CRACKLING BREAD

Cracklings are the bits of fat meat left after all the lard has been ren- dered from the fat pork. They are eaten extensively throughout rural Creole ' Louisiana. The fat pork is cut into small bits, about the size of a man's hand, and then fried till every bit of grease has been ex- tracted. This grease is then clari- fied and used as lard. The cracklings are saved, and eaten from time to • time within the next two weeks, sim- ply being warmed over again. Again, they may be made at any time by frying small bits of fat pork. These cracklings, to use the country par- lance, "Go very well with Corn Bread," and are not only eaten with it "au naturel," but also made Into that typical rural bread of the coun- try parishes, "Crackling Bread," or "Gratons." .

To make this, take one pmt ot meal, a half teaspoonful of salt, and cold water enough to make a thick batter. Mix the cracklings, already fried of course, in the batter, and pour 'a large tablespoonful at a time on a griddle. Fry to a golden brown.

Crackling' bread is very crisp, and if properly made is a very palatable bread, requiring no butter or other accompaniment to make it tooth- some.

MUFFINS. Galettes.

No breakfast cake admits of greater variety than the Muffin. We have Plain Muffins, Egg Muffins, Corn meal Muffins, Rice, Hominy and Cream Muffins, besides several fancy Muffins, and that delicious breakfast accompaniment, "Muffin Bread." Miiffln Bread. Pain Lev6 a la Pate de Galette.

3 Cups ■ of- Flour. ' 1 Pint of Milk.

^1 Cake of Compressed Yeast. 4 Egss. Vi Pound of Butter.

1 Teasjjoonful ot Salt.

Scald the milk and add the hutter. When it grows lukewarm, add the yeast, dissolved in about three ta-. blespoonfuls of warm water. Add the salt and flour, and beat well for about ten minutes. Then set in a warm place over night. In the morn- ing beat the yolks of the eggs well, and then the whites to a stiff froth; add the yolks and , beat well, and then add the whites, and mix all thoroughly. Beat till very light," let it stand for about a quarter of an hour, and then bake in a buttered pan for about twenty minutes in a quick oven.

Bread Mufflns. GWettes de Pain. Left-over bread may be utilized in this way:

2 Pints of Stale Bread Crumbs.

1 Pint of Milk. % Cup of Sifted Flour. 2 Eggs.

1 Tablespoonful of Melted Butter. 2 Teaspoonfuls of Baking Powder.

Soak the stale bread crumbs in the milk for a half hour. Beat the yolks of the eggs till very light, and the whites to a stiff froth. Add a tea- spoonful of salt to the bread, and then pour in the melted butter, and mix thoroughly. Add the flour, into which you will have sifted the bak- ing powder, and beat well. Lastly, add the whites of the eggs, and put the mufflns into the muffin rings or gem pans, and bake for about a half hour in a quick oven.

Cornmeal Muffins. Galettes de Farine de Ma'is.

2 Cups ot Cornmeal.

Ya Cup ot Sifted Flour. 2 Eggs.

ly. Cups of Buttermilk or Sweet Milk.

2 Spoonfuls of Butter.

2 Teaspoonfuls of Baking Powder.

^ Teaspoonful of Salt.

Scald the meal. Scald the milk.

and add the butter. When lukewarm add to the cornmeal and beat well. Add the well-beaten yolks of the eggs, and beat well. Add the flour, into which the. yeast powder must previously be sifted. Mix well and add the whites of the eg-gs, beaten to a stiff froth. Beat steadily for about ten minutes, and then pour into greased muffin rings or gem pans, and bake for twenty minutes, in a quick oven. If buttermilk is used, add a teaspoonful of soda, dis- solved in the milk.

In making Muffins, if milk is not available, use lukewarm water, or half milk and half water, if pos- sible.

Cream Muffins.

Galettes a. la CrSme.

1 Pint of Cream. 1 Pint of Flour. 3 EKSg. ,

1 Tablespoonful of Butter.

1% TeasDOOnfuls of Yeast Powder. Beat the whites and yolks of the eggs separately. Then add the cream and salt, and finally the flour, into which you will have blended the yeast powder. Beat well and flU the muffin ring or gem pans one-half full. Place in a quick oven and bake for twenty minutes.

Bets Muffins.

Galettes aux Oeufs.

