PRISCILLA SELTZER

President of The Woman's Club of Reading.

A VS/ord on Cook Books

HE oldest German Cook Book was printed in 1587 and the Romans reproduced one as early as A. D. 1490, but even if Cook Books are as old as the hills, you will ever want, and ever find some- thing new. We hope you will find it in this

Cook Book. A reliable Cook Book is a household necessity ;

and in some countries it is always a part of a bride's outfit.

We all cherish our grandmothers' and mothers' recipes, but

we would be without them if they had not been put in

cook books.

Temperature in House 9

Weights and Measures 10

Useful Things to Know 12

A Few Helpful Hints . . 13

Breakfast 15

Cereals, Eggs, Bacon, Toast ; 15

Coffee 21

Luncheon 22

Party Luncheon 23

Dinner 24

Fish and Oysters 29

Combinations for Meats, Vegetables and Sauces 35

Meats 47

Sauces G3

Poultry and Game . 77

Vegetables 87

Potatoes 99

Salads 107

Pies 119

Fritters and Pan Cakes 123

Puddings and Desserts 129

Frozen Desserts 141

Cheese 149

Sandwiches 157

Hot Breads and Muffins 160

Large Cakes 1G7

Small Cakes 177

Christmas Cakes 183

Jellies, Butters and Conserves 186

Drinks 190

Spiced Fruits and Catsups 102

Invalid's Tray 194

Temperatures in the House

How many housewives consider the many kinds of tem- perature measurements which are really found in the home? Someone once said that only in a green-house and in a candy factory was temperature recognized as an important factor. The temperature at which foods boil and cook is most im- portant, especially the point at which fats are ready for use. A knowledge of the effect of low and high temperatures on food products will greatly influence the quality of the cook- ing. While many of our best cooks just guess at the heat of the oven or test it by putting in a paper, there is no reason why an oven and cooking cannot have distinct temperature measurements. The use of an oven thermometer (which, if not on your range, can be bought and adjusted) will un- doubtedly result in more accurate cooking, and reduce the possibility of scorched or underdone foods.

There are, indeed, quite definite points for certain kinds of cooking as (1) biscuit and pastry, 450 to 550 F., (2) rolls, biscuits and muffins, 400 to 450 F., (3) cake, bread, cookies, 350 to 400 F., (4) custards, pudding, meringue, 250 to 350 F. Again, at what temperature should a refrigerator be kept? Do all housewives know it should lie between 45 and 55 de- grees F. in order to keep the food supplies in proper condition? A simple thermometer would give this reading and would, perhaps, prevent unwholesome conditions.

Weights and Equivalent Measures

Cup and Spoon Measures

Here are two methods given by which to measure :

When measuring always pack the contents tightly and level off the top of the measure. A cup means the common size coffee cup generally used, that holds a half pint.

4 cups of flour sifted or 1 quart equal 1 pound

2 cups of granulated sugar equal

2y2 cups powdered sugar equal

2 cups of solid butter equal 1 pint or

3 cups of meal equal

1 pint of milk or water equals

9 large or 10 medium eggs equal

A tablespoon 14 times quite full is a cup or J^ pint of milk

or water.

2 tablespoonfuls of flour equals 1 ounce

1 tablespoonful of liquid equals 1 ounce

Butter the size of an egg equals 2 "

5^ cup or yi pint of liquids equals 1 gill.

A level cup of granulated sugar is 7 ounces. A rounded cup of granulated sugar is ^ pound. A heaping teaspoonful is 1 ounce.

Measurements No. 2

In using these measures use one or the other, not taking one measure of one and then a measure of the other; both are reliable when used by themselves.

1 teacupfuU of water or milk measures ^ pint

4 tablespoonfuls of water or milk measures yi pint

1 wine glass full of water or milk measures y^ pint

1 breakfast cupful of moist sugar heaped is ^ pound

1 " " of castor sugar is 7 ounces

1 " " of rice is 7 ounces

1 " " of butter, lard or drip'ings heap'd 7 ounces

1 " " of bread crumbs pressed in is. . . .4 ounces

1 " " of sago, or tapioca pressed in is. 4 ounces

1 " " of flour or cornmeal pressed in is 4 ounces

1 tablespoon of suet fine chopped heaped is 1 ounce

1 tablespoon of flour, heaped is 1 ounce

1 tablespoon of moist sugar is 1 ounce

1 tablespoon of golden syrup measures ^ ounce

1 dessertspoon of flour heaped measures Yi ounce

1 saltspoon is equal to Yz teaspoonful

1 teaspoonful is equal to Y^ dessertspoonful

1 dessertspoonful is equal to ^ tablespoonful.

6 ordinary lumps of sugar weigh Y^ ounce

1 piece of butter the size of an tgg weighs 1 ounce.

