"The Distaff." TRUE COURTESY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2298, 2 April 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

"The Distaff." TRUE COURTESY.

There is an idea amongst some people ■who have mixed little in the world that the more exalted the sphere, the more aristocratic the circle, the grander the title, the more perfect arc the manners that prevail... It is needless to attempt to refute such a fallacy as this, but merely to assert that examples of tin , most \wfeet manner arc to be met, not only amongst, those.,,, who, ..can boast of longlineasjß, and high birth, but also amongst those who lay claim to neither. Wealth and luxury, and contact with all that is refined atul beautiful in art and nature, must necessarily exercise a powerful influence on the manners of men. It fortunately is not now as in olden days ; where these refinements were kept exclusively within the charmed circle of aristocracy The ring is ever widening, the possession of talent, and in some cases merely !of wealth admits to the most cultivated, rtefi,ied, and highest circles. It is true the ceremonial of etiquette is indispensable to the smooth working of society at large. Take, for instance, the etiquette of precjedency, in force both in public and private. On every public occasion precedency steps in to render assistance and assign to each one his or her place as far as claim can •be laid to place. A kindly nature. and an unselfish spirit are never wanting in true politeness, but the conventionalities of society give the finish and completeness to the whole; the colour as it were to the picture; the grace and harmony to the eye and ear. It is only given to the very few to be thoroughly and unaffectedly charming without a shadow of self consciousness or effort. To assume a would-be charming manner for the moment, with the desire to be unusually pleasing to some one in particular, does not confer the enviable reputation of having a charming manner. But there is no reason why we should not be a wellmannered people ; why should not be refined, cultivated, and polished in our demeanour and bearing ; why we should not seek to charm by cultivating and encouraging in ourselves consideration, and thoughtfulnesß towards others in the smallest details of daily life. More particnlarly is this practice and discipline needful in the colonies, where children are precocious and quickly grow into man and womanhood, and on the whole are prone to be self-assertive and consequently unmindful of others. True courtesy has this advantage, that while it beautifies life it coats nothing, and is noble and ennobling, because, based on the two great moral principles, respect for oneself and rpspect for others. Christianity has formulated thin harmonising principle in the words, "As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also unto them."—Viola, in the Press. TOMATO RECIPES. Now that tomatoes are so plentiful and cheap, many people are enquiring for receipes to preserve or otherwise utilise them. The following are recommended : — Tomato Ciiutxey. — Take 3 quarts tomatoes, 6 drachms cayenne popper, lib coarse brown sugar, lib of sultana raisins, 6oz salt, 4:lb of garlic, 6oz mustard seed, Boz strong acetic acid. Rub the tomatoes through a colander. To the pulp, when strained, add the raisins chopped and lib of apples previously stewed, and garlic shred very fine. Slightly bruise the mustard seed and mix in a mortar with the sugar, salt, and spices ; gradually add them to the tomatoes. Boil the whole for two or three hours, constantly stirring ; lastly, add the acetic acid; cool, bottle, and cork. Tomato Sauce fob Stoke.—Take 91b of tomatoes, sprinkle them with salt, and let them remain for two Any?. Boil them until the skins separate from them easily, then pulp them through a colander, leaving the skins behind. To tho pulp add inx of shallots chopped fine, 1 drachm j caynno pepper, 2 do. ground white pepper, 2 do. grated nutmeg, hoz mixed spice, ioz around ginger. Boil the \vliole well together fnr two hours; then add 6oz strong acetic acid, three-quarters of a pint best "sherry. Cool, bottle, and cork very securely.

Tomato Sauce for Present Use.— Melt in stew-pan a dozen or two ripe tomatoes, which, before puttiug into the stew-pan, cut in two, and squeeze the juice and the seeds out. Then put two shallots, one' onion, with a fow bits of ham, a clove, a little thyme, a bay-leaf, a few leaves of mace, and a little salt and pepper, and when melted rub them through a colander. ;

Tomato Ketchup.—Take any quantity of very ripe tomatoes and out them into slices. Put a layer into a deep jar, sprinkle a little salt over, it add another layer and a little more salt, and repeat this until the tomatoes are all ussd. The quantity of salt required will be about 2oz of salt for a quart of tomato3s, Put the jar in a warn? place, and stir the fruit every now and then for three d-iys. At the end of that time press the tomatoes through a sieve. Measure the juice, and boil it with :}oz of black pepper, eight cloves, a blade of mace, a teaspoonful of powdered ginger, and J,-oz of allspice to each quart of juice. Pour it while warm into bottles, and when it is quite cold cork up securely. At the end of three months boil it again, adding f resli spice according to taste. Cork it up again, and store for use.