3 Cuss of Flour.

1 Pint of SIllli.

% Cake of Compressed Yeast, or 2 Teaspoon-

fuls of Bakinir Powder.

1 Large Tablespoonful of Butter.

1 Teaspoonful of Salt.

Prepare the Muffin batter as above. and set to rise over night. In the morning prepare the eggs as above indicated. Blend and beat till light. Then turn the muffin batter into greased muffin rings, and bake abo^t twenty minutes in a hot oven. The Muffins must be eaten hot.

Graham Muffins are made in exact- ly the same manner, only the Gra- ham flour is used instead. Sometimes the Graham flour is mixed with the plain flour in the proportion of two cups of the former to one of the lat- ter. In Plain Muffins the eggs are omitted.

Hominy Muffins. Galettes de SaccamitS.

2 Cups of Fine Hominy. 3 Eess.

M Cup of Melted Butter.

3 Cups of Fresh Milk or Sour Milk.

2 Tablespoonfuls of White Sugar.

2 Teaspoonfuls of Salt.

1 Teaspoonful of Soda, If Sour Milk Is Used. 94 Cup of Flour. Mash the hdminy through a sieve, and then stir in the milk, salt, yeast powder and sugar. Add the yolks of the eggs, beaten very light, and then the flour, well-sifted. Lastly, add

the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and bake in a quick oven for twenty minutes.

If buttermilk is used, add a half teaspoonful of soda, instead Oj. the yeast powder. These Muffins may also be made out of the left-over cornmeal.

Queen Muffins.

Galettes &. la Reine.

1 Cup of Sugar. 3 Cups of Flour. 3 Ekbs.

1 Pint of Sweet Milk. 1 Tablespoonful of Melted Butler.

1 Teasjioonful of Salt. 2 Teaspoonfuls of Baking Powder or J^ Cake

of Compressed Yeast. If yeast is used, set the batter to rise over night, as in Egg Muffins, and then proceed in exactly the same manner, adding the eggs in . the morning. Beat the eggs separately till very light, add to the batter, and pour into mufiin rings or gem 'pans and let the mixture rise a half hour longer. Then bake for twenty minutes in a quick oven. If yeast powder is used, beat the yolks of the eggs to a cream, add the scalded milk and butter, and add the flour. Beat till Very light, and add the yeast powder, and ' finally the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. Turn into gein pans or muffin rings, and bake for twenty minutes in a hot "oven.

Quick Muffins,

Galettes a. la Vitesse.

3 Cups of Flour. 1 Pint of Milk. Vi Cake of Compressed Yeast, or 2 Teaspoon- fuls of Bakins: Powder. 1 Large Tablespoonful of Butter. 1 Teaspoonful of Salt. Scald the milk, and add the butter. When it grows lukewarm, add the yeast, the flour and salt, and beat all well for about ten minutes. Then set the bowl in a warm place, cover with a cloth, and let the mixture rise for about two hours. When very light, beat well again, and add two eggs well beaten. Turn into muffin rings or gem pans, and let them rise a half hour longer. At the end of ' that time place them in the oven and bake for about twenty minutes. If yeast powder is used, beat into the batter, and proceed to bake imme- diately. The Muffins may be baked in muffin rings, on a griddle, or as above indicated.

Rice Muffins.

Galettes de Riz.

2 Cups of Boiled Rice.

1 Cup of Flour. 3 Eggs.

1% Pints of Milk.

1 Tablesfioonful of Lard or Butter.

2 Tablespoonfuls of Sugar (May be Omitter).

1 Teaspoonful of Salt.

Mash the rice through a close sieve.

and beat the yolks very light, and add. Add the milk and butter, and then sift in the flour and half a tea- spoonful of baking powder. Add the sugar and the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. Add the salt, and bake in muffin rings, in a quick oven for about fifteen or twenty min- utes.

Petits Bijoux.

Prepare the same batter as for Quick Muffins. Pour into gem pans, and bake for about twenty-five min- utes. Graham Gems are made by using two cups of Graham meal to one cup of boiled rice or cornmeal, or two cups of Graham flour to one of wheat flour, and the other ingred- ients in the same proportion as for Quick Muffins.

Corn GeiuB.

Petits Bijoux a, la Farine de Mais.

^^' 2 Cups of Cornmeal.

