BIRD'S-NEST SALAD

Rub a little green coloring paste into cream cheese, giving it a delicate color like birds' eggs. Roll it into balls the size of birds' eggs, using the back or smooth side of butter-pats.

Arrange on a flat dish some small well-crimped lettuce leaves; group them to look like nests, moisten them with French dressing, and place five of the cheese balls in each nest of leaves. The cheese balls may be varied by flecking them with black, white, or red pepper.

The nests may be made of shredded lettuce if preferred.

CHAPTER XVIII

COLD DESSERTS

Illustration No. 1, Egg-beaters.--No. 1, Dover beater; Nos. 2 and 3, Wire Whips; No. 4, Daisy beater.

1. Dover Beater. 2. Wire Spoon. 3. Wire Whip. 4. Daisy Beater.]

Illustration No. 2, Jelly Molds.--No. 1, Two Charlotte Russe molds to use for double molding; No. 2, cylindrical mold for Charlottes, Bavarians, cornstarch, etc.; Nos. 3 and 4, ring molds.

1. Two Charlotte Molds for double molding. 2. Cylindrical Mold. 3, 4. Ring Molds.]

Illustration No. 3.--No. 1, jelly mold packed in ice ready to be filled; No. 2, smaller mold to fit inside for double molding.

1. Mold packed in ice for fancy molding. 2. Smaller Mold of same shape to fit into No. 1 for double molding. (See page 325.)]

Illustration No. 4.--Pastry bag and tubes.

PASTRY BAG AND TUBES.]

Illustration No. 5.--Paper for filtering fruit juices.

PAPER FOR FILTERING FRUIT JUICES.]

Illustration No. 6.--No. 1, lace papers to use under cake, puddings, jellies, individual creams, bonbons, etc.; also for timbales; No. 2, paper boxes and china cups to use for individual souffles, biscuits, glace oranges and grapes, creamed strawberries, and cherries; also for creamed chicken, and fish, salpicon, etc.

LACE PAPERS, PAPER BOXES, AND CHINA BOX.]

The china cups are useful for the latter purposes.

The rectangular paper boxes are easily made. For boxes 3-1/4 x 1-3/4 inches, cut heavy unruled writing paper into pieces 5-3/4 x 7-1/4 inches; fold down an edge two inches wide all around; fold it back again on itself, giving a border one inch broad. Cut the corners at the black line, as shown in diagram, and fold the box together. The ends will fit under the folds, and hold the box in shape. A little more stability may be given the box by taking a stitch at each corner, and letting the thread run around the top of the box under the flap.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

4 gills = 1 pint. 2 pints = 1 quart. 4 quarts = 1 gallon. 16 ounces = 1 pound.

1/2 kitchen cupful = 1 gill. 1 kitchen cupful = 1/2 pint or 2 gills. 4 kitchen cupfuls = 1 quart.

2 cupfuls of granulated sugar } = 1 pound. 2-1/2 cupfuls of powdered sugar } 1 heaping tablespoonful of sugar = 1 ounce. 1 heaping tablespoonful of butter } = 2 oz. or 1/4 cupful Butter size of an egg } 1 cupful of butter = 1/2 pound. 4 cupfuls of flour } = 1 pound. 1 heaping quart } 8 round tablespoonfuls of dry material = 1 cupful. 16 tablespoonfuls of liquid = 1 cupful.

PROPORTIONS

5 to 8 eggs to 1 quart of milk for custards. 3 to 4 eggs to 1 pint of milk for custards. 1 saltspoonful of salt to 1 quart of milk for custards. 1 teaspoonful of vanilla to one quart of milk for custards. 2 ounces of gelatine to 1-3/4 quarts of liquid. 4 heaping tablespoonfuls of cornstarch to 1 quart of milk. 3 heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder to 1 quart of flour. 1 even teaspoonful of baking-powder to 1 cupful of flour. 1 teaspoonful of soda to 1 pint of sour milk. 1 teaspoonful of soda to 1/2 pint of molasses.

[Sidenote: Gelatine.]

