The European cookbook for American homes (from Italy, Spain, Portugal and France)

3 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper Wash mushrooms, dry in a towel, and cut in halves. Mix oil, garlic, and seasonings; pour over mushrooms, and stir. Marinate 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Set over a brisk fire, cover closely and fry gently, but constantly shaking the pan. When they begin to brown reduce heat and let them smother. Serve as a garnish, or on toast. SALADS Italians are constant eaters of fresh salads, including wild greens from the fields. They are satisfied with coarser garden products than the French, the tangy romaine lettuce being their great contribution to the salad course. The dressing is always simple, salad being looked upon as a refreshing aftertouch to their somewhat heavy meals. Their two parts of olive oil to one of wine vinegar produces a sharp . sauce, because the vinegar, made from ordinary red wine, is highly acid. Romaine, or other lettuce, plain, or with thick slices of tomato, onion, fresh or pickled green peppers, and well doused with this simple dressing, satisfies the Italian palate. Garlic lovers can go the limit in flavoring such hearty salads. Cooked or fresh vegetables, seasoned and dipped in olive oil, appear on the antipasto platter, but seldom go into the salad bowl. SWEETS (Dolci) In Milan a large part of the Italian populace gathers in sheltered galleries between shops to sip granite and other lightly frozen fruit-juice ices. The Italian partiality for cooling drinks dates back to remote antiquity. In Naples and throughout Southern Italy snow was early employed for the freezing of all sorts of sorbetti (sherbets) as well as for cooling drinks and the refrigerating of wines. In the winter season snow was gathered from the mountains and stored in spacious underground vaults, where it was tightly packed by trampling into a solid mass. Open pits in the fields were dug to store the packed snow where it remained heavily covered with leaves until wanted. Sawed in huge blocks it was taken to the city at night to be used the next day. Fancy street stands catered to the aristocracy with expensive tumblers of iced cordial, while a penny glass of snow water slaked the thirst of the masses. ICE CREAMS Italian ice creams do not differ essentially from our ice creams, except in the use of eggs; usually 6 eggs to i quart cream, or 8 to i quart milk; but with few exceptions the juicy fruits, such as orange, strawberry, peach, etc., are not combined with cream. They are used in water-ices, sherbets and frozen fruits. CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM % cup boiling water 6 eggs l/2 teaspoon stick cinnamon il/2 cups granulated sugar 5 squares (i-ounce) unsweet- 1 quart cream ened chocolate Pour boiling water on cinnamon which has been crushed and let steep for l/2 hour. Pour off clear liquid, work it into chocolate which has been melted over hot water and keep warm. Prepare custard with eggs, sugar and cream in a double boiler. Add spiced chocolate. Cool and freeze. Serve with whipped cream piled on top. For chocolate caramel ice cream add 3 tablespoons of caramel in place of cinnamon. COFFEE ICE CREAM 1 quart heavy cream 6 eggs 3 ounces freshly roasted coffee il/z cups granulated sugar (whole beans) Whipped cream