THE KITCHEN

It is almost impossible to give any directions except in a general way re- garding the kitclien, as there is an endless variety of plans and arrangement. In no other room in the house are sunlight and fresh, jiKre air so indispen- sable as in the room where the most important work must be done. A long, narrow, dark kitchen is an abomination. Always furnish the kitchen well first, and if there is any thing left to spend on the parlor, well ; if not the money has been spent wisely. The main point is to systematize every thing, grouping such things as belong to any particular kind of work. For instance, in baking do not go to the china closet for a bowl, across the kitchen for the flour, and to the farther end of the ^mntry or store-room for an egg, when they may all just a^ well be within easy reach of each other. Study and contrive to bring order out of the natural chaos of the kitchen, and the head will save the hands and feet much labor.

If kitchen floors are made of hard wood and simply oiled two or three times a year, no grease si)ot is made when grease drops on them, for it can be easily wiped up — carpet or paint is not advisable. Neither paint nor paper the walls, but once a year apply a coat of the good old-fashioned whitewash. Do not have the wood-work painted; the native wood well oiled and var* nished lightly is much the best finish. A wide, roomy dresser is a great convenience ; it should have two wide closets below and three narrower ones above, with a row of drawers at top of lower closets. Here should be kept all pots and kettles, sauce- pans, waffle-irons, kitchen crockery, tins, etc., all arranged and grouped together so as to be convenient for use. If possible, have good sliding doors, and at top and bottom of same have a narrow sliding panel for a ventilator, which should be closed when sweeping. By this ar- rangement every article of kitchen ware can be inclosed from the dust and flies. A well-appointed sink is a necessity in every kitchen, and should be near both window and range, so as to have light, and also be convenient to the hot water. It should Im? provided with a "grooved" and movable dish- drainer, set so as to drain into the sink. Always have bracket or wall lamps placed at each end, or at the sides, so that the room may be well lighted in the evening. When possible, a long table at the end of the sink, and so close to it that water can not drip between, on which to dress vegetables, poultry, game, etc., sivves time and stejis; and the good light, whit;hisa necessity in this part of the room, leaves no excuse for slighted or slovenly work. Under this table may be two drawers, with compa

460 THE KITCHEN.

Back of the table and sink, the wall should be ceiled with wood for three feet above them, and here may be put up galvanized iron hooks and nails on which to hang basting-spoons, ladles, cooking forks and spoons, the chop- ping-knife, cake-turner, etc. A set of drawers close at hand for salt, pepper, and spices is also convenient. There should never be bevel, beading, or mold- ing on kitchen window or door frames ; and the kitchen door, leading to the dining room, should be faced with rubber and closed with a not too strong spring. Not less than three large windows are desirable in every kitchen, which should be cheerful, pleasant, well ventilated, convenient and clean.

Ill houses of the old style there was either no pantry at all, the kitohen being furnished with a dresser and shelves, or it was merely a small closet to hold the articles in less common use. In modem houses the pantry is next in importance to the kitchen, and it should be so arranged as to accommo- date all the appliances used in cookery, as well as the china, glass-ware, cut- lery, and other articles for the table, unless a dresser is used as before sug- gested. In a''ranging a plan for building, the pantry should receive careful consideration, as next in importance to the kitchen ; it should be sufficiently roomy, open into both the dining-room and the kitchen, and, in order to '* save steps," should be as convenient to the range or cooking-stove as eir- cumstances will allow. The window should be placed so as to give light without infringing on the shelving; the shelves should be so arranged as to not obstruct the light from it; the lower ones should be two and a half feet from the floor, and two feet or more in width, and project about three inches beyond the closets and drawers below ; and the part near the window, where there is no shelving, may be used for molding and preparing pastry, and such other work as may be most conveniently done here. Other shelves, or a china closet, should be provided for the china and other table furniture in every-day use. The pantry should 'have an abundance of drawers and closets, of which it is hardly possible to have too many — the upper closets for the nicer china and glass, and the lower ones to hold pans and other cooking utensils in less frequent use. The drawers are for table-linen and the many uses the housekeeper w^ill find for

Use a cloth to wash potatoes. It is no trouble to keep one for this purpose, and it will save hands and time. Some prefer a brush. Tie a strip of muslin '11 the end of around stick, and use to grease bread and cake-pans, gem- irons, etc. Have two large pockets in your kitchen apron, and in one of them always keep a holder. A piece of clam or oyster shell is much better than a knife to scrape a kettle, should you be so unfortunate as to bum any thing on it. If you use a copper tea-kettle, keep an old dish with sour milk and a cloth in it, wash the kettle with this every morning, afterward washing off with clear wpter, and it will always look bright and new. Cut a very ripe tomato and rub over a kitchen table to remove grease. The juice will also remove stains from and whiten the hands.

xf you use oil, buy the best kerosene. To test it, place a small quantity

THE KITCHEN. 461

in a tea-cup, and if it does not easily ignite when brought into contact with a lighted taper or match, it i3 good ; poor oil will ignite instantly. Keep oil in a ten-gallon can, with a faucet at the lower part, so as to draw off into a smaller can or lamp-filler ; set the large can in a cool, dark place ; keep all the articles used for cleaning, filling, and trimmiug lamps by themselves. For these purposes provide an old waiter (to hold the things), a lamp-filler, pair of scissors or a lamp-trimmer, box of wicks, soap, washing soda, and several soft cloths and towels, also a wire hairpin with which to keep open the vent in the burner. When lamps need an extra cleaning, add one tablo- 8i)0on soda to a quart of water, being careful that none of the bronze ur gilding comes in contact with the soda The wick should touch the bottom of the lamp and be trimmed square across. When the wick becomes too short to carry up the kerosene, and if you have not timeto put in a new wick, a piece of cotton rag pinned on below will prove a good feeder. When the burners of lamps become gummy and prevent the wicks moving freely, boil them up in suds over the fire a short time, and they will become entirely clean and work well. Lamps may become incrusted inside with settlings from the oil, and ordinary washing will not remove it. Take soap-suds and fill ^e lamp about one-third full, then put in a little sharp sand, and shake vigorously. A few minutes will remove every particle of settlings. Always fill the lamps every day and in the day-time ; never fill a lamp after dark near a lighted lamp. When lighting a lamp turn the wick up slowly so that the chimney is gradually heated. When taking a lamp fr

Fill new tin pans with boiling water (having a little soda in it), let stand on a warm part of the range for a while wash in strong soap-suds, rinse, and dry well. Scouring tins very often with whiting or ashes wears them out ; if properly taken. care of, washed in suds and thoroughly dried, they will not need scouring.

