The national course in home economics

between the layers. To ornament, reserve some of the hard-boiled eggs, yolks and whites, arrange these, with the coral and beet and sliced lobster, so that the colors may contrast well. Before serving, pour some mayonnaise sauce over the top. Crab may be prepared in the same manner. A. T. Mc. LOBSTER SALAD— No. 2. Cut the lobster into dice and season with two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of oil, one teaspoonful of salt and a little pepper and let it stand in a cool place for an hour. When ready to serve line the salad bowl with crisp lettuce leaves, and after mixing the lobster thoroughly with mayonnaise place it on the lettuce. Serve with toasted crackers and cheese. H. Richmond. FISH SALAD. A salad can be made of any kind of cold fish mixed with pickled gherkins or any other kind of green pickle. Oysters or shrimps may be added to the other fish, which should be separated neatly into flakes, and the whole moistened with a salad cream. Garnish with slices of lemon and some parsley. Mrs. Hannah Lane. SARDINE SALAD. Mix sardines with some hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, add some chopped parsley and lay over the top some sliced lemon; garnish with lettuce, chopped fine and wet in vinegar. Mrs. L. A. Houston. PASTRY, PIES and TARTS ^ m THE GREAT AMERICAN DISH THE making of pies in America has been developed almost to as fine an art as that of soup making in France. There is scarcely an article of food which has not been utilized in this unique way, and the future possibilities are only a question of time. GOOD PASTRY MAKING. It is said that successful pastry makers are born, not made, like really successful cooks. The sodden, pale, unsightly looking dough crusts that emerge from the ovens of many housewives would seem to justify this saying. Yet care and forethought will make a pastry maker, spite of that old saying. It requires simply good judgment and a deft touch. The quicker puff paste is made, the lighter it will be. The lard, butter or Ko-nut entering into its preparation should be ice cold, if possible, to insure that flaky crust which is so much liked. The hands should be cool when mixing it, and the pastry board should be of hard wood. Confectioners' paste is usually kneaded on marble slabs. HOW TO HEAT THE OVEN. Many err on account of the oven. They vow they have made the pastry quite right, but the oven has burnt it black or else cooked it a sickly white. This is because intelligence has not governed the heat of the oven aright or knowledge has not shown what is the heat suitable for pastry; therefore, guesswork has given the usual fatal results. A brisk oven is needed for all pastry. A very simple test will show the right heat. If the cook will insert a piece of white note paper into the oven and after five minutes take it out she will know what its heat is. A pale yellow hue on the paper will indicate that it is too slow for ordinary puff paste, a nice brown color, decided m tone, shows that the heat is just right, A very dark brown shows too much heat. HOW TO OBTAIN GLOSS ON PIE CRUST.