  RUTH MAKES AN APPLE PIE Woman rolling out a pie crust in front of an open window "I'LL tell you, Ruth," said Bettina, in answer to some questions, "you come home with me now, and make an apple pie for our dinner! I'll watch and direct you, and perhaps I can show you what made the crust tough on the one you made at home. Do come. I can't promise you an elaborate dinner tonight, for my funds are very low and I must be careful. But I had planned to make an apple pie myself. Bob is so fond of it that no matter what else we may have, an apple pie dinner is a feast to him." "But goodness, Bettina! I might spoil it!" "No, you wouldn't, and I would show you just what to do. I suspect that you handled the dough too much before and that was what made the pie seem tough." "I suppose I did; I was so anxious to have it well mixed." "Did you use your fingers in mixing in the shortening? I know that many good cooks do it, but it is really better to use a knife, with the blade flat. And then roll the pastry out just as lightly as possible." "Do you make pastry with lard or butter?" "I usually make it with an equal amount of each. Lard makes a more tender crust than butter, and a whiter crust, but I think butter gives it a better flavor." Bettina and Ruth had reached home by this time, and Bettina brought out the materials for Ruth's pie. "I'll give you ice-water to moisten the pastry," said she; "it isn't necessary, but it is really better in the summer time. And while you're mixing in the shortening with this knife, I'll be cooking some eggs hard for eggs a la goldenrod which I am going to give you tonight." "Eggs a la goldenrod!" exclaimed Ruth, "How good that does sound!" "It is a very good luncheon-dish, but I find it also good for dinner when I'm not having meat. I think it looks appetizing, too." "I must learn how to make it. You know Father comes home at noon, and it is hard to think of a variety of luncheon-dishes. I usually have eggs or cheese in some form or other, but 'eggs a la goldenrod,' are new to me." "We also have cottage-cheese tonight," said Bettina. "I plan to make it about once a week. Ruth, I believe I hear Bob now! Well, he'll have to wait half an hour or more for his dinner!" That night they had: BETTINA'S RECIPES (All measurements are level) Eggs a la Goldenrod (Four portions) 3 hard-cooked eggs 3 T-butter 3 T-flour 1½ C-milk ½ t-salt 1/8 t-pepper 1/8 t-parsley Melt the butter, add the flour, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the milk gradually. Cook until a white sauce consistency. Add chopped egg-whites. Pour this mixture over slices of toast arranged on a platter. Force the yolks through a strainer on top of the sauce on the toast. Garnish with parsley and serve hot. Potato Cakes (Four portions) 2 C-mashed potatoes 1 T-lard 1 T-butter Form cold seasoned mashed potato into cakes two inches in diameter. Dip the cakes lightly into a little flour. Allow one tablespoon butter and one tablespoon lard to get very hot in a frying-pan. Put in the cakes, brown on each side, and serve. Cottage Cheese (Four portions) 1 qt. sour milk 1 t-salt ¼ t-paprika 1 T-cream Place thick freshly soured milk over a pan of hot water, not boiling. When the milk is warm and the curds separate from the whey, strain off the whey in a cheese cloth. Put into a bowl, add salt, pepper and cream to taste. Stir lightly with a fork. Some of Bettina's Pastry Rules One—All the materials must be cold. Two—Always roll one way and on one side of the pastry. Three—Shortening should be handled as little as possible. Four—Dough should be mixed with a knife and not touched with the hands. Five—Shortening should be cut in with a knife. Six—Cook pastry in a hot oven having the greatest heat at the bottom so that it may rise before browning. Crust is done when it slips from the pan. |
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