Boil ashes or a bunch of hay or grass in a new iron pot before cooking in it; scour well with soap and sand, then fill with clean water, and boil one or two hours. To remove the taste of wood, first scald the ve&el well with

462 THE KITCHEN.

boiling water, letting the water remain in it till cold; then dissolve 8aI-8oda or soda, (two pounds to a barrel of water) in lukewarm water, adding a little bit of lime to it, and wash the inside of the vessel well with this solution; afterward scald it well with plain hot water, and rinse it with cold water before you use it Knives for the table should never be used to cook with ; those for the former puri)ose may be a cheap plated set for every-day use, and should be kept by tliemselves, and never allowed to be used in the kitchen. Never place a range or cooking stove opposite a door or window if it can be avoided, as any draft will prevent the oven from baking well.

A necessity in the kitchen, because a great protection against clothes taking fire, is a large kitchen apron made full length with bib, and sleeves if wished, the skirt to button close around the dress-skirt. A wooden mat (made by laying down six pieces of lath eleven inches long, one inch wide, and an inoh apart, and nailing across these, at right angles, six other similar pieces, about the same distance apart) is a great protection to the kitchen table, which should be of ash. Hot kettles and pans from the stove may be set on this without danger, as the construction of the mat secures a circula- tion of air under it.

It is the "little foxes that spoil the vines'* in the kitchen as well as else- where— ^the neglect of little things causes loss of time, patience and money. In building fires concentration is the important point: 1st, the fuel should be concentrated^ that is, put together in a compact heap ; and 2d, in a place on the grating where the draft can be concentrated upon it These two points gained it is an easy matter to produce a brisk fire. When the kindling, which must be dry and in sufficient quantity, is well started, the wood or coal, as the case may be, is so put on that the draft and flame will pass directly through the fuel. In starting a fire, all depends upon having the conditions right, and great loss of time, and even patience, is incurred if they are not provided. Always have wood in the box. This can gener- ally be done without taking special time for it, by remembering to bring some in when you pass the wood-pile without any thing in the hands. See that the wood-box is full at night, and the shavings and kindlings in their place. In the morning empty the ash-pan, or, better still, clean your stove or range at night. This can always be done, except in case of late suppers. When supper is ready, and there is no further use for the fire, open the oveu doors, take all the covers partly ofT the holes, and by the time the fc'iipper dishes and needful work in the preparation for breakfast is done, if the fire has been properly attended to, the stove will be cool enough to clean out, which should be thoroughly done, removing all the ashes or cinders from every part of it. This is a very particular work, as the comers often secrete quite an amount of ashes that must be removed

THE KITCHEN. 463

Where there is a large amount of cooking to be done, the ashes shonid be cleared from under the slides of the ovens as often as twice a week in large or small families ; this will insure the OTen to bake wellf and always the mme, if the fire is properly arranged.

Never on any account use coal-oil to make the fire burn more quickly. In making the fire, as soft wood bums more quickly than hard, it is better to have some with which to start it, filling up with hard wood. If the wood is good and properly placed you will have a bright clear flame, yielding a great amount of heat which should be utilized for cooking purposes, by so arranging the draught that none of it is wasted. This can only be done by one who so perfectly understands each part of it as to economize in the use of fuel. The fire needs constant attention, as it is poor economy to let the fire go partially out, as in adding fresh fuel the heat is wasted until the stove and oven are again heated to the right temperature for cooking.

Fill the tea-kettle full of water and place on the stove, and if the fire is good it will boil Soon enough for use, and every time water is* used, add cold, so as to keep the supply good. The habit is almost universal to put a small quantity of water in the tea-kettle, aiming to have just enough for certain things, and if an extra demand occurs the kettle is empty, the fire is out, and the delay occasions no little trouble to both cook and mistress. When water has been made to boil no matter what is cooking in it, the fire may be very much lessened, as but little heat is required to keep it boiling. Bapid boiling does not hasten cooking, and the articles cooked are much better when boiled slowly.

For general use copper and brass cooking utensils are not the best, be- cause of the great care necessary to keep them clean and free from poisonous deposits, a work that can ntver he trusted to servants. Care should b€i used in cooking in tin vessels, as they are liable to be afffected by acids, oils and salt, but not to the same extent as copper. For all ordinary cooking purposes, if tin vessels are kept clean and free from rust, no injury will result A little whiting or dry flour may be used to polish tin with. If a kettle is to be used for cooking fish, heat it first over the fire ; if an odor arises, it needs cleaning as above, before using. If the same gridiron has to be used for broiling steak, that has been used for fish, in addition to cleaning it as above, heat it over the fire, rub well with brown paper, then with an onion. In washing tin ware use soft water and soap, and wash well, rinse with hot water, wipe well, and put on the Tiearth or stove to dry perfectly ; once a week wash tin-ware in water in which a little sal-soda has been dissolved; take the suds for the pots and kettles (if not hot add more hot water), and wash and rinse thoroughly on the inside. To wash the outside of pots, ket- tles and all iron ware, place in a tub or large dish-pan, and with soap on cloth, rub them briskly and hard ; if necessary scrape with an iron spoon or old knife to get all dirt off, rinse in hot water, wipe, and place on stove to dry. If kept scrupulously clean, oysters, tomatoes, and even some delicacies that tire usually cooked in porcelain and granite ware, may be cooked nicely in iiYfU.

464 . THE KITCHEN.

