Books and My Food: With Literary Quotations and Original Recipes for Every ..

in two and a half cupfuls of lukewarm water, mix with the flour into a smooth batter and let stand in a warm place over night, covered. In the morning beat half a teacupful of melted butter into the risen batter, fill buttered muffin pans with the mixture, let rise for about an hour, and bake half an hour in a fairly quick oven. MAY 25TH "If the cream-cheeses be white, far whiter the hands that made them." — Arthur Hugh Clough ("The Bothie of Tober-na-Vuolich"). PLACE upon the range a panful of entirely fresh milk; let it come very slowly to the scalding point, being careful that it does not boil. Put it in a cold place for six hours, then, skim off the cream and press gently into little cups, sifting a little salt over the surface of each portion. Set away in a cold place. The result is very delicate cream cheese. MAY 26th "The sauce is costly for it far exceeds the cates." — Greene ("Never Too Late"). MAKE a hard sauce by rubbing into half a cup of butter one cup of powdered sugar. Beat or stir till very creamy. Add a quart of sweet ripe strawberries, beating well. It may be made into a liquid sauce by setting the bowl containing it into a pan of hot water and stirring rapidly for a moment or two. This sauce is warranted to turn the plainest cottage pudding into a delightful dessert. MAY 27TH "Did I eat any lettuce to supper last night that I am so sleepy?" — J. Coake. CUT the roots of the lettuce off even with the head and remove the wilted leaves. Wash carefully. Lay the head in a baking-pan in which has been placed stock enough to cover the pan an inch deep. Cover and place in a moderate oven until the lettuce is soft, which will usually be in about half an hour. Add more stock if necessary. Lift the lettuce out with a fork on to a hot dish. Season the gravy in the pan with salt and pepper and thicken with flour rolled in butter; or the flour may be omitted and it may be thickened with an egg, in which case add butter. MAY 28th ''"If you give me any conserves give me conserves of beef." — Shakespeare("Taming of the Shrew"). PUT through a meat grinder, or chop very fine, the tough ends of beefsteak or the unattractive remnants of roast beef. Place in a saucepan with enough gravy or stock to cover it well, or, lacking these, any meat extract ; season highly with salt and pepper, a little catsup or Worcestershire sauce, and cook slowly for two or three hours. Pour into a bowl or porcelain dish and when cool set in the ice-box. When cold, slice. Garnish with hard boiled eggs. MAY 29TH «^ "Would he have a cup of coffee, or would he prefer sherbet? Sherbet! ... He had, however, an idea that sherbet should be drunk sitting cross-legged, and as he was not quite up to this, he ordered the coffee." — Anthony Trollope ("The Warden"). UPON four teaspoonfuls of good tea, Ceylon or English Breakfast rather than Oolong, pour one quart of boiling water. Cover it closely and allow it to stand five minutes, then strain and set in a cool place. When the tea is cold put a large piece of ice in the punch-bowl, also a cupful and a half of granulated sugar, and six tablespoonfuls of strained lemon- juice. Add the tea and, just as you serve, a pint of ApoUinaris, or carbonated water. MAY 30TH "Some arrowroot of a very superior quality was speedily despatched." — Jane Austen ("Emma"). ARROWROOT is not only excellent for gruels and blancmanges, but the most delicate thickening for soups. A good broth is made by stirring two teaspoonfuls of arrowroot into a little cold water until smooth, then adding it to strong consomme. It improves the flavor and increases the nutritious quality of the soup. MAY 31ST "That I may reach that happy time The kindly gods I pray, For are not ducks and peas in prime Upon the last of May?"