and of castor sugar 4oz also. Now to dissolxe 2oz of a good plain chocolate in 1 tablespoonful of water, and this to be done over a low heat; when it be melted add to your mixture. Next to stir in the flour very lightly, to add vanilla essence to your taste (but 1 teaspoonful about the right quantity), turn all upon a floured board, roll out thinly, cut into rounds or. such fancy shapes as shall please vou, place on a baking tin, greased, and bake in an oven that is moderately hot for about 12 minutes. And here a present to please any child who is not overspoilt. FRIDAY. —For any who would take advantage of the recipe, do here write of a Cheese Potato Pot, and this to be made from 6 to 8 potatoes, and 2 onions of a moderate size. These to be peeled and parboiled, and then to be cut into slices of the thickness of 4-inch. Next put your potato slices in a asserole with the onions on top, then sprinkle each layer with salt, pepper and grated cheese, of which you should use 41b altogether. Now pour over all £ pint of stock, and bake in a moderate oven, until your potatoes are soft and a pretty brown in colour. And thus a dish not to shame you whatever the season. SATURDAY. —For eating upon the Lord’s Day do decide on a Rhubarb Pie. The way, then, to peel and cut enough of rhubarb in lengths of h an inch to measure you 1 pint, and to stew same until tender with 1 teacupful of sugar and of water a very little. Now to remove from the stove, and to add the beaten yolks of 2 eggs, also of biscuits crumbs 3 tablespoonfulc. Next to turn all into a pie-dish which first to be lined with a rich pastry and then bake’ in a moderate oven. When cooked, cover with a merin; ae, this to be made from the frothed white of an egg and 1 teaspoonful of sugar, and so to return to your oven to brown a little. If any will try this I think they will be well pleased.