Cooper's gelatine costs eight cents a box, holding two ounces. Unless perfectly transparent jelly, without clarifying, is required, it serves as well as the more expensive brands. Cox's gelatine costs fifteen cents a box, containing one and one half ounces. It is clear, and needs only to be strained to make a transparent jelly.

Isinglass comes in thin sheets, is very clear, and makes a brilliant jelly. It costs ten cents an ounce, and there are eight and one half sheets of the white, thirteen sheets of the red, to an ounce.

For dissolving and proportions, see page 412.

[Sidenote: Chocolate.]

Unsweetened chocolate costs about thirty-eight cents a pound. It is usually divided into squares weighing one ounce each. Sweetened chocolate costs about fifty cents per pound, and is usually divided into bars, each weighing a little less than one and a quarter ounces.

[Sidenote: To melt chocolate.]

Break the chocolate into pieces, and put them into a dry pan on the fire, where the heat is moderate. The chocolate melts quickly, and must be carefully watched, or it will burn. Add a few spoonfuls of milk to melted chocolate to dissolve it before adding it to custards.

[Sidenote: To whip eggs.]

Do not let a particle of the yolk get into the whites. Add a little salt, and they will whip more quickly. The "daisy beater," with the handle bent, as shown in illustration, is an excellent one for whipping eggs. Hold it flat, and whip with an upward motion.

[Sidenote: Sweetening.]

One tablespoonful of powdered sugar to the white of one egg is the right proportion for sweetening meringue. Add but one spoonful of sugar at a time, place it on the side of the dish, and beat it in gradually from below. This will destroy the air-cells less, and leave the egg lighter than sprinkling the sugar over the top.

[Sidenote: To whip cream.]

To whip cream, see page 408.

[Sidenote: Milk.]

Milk is scalded when the water in the outside double kettle boils.

[Sidenote: Raisins.]

Raisins are more easily stoned if soaked a few minutes. Roll raisins and currants in flour before adding them to cake or puddings. If added the last thing they will then hold in place, and not sink to the bottom.

[Sidenote: Thickening.]

Use arrowroot to thicken fruit juices. It cooks perfectly clear, and does not destroy the color or cloud the transparency of the fruit.

[Sidenote: Flavoring.]

Where essences or wine flavorings are used they are put in the last thing, and after the mixture is cooked. For cold desserts the mixture should be partly or entirely cold before adding them.

[Sidenote: Molding.]

In molding mixtures be careful that bubbles of air do not form on the sides of the molds, as they leave holes and destroy the smoothness and beauty of the form. This can be prevented by pouring the mixture very slowly into the center of the tin.

Vanilla has long held first place in American cooking as flavoring, but is no longer highly esteemed, and by many it is considered injurious. The essences of fruits, flowers, and nuts are preferable. They cost twenty cents per bottle of two ounces.

[Sidenote: Liqueurs.]

Cordials or liqueurs give by far the most delicate and pleasant flavor to jellies, creams, and many other desserts. They are rich syrups of different flavors, and contain only enough spirits to preserve them. Maraschino has the flavor of bitter cherry, curacao of orange-peel, noyau of peach-kernels or nuts. They cost about $1.50 per bottle, holding nearly a quart, and last so long a time that the expense of using them is really not greater, if as much, as for vanilla, which costs twenty-five cents for two ounces.

[Sidenote: Wines.]

Kirsch, rum, and sherry are also much used in high-class cooking, and, like the liqueurs, need not be excluded from use on the score of temperance. The slight flavor they impart to cooked dishes does not suggest the drink or create a taste for liquors. Wine augments the flavor of salt, and so the latter should be used sparingly until after the flavoring is added.

[Sidenote: Eau de Vie de Dantzic.]

Eau de Vie de Dantzic is made of brandy, is highly flavored, and contains gold-leaf. It is used for jellies, making them very ornamental. There is seldom enough gold-leaf in it, however, and more should be added. A book of gold-leaf costs less than fifty cents.

[Sidenote: Vanilla bean.]