Tomato Soup.—Slice two larg-3 onions into a saucepan with two turnips, two carrots, and five or six outer sticks of celery. Put with these 4oz. of lean ham cut into slices,, and 2oz. of fresh butter, and steam them over a gentle fire for half-an-hour. Pour over them two quarts of stock, or liquor in which meat has been boiled, and add six or eight ripe tomatoes. Let all simmer gently together for a couple of hours. j&ub the vegetables thronsrh a sieve, and boil them again with the liquor for a few minutes ; add pepper and salt to taste, and serve very hot. Send bread toasted, and cut in dice, to table on a separate dish. A little tomato pulp may be added to any vegetable soup when the flavour is liked.

Baked Tomatoes.—Slice the stalks from six or eight ripe tomatoes, with the greeu part that adheres to them. Season with pepper and salt, and sprinkle bread crumbs thickly over them. Divide about 2oz. of fresh butter into little slices, and place them here aud there upon them. Bake in a moderate oven. Serve on a hot dish as an accompaniment to roast meat of all kinds.

Pickled Tomatoes. —Take two dozen small ripe tomatoes, prick each one in two or three places, carefully preserve the juice that flows from them, and keep it in a covered vessel until wanted. Put the tomatoes in layers in a deep earthern jar, and sprinkle a little salt between each layer. Cover the pan and let the tomatoes remain undisturbed for three, days. At the end of that time wash thorn well from the brime, and dry thorn carefully. Put them into jars and cover them with vinegar, which has been boiled and allowed to get cold. Add the juice which flowed from the fruit in the first instance, and cover the jars closely. The pickle will be ready for use in about a fortnight. The following spices should be boiled with the vinegar for this quantij*'" of tomatoes: —Half an ounce of pepper, half an ounce of cloves, and a heaped tablespoouful of mustard seed. Sometimes minced onions or minced celery, or both, are put into the jars with ifche tomatoes.

j-'RKSKRVKD TOMATJKS.—Ciifc the tom - toe* into pieces, and simmer them gently over a alow lire till they are reduced to a pulp. Squeeze the juice from this pulp, boil it iiutil it is as thick as cream, and then pour it into small bottles. Place these in a large boiler with cold water up to their necks. Bring (he water to tho boil, and let it boil for a quarter of an hour, then lift the bottles from the fire, and let them remain in the water till it in cold. Cork securely, and wax the corks. •Storo in a cool, dry place.

Stuffed Tomatoes.— Take six or eight

ripe red tomatoes of equal size, cut off ihe tops nnrl tho jm'oen parts round them, and scoop out the iusides. Press the pul;> through * sieve, and mix with it a little salt nnrl cayenne, 2oz. of bitter broken iiito little pieces,and two heaped tablospoonfuls of finely-grated bread-crumbs. Fill the tomatoes with the mixture, and hake in ;>. moderate oven, or fry them in oil until dune enough. Bsfore serving, brown thenv, by holding a salamander, or hot. iron, over them for n minute. Tomato Jam.—Weigh the fruit, and take as many ounces of sugar aa there art; poiinds of tomatoes. Put this sug-»r into a preserving pan, place it upon a gentle tiro, and stir until it melts and acquiras a light lirou-u colour, throw into it three or four onions fiiiely minced, allowing one small onion for eacli pound of tomatoes. When these are slightly browned put into the pan the tomatoes, cut into quarters, and add »■ slight seasoning of pepper, salt, and "rated nutmeg. Boil all together till the tomatoes are reduced to pulp, strain the juice through a sieve and boil it quickly uutil it will jelly when a small quantity is poured upon a plate.