Enameled ware may be cleansed by filling the vessel with hot water, with 8oda dissolved in it — one ounce to a gallon ; let it boil twenty minutes; then if the stftin does not all come off, scour with fine sand or brick dust; rinse well with hot water and wipe dry. If by carelessness or accident, while making chow-chow, or any thing else, it becomes burned on the porcehun kettle, empty immediately, fill with water, put in about pint of wood-ashes to two gallons of water, let it boil twenty or thirty minutes; clean with sand or brick-dust as above, if it does not all come off. In either case, if unsuc- cessful the first time, repeat. To clean a brown porcelain kettle, boil peeJed potatoes in it. The porcelain will be rendered nearly as white as when new.

To clean silver or plated ware, wash in clean hot water or lay in hot soda water a few minutes; then wipe dry with a canton flannel cloth, and polish with chamois skin. If silver powder is used for cleaning tarnished spots, care must be taken to brush out all the dust from the chased work on the plate. In the daily use of silver, wash in clean hot water and wipe dry with a canton flannel cloth. Never use soap in washing silver.

Steel knives and forks are best cleaned by being scoured with bath brick, but some good "kitchen maids" always use the common brick pulverized, with good success. Have a properly made knife-box, with board extending, on which to lay the knife to scour, wet a cloth in hot water or soft soap and water, dip in the dust which has been previously shaved off; then rub briskly and hard until all spots are removed ; wash and rinse in clean, hot water and wipe dry. Never put a knife in hot fat, as it destroys the temper, and the knife is useless.

The sink comes in for special .notice. Wash it daily with soap and water, rinse with clean boiling water, always rinsing with hot water after pouring sudi into it. This can not be insisted on too strongly, because of such great im- portance in the cleanliness of the kitchen. The old adage, "A time for every thing," applies here. On Mondays and Thursdays, during summer, pour hot water, containing a little chloride of lime, into the drains, and every Monday in winter. This will prevent all unpleasant or unhealthy odors. The use of soda in cleansing our wares greatly diminishes the quan- tity of soap needed. As a general thing, too much soap is used in washing dishes. Many good housekeepers do not allow soap used in washing dish» at all, except to clean tin and iron ware, dish cloths and sink. In cleaning an unpainted kitchen floor, if there are spots of grease on it, put some soft- snap (or lye, if to be had) in a tin-cup, kept for the purpose ; place on the stove until boiling hot; then pour a little on each spot and scour with ashes; wash the floor with soft hot water, rinse well, and, if the grease is not out the first time, try it again when the floor needs cleaning. Always remem- ber to rin.se thoroughly, changing the water when it becomes too dirty. In cleaning floors, tables, or wood- work, remember to rub always with, and not across, the grain of the wood.

The breakage of dishes in some houses is fearful. There are very few families rich enough to bear it, much less the families of small means or just a competence. The mother is sick or wearied with the cares of the nursery,

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and can not see to the putting away of the best china, which has been used because a friend dined with them. While conversing with her guest, she hears a crash in the kit<?hen. It is with difficult}' she remains calm until the ^uest departs, when she finds a cup has fallen and cracked her nice tureen, and broke a nick out of two or three saucers ; or several goblets, set in a care- less place, have fallen and are broken. She is sick at heart, for it was but a few weeks before she had spent fifteen or twenty dollars to replace her broken, cracked, and nicked dishes. Little comfort does she get from Bridget, who replies: *'La, madam, it was but a few of your dishesi, and sure I could not help it. 1 would not think the likes of ye would make such h fuss." Every wise housekeeper will distinguish between carelessness and accidents. To correct this evil, and stop this great waste, the only way is to have help understand they musft replace each broken or nicked dish (for a nick in a dish is as bad as a break), or have the cost of them deducted from their wages. This will cause two very valuable results. The servant will become more careful, which will add much to the comfort of the mistress^ and will also form a habit of earefuljiess that will fit her to become a good housekeeper.

There is an old and true saying, that *'a woman can throw out with a spoon faster than a man can throw in with a shovel.". In cooking meats, for instance, unless watched, the cook will throw out the water without letting it cool to take ofT the fat, or scrape the dripping-pan into the swill-pail. This grease is useful in many ways. Bits of meat are thrown out which would make good hashed meat or hash ; the flour is sifted in a wasteful manner, or the bread-pan left with dough sticking to it; pie-crust is left and laid by to sour, instead of making a few tarts for tea; cake-batter is thrown out because but little is left; cold puddings are considered good for nothing, when often they can be steamed for the next day, or, as in case of rice, made over in other forms; vegetables are thrown away that would warm for breakfast nicely ; dish-towels are thrown down where mice can destroy them ; soap is left in water to dissolve, or more used than is necessary ; the scrub-brush is left in the water, pails scorched by the stove, tubs and barrels left in the sun to dry and fall apart, chamber-pails allowed to rust, tins not dried, and iron- ware rusted; nice knives are used for cooking in the" kitchen, silver spoons used to scrape kettles, or forks to toast bread ; cream is allowed to mold and spoil, mustard to dry in the pot, and vinegai" to corrode the casters; tea, roasted coffee, pepper, and spices to stand open and lose their strength ; the molasses-jug loses tlie cork and the flies take possession; vinegar is drawn in a basin and allowed to stand until both basin and vinegar are spoiled ; sugar is spilled from the barrel, coffee from the sack, and tea from the chest ; dif- ferent sauces are

466 THE KITCHEN,

vermin, for want of the right protection ; dried beef becomes so hard it can*t be cut ; cheese molds and is eaten by mice or vermin ; bones are burnt thai will make soap; ashes are thrown out carelessly, endangering the premises, and wasting them ; servants leave a light and fire burning in the kitchen, when they are out all the evening ; clothes are whipped to pieces in the wind ; fine cambrics rubbed on the board, and laces torn in starching ; brooms are never hung up, and are soon spoiled ; carpets are swept with stubs hardly fit to scrub the kitchen, and good new brooms used for scrubbing; towels are used in place of holders, and good sheets to iron on, taking a fresh one every week; table linen is thrown carelessly down, and is eaten by mice, or put away damp and is mildewed ; or the fruit-stains are forgotten, and the stains washed in; table-cloths and napkins used as dish-wipers; mats forgotten to be put under hot dishes ; t«a-pot8 melted by the stove ; water forgotten in pitchers, and allowed to freeze in winter; slops for cows and pigs never saved ; china used to feed cats and dogs on ; and in many other ways a care- less or inexperienced housekeeper wastes, without heeding, the hard-earned wages of her husband. Economy counts nowhere so well as in the kitchen.