1 Cup of Flour.

2 Tablespoonfuls of Butter.

4 Eggs. 1 Pint of Sweet Milk.

2 Tablespoonfuls of Baking Powaer.

Boil one-half of the milk and pour It over the cornmeal. Add the butter instantly, and stir well. When thor- oughly mixed add the cold milk and the well-beaten yolks of the eggs. Add the salt and then the flour, into which you will have sifted the bak- ing powder. Mix thoroughly, and then add the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. Pour ijito greased or buttered gem pans, and bake about a half hour in a hot oven. Always remember to fill the pans only half full, leaving room for the batter to rise.

1 Pint of Milk.

3 Cups of Flour.

4 Tablespoonfuls of Butter.

% Cake of Compressed Yeast.

1 TablesBOOnful of Salt.

Scald the milk and set to cool. Add the salt, and gradually beat in the flour. Beat till very smooth, and add the yeast Beat continuously for ten minutes and then set in "a warm place to rise. After several hours beat well again, and add the melted butter. Mix thoroughly and then turn into greased muffin rings and bake till a beautiful brown, turn- ing first on one side and then on the other. Send to the table very hot. Break open with your fingers, and butter nicely.

SAIiLY liUJflV.

Pain a la Vielle Tante Zoe. Sally Lunn is nothing more than the old breakfast dish known to the

Creoles for generations as "Pain a. la "Vielle de Tante Zoe." Take

1 Pint ot Milk.

IH Pints ot Flour.

% Cupful Of Butter.

4 Es:s. 1 Teaspoonlul of Salt.

% Cup of Sugar.

% Cake of Compressed Yeast.

Warm the butter in a pint of milk till the milk reaches the boiling point. Do not let it boil. Simply scald. Then add the salt and a ta- Ibespoonful of sugar. Let it cool. When tepid add the flour, well sifted, and beat thoroughly into the mixture. Lastly, add the yeast, dissolved in a little hot milk or water. B^at it continuously for at least five min- utes. Then, when the batter begins to break into blisters, cover it and set to rise for the night. In the morning add the yolks of the eggs, beaten till very light, and the whites, beaten to a stiff froth. Mix careful- ly, and dissolve a half teaspoonful of soda in the mixture, if it seems any- Tvay sour. Turn the whole into a shallow buttered dish, and set to rise for fifteen minutes longer. Bake about twenty or twenty-five minutes in a moderately quick oven, till it is a light brown.

This cake, like all muffin batter, should not be cut with a knife, but torn apart with your hands. If cut, all muffin batter at once becomes heavy. The cake may be also made much more quickly by mixing in the morning, using the above ingred- ients, only adding three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, instead of the yeast. Beat quickly and thoroughly, and turn into a buttered tin, and set to bake at once. Send to the table hot, and eat with a generous endow- ■ ment of butter.

Waffles are delightful accompani- ments of breakfast, lunch or tea, and may be made of flour, rice, hominy or cornmeal. In all recipes for Waf- fles, if you have not the milk, substi- tute lukewarm water, and if you have no butter, use instead a half spoon of lard, but certainly the taste of the Waffles is much improved by the butter and milk, especially the butter. Half milk and half water, boiled and grown tepid, may also be used in the proportions indicated in the recipes.

Plain Waffles.

Gaufres de Proment.

These Waffles are made of flour, and are more especially known as "Plain Waffles." They .are the Waf- fles most generally served. They are made as follows:

3 Cubs of Flour.

2 Eg2S. 2 Cupa of Milk.

m Teaspoonfols of Baking rowder.

1 Large TablesDoonful of Butter.

1 TeasDOontul of Salt.

Sift tlie flour and salt and baking powder tog'ether. Beat the yolk of the egg- till very light. Add the melted butter to the milk, which should be scalded and grown luke- warm, and then mix in the whites of the eggs. Now add the flour grad- ually, making a nice, light batter. If it appears at all stiff, add a little more milk. Have your waflle Irons ready, thoroughly heated. Have at hand a small brush or a stick with a piece of clean, fringed cloth wrapped around the end. Dip this In a little melted lard, and brush over the interior of the irons, till every part is greased. Pour the bat- ter into a pitcher, so that you may the more easily .fill the irons. Fill until the elevations are lightly cov- ered, and then close the irons quickly and turn it over. Bake the Waflle about two minutes, or till a nice, delicate brown. Carefully remove from the irons, place in a hot plate or waflle dish in the mouth of the oven, and proceed with the baking. Sei;d to the table very hot. Cornmeal W^afiles. Gaufres de Farine de Mai's.