Useful Things to Know

Tea — Six teaspoonfuls to 1 ounce; 1 pound for 60 or 70 people if teapots are used. Considerably less if bags of tea are placed in urns.

Coffee (Ground) — One full tablespoon for each person; 1 pound for 25 to 30 persons ; less when made in large quan- tities.

Sugar — One pound for about 50. The lumps should be cut small.

Milk — Half a gill per head ; 1 pint for about 12 people is enough for tea. For coffee the half gill per head.

Cream — One pint for about 25 people.

Claret or Lemonade — About ^ pint per head.

Bread and Butter — One and ^ pounds to 1>4 pounds of butter to 3 sandwich loaves. This makes enough thin bread and butter for 100 persons. Sandwiches same.

Large Cake — One slice to 2 people.

Small Cakes — Three to 2 persons for afternoon teas.

Ices — About 10 helpings to 1 quart.

Soup — One-third of a pint per head.

Fish — Allow yi pound uncooked per head.

Creams and Jellies — Eight to 10 helpings to a quart mold.

Cutlets — There are 7 cutlets on a leg of lamb or mutton.

These quantities are a correct average, but one person will use more butter than another when spreading.

Bread should be one day old and the butter softened by placing the plate over boiling water. For thick bread and butter allow about 22 rounds to a quartern loaf. Cut each in half to make 44 pieces and allow 6 ounces of butter to the loaf.

Wine — Champagne, about 7 glasses to the bottle; Port, about 9 glasses to the bottle; Claret, about 5 glasses to the bottle; Sherry, about 10 glasses to the bottle; Graves and Sauterne, about 6 glasses to the bottle.

A Few Helpful Hints

For boiled, steamed, or baked puddings, bread crumbs, or bread crumbs and flour, allow 2 ounces of flour to each person.

One-half pound of flour usually makes a pudding for 4 people.

One-half pound of flour will make a pie or tart for 4 people.

One-half pound of flour will make 1 dozen scones or cakes.

One pint of custard is enough for 4 people. Allow 1 gill for each person.

One pound of meat for 4 persons, less for a stew.

Allowances

Butter — One-half pound per head per week for eating.

Meat — Three-quarter pound uncooked, with bone, per head, per day.

Sugar — One pound per head per week for eating and cooking.

Tea — One-fourth pound per head per week.

Milk — Three-fourth pint per head per day for all pur- poses.

Jam — One pound per head per week.

Bread — One-half loaf per head per day.

Cheese — One-fourth pound per head per day.

Potatoes — About 3 and J^ pounds per head per week.

Breakfast, not the most elaborate meal of the day, but the first one, will receive our attention first. The custom of having a heavy meal to begin the day with has passed away, and the simplest meal has taken its place, most people being satisfied with eggs, bacon, and toast, often fruit, and cereal instead of hot breads and something fried. Fruit in season is always desirable and of these there is such a choice I need say nothing about it. Next comes the cereal and again I will only give the time table from an old book for cereals:

Quantity Water Time

Cups Cups Hours

Indian Meal 1 3>4 4

Coarse Oatmeal 1 4 3

Fine Hominy 1 6 3

Cracked Wheat 1 4 4

Steamed Cooked Oats 1 5 4

Pettijohn 1 2 1

Rolled Wheat 1 2^ .40

Quaker Oats 1 2^ 1

Rice 1 4 1

Cook in double boiler.

After one of these cereals we come to bacon and eggs.

" If success be won this work must not be overdone."

In the egg we find protein, lime, phosphorus, iron, water, albumen and fat, but eggs have neither starch or sugar and unless combined with something else are not a perfect food. The fat is mostly in the yolk, the protein in the albumen. It is said one tgg is equal to one gill of good milk in food value, and that 10 are equal to 1 pound of meat. The simplest way to test the freshness of an Ggg is to drop it into a basin of water, the fresh will sink, while the stale will float, while the betwixt and between will keep in touch with the bottom but will tilt upwards. Eggs will never stand a fierce heat, as this toughens the albumen and makes them hard to digest. Indeed, eggs should never reach the boiling point if they are to be cooked properly. It is said there are over 200 ways of cooking eggs. I will first give the popular ways of cooking them for breakfast, then some fancy methods used for lunch- eon. Few people know how to cook an egg or boil an egg for breakfast properly, for even in that there is a right way and a wrong way.

To boil an egg the water should be boiling very fast when the egg is put in and there should be enough water to completely cover all of them. Immediately they are covered the sauce pan should be put on the back of the stove where it will stay hot but not boil. The eggs left in this hot water will be cooked soft in 5 minutes. If the egg is wanted hard it is put in cold water and allowed to come just to a boil; then it must be removed from the fire and left standing in the water 20 minutes. Cooked in this way they are perfectly digestible ,and many who thought they could not eat eggs at all have found no discomfort when cooked this way instead of the old method.

