A practical cook and text book for general use

Cucumber. Select a long slim cucumber and pare it carefully making a groove lengthwise to simulate those often seen in rather green ones. Lay it on a board and slice with a thin knife. Have ready a dish filled with shaved ice, hollowed a little to receive the cucumber. Into this carefully lift it and serve. It should not show that it has been sliced at all, till lifted to small dishes to be dressed with diluted lemon-juice. CELERY. In ancient classic days this plant was considered purely medicinal and bore the name of samallage. Cultivation SALADS. l6l has changed its biting pungency to sweetness and blanching to crispness. Wash thoroughly, remove all imperfections and imperfect leaves. Arrange the stalks neatly in a celery glass or on a flat glass dish. To be eaten as a relish with vegetables and requires no dressing. Dry the green leaves, sift and keep in a covered glass can, or tin box, for flavoring sauces and soups. Pink Celery. As celery is usually served " as it grows " a combination of this color with the other is likely to restore the old time tall celery glass. But in the meantime while the shallow celery-holder is still fashionable, the stalks need to be cut rather shorter and should be laid with heads all one way, unless the two colors are used in which case, lay them both ways, each color at one end. Chopped Celery, If preferred chopped, a dressing must be used of lemon juice with cocoanut or almond oil, or the usual salad oil two parts oil to one of lemon. Celery and Tomato. Chop or grate the celery using one cup to one quart of fresh or canned tomatoes. Stew or steam the celery in a very little water until nearly done, then add the tomato and cook fifteen or twenty minutes. Thicken with bread crumbs or granula. Tomatoes. When perfectly ripe wash and wipe them on a clean towel, slice one-fourth of an inch thick and arrange them neatly in a glass dish. They are rich enough without seasoning, but diluted lemon juice or sugar can be used if desired. Do not peel the tomatoes before slicing, if hot water is used, unless there is time to chill them. Potato and Beet Salad. As a variation from the popular potato salad, mix with them some beets chopped unevenly, so they may be lightly mixed. Potatoes to be used for salad should not be boiled till mealy, as they will not keep in shape when sliced. Some authorities say slice them and pour the dressing — oil and lemon juice — over them while hot as they absorb it better and then set where the salad will become thoroughly cold. A handsome garnish for this may be made of bunches of barberries, which according to Mrs. Lincoln, can be kept in brine to be in readiness for this purpose. Fruit Salads. Though these do not differ from conventional modes of serving fruit at breakfast and supper they are frequently served as a salad course at dinners. Apple Salad. Pare and slice six tart apples very thin, lay in salad bowl and sprinkle over each layer a slight sprinkle of powdered sugar and a few drops of lemon. Let stand several hours and serve very cold. Sweet Apples. When used as above, require no sugar and may be alternated with slices of Brazil nuts. Fruit Harlequin. If strawberries are in market a box of these may be used, or raspberries can be substituted. Prepare a pineapple by shredding with a fork; cut up daintily and toss out the seeds of four oranges and slice four bananas. Before slicing the last, with the back of the knife remove the dry layer of the banana which remains on the fruit after the skin has been peeled off. Put these in alternate layers in a fruit dish, with the berries for top layer and squeeze the juice of a lemon over them. Let stand on ice several hours. Orange Surprise. Prepare the requisite number of orange skins by removing the pulp. This can be done by cutting a round off the bud end of the orange and scoop-