TsA. — Keep tea in a close chest or canister.

Bread. — Keep bread or cake in a tin box or stone jar.

Nutmegs. — Always grate nutmegs at the blossom end first.

Coffee. — Keep coffee by itself, and closely covered.

Red Ants. — Scatter branches of sweet-fern where they congregate.

Salt Fish are quickest and best freshened by soaking m sour milk.

8tain on Spoons from boiled egg is removed by rubbing with a little salt, or washing in water in which potatoes have been boiled.

To Preserve Milk. — A spoonful of grated horse-radish will keep a pan of milk sweet for days.

The Taste of Fish may be removed very efibctively from steel knives and forks by rubbing them with fresh orange or lemon peel. *

Corks. — When corks are too large to go into a bottle, throw them into hot water a few moments, and they will soften.

Charred Casks. — Water and salt meat may be preserved pure a long time if put up in casks with the inside charred.

To Keep Cutlery from Rust. — Wipe dry, and wrap^ in coarse brown paper.

Tin Tea-kettles.— Kerosene oil will make tin tea-kettles as bright as new. Saturate a woolen rag and rub with it

To Beat the Whites of Egos quickly, put in a pinch of salt The coolef the eggs, the quicker they will froth. Salt cools and also freshens them.

Pastry. — Wash the upper crust of pie? with milk just before putting them in the oven, and it will be a beautiful brown.

Corn Starch is a good substitute for eggs in cookies and doughnuts. One table-spoonful of the starch is equal to one egg.

Salt will curdle new milk ; hence, in preparing milk porridge, gravies^ etc., the salt should not be added until the disn is prepared.

Wire Table Ware— should never be scoured; it will remain bright if merely washed in clean water with a little soap added.

To Make Meats Tender. — A spoonful of vinegar put into the water in which meats or fowls are boiled makes them tender.

Oranges. — Oranges and lemons keep best wrapped in soft paper, and laid in a drawer. Lemons may be kept in cold water, which should be changed twice a week.

Silver Polish.— To one. quart rain-water add two ounces ammonia and

THE KITCHEN. 467

three oaiices of precipitated chalk. Put into a bottle, keep well corked and shake before using.

CsMENT FOR CHINA. — The wMt^s of two eg^ and enough quicklime to form a thick paste. The auicklime sliould be hnely powdered ; this makes a ^ood cement tor mending broken china, marble, or glass-ware.

Lemons. — Before using lemons for any purpose, always roll them awhile with your hand on a table. This will cause them to yield a large quantity of juice.

Covering for Jars. — A good water-proof paper for covering jars used in preserving, etc., may be made by brushing over the paper with boiled linseed oil ahd suspending it over a line until dry.

To Remove a Tight Glass Stopper. — Apply a cloth wet in hot water to the neck of the bottle; or wind a cord around once, and "saw" back and forth a few times. This will heat and expand the neck of the bottle.

To Clean Knives. — Cut a good-sized, solid, raw potato in two; dip the flat surface in powdered brick-dust, and rub the knife-blades ; or, use a cork, or a cloth in same way. Stains and rust will disappear.

Ground Tea. — If tea be ground like coffee, or crushed, immediately before hot water is poured upon it, it will yield nearly double the amount of its exhilarating qualities.

To Freshen Walnuts. — When walnuts have been kept until the meat ia too much dried to be good, let them stand in milk and water eight hours^ and dry them, and they will be as fresh as when new.

Clinkers may be removed from grates and range back, by throwing half a dozen broken oyster shells into the fire, when the coal is aglow, and covering them with fresh coal. When red-hot the clinkers become doughy and are easily removed.

A Fire Kindler. — Melt together three pounds resin and a quart of tar, and stir in as much saw-dust and pulverized charcoal as possible, spread the mass on a board to cool, and break into lumps the size of a walnut. Light one with a match, and it burns for some time with a strong blaze.

To Clean Silver. — "Indexical Soap" is the best thing for the purpose in use, not for every day, but when thorough cleaning is required. It is well, also, to keep it in a convenient dish, ana rub on with a bit of flannel when- ever a spot appears on the silver.

To Clean Brass Kettle. — ^When much discolored, scour with soap and ashes, then put in a half pint vinegar and a handful of salt, put on stove, let come to a boil, take cloth, wash thoroughly, and rinse out with water. If usin^ every day, the salt and vinegar and rinsing are sufficient.

To Soften Water. — Hard water is rendered very soft and pure, rivaling distilled water, by merely boiling a two-ounce vial, say, in a kettle of water. The carbonate of lime and many impurities will be found adhering to the bottle. The water boils very much quicker at the same time.

Rust on Steel Implements or knives.— -Cover the steel with sweet-oil, robbing it on well. Let it remain for forty-eight hours, and then, using finely powdered unslaked lime, rub the steel until all the rust has disap- peared.

To Preserve Lamp Chimneys from Breakivg. — Place a cloth in the bot- tom of a large pan, fill the pan with cold water, and place new chimney in it; cover the pan, and let its contents lx>il one hour: take from fire, and let chimney remain in the water until it is cold.

Cement for Knife Handles. — Set handle on end, and partly fill cavity with powdered resin, chopped hair or tow, chalk, whiting, orquicklime; heat the spike of the knife and force it into its place. Equal parts of sul- phur, resin, and brick -dust also make an excellent cement.

Water boiled in pilvanized iron becomes poisonous, and cold water passed through zinc-lined iron pipes should never be used for cooking or drinking. Hot water for cooking should never be taken from hot-water pipes ; take from cold-water pipes, and keep a supply heated for use in kettles.

468 THE KITCHES.

Table Covbb, to be thrown over table after it is set, is best made of calioa. Pink mosquito netting is handsomer, bat does not keep off dust when the table is set for next meal immediately after the dishes are washed — the moat convenient plan where the dining-room is not used for other purposes.

