LADIES' COLUMN.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 515, 18 November 1899, Page 2 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

ABOUT FRYING. FIOiNO in deep f*»t is a method bat little J unehrstood in England, yet it is one of the most nppetisiug hikl conomical ways of cooking. Djiniy dishes %«rt> ea-i!y prepared by the cook who knows liow to fry, and greater variety U given to the luncheon and dinner menus. Frying in deep fat, or French frying, is cooking in a large quantity of hot fat, qui to sufficient to completely cover whatever i" being fried. Oil, mutton and beef fat, and lard, are all useful for frying purposes ; olive oil is considered tho best, but other fats arc practically as pood. Mutton fat is better than beef, as it dries more quickly, and leaves tho articles fried bss greasy. The fat should bo heated to about 345 degrees. An experienced cook will readily Bee when the fat is hot enough, but there are signs to guide the amateur. It must be quito , t-lill and make no bubbling noise—tho frit is really cooler when it bubbles, unlike water, which bubbles when it is hottest. When it is quite still a thin blue vupour rises, and then the fat is sufficiently hot. If the range is in a dark part of the kitchen so that this vapour cannot readily ho detected, a piece of bread may bo thrown in as a test; if it begins to change colour in about twenty seconds the fat is ready, if the bread turus the. fat is too hot, and the saucepan (an old iron is best) should be placed on a cooler part of the range for a minute 'or two. Fat is burning when the blue vapour turns into smoke; it cannot then bo used, as burnt fat gives a disagreeable flavour to anything cooked in it. Rissoles, croquettes, cutlets, fish fritters, cto., ore fried in deep fat. Only a few articlosshould be butinthosaucepan at a time, for if too many arc put in the fat cools, and "success depends almost entirely on its being the right heat, if it is not, the fritters, fish, etc., will be flabby; no amount of after heat remedies this. Anything which has been dipped in bat-fc-r, such as fritters, fish, etc., is dropped directly into the fat, a wire frying-bas-ket being used for rissoles, fillets of fish, and such articles as are egged and crumbled, though in frying theso_ too the basket may eatily be dispensed with. Wht n the articles are cooked sr.fTniently lift them out wiih a slice and lay there for a minute on kitchen paper to dry and drain. If the outsido is brown before the centre is cooked, draw tlio saucepan to the side of tho fire and let them cook more slowly for a few minutes. The fat sbould.be allowed to cool and then bo (.trained ' each lirno after use. If this precaution is taken and it is not let burn, the same fat will keep good for months.

TABLE MANNERS. Children should early he taught to use their napkins properly, to lay them on tho table without folding then when they are dining oiP, and to use them only as a means of protection to the clothing, and to wipe tho mouth and fingers. To handle forks nicely, to use the knifo when necessary, to tako small mouthfuls of everything, especially bread, which should be broken into small pieces and not bitten, to eat soup with little or no noise, and to leave tho plate tidy with knifo and fork lying parallel to eech other, area few things that ought to bo taught. And then when a boy or girl grows up and meets persons of refinement there will bo no regrets that tho dear mother at home had not been as careful about the bringing up as she might have been. GOING OUT WITH YOUR BROTHER. Many brothers consider it a favour when they act as efcort to theii sisters. Of course it isn't; but the more a brother is apt to regard his services in that light the greater care the sister should take that he is pleased. Every young man likes to be seen with a pretty, stylish or well-dressed girl, It enhances his own importance, for strangers think ho must be rich or clever or such a girl would not no with him. If he introduces that, girl as his sister, he is proud-just as proud as if he introduced her as one to whom he was paying attentions; so put on your best hat when it does look like rain your best gloves too-when tho sulky brothor asks you to go or consents to tike you out. It's more than he deserves, but do it.

DIMPLES MADE TO ORDER. That dimples can be, and are, made to order is an accepted fact, but the manner in which they are manufactured is not generally known. 1 have been through the mill myself (says a correspondent of the ' N.B. Advertiser'), so can explain exactly how the fasciuating little hollow i» made. 'The artist placed me in a chair fixed a small glnss tube over the spot. which I pointed out to him, .applied bis lips to the end of the tube, and simply sucked tho air out, I felt a slight drawing of tho skin, that was all, for, having be>n previously sprayed with cocaine, I could not experience the slighest pain. The piece of slrin sucked in to the tube was then simply tied lightly with a bit of silk, aud after a fresh application of cocaine tho little bit was cut off with a sharp knife. Tho tiny wound was then dressed and bound up, a silver cone invetted was placed tver it to mark the centre, and the dimple was there. RECIPES. Caiiraway Biscuits.—Mix well together one pound of flour, six ouoces of sugar, a rjuarter of a pound of butter, a teaspoonful of carraway seeds, and two beat(>n i ggs. Roll it out thin, cut into round biscuits, prick them and bako on tins.

Cocoanut Pudding.—Fill a pie-dish with slices of bread and butter, putting botween each layer a liberal supply of dessicated cr caanut. Cover with sweetened custard, ond bake slowly. Golden Cake. —Half a pound each of flour and sugar, Goz butter, yolks of seven eggs, rind and juice of one lemon, half a teaspoon soda, ono teaspoon cream of tartar ; bake in flat tins, and ice. Silver Cake.—Tho same ingredients as for golden cake, only using the whites of the eggs, and a little almond or vanilla flavouring, icing pink ; cut both cakes in squares and pile in ono dish. Salad Diseasing.—lf kept cool this will bo good for two weeks, and may be u-ed for a variety of spring salads. In*o two tablespoonfuls of hot bacon or pork fat stir a tablespoonful of flour; add a little at a ti.ne, half a teacupful of hot water, stir, let boil up once, then set the dish in boiliug water while two eggs ore beaten with half a teaspoonful of salt, a toaspoonful of mustard, and a tablespoonful of lemon-juice. Pour into the hot mixture half a teacupful of vinegar; when it again boils add tho beaten rgtrs, and keep stirring uutil it begins to thicken.