Household Hints from Queenstown

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 106, 4 July 1941, Page 46

Household Hints from Queenstown

| Dear Aunt Daisy, Do you remember telling us how when you were in Queenstown you threw up the window of your charming bedroom and looked out and over the Lake? I was not able to get across to see youno petrol-and we cannot as yet, walk the Lake! It is a pity you couldn’t see our skies lately — brilliant red with streaks of green. This green means snow, especially when it fades to lemon, and then purple. The other night, we had a fearful wind -no rain with it, but lightning, and that, too, means snow. Heavy fogs have been lying at certain times on the mountains -just a band — that denotes how far down the snow will come.

T am enclosing a few hints which I thought might be of use to you. (1) Grate all small old pieces of soap, boil them up on the range with water and washing soda. This is excellent for washing day. "(2) Put all the odd pieces of fancy toilet soap in a tin and hang on the hot water tap over the bath. This makes the water soapy. Children love this. I use a cocoa tin enamelled to match the bathroom. I put a wire handle on the tin and make the holes in the bottom with a nail. (3) MOCK CREAM: Two tablespoons of raw sugar-(not brown), 2 tablespoons of butter, and 2 tablespoons of boiling water. Beat to a cream. The quickest way to make it is to pour the 2 tablespoons of boiling water over the butter, stir over heat until melted, then stand in cold water. Add the sugar and beat until it curdles, then till smooth, It comes quickly. (4) Wear on cream or white coats a wee cream or white washable collar over the neck line, and the same with light summer coats. Make the collar the same shade as your shoes, gloves and handbags. This does protect the coat collar from dust and from the hair. (5) SHORTBREAD: Remove one or two tablespoons of the flour and substitute almond meal. This does make ‘a difference. Ground almonds could be used. (6) PORRIDGE: When making a plain oatmeal porridge, use two parts oatmeal and one part sago. Wash and then soak the sago separately in plenty of water. In the morning, add it to the porridge minus the water. I haven’t tried this with whvlemeal-just the oatmeal. (7) BACON: Smear with mustard before frying. (8) In the kitchen I always keep a one-inch brush, for brushing pastry, etc., smearing mustard on bacon, or for brushing a burnt or scorched cake after it has been scraped with a nutmeg grater.

-"Queenstown." |

Many thanks for your jfnteresting letter. Your skies must be a wonderful sight.