  THE DIXONS COME TO DINNER "SHALL I open this jar of grapefruit marmalade?" asked Charlotte, who was helping Bettina to prepare dinner. "Yes, Charlotte, if you will." "How nice it is, Bettina! How long do you cook it before you add the sugar?" "Well, that depends altogether on the fruit. Sometimes the rind is so much tougher than at other times. You cook it until it's very tender, then add the sugar and cook until it jells." "There's another thing I'd like to ask you, Bettina. How on earth do you cut the fruit in thin slices? Isn't it very difficult to do?" "Not with a sharp knife. I place the fruit on a hardwood board, and then if my knife is as sharp as it ought to be, it isn't at all difficult to cut it thin." "Well, perhaps I haven't had a sharp enough knife. Oh, Bettina, what delicious looking cake! Is it fruit cake?" "It's called date loaf cake. It has nuts in it, too, but no butter. I always bake it in a loaf cake pan prepared with waxed paper. Bob is very fond of it. I think it's very good served with afternoon tea." "I should think it might be." "Tonight, though, I am serving just sliced oranges with it." "That will be a delicious dessert, I think. Listen! Is that Bob and Frank coming in?" For dinner that night they had: BETTINA'S RECIPES (All measurements are level) Bettina's Jelly Pickle (Four portions) 2 t-granulated gelatin 4 T-cold water ¾ C-vinegar from a jar of sweet pickles 2 T-sweet pickles, chopped fine 1 T-olives, chopped fine 1 T-spiced peach, chopped fine 1 T-pickled melon rind Soak the gelatin in cold water for ten minutes. Heat the vinegar and when very hot pour into the gelatin mixture. Stir until dissolved. When partially congealed so that the fruit will not stay on the top, add the pickles, olives, peaches and rind. Pour into a well-moistened layer mould or four small ones. Set in a cold place one hour. Unmould. Grapefruit Marmalade (One and one-half pints) 6 grapefruit 4 lemons 1 orange 1 lb. sugar for each lb. of fruit 6 C-cold water for each lb. of fruit Wash the grapefruit, lemons and orange carefully. Cut each in quarters. Slice the quarters through the rind and pulp, making thin slices. Weigh the fruit, and for each pound allow six cups of cold water. Allow to stand with the water on the fruit for twenty-four hours. Let all boil gently until the rind is very tender. No particular test can be given for this, as some fruit is much tougher than others. Set aside for four hours. Drain off the liquid. Weigh the fruit mixture, and for each pound allow a pound of sugar. Let cook slowly until the mixture thickens or "jellies" when tried on a dish. Be careful not to get the mixture too thick, as it will thicken somewhat more upon cooling. Date Loaf Cake (Twelve pieces) 1 C-flour 2 t-baking powder ½ t-salt 1 C-sugar 2 eggs 1 t-vanilla 1 C-dates, cut fine ½ C-nut meats, cut fine Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar thoroughly. Add the dates, nut meats and vanilla. Mix thoroughly, add the egg-yolks and mix well. Beat the egg-whites until very stiff. Cut and fold these into the mixture. Pour into a loaf cake pan prepared with waxed paper. Bake in a slow oven for fifty minutes. |
|
