THE LADIES’ WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2512, 27 May 1909, Page 7

THE LADIES’ WORLD.

WOMEN AS COOKS

It has been said many times that •whilst most women make excellent cooks in the lower grades of the profession, they are incapable of rising to the highest levels. The qualities of which go to make a high-class chef, it is said, are jMiCuliarly unfemininc, for women are supnosed to lack the. delicacy of palate which appreciates subtle flavoring and blending. However, the hour of glory ‘liras arrived, and a recent dinner, given ■at the Foreign Office by Lord Crewe, is described as a triumph of culinary skill. It was entirely planned and served under the direction of Mrs. .Lewis, a well-known cook and proprietress of one of the luxurious hotels of London. Mrs. Lewis has a reputation for both her excellent cooking and her original recipes, and she is often engaged by the most exclusive private houses when an exceptional meal has to be prepared. But this is the first time she has had the entire arrangement of a big official function, and to-day she is envied by most of the leading chefs in London. The profession in which Mrs. Lewis takes such a high place she has created for herself. She began at the early age of fifteen, and had a thorough training under some of the famous chefs m Paris, where she goes two or three-times a. vear so as to keep in touch with the newest ideas. Last year, when the German Emperor visited England, his entire catering was entrusted to her, and the Kaiser asked for several of her recipes. She has trained numbers of girls, and many of her pupils are earning £IOO a year in regular situations, whilst others make special entertainments their particular industry. In these days of specialised work the thorough expert has splendid opportunities. and every day the demand for high-class cooks increases. In London the ocupation is regarded as worthy of the attention of educated women, and certainly the salaries paid exceed those of many governesses and clerks.

SAYINGS FROM RECENT NOVELS

“There arc two kinds of letters — those you want and those that want something.” “The true pick-men- is conversation with combative people.” 4 ‘There arc women, who. until the% have lost him, do not realise all that a man has meant to thorn. When they have lost him. they know that they have not only lost, but some other woman will find him.” 1 “All the world may not be a lover, y Ajnt all the world watches him.” “The real man-hater doesn’t exist, and the sham one gives up directly liei lips are pressed.” of us want to he what we aie. or to do what we do. What we all want is something perpetually young and beautiful.”

HOUSEHOLD RECIPES. Walnut Candies.— Required: Half a pound of good brown sugar, half a gbl of golden svrup. a nincli of cream or tartar, a drop or two of tartaric acid half an ounce of butter, one and a-hait ounces of chopped walnuts, half a gu of water. Put the sugar, water • and cream of tartar in a saucepan, and boil it till it- looks clear. Then add to it the butter and syrup, and let it bon till som ? of it, when dropped in cold water, will set. Pour the mixture on to a large dish. Sprinkle on it a drop or two of tartaric acid, and put the walnuts in a heap in the middle. With an oiled knife keep folding the edges over into the middle and go on doing this until all the nuts are mixed m. Uii your hands and scissors, and as soon-as it is possible to handle it, cut the candv into thick strips. Pull and stretch these out till about an inch wide, then cut them into cushion-like “bullseyes. You must be quick as possible in working in the walnuts and candy as it hardens quickly. . . TT o Lemon Sauce— Required: Half a pint of water, half an ounce of cornflour, two lemons, one ounce of castor sucar Put the water in a pan and brfno- to the boil. Mix the cornflour smoothly and thinly with the lemon -juice. . W 7 hen the water boils pour in the cornflour, and stir till it boils. Now add the castor sugar and the grated rinds of the lemons. Serve it in a liot tureen. , W-' • Stewed prunes will taste much nicer ! if a few minutes before they . are done a very little cornflour is mixed with cold water and stirred in. It thickens the syrup slightly, and greatly improves it. Cake icing will not crack when cut when a little thick cream is added to it Allow one teaspoonful to each white of gerer . "When boiling beef add a little vinegar to the water. It makes the meat tender. But be sure 'the water merely simmers after the first ten minutes, or, in spite of the vinegar the meat will be tough. . To Renovate Black Ribbon. Black coffee that has been strained until it is quite clear and free from grounds is splendid. The ribbon should be wellbruslied, gently sponged with the coffee, and ironed carefully on the wrong side until dry. . When cleaning knives add a tiny bit of carbonate of soda to the bath-brick on the knife board. They will polish more easily. , , , To Preserve Parsley.—Do not put it into water, but place instead in an airtight tin and stand in a cool place. It will keen fresh for some time. A shabbv black chip hat should be well rubbed with a piece of black velvet clipped in bluck ink one! gum water, equal parts. . ‘ Irregularity of the stitch in a sowing machine is sometimes produced bv using . tho same needle with different sizes of cotton. , -i • To soothe a fresh burn when the skin is not broken, scrape raw potato on to a . piece of soft linen, and apply this as a poultice to the injured place. . \ common clay marble placed m a kettle will collect all the fur that would otherwise got caked on to the side of the kettle. ,

"In the course of a lecture at Dunedin on “Scottish Songs of Married Life,” Rev. James Aitken referred incidentally to" the differences sometimes occurring between husband and wife as recorded in song, and said he thought his solution was the wisest and the best. “He thought that in every house the wisest of the two should rule. The mistake of many wives was that they were not content with ruling. He did" not think there were many wives who could l not get their. own way, if they were only content with that —most of them liked at the same time to have it acknowledged. The skilful wife, was one who got her own way, but, did it so tactfully that her husband thought

The contract for tho Waiau Bridge, on the route of the South Island Main Trunk railway, which has been secured by Mr. G. M. Fraser,- of Hamilton, will constitute an important part of the undertaking. At present the railhead is 43 miles south, at Waipara (41 miles from Christchurch), and the bridge is to be finished in 18 months from the date of the contract, so that it is unlikely that it will be required for railroad purposes for some years. However, it will be available for road traffic, obviating the necessity of fording a| dangerous river. The bridge will be constructed of hardwood, and will he lialf-a-mile long. There are to he 39 spans of 60ft. , and two of 13ft., the height of the rail level being loft above the bed of tlie river.

For tho first time since 1895 England showed ail increase in the birth-rate last year. It works out at 26.G6 per 1,000 of the population.