CLUB HOUSE COOK BOOK

Poached Eggs — Break the egg into a saucer and slip it gently into a pan of rapidly boiling water in which is a pinch of salt and ^ teaspoon of vinegar. Remove pan at once from fire and leave the egg alone until it is set, then lift out with a draining spoon, allowing all the water to run ofif, and serve on a neat square of toast. Drain well or it will make the toast sodden.

Scrambled Eggs — Like poached they are seldom cooked quite right; instead of a soft creamy concoction they are a tough, stringy mess and the reason is too great heat and too fast cooking. It is best to scramble eggs over hot water, by putting your pan in a larger pan of boiling water. The pro- portion of cream or milk and butter is : 3 eggs, 4 tablespoon- fuls of cream, I3/2 ounces of butter. Put the milk or cream and butter into the pan until hot, then break in the eggs and stir with a wooden spoon until it gets just thick. Turn out quickly, and serve on buttered toast.

Eggs Sur le Plat — Grease a fireproof dish. Break the eggs, one by one, into it, being careful not to break them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and put in the oven just long enough to set the eggs, but not to make them hard. The dish being hot, they continue to cook after being taken from the oven, so allowance should be made for that fact.

Creamed Eggs — Use little individual fireproof pans or bowls for this. Break the eggs in carefully, one by one, and pour a tablespoon of cream over each egg.

Creamed Eggs and Potato — Place a layer of smoothly mashed and well seasoned potato in the dish or little pans previously greased and then an egg on the top as before.

Creamed Eggs — Cut hard boiled egg lengthwise. Make a sauce by boiling 1 cupful of good milk or cream. If using cream omit butter, but when using milk add a generous piece of butter. Stir in a heaping teaspoon flour stirred in milk. Season with pepper and salt. Pour the hot cream sauce over the eggs and serve at once.

BREAKFAST 17

Baked Eggs in Cream Sauce — Four eggs, 1 tablespoonful ■of butter, 1 tablespoonful flour, 1 cup cold milk, 1 teaspoon salt, dash paprika, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and a little ■onion or nutmeg. Put butter in saucepan ; when melted add flour. Mix well, add milk and boil 1 minute, add salt. Put sauce in earthen ware dish and put the raw eggs in very carefully. Put in hot oven about 3 minutes or a little longer. Dust with paprika and sprinkle with parsley. Serve in dish an which it is baked.

Egg Omelettes — Six eggs, 6 tablespoonfuls milk, season to taste. Beat yolks 5 minutes, add seasoning and milk, beat again about 3 minutes. Beat whites until stiff, then fold in lightly and bake in a slow oven until the edges begin to thicken. Place in oven about 5 minutes until whites are brown ; fold and serve. YORK.

Potato Omelette — Four eggs, 1 cup mashed potato, 1 cup sweet milk, 1 teaspoon flour, salt and pepper. Beat eggs separately, have pan hot, leave on stove a few minutes, then put in oven until ready to serve.

Asparagus Omelette — Put a piece of butter the size of a walnut into a frying pan and when it is melted pour in 3 ■eggs which have been previously beaten, just enough to mix the yolks with the whites. Stir constantly and when the mixture thickens, take from the fire, season with salt and pepper, and stir into what you have left of cold boiled aspara- g"us cut into bits.

Spanish Omelette — Four eggs, 4 tablespoonfuls water, 2 tablespoonfuls butter, salt and pepper. Beat yolks and whites separately; add water; mix whites and yolks lightly; add salt and pepper. Melt butter in pan. When hot, pour in eggs and cook until set on sides and bottom. Finish cooking in hot oven ; fold, turn on hot dish and pour tomato sauce over.

Tomato Sauce — Two tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, ^ teaspoon onion juice, 1 cup strained tomatoes.

18 CLUB HOUSE COOK BOOK

Egg Cutlets — Make sauce of % cup milk and 2 large tablespoonfuls flour ,add to this 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped fine, 1 small onion, chopped, parsley, a dash of nutmeg, pepper, salt. When cold, mould, dip in egg and bread crumbs and fry. LORENE FOX WAGNER.

Bread Omelette — Four eggs, ^/^ cup milk, ^/^ cup stale bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon butter, ^ teaspoon salt, Ys tea- spoon pepper. Soak bread crumbs in milk for 15 minutes, add beaten yolks and seasoning. Fold in whites and bake in the oven in a casserole. YORK.

Egg Cutlets With Tomato Sauce — Four eggs, 1 cup of milk, 2 tablespoonfuls of flour, 3^ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon onion juice, dash of pepper and paprika, 1 tablespoonful chopped parsley. Boil eggs hard, chop the whites fine, add to cream sauce, add salt pepper, parsley and mashed yolks of eggs. Spread on platter to cool. When firm take up 1 table- spoonful in hand and form into chops, dip in bread crumbs and egg. Fry in hot fat. Serve on platter with tomoto sauce.