The household cook book

Using Cornmeal. — Cornmeal mixed with flour, using }^ cornmeal to % Hour or a little more, makes puddings or pastry more digestible, because it makes them less cohesive — that is, when it is used the products fall more readily into minute particles so that the saliva can act on the starch, and the gastric juice on the albumenoids, much more readily. Cornmeal, lacking gluten, breaks up the stickiness of gluten flour as we elsewhere explain. Meringue (pronounced me -rang' ) for pies, puddings or cake, is a frosting spread on top of them. It is made by beating the white of 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of powdered white sugar to a froth, and flavoring it if desired. After spreading it on, it must always be put in the oven to brown and harden; let a pudding cool slightly before spreading it on, or else it will liquify. Doree, or gilding, applied to patties, etc., is an egg beaten up and brushed over the top. It gives them a beautiful golden shade. PASTE, OK PIE CRUST. For the best puff paste the uniform rule is equal quantities, by weight, of butter and flour. A good paste is made with £ lb. butter to 1 lb. flour. For home use, as low as | lb. butter to 1 lb. flour is sometimes used. For the best paste, good butter is the thing to use; the next best thing, butter and lard mixed. For meat pies clarified drippings makes a good crust. A light biscuit crust answers well for dumplings, and may also be used for meat pies. A paste made with lard alone, will be tender, but not flaky. If any baking powder is used with paste at any time add that to the flour first of all. When baking powder is used in pastry, speedy work is needed or the effervescence will be over before the work is completed, the gas will escape, and the paste will fall. For delicate puff paste or pie crust do not use baking powder. No. I. PUFF PASTE — Use 2 cups flour, 1 solid cup butter, and 1 level teaspoon salt. Mix about ^ of the butter in the flour, then roll out and work in the balance as directed for making pastes, giving it 4 to 6 " turns." This makes a rich paste suitable for the upper crust of pies, using a plainer one for the under crust. No. 2. LIGHT PASTE — Use 2 cups flour, 1 solid cup butter, 1 level teaspoon salt, 1 egg (2 are sometimes used). Mix, roll out, and finish as directed above for making paste, giving it at least 4 " turns " — 6 is better. It makes a good paste for fruit tarts. No. 3. PUFF PASTE. — Use 1 teacup each of butter and lard, 4 cups sifted flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 white of egg, beaten. Sift the baking powder and salt into the flour; then rub in the lard till it forms a fine, smooth paste. Add enough ice water, containing the beaten white of egg, to make a stiff dough — say ^ cup; roll out thin, spread on ^ of the butter, and make 1 "turn" as previously explained for pastry; repeat with another ^ of the butter, and so on till all is used. Then set on ice till cold — say 1 or 2 hours — before using it. An excellent paste. No. 4. FRENCH PASTE — Use 4 cups flour, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 level teaspoon salt, 3 whole eggs. Mix thoroughly with the flngers to a smooth paste; if too dry to mold, add the yolk of another egg; after it is molded, roll out and cut. This paste is more digestible than shortened pie crust.