Pastry has fallen somewhat into disfavor, on account of its unwholesome properties, but as many persons still use it, we will give some directions for making it as wholesome and palatable as possible.

It is a great mistake to use what is called "cooking butter" and old lard for pastry. Only fresh butter and sweet lard should be employed for the purpose, and in summer these should be placed on ice before being used for pastry. Pastry, like cake, should be made in the cool of the morning, and it should be eaten fresh, as, unlike cake, it will not admit of being kept.

If a marble slab cannot be obtained, it is well to keep a thick wooden board exclusively for rolling out pastry. Handle as little as possible, and if anything should prevent you from putting it on to bake as soon as it is rolled out, put it on ice in the interim, as this will make it nicer and more flaky. Sometimes there is a delay about getting the oven or fire ready, in which case the cook generally leaves the pastry lying on the kitchen table; but its quality would be much improved if it were put on the ice instead, whilst waiting to be baked.

Excellent Recipe for Pastry.

Four teacups flour, one teacup firm butter, one teacup nice lard, one teacup ice water, one teaspoonful salt. Mix the lard and butter in the flour with a large, flat knife, then add the ice water. Do not touch it with the hands. Take it up in a rough-looking mass, roll it out quickly—not too thin. Cut it with a very sharp knife around the edges of the patty-pans. When intending to bake lemon puddings or cheese-cakes, let the pastry bake four or five minutes before adding butter, as this prevents the pastry from being heavy at the bottom. In summer it is best to put five teacups of flour, instead of four.—Mrs.M.C.C.

Pastry.

One pound fresh butter, one quart flour. Make up the dough with ice water. Divide the butter into parts. Roll out, and cover thickly with one part of the butter. Continue till all is rolled, sifting flour each time. Don't handle much, or it will be heavy.—Mrs.W.

Pastry.

Mix with water one quart flour and two teaspoonfuls salt. Work well and roll out thin. Spread over with lard, sift flour over the dough, and cut it in strips of two inches. Lay them in a pile one above another, cut them in squares, and again pile them up. Press down with the hands, and roll out thin as before. Repeat this several times, and the pastry will be improved each time. Do not use your hands after the roller is applied.

Puff Paste.

One pound flour, to be made up with cold water and beaten fifteen minutes. One pound butter (or half lard, if you have not enough butter), which must be spread on the dough four times and rolled in.

It must be made thin, put in tins, and baked in a moderate oven.

Lemon Pie.

Grate the rind and squeeze the juice of two lemons. Stir two tablespoonfuls corn-starch into two teacups hot water, and boil, stirring well. Add three-quarters of a pound of granulated sugar. When cool, add the yolks of four eggs well beaten, then the lemon-juice and grated rind, stirring the whole well together. Line the plates with rich pastry, and pour the mixture in. Bake until the crust is done. Beat the whites of the eggs very light, add six ounces powdered sugar, pour over the pies, set them again in the oven, and slightly brown. This will make two pies.—Mrs.T.M.C.

Lemon Pie.

One cupful sugar, one cupful sweet milk, one tablespoonful flour, one tablespoonful butter, three eggs, one lemon. Mix the grated rind and juice of the lemon with the yolks of the eggs and the sugar. Add the milk next, and then the butter and flour. Bake in a paste. After it is cold, spread on the whites of the eggs, frothed and sweetened.—Mrs. McG.

Lemon Pie.

Yolks of four eggs, white of one, beaten very light; grated rind and juice of one large lemon; five heaping tablespoonfuls sugar. Bake in an undercrust till the pastry is done. Froth the whites of three eggs with five tablespoonfuls sugar. Spread over the pies and bake again till brown.—Mrs. Col.S.

Lemon Pie.

One tablespoonful butter, creamed with two cups of sugar, yolks of six eggs, grated rind and juice of four lemons, four heaping tablespoonfuls flour. Mix well. Add a cupful buttermilk, and one teaspoonful soda. Froth and sweeten the whites of the eggs and put them on top the pies.—Mrs.N.

Lemon Cream Pie.

One cupful sugar, one of water; one raw potato, grated; juice and grated rind of one lemon. Bake in pastry, top and bottom.

Orange Pie.

Pulp and juice of two oranges, a little of the grated peel, the yolks of three eggs, one cupful sugar, one cupful milk. Stir the yolks with the sugar, then a tablespoonful of butter, then the juice, lastly the milk. Bake in a dish. After the pie has cooled, spread on it the whites of the three eggs, stiffly frothed and sweetened. Then set it again on the fire, to brown slightly.—Mrs. McG.

Orange Pie.

One quart milk, eight eggs, one small teacup rolled cracker, half a cupful butter, two grated fresh oranges, or the juice and chopped peel of two, one wine-glassful wine. Cream the butter and sugar, add the wine, oranges, and eggs beaten to a foam, the whites separately, the milk and the cracker. Bake half an hour, in puff paste.—Mrs.M.B.B.

