Luncheon

Radishes are excellent as a relish, but they should not be served repeatedly. If they are, they are more apt to cloy and dull one's appetite than to tantalize it. A most agreeable relish will be found in the raw green sweet peppers; they are not too 14 GERMAN RADISHES. peppery, and their peculiar flavor is a delight to the epicure. German Radishes. — The little red radish is seldom tender after the first of June, and in its stead we name the white rusty German radishes, which are excellent. Scrape oif the outer coating, and cut the radish in very thin slices ; arrange them on a platter, and strew over them a liberal quantity of salt; let them stand a few moments, then serve. The long black radish is prepared thus : Scrape off the skin carefully, and cut thin slices nearly through without spoiling the shape of the radish or dividing it, then insert a little salt between the slices; let it stand fifteen minutes, and eat by pulling off one or two slices at a time. Pickles. — Wash one hundred small cucumbers in cold water, dry them in a cloth, and put them in a butter firkin or an unglazed crock. Boil two gallons of water, and add a pound and a quarter of coarse kitchen salt ; skim until clear, and pour it on the cucumbers ; let them remain in the brine three days ; drain them in a colander. Wash out the vessel, and put into it a sliced raw onion, three green peppers sliced, a tablespoonful of mustard seeds, a tablespoonful each of whole cloves, peppercorns, and allspice. NASTURTIUMS PICKLED. 15 Now add the cucumbers, and pour over them two gallons of boiling cider vinegar. The spices may be put in a thin cloth bag if desired ; and if you wish to have the pickles brittle, add a bit of alum the size of two peas. The cucumbers may remain in the brine for days, but should be soaked in fresh water before pickling. Nasturtiums Pickled. — Wash the fleshy fruits in cold water, and drain. Strew over each quart of them a teaspoonful of salt ; let them stand over night. Wipe them dry and free from salt, and put them in bottles. Boil a quart of vinegar with an ounce of whole mixed spice. When it is cold, add a little of it to each bottle. If the seeds are packed closely, half a pint of the vinegar will be sufficient in each bottle. Add a few whole green tarragon leaves to each bottle, cork and seal. Tomatoes for Winter Use. — Select sound and thoroughly-ripe tomatoes, scald and peel them ; parboil them three minutes ; salt slightly; put them into warm jars, and make them air-tight as fast as filled. Field Mushrooms for Winter Use. — Select the smallest of those gathered, and wipe them free from grit. Put into a frying pan a quarter of a pound of the very best butter. Add to it two whole cloves, a saltspoonful of salt, and 1 6 MUSHROOM TABLE SAUCE. a tablcspoonful of lemon juice. When hot add a quart of the small mushrooms, toss them about in the butter for a moment only, then put them in jars ; fill the top of each jar with an inch or two of the butter, and let it cool. Keep the jars in a cool place, and when the butter is quite firm, add a top layer of salt. Cover to keep out dust.