Vienna Lime. — Vienna lime and alcohol give a beautiful polish to iron or steel. Select the soft pieces of lime, such as will be easily crushed by the thumb and finger, as tney.are the most free from gritty particles. Ap- ply with a cork, piece of soft pine wood, leather, chamois, etc.

Hot Alum-water is the best insect-destroyer known. Put the alum into hot water, and let it boil till it is all dissolved ; then ajpply the solution hot with a brush to all cracks, closets, bedsteads, and other places where* any insects are found. Ants, bedbugs, cockroaches, and creeping things are killec by it, while it has no danger of poisoning.

To Prevent Kustino of Tin, rub fresli lard over every part of the dish, and then put in a hot oven and heat it thoroughly. Thus treated, any tin- ware may be used in water constantly, and remain bright and free from rusv To clean tin or other metallic vessels which have held petroleum — hot soap and water.

Cabbage Water.— Be careful that no cabbage watei is poured down the kitchen-sink, as the smell of it — a singularly unpleasant one — ^is so strong that it will penetrate all over the house, and produce the suspicion of a bad drain. The water in which any vegetable has been boiled, should be thrown away out of doors, in a distant corner of the garden, if possible.

Pulverized Charcoal— should be kept in every house in a glass iar, with a wide mouth, containing a half pint. The coal should be freshly burned — the best is not from the hardest or the softest wood, but a me- dium—pulverized finely in a mortar while the coals are yet red. Cork tight; it is invaluable in preserving meats and poultry, and is sometimes even given as a remedy for indigestion.

The Smell of Onions and other odors can be removed from kettles and sauce-pans. Put some wood ashes into the utensil, add boiling water, and let it stand a short time on the back part of the stove. Or, if you have no wood- ashes, use potash, soda, or concentrated lye with water, then wash in hot Buds. All cooking utensils in which onions, cabbage, or turnips have been cooked should be thus cleansed.

Boiled Potatoes, to be at their best, should be served immediately when done, but if the ''men folks*' are late to dinner, take them up the moment they are done, wrap closely in a towel or cloth and lay them in the heater or some warm place, and they will suffer only a little damage. When baked or roasted potatoes are done, place in a cloth, and sc)ueeze gently between the hands and serve. They will be the mealier for it. If not ready to serve, roll in cloth and keep warm until wanted.

Polishing. — Flour of emery, which is cheap and is kept at all drug-stores, is excellent for polishing every thing except silver. Common water-lime, such as is used in plastering cisterns, is an excellent material for polishing knives, forks, and tin-ware. First rub tins with a damp cloth, then take dry flour and rub it on with the hands, and afterward take an old newspaper and rub the tin until bright Keep in an old pepper-box, and apply with a damp cloth.

Quick Vinegar.— Fill a jug with cider, and turn into each ^llon of cider a pint of molasses and a cupful of lively yeast. Have the jug full of the liquid, let it stand uncorked back of the cook-stove where it will keep warm. It will commence fermenting in twenty-four hours, and will not take over a week to make splendid sharp vinegar. It must be drawn off into another jug. leaving the dregs, and kept in a tight-corked jug or bottles, wliere i^ will not freeze.

To Wash Preserve Jars.- Preserve jars or bottles should be carefully washed as soon as emptied, taking care that the stoppers and covers have their share of attention. It is well to put soda or ammonia into the jars or

THE KITCHEN. 469

1>ottIes, fill lip with water, and let stand an hour, putting the stoppers or covers into a bowl to soak in the same way. Then pour out and scald nicely, but not with boiling water, as that cracks the polished 8urface inside, wipe dry, set in the sun or wind to air, and then set away carefully. t

UOFFEE Syrcp. — Take half a pound of the best ground coffee; put it into a sauce-pan containing three pints of water, and ooil it down to one pint: boil the liquor, put it into another sauce-pan, well scoured, and boil it asain. As it boils add white sugpar enough to give the consistency of syrup; take it from the fire, and when it is cool put in a bottle and seal. When traveling, if you wish for a cup of good coffee put two tea-spoons of the syrup into an orainary cup, and pour ooiling water upon it, and it is ready to use.

Rhubarb Vinegar. — For ten gallons, take twenty-five ordinary sized stalks of rhubarb, pound or crush with a piece of wood in the bottom of a strong; tub, add ten gallons water; let stand twenty-four hours; strain off the crushed rhubarb, and add eighteen pounds of sugar free from molasses, and a teacup best brewer's yeast; raise the temperature to 65 or 68°, and put the compound into a twelve*gallon cask ; place it in a position where the temper- ature will not fall below 60°. In a month strain it off from the grounds, re- taming it to the cask again, and let it stand till it becomes vincjgar

Washing Dishes. — In washing dishes, in addition to directions given in ** Dining Room," care must be taken not to put tumblers which have had milk in them into hot water, as it drives the milk into the ^lass, whence it can never be removed. They should be first rinsed well in tepid water. Tumblers and goblets shoula be placed in hot soapy water, dipping the sides first, and turning them rapidly, thus heating the outside and inside at the same time and preventing breaking ; when wiped, they should not be turned down until put away in a china closet.

To Keep Table Cloths clean— for a long time. After clearing the table, place a clean towel under any spots that may have been made during dinner, and rub the spot with a fresh clean cloth wet with clean soap-suds, then rinse with clean water, dry with a clean dry towel, fold and lay under a heavy weight. In changing table cloths during the week, contrive to bring the fresh table cloth on first at dinner. Place a large napkin over each end of table cloth, to protect it from soiling in the process of serving the plates, removing when the crumbs are brushed.

Waehbivover Coffee. — Save all that is left each meal, drain it off into a jar or earthen vessel, and when there is enough for a single meal, turn it into the coffee pot, beat an e^ thoroughly and stir well into it on the stove, and let it just come to boiling, then take it oft, pour in half a tea-cup of cold water, and if your coffee was good when first made, it will be just as good the second time.

When a lar^ ouantity of coffee has been made for a party, the grounds should be drainea and put away in a stone jar; make conee as usual except using double the quantity. It will keep good for weeks.

