Twentieth century home cook book

Select some fine ripe bananas and slice them lengthwise the thickness of a silver dollar ; lay in a dish and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Have ready some thick creain, which must be whipped to a froth. Pour over the bananas one pint of sherry wine and then the whipped cream. Set on the ice and allow it to remain for several hours. This is delicious. — Mrs. John Fletcher. FRIED PLANTAINS. Peel and slice the plantains, sprinkle with sugar and fry in very hot butter. When served, sprinkle a little more sugar over them. BAKED PLANTAINS. Peel and put in a baking dish, either whole or cut in squares, then sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and add a large lump of butter. Put in the stove and bake, basting several times while cooking, to prevent being dry. —Mrs. P. F. Pescud. RATAFIAS. Blanch two ounces each of bitter and sweet almonds, put the almonds into a mortar with half pound of lump sugar, pound until fine and pass it through a wire sieve, then add the whites of five eggs, mixing one at a time. Continue to pound and mix with the pestle until it is formed into a stiff paste ; then drop this paste on white letter paper about the size of a dollar (each drop) at equal distances from each other, put slips of blanched almonds on each drop, dust with white sugar and bake until they are browned throughout. PETITS CHOUX. Put in a stewpan over the fire two ounces of fine white sugar, six ounces of fresh butter, half stick of vanilla, little salt, and half a pint of water ; as it begins to boil stir into it three tablespoons of sifted flour \ stir it constantly until it forms a tough paste ; remove from the fire and stir into it seven eggs, one at a time, mixing them well with the paste. Lay upon a buttered sheet the paste in pieces about the size of an English walnut. Brush them over and dust with white sugar. them over and dust with white sugar. Bake in a moderate oven, and when cold open the top of each and fill it with jam or marmalade. Put on the lid and serve upon a napkin. WATERMELON FOR TEA. Take a fine ripe watermelon, put it on ice until it becomes very cold ; cut the melon, removing the seeds, then cut into fancy shapes pieces sufficient in size for one mouthful. Place the melon into glass dish, sprinkling a little fine sugar over the first layer, then another layer of the fruit, then sugar, and so on until you fill the dish. Sprinkle sugar on top, return to refrigerator. Dish and eat as any other kind of fruit. Delightful. Melons. — Melons are much nicer if kept on ice until time for serving. A bright red watermelon looks very pretty if cut through the middle crosswise, in points. Cut a piece off each end so as to stand level on the platter. Cantaloupe melons should have the seeds removed before sending to the table. Cut the melon in half, and place a piece of ice on each piece. PEACHES AND CREAM. Peel soft ripe peaches, quarter the fruit; put a layer of peaches in dish, then sprinkle thick with sugar, alternate in this way until the desired quantity is prepared. Sprinkle a very heavy coat of fine sugar on top of fruit; set the dish on ice an hour or two before using ; serve in small dishes and and eat with sweet, rich cream. BANANAS AND CREAM. Peel, slice and pile in a glass dish. Serve with sugar and cream. ORANGE SALAD. Take half a dozen sweet oranges ; peel, then cut into thin slices ; lay the slices in a glass dish ; sprinkle with sugar, then oranges again, alternating, until all have been used. Squeeze over this the juice of three oranges, pouring over the whole a glass of good wine, being very generous with the sugar. ORANGES.