Cookery for little girls

Icing the cake 83 Tea cakes baked in heart shape .... 85 Afternoon tea for two 92 Fruit jelly with whipped cream .... 97 Cornstarch pudding, small moulds . . . 103 ILLUSTRATIONS Dinner table with fruit centerpiece. Nuts and raisins in individual baskets . . 109 Making pies 113 Delicious home-made candies 126 Marking the preserves . . . . . .132 Marshmallow cream 145 Charlotte Russe 148 GIRLS CHAPTER I Good Things For Breakfast Every mother should begin to instruct her little daughter at an early age in the different branches of housekeeping, and if taught in the right way, none will prove more attractive than cooking. When quite young the child will be eager to experiment, and generally will be careful ; and with many of the simple recipes she can scarcely make a mistake, and they will prove invaluable to her later on. Cooking is of great educational value. Aside from giving a girl that knowledge necessary to the proper conduct of a home, in the dextrous handling of utensils and food products, the concentration required, and the practice of doing certain work for certain results, it also skives excel- (For these recipes, unless otherwise specified, make all measurements level. The use of measuring cups, divided into halves and thirds, is strongly urged, as well as the tea and table measuring spoons.) lent mental training and brings all-round development. Every girl should become a good practical cook; and in the majority of cases the mother, for many reasons, is the best teacher. EQUIPMENT The small cook should be provided with her own apron, sleeves and cap. Also attach to her belt a tea-towel and a small holder for lifting hot pans. This will make her feel more important and too, impress upon her the need of having everything clean and orderly. Then emphasize the necessity of always following directions, and taking the pains to make each cupful an even cupful — each spoonful an even spoonful. The pan for baking should be thoroughly greased and set aside ready for use, after the fire has first been put in good condition, so that the oven will be right, and then all the cooking utensils and materials placed conveniently at hand. For the first lesson suppose the choice be baking-powder biscuit. When properly made they are delicious, but from the number of times that otherwise good cooks fail on this point, I have come to the conclusion that the secret lies in the mixing and handling. Preparing to Make Biscuit BAKING-POWDER BISCUIT Have the child place two even cupfuls of flour in the sifter, with two level teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, half a teaspoonful of salt, and then sift. To this add one rounded tablespoonful of lard. The little maid's hands and nails should be specially cleaned so she can work this thoroughly into the flour, and it may take her five minutes to do it properly. Next, dusting her hands, have her take a table fork and stir all the time as she adds the milk. Generally three-quarters of a cupful of milk is enough, but if the flour was packed in solid it may take a whole cupful. Mix up well with the fork into a soft dough, and turn out on a floured bread-board. She must not handle it,