To Clean Coffee or Tea-pots. — Musty coffee-pots and tea-pots may be cleaned and sweetened by putting a good quantity of wood ashes into them and filling up with cold water. Set on the stove to heat gradually till the- water boils. Let it boil a short time, then set aside to cool, when the inside should be faithfully wasiied and scrubbed in hot .soap-suds, using a small brush that every spot may be reached ; then scald two or three times, and wipe till well dried. Pots and pans or plates that have been used for baking and grown rancid, may be cleansed In the same way. Put the plates into a pan with wood ashes and cold water, and proceed as above stated. If no wood ashes can be had, take soda. Pie-plates and baking-dishes cleaned after this fashion will keep sweet all the time.

Beans for Winter. — String fresh green beans, and cut down the sides till within an inch of the end, boil in water fifteen minutes, take out and drain; when cold, pack in a stone jar, first putting two table-spoons of salt in the bot> to'a, then a quart of beans, sprinkle with a table-spoon of salt, put in layer

470 THE KITCHEN.

after layer in this way till the crock is full, pour over a pint (if not filled the first time, beans may be added until filled, putting in no more water after tliis pint) of cold well-water, put on a cloth with a plate and weight, »et awav in a cool place, and in about a week take off the cloth, wash it out in a little salt water (there will be a scum upon it), put back as before, and reneat operation at the end of another week; then pack away, and when wanted tor use, take out the quantity wanted and soak for lialf an hour, put in pot in cold water with a juece of fresh pork, cook half an Iiour, jBeason with pepper and a little salt if needed; or cook without pork, and season with butter and pepper.

Soldering Liquid. — In soldering tin-ware, especially in mending old ware, the use of soldering liquids will greatly help. Tliere are several of these. Tlie best is made as follows: Get any convenient vial about half full of niii- riati(*acid; procure at the tin-shop some scrai^ of sheet zinc; if you have no strong shears, let the tinsmith cut the zinc into strips narrow enough to enter the vial. Place the vial out-doors, or under a shed, and add a stnp or two of zinc. A great bubbling or boiling will take place as the zinc dis- solves. As one piece of zinc dissolves add another, and w^hen a piece re- mains without any action or bubbling of the liquid, it is done. Fit to the lower end of the cork a piece of stick to reach into the liquid; after the liquid is perfectly quiet, cork it. In soldering, wet the j)lace where the sol- der is to go, with this li(juid; the drop or two that the stick will take up is enough. Do not get this liquid on tlie clothing, or on the skin, as it may irritate it and make it feel very rough.

HoRSFORD Biscuit. — One quart flour, pint sweet milk, half toa-cup lard, heaping 8alt-sj)Oon salt. Measure each or Horsford's Prei)aration, mixed in flour, and sifted twice through a sieve. Divide the flour in halves, add the salt; with one hand pour in the milk on the half of the flour, with the other mix to a thin paste, then add the lard and the rest of the flour, mixing it lightly. The dough will he soft, but can be rolled on a well-floured board, and ciit with a common biscuit-cutter, then prick, and bake twenty minutes in a quick oven. Make crust as above (u.sing two-thirds cup lard or butter instead of half-cup) for chicken-pie with oysters (see recipe in poultry); it Is enough for a four-quart pan, whore the sides only are lined. Some prefer not to cook the oysters, only boil and skim liquor, adding oysters raw. Re- serve pint or pint and a half chicken-liquor ^do not mix the oyster-licjuor with that in the pot, but pour it in the pie by itself ) in the kettle, place it on tne stove, rub together table-spoon butter, two of flour, season very highly with pepper, stir it in the boiling chicken-liquor, salt to taste, cook until there is no raw taste to flour, serve in gravy-boat as dressing for pie.

Drying Corn. — Select good ears of sweet corn, husk, take off silk care- fully, but do not wash; shave with a sharp knife, not too close to the cob, into a large tin pan or wooden bowl, scrape cob to get all the milk of corn; when about three quarts are cut off, line a large dripping-pan "with flour-sack paper, being careful to have sides and edges covered, pour in corn, si)read, and put at once in moderate oven; stir frequently, and •leave in oven fifteen or twenty minutes. Set a table out in the sun, cover with a cloth, pour the corn upon it, and spread out evenly and thinly. Before sunset nring the corn in and spread on a table in the house; in the morning, heat again in oven, and spread in sun as before. If direc- tions are closely followed, the corn will be thoroughly dried on the even- ing of the second day, and when shaken will rattle; store in paper bag as soon as cooled. Prepare in small quantities, because it must not stand lon^ after being shaven, but should at once go into oven to heat When all is dried, put in oven for final heating; place to cool, pour into the bag, tie closely, and hang in a cool, dry, dark place.

Dish Cloths, Wipers, Table Linens, etc — Roller towels for the hands should be marked with the number of each, and also with the whole num- ber; as 1-6, 2-6, etc., where the whole number is six. This shows at once

THE KITCHEN. 471

the whole n amber to be acoonnted for, and also makes it easy to use them in rotation, so that they may be worn equally. Of dish cloths, of \vhich there should be six — two for the best dishes, two for greasy, and two for pots and kettles, the first two may be marked, "B-1-2 *' and "'B-2-2;" the second two, " G-1-2 " and *' G-2-2 ; " the third, " P-1-2 " and P-2-2." Wiping towels, of which there should be six, two to be used each week, washing every dav, may be marked in a similar way, which is equally good for napkins, table cloths, cloths for silver, etc. Never buy new cloth for dish cloths or wipers; buy Stevens' crash (or any other line* crash) for towels; when worn soft, take for dish-cloths and wipers ; keep whoje for dish wipers, and cut one of a yard in length into three, hem and place in kitchen for dish-cloths; jrou thus have one for pots and kettles, one for dishes, and one to wipe a kniff\ fork or spoon that you may be using while cooking, for the wipers should never be used for this purpose.