In French cooking the vanilla bean is generally used instead of the extract. The bean is split and infused in the liquid. Half of one bean is sufficient to flavor one quart, but its use is not always economical, as one bean costs twenty cents. It is said the Tonquin bean, which is much less expensive, very closely resembles the vanilla bean in flavor and can be substituted for it.

[Sidenote: Vanilla powder.]

Vanilla powder is used for ice-creams.

[Sidenote: Vanilla sugar.]

Vanilla sugar is better than the extract of vanilla for meringues, whips, etc., where a liquid is not desirable.

[Sidenote: Flavoring sugars.]

Flavoring sugars can be made as follows:

[Sidenote: Vanilla sugar.]

Cut one ounce of dried vanilla beans into pieces and pound them in a mortar with one half pound of granulated sugar to a fine powder. Pass it through a fine sieve. Pound again the coarse pieces that do not go through at first. Keep it in a well-corked bottle or preserve jar.

[Sidenote: Orange sugar.]

Cut from six oranges the thin yellow rind, or zest, taking none of the white peel. Let it thoroughly dry, then pound it in a mortar with a cupful of granulated sugar and pass it through a fine sieve. Keep it in an air-tight jar. One tablespoonful of this sugar will flavor a quart of custard. The Mandarin orange makes a good flavor.

[Sidenote: Lemon sugar.]

Another way is to rub cut loaf-sugar against the peel of an orange or lemon. As the sugar breaks the oil sacs and absorbs the zest, scrape it off, dry, and pass it through a fine sieve.

[Sidenote: Rose sugar.]

Make the same as orange sugar, using two cupfuls of dried rose leaves to one of sugar.

[Sidenote: Orange and lemon syrups.]

Orange and lemon syrups are made by pounding the thin yellow rinds with a little tepid water to a pulp, then adding it to cold syrup at 32 deg. (see page 513), and letting it infuse for an hour or more. Strain and keep in air-tight jars.

[Sidenote: Pistachio flavor.]

Pistachio flavor can be obtained, when it is not convenient to use the nuts, by first flavoring with orange-flower water, then adding a very little essence of bitter almond.

A peach leaf, infused with milk when it is scalded for custard, will give the flavor of noyau.

[Sidenote: Caramel.]

Caramel (see page 78). This gives a very delicate and agreeable flavor to custards, cream and ices.

[Sidenote: Preserved orange and lemon peel.]

Candied orange and lemon peel cut into shreds is good in custards and cakes. To prepare it, boil the peel in water until tender, then in sugar and water until clear; let it stand in the syrup several hours, then drain and dry. It will keep indefinitely in a closed jar.

Vegetable coloring pastes, which are entirely harmless, can be obtained for twenty-five cents a bottle. The green and the red, or carmine, are the colors generally used for icings, creams and jellies. The orange is used for orange-cake icing and candies. Very little should be used, as the colors should be delicate. To guard against using too much it is well to dilute it with a little water and add only a few drops at a time to the mixture.

The various shades of red to pink are obtained by using more or less carmine.

[Sidenote: Fruit juices.]

Fruit juices impart both color and flavor. They should be filtered (see page 415) before using, or they give a muddy color.

GARNISHING

To decorate cold sweet dishes, use fancy cakes, icings, fruits either fresh, candied, compote or glace; jellies or blanc-mange molded, or made into a layer and then cut into fancy shapes. Spun sugar (see page 515) makes a fine decoration, and can be formed into nests, wreaths, balls, or simply spread irregularly over a dish.

[Sidenote: Candied California fruits.]

The candied California fruits are very useful and beautiful for both cold and hot desserts. They cost sixty to eighty cents a pound, and are not expensive, as but little is used at a time, and they keep indefinitely in closed jars. Cherries are used whole, the other fruits are cut into pieces.

[Sidenote: Angelica.]

Angelica is also very effective for decoration. A piece costing twenty cents will go a long way. It is cut into thin strips and then into diamond-shaped or triangular pieces, and used to simulate leaves. The combination of cherries and angelica is especially pretty.

[Sidenote: Currants.]

A mold sprinkled with currants makes a good garnish for hot or cold puddings.