Orange Pie.

One pint of milk, three oranges, one cupful of sugar, three eggs, one and a half tablespoonful of corn-starch. Bake in puff paste.—Mrs.H.H.S.

Peach MÉringue Pie.

Pare and stew ripe peaches. When nearly done, sweeten, take from the fire. Stir in a heaping teaspoonful fresh butter to each pie. Pour in a deep pie-plate, lined with paste. Bake; when done, remove from the oven and cover with the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and sweetened with three tablespoonfuls powdered sugar. Set back in the oven to brown slightly. Apple mÉringue pie may be made in the same way, only flavoring the fruit.—Mrs.S.T.

Peach Pie.

Pare and stew a quart of peaches with a pint of sugar, stirring often; when boiled to look nearly as thick as marmalade, take from the fire and when nearly cool, add one tablespoonful fresh butter. Have ready three crusts, baked in shallow tin plates. Spread and pile up the fruit on each.—Mrs.S.T.

Peach Pie.

Pare and stew the peaches till nearly done. Sweeten and boil a little longer. Set aside and when nearly cool, pour into deep pie-plates, lined with paste. Put bits of butter over the top, dredge with flour, then cover with a top crust, and bake.—Mrs.T.

Prune Pie.

Wash the prunes through several waters. Put in a preserving kettle in the proportion of two pounds fruit to one pound sugar. Pour a quantity of boiling water over them and let them boil at least two hours. When they are thoroughly done and the syrup thickens, take from the fire and pour into tin plates, lined with paste. Add one teaspoonful of butter. Cover with a rich paste and bake.—Mrs.S.T.

Damson Pie.

Scald the damsons slightly, in just enough water to prevent burning. Set aside till cool enough to handle. Remove the stones, sweeten well, and put in a deep pie-plate, lined with paste. Dredge with a little flour, cover with a top crust, and bake.—Mrs.T.

Strawberry Short-cake.

Bake a rich paste in pie-plates. Have six ready. In these spread stewed strawberries well sweetened; lay one upon another, six deep. In winter, use preserved or canned berries.—Mrs.H.

Cherry Pie.

Seed the cherries first, then scald them in their own juice. Sweeten liberally and pour into a deep pie plate lined with a rich paste. Dredge with flour, cover with a top crust and bake. Scarlet or short-stem cherries are best. It is necessary to scald most fruits, as otherwise the pastry will burn before the fruit is thoroughly done.—Mrs.S.T.

Cranberry Pie.

Prepare as for sauce, stewing two pounds fruit to one pound sugar. Pour into a pie plate lined with paste, cover with a top crust and bake.

Currant Pie.

Wash and thoroughly pick the fruit. Sweeten liberally and put in a yellow baking-dish, adding a little boiling water to melt the sugar; let it simmer a little; then set it aside to cool. Pour into a pie plate, covered with paste. Dredge with flour. Cover with paste and bake.

Apple Pie.

Put a crust in the bottom of a dish. Put on it a layer of ripe apples, pared, cored, and sliced thin, then a layer of powdered sugar. Do this alternately, till the dish is filled. Add a few teaspoonfuls rose water and some cloves. Put on a crust and bake it.—Mrs.E.

Apple Pie.

Pare and stew the apples till thoroughly done and quite dry. Rub through a colander and sweeten with powdered sugar. When cool add the whites of eggs—three eggs to a pint of apples—and a teacup of cream, whipped. Beat all the ingredients together with a patent egg-whip—one with a wheel if convenient. Spread upon crusts of rich paste, baked in shallow tin pie-plates. Grate nutmeg on each one and pile up three or four deep.—Mrs.S.T.

Apple Pie.

Pare and slice the apples. Make a little thick syrup of white sugar, into which throw a few cloves, allspice, or mace, as you prefer. In this syrup, scald a few apples at a time, taking them out and putting more in till all are slightly cooked. Set aside to cool, then pour into deep pie plates lined with paste. Dredge with flour. Put bits of butter over all. Dredge again. Cover with paste and bake. A glass of brandy or wine will improve it.—Mrs.S.T.

Blackberry Pie.

Pick the berries, but do not wash them. Stew slightly, sweeten, pour into a pie plate, lined with paste. Grate in a little nutmeg, dredge with flour, put on a top crust and bake.

Whortleberry Pie.

Pour just enough boiling water on the fruit to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the preserving kettle. Boil a minute, sweeten and pour into a pie-plate lined with paste. Dredge with flour, cover with paste and bake.—Mrs.S.T.

Gooseberry Pie.

Put one pound sugar to one of fruit, adding just enough water to prevent it from burning. Cook till it begins to jelly. Then spread over shapes of rich puff paste, already baked.—Mrs.M.C.C.

Tomato Pie.

Slice green tomatoes and stew in a thick syrup of sugar and lemon juice. Grate in the yellow rind of a lemon. When transparent, spread evenly over the bottom of a pie-