Hilda's diary of a Cape housekeeper

The ladies look after the hampers, as there are no shops at Cape Point, and only the lighthouse-keeper (who by the way is generally most hospitable and kind). We must not forget anything — least of all the gridiron. We will take a piece of nice corned beef, which should be boiled slowly for four or five hours and pressed, putting a weight on a plate turned over it. This is a nice pièce de résistance., and a leg of mutton turned into sasaties. (See Hilda’s Where is it for recipe.) Or we take the leg of mutton with us, and when we outspan cut it into chops to be cooked on the gridiron or pronged stick over the flame. Of course, one caters in proportion to the size of the party. Some cold roasted chickens and cold frickadel keeps well, wrapped up in sandwich-paper. Here is a good dish for picnics. Cut any pieces of mutton or beef (uncooked) in tiny shreds. Whisk up an egg or two with some finely-shred bread-crumbs, a little nutmeg, pepper, some hard-boiled eggs chopped up, a little parsley, a suspicion of white onion finely chopped. Mix all well together. Butter some paper and put a spoonful in each paper, folded en papillate, and fry in a pan in boiling fat, laid, or dripping. This is very good, and a nice dish for such occasions. Then we generally can get fish. A nice “"Hottentot" fish, or a galjeon— both are equally nice done on coals, just broiled with the scales on them. We also take down a few dozen mutton patties, which, when home-made, will keep for two days. A tin canister contains a few sponge-cakes, buns, moss bolletjes, some turn-overs, and any fruit that is in season, apricots, green almonds. In another basket we pack some cups and saucers, tea-pot, essence of coffee ((Hilda's Where is it, p. 35). Milk we buy from the people A DAY ON THE VELDT Dec. living on the hills. The kettle for boiling the water is generally tied under the wagon, to economize space ; and as we walk along we collect dry pieces of wood, which always is rather a scarce article ; then if we have walked a good bit, and gathered lovely heather and other wild flowers as well as wood, we “ Wait for the wagon, and all take a ride,” and so we go on slowly but merrily, singing and laughing and talking ; and at last Cape Point is reached, and oh, how grand and beautiful it looks ! ! The tired oxen are outspanned ; the tent is pitched, and every one is busily engaged, and we are determined to have a very happy time. Home-made brown bread keeps for two or three days. We take some baking-powder and make a soda loaf, which we get the lighthouse-keeper to bake for us should we run short ; but we hope not to do so ; and don’t forget a fev/ pounds of fresh butter.