How TO KiNDLB A CoAL FiRB. — Hard coal will not imite until it is thoroughly heated through and through, and as small coal will not require as much wood to heat it up as large, it is important, where the supply of kindling wood is limited, that the pieces of coal which touch the wood should be small. As wood in cities is more expensive than coal, economy suggests the use of as little as practicable. The coal, then, for kindling, should not only be as small as a pigeon's egg, called " chestnut coal " by the dealers, but to economize the wood, the pieces should not be over four inches long, so that they can be laid compactly, and the heat more concentrated on a given point of coal, and thus tne sooner heat it through. If the wood is thus placed, and is covered with one layer of chestnut coal, it will redden with great rapidity and certainty. Now cover the reddened coal with another layer or two, and in a minute or two put on the larger size. Put a handful of shavings or paper in a grate compactly, then some splinters of dry wood, not larger than the little finger, and outside of that a layer of pieces an inch or more thick and three or four long ; apply a match to the paper, and while it is catching put on small coal as above, and there will not be a failure during the winter, nor a growl in the household, for the want of a good and timely fire. To lessen a coal fire, press it from the top, so as to make the mass more compact, giving less room for air. To revive it, lay on small pieces tenderly ; put on the blower, and when red, add larger pieces, and riddle out from below. Heaping on more coal, or letting out the ashes below, will certaily put out a low coal fire.

Saubb Kraut. — Slice cabbage fine on a slaw-cutter; line the bottom and sides of an oaken barrel or keg with cabbage leaves, put in a layer of the sliced cabbage about six inches in depth, sprinkle lightly with salt, and pound with a wooden beetle until the cabbage is a compact mass; add another layer of cabbage, etc., repeating the operation, pounding well each layer, until the barrel is full to within six inches of the top; cover with leaves, then a cloth, next a board cut to fit loosely on the inside of bar- rel, kept well down with a heavy weight. If the brine has not raised within two days, add .enough water, with just salt enough to taste, to cover the cabbage; examine every two days, and add water as before, until brine raises and scum forms, when lift otf cloth carefully so that the scum may adhere, wash well in several cold waters, wring dry and replace, re- peating this operation as the scum arises, at first every other day, and then once a week, until the aceteous fermentation ceases, which will take from three to six weeks. Up to this time keep warm in the kitchen, then re- move to a dry, cool cellar, unless made early in the fall, when it may be at once set in the pantry or cellar. One pint of salt to a full barrel of cabbage is a good proportion; some also sprinkle in whole black pepper. Or, to keep until summer: In April squeeze out of brine, and pack tightly with the hands, in a stone iar, with the bottom lightly sprinkled with salt; make brine enough to well cover the kraut in the pVo(>ortion of a table- spoon salt to a ouart of water; boil, skim, cool, and pour over; cover with

THE KITCHEN,

cloth, then a plate, weight, and another cloth tied closely down; keep in a cool place, and it will be good in June. Neither i)ound nor salt the cabbage too much, watch closely, and keep clear from scum for good sauer kraut.

Hulled Corn. — This old-fashioned luxury is really a delicious dish when properly prepared. Take a six-quart j)ail full of a'sbes (hanl wood ashes, if possible, as t bey are stronger): put them into an iron kettle with three cailons of water; let thenx boil alH)ut five minutes, then set off from the nre, and turn in a pint of cold watfcr to settle it. Tbe water should then feel a little slipj>ery. Turn olf the lye and strain; put it .into an iron kettle, and put in six quarts of shelle<l corn ; put it over a brisk fire, and let it boil balf an hour, skimming and stirring frequent!}' (the outside akin of the kernels will then slip off); strain on the lye, and rinse thor- oughly in several clear waters. Wben the lye is thus weakened, turn the corn into a large dish-nan, and turn in water enough to cover it; then rub thoroughly with the hands, till the black chits come off; rinse and strain off till the water looks clear; then put back into a clean kettle, with water enough to cover it, and let it boil; then turn off water, put on again, and parboil three or four times (it will swell to about douole the first quantity); the last time boil till quite soft; it may be necessary to add water occasionally; stir often, so as not to burn at the bottom of the kettle; when quite soft, put in two large table-sjHx>ns of sidt, and stir well; to be eaten with milk, or butter and sugar. It is a wliolesome dish, and although there is tn)uble in preparing it, yet it is good enough to pay for the labor and trouble. It is good either hot or cold, and was considered by our grandparents to be one of the greatest luxuries of the table. Wheat hulled in the same w

"Water. — Pure water is as necessary to health as pure air. Rain-water, filtered to remove any foreign matters caught from the roof or in the smoky . atmosphere, is tlic purest attainable. It i.sa debatable question whether the mineral mattern lield in solution in hard w^ater are injurious to health, but vegetable or animal matters are agreed by all chemists to be iniurious, and, in many cases, rank poisons, breeding fatal fevers, and other violent diseases. "Water that is at all doubtful, should be boiled before drinking, as the vege- table and animal matter:: are thus destroyed, and the mineral deposited on the bottom of the kettle. Wells, even "in the country, are very doubtful sources from which to i>rocure a supply of pure water. In cities the sources of well-supply are almost invariably poisoned by the numerous cesspools, vaults ana drains that filter througn the earth until they reach the under- ground streams of water, poisoning them as surely as they would a surface stream or pond. When it is remembered that all water in wells must come first from the surface, and that it dissolves all sorts of filth as it passes Into the earth, carrying a j^ood deal with it, particularly if the soil is sandy and porous, it will be readily understood that wells are apt to furnish impure water. People who throw dirty water or other slops near a well, poison the wat<»r as surely as if they .scattered arsenic. Wells should be covered to ex- clude all leaves and vegetable matter. Tbe ground should slope away from the well so as to carry away surface water, and it sbould l>e located as far as possible from barns and out-buildings where filtb accumulates. There are various good filters in the market, but one may

THE KITCHEN. 473

How TO USE Coal EroxoMiCALLY. — The " Scientific American'' says: There Is a ^eat want of intelligence regarding the burning of coal, and it is not to be expected that servants should know how to save it. The grate or ran^e is stuned so full that the oven-top is loaded with it, so the fire will not die out or need looking after ; then the draft is opened, and the money, or what is the same, the heat, goes flying up tfie chimney. With a little forethought all this could be prevented, and a ton of coal made to last three months instead of one. A good bright lire am be stea<]ily maintained with coal, with less trouble than with any other kind of fuel, but not by raking, poking, and piling in green fuel continually.