[Sidenote: Raisins and almonds.]

Raisins and almonds also make an effective garnish for either hot or cold desserts.

[Sidenote: Nuts.]

Almonds, pistachio nuts, filberts, English walnuts and chestnuts are employed in many ways, as see receipts.

[Sidenote: Fresh flowers.]

Fresh flowers and green leaves may be used with good effect on many cold dishes. Pink roses lend themselves particularly to this purpose. Violets, pansies, geraniums, sweet-peas and others are often appropriate. Nasturtiums with salad are good for both decoration and flavor. (See opposite pages 328, 410, 492.)

[Sidenote: Colored sugars.]

Colored sugars and small candies called "hundreds and thousands" are used to sprinkle over icings, meringues, creams and whips. To color sugar sift coarse granulated sugar, spread the coarse grains on stiff paper, and drop on it a few drops of coloring fluid. Roll it under the hand until evenly tinted, then leave to dry on the paper. Keep in corked bottles.

[Sidenote: Sauces.]

Sauces for cold sweet dishes are custards, whipped cream, canned or preserved fruit, fresh fruit juices, or purees. The purees are crushed fruit sweetened to taste (with syrup at 30 deg. if convenient). They are improved with a little flavoring of Maraschino, kirsch, curacao, or with orange or lemon juice. Peach is improved in appearance if slightly colored with carmine.

[Sidenote: Canned fruits.]

Canned fruits are now very inexpensive, and many of them are fresh in taste as well as appearance. They are useful in a variety of desserts, and often suit the purpose as well as fresh fruits.

THE STORE-CLOSET

[Sidenote: Garnishing and flavoring.]

The various articles needed for garnishing, flavoring, etc., should be kept in glass preserve jars, and labeled. The store-closet, once furnished with the requisites for fancy dishes, will tempt the ordinary cook to a higher class of work, and contribute to the desirable end of presenting dishes that please both sight and taste, and so raise the standard of every-day cooking. It is very easy to garnish a dish or decorate a mold, and the habit once formed will lead to more ambitious attempts.

BOILED CUSTARD NO. 1

2 cupfuls, or one pint, of milk. Yolks of 3 eggs. 1/2 saltspoonful of salt. 1/2 teaspoonful of vanilla. 3 tablespoonfuls of sugar.

Boiled custard is the basis of many puddings, ice-creams and sauces. It requires care to get it just right, for the cooking must be arrested at the right point; a moment too soon leaves it too thin, a moment too long curdles and spoils it. It should have the consistency of thick cream, and be perfectly smooth. It is safer to make it in a double boiler. Bring the milk to the scalding-point without boiling; then take from the fire, and pour it slowly into the eggs and sugar, which have been beaten together to a cream; stir all the time; replace on the fire, and stir until the custard coats the spoon, or a smooth creamy consistency is attained; then immediately strain it into a cold dish, and add the flavoring. If vanilla bean, peach leaves, or lemon zest are used for flavoring, they can be boiled with the milk. If by accident the custard begins to grain, arrest the cooking at once by putting the saucepan in cold water; add a little cold milk, and beat it vigorously with a Dover beater. Five egg yolks to a quart of milk will make a good boiled custard, but six or eight make it richer. It is smoother when the yolks only are used, yet the whole egg makes a good custard, and in the emergency of not having enough eggs at hand a little corn-starch may be used.

Boiled custard may be flavored with vanilla, almond, rose, maraschino, noyau, caramel, coffee, chopped almonds, grated cocoanut, or pounded macaroons. The cocoanut makes a delicious custard, but must be rich with eggs and stiff enough to keep the cocoanut from settling to the bottom.

BOILED CUSTARD NO. 2.

Make a boiled custard (see preceding receipt), using a pint of milk, three egg yolks, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, dash of salt, and any flavoring preferred. Let it get entirely cold; just before serving mix in lightly the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth. This will give a sponge-like texture, and make a very delicate custard. As the whites are not cooked it will not keep long after they are added. Ornament the top with bits of jelly on small pieces of the whipped egg.