2 Cubs of Cornmeal.

1 Cup of Flour,- 3 EZ2S.

1 Pint of Milk.

1 Tablespoonful of Melted Butter.

% Teaspoonful of Soda. Dissolved Itt Hot

1 Teaspoonful of Salt.

Scald the milk and then add the well-beaten yolks of the eggs. Add the milk and the soda, dissolved in a little hot water, and then add the melted butter and the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. Now add the flour, gradually making a nice batter, not too thick, nor ye.t too thin. Beat till all is very smooth and proceed to bake as above.

Rice may be substituted for the flour, if you desire rice ahd cornmeal muflins; add about two tablespoon- fuls of flour to bind.

"Waffles of left-over grits may be prepared by adding one cup of grits to two of flour, and proceeding as above.

Potato -Waffles.

Gaufres de Pommes de Terre.

1 Pint of Irish Potatoes. 4 Eeks. 1 Pint of Flour.

ly. Pints of Milk. ^ Cake of Compressed Yeast.

Mash the boiled, left-over potatoes through a sieve, and then add the milk and the sifted flour. Add the yeast, which you will have dissolved in a little warm water, and set the

whole to rise for two hours. At the end of that time add the eggs, beaten separately, and mix well. Set to rise again for a half hour, till light, and then proceed to bake as in Plain Waffles.

Sweet Potato Waffles,

Gaufres de Patates Douces.

2 Cups of Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

1 Cup of Melted Butter.

V4 Cup of Sugar.

1 Pint of luilk. 2 Eggs.

4 Tablessoonfuls of Flour,

Mash the potatoes through a sieve, and add the eggs, beaten separately. Mix well, and add the sugar, and beat till very light. Then add the butter and beat again, and add the milk, mixing thoroughly. Now add the flour, using sufficient to make a thin batter, that will bind the potatoes. Grease the -waffle irons -well, and pro- ceed to bake as above indicated. Properly made these -waffles are de- licious. Left-over potatoes may be thus utilized. The eggs may be omitted.

Rice -Waffles.

Gaufres de Kiz.

1 Cua of Boiled Rice.

Hi Pints of Milk. 2 Kggs.

1 Cup of Flour or 2 Cups of Rice Flour.

2 TeasDoonfuls of .Baking Powder.

1 Teassoonful of Salt.

1 Tablespoonful of Butter.

Mash the rice through a sieve. Beat the yolks light, and add, and then add the salt, the baking powder and the milk. Beat -well, and add the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. Now add the rice flour to • make a thin 'batter, and proceed to bake as above. Be careful to grease the irons very well, so that the rice may not adhere. If white flour, rather than the rice flour, is used, use in proportion two cups of boiled rice. Instead of one.

Risen -Waffles. Gaufres au Levain.

1 Quart of Flour.

1V> Quarts pf Milk.

% Cake of Compressed Yeast.

2 TaWespoonfuls of Melted Butter.

1 Tablespoonful of Salt.

Scald the milk, add the butter, and let it grow tepid. Sift the flour arid salt together, and add the milk and butter, and finally the yeast. Beat all continuously for five or ten min- utes, and then cover well and set in a warm place for about two hours. Beat the whites and the yolks of the eggs separately, and add first the yolks to the batter, after it has riseh well, and then add the whites. Beat in thoroughly, and set to rise again for about a quarter of an hour. Then beat lightly and pour

Into a pitcher. Prepare the waffle Irons as indicated above, and pro- ceed to bake in the same manner.

These Risen Waffles may also be made by mixing the flour, milk and salt and yeast together, and setting to rise over night. In the morning add the melted butter and the eggs, beaten separately, set to rise fifteen minutes longer, and proceed as above.

Other Breakfast Cakes.

Autres Gateaux de DS.ieuner.

In addition to Muffins, Waffles, etc., "Batter Cakes." "Flannel Cakes," "Buckwheat Cakes," "Griddle Cakes," etc., form pleasing a,nd toothsome varieties for the morning meal, and. It might be added, not only for the morning meal, but f6r luncheon and tea as well.