After breaKfast the fire should be cleared of ashes, if there are any, and fresh fuel put on to fill the grate moderately. Let the oven damper be turned up so as to heat it, and leave the small top door open, more or less, according to the intensity of heat required. In this way air entera over the top of tiie fire, and maintains a far better combustion, and consequently greater heat than when the draft-dampers are thrown down. A wiishing can be done, or "ironing" accomplished, with one-third less coal than is generally thought necessary to use.

There is also great waste in throwing away half-burned coal under the supposition that it is cinders. One who has experimented with coal for twenty years, both in the house and under the boiler, writes;

In cleaning the grate in the morning, you will find there is a quantity of unburned coal, which has been externally subjected to combustion. It is covered with ashes, and look.s to the inexperienced eye like cinder. It is often relentlesslj' dumped into the ash-box. The fact, in many cases^ is, that the lump is only roasted on the outside, not even coked, and is in a better condition for igniting than the fresh coal. We have stated that coal is a condensed form or carbon. The superficially burned lumps, found in our grates or among our ashes, sufficiently prove this. But take a lump of anthracite coal from the fire, red-hot and all alive, throw it into the water until the ashes are washed from it, and it is black externally and cool. Take it out, and break it open with a hammer, and j'ou will find it red-hot and glowing inside. This shows that time, and a plentiful supply of air, are necessary to burn coal, and that large amounts of what we call ashes and cinders are really excellent fuel.

To prove this fact, let any one carefully sift his ashes, throwing out the inevitable slate, which can be readily detected, and start his coal-fire on wood or charcoal, kindling his coal-fire with the savings. He will find that he can get a good bed of incandescent coal sooner than with green coal on the kindlings.

Never, whether rich or poor, suffer cinders or unburned bits of coal to be wasted in the ash-barrel. Measure for measure, they are worth more than coal. Save them, soak them, try them. Water vonovates the coke, and wet cinders upon a hot coal-fire will make it hotter, and keep it so longer than fresh coal. Saving cinders is not meanness, it is economy.

Flavoring Extracts, Fruit-juices, Etc — The following directions for the preparation at home of extracts, etc., are contributed by a trustworthy and experienced dealer, and may be relied upon. Of flavoring extracts put up for the general market, almond and peach are seldom pure, and are sometimes even poisonous. The other kinds are less liable to be adulterated. To prepare vanilla, take one ounce of fresh vanilla beans, cut fine, and rub thoroughly with two. ounces granulated sugar, put in a pint bottle, and pour over it four ounces pure water, and ten ounces of ninety-five per cent, aeodorized alcohol. Set in a warm place, and shake occasionally for four- teen days.

To prepare lemon, cut in small pieces the rinds of two lemons, put in a four-ounce bottle, and fill with deodorized strong alcohol, set in a warm

Slace for a week ; then put two drams fresh oil of lemon, four ounces of eodorized strong alcohol, and tlie Juice of half a lemon, in a bottle of sui* £cient size to hold all ; then strain m the tincture of lemon peel.

474 THE KITCUES,

To make orange extract, use the rind and oil of orange, as directed for lemon.

To make rose extract, put one ounce of red rose leaves in one pint of de- odorized alcohol, let stand eight days; press out the liquid from the leaves, and add it to a half drum of otto of rosei;.

Oils must be fresh and pure, or the extract will have a turj^entine taste ; and always use deodorized alcohol.

For fruit juices, select clean, ripje fruit, press out juice, and strain it through flannel; to each pint of juice, ada six ounces pure granulated sugar; put in a porcelain kettle, bring to boiling point, and Bottle while iiot, in two or four ounce bottles.

Canned-fruit juice luay be used in the same way. These juices are a per- fect substitute for brandy, wine, etc., in all puddings, and sauces, etc

For gold coloring, take one ounce turmeric to two ounces alcohol

To futer water and alcoholic solutions (not syrups), pass through filtering paper, folded in conical form, so as to set into a funnel (a half -pint glass fun- nel is best). The paper is kept at all drug stores.

The New " Patent Process Flour.'* — ^In all markets the best and highest- priced flour is now known as the Minnesota '*New Process.*' A few years ago the process was invented and first used in the young city of MinneapK>lis, which now exports nearly a million and a quarter barrelis of flour yearly, and finds a market for it in every part of the United States and £urope. The wheat from which this fiour is made, is the hard spring wheat, raised in tha extreme Nortk^ that raised south of Minnesota and Dakota being inferior, and most of it not available for the best grades, while that raised on the line of the North Pacific, and in the rich valley of the Red River of the North, makes the very highest grades of flour. This hard wheat is first passed through rollers and mashed ; then to the stones, which are run at a low rate of speed, and so dressed that the grinding is nearly all done near the outer edge of the stone, the ** runner'* being set high, so as not to heat the floor, but to leave it in hard, sharp globules. From this stone it is conveyed to a series of bolts, where the bran is separated, the softer and finer particles being passed through and put up as lower grades of flour, known as ** All- Wheat Flour." The coarser particles and " middlings *' are separated by this process, and conveyed to the purifiers, where they are thoroughly cleaned of all bran and impurities ; after which, they go to the stones to be reground and rebolted, ana thus made into the *' New Process Flour." These miadlings are mainly from the outer portion of the kernel, which lies immediately below the flinty and worthless nusk (which goes off in bran), and is rich in the nutritious gluten — the nitrogenou

That this flour is the most economical for use, there is no doubt among those who have tried it. The hard spring wheat makes a much stronger flour than any of the soft varieties of spring or winter wheat, because it contains a larger portion of gluten and less starch; and a given quantity will make from fifteen to twenty per cent, more loaves of bread of the same size and weight than the best winter wheat flour. This fact is what has given Minne- sota bakers' grades their popularity. Another advantage possessed by this fiour, especially for family use, is that bread from it does not become stale and dry as soon as that made from winter wheat, but retains its moisture and good table qualities much longer.

The following in regard to the New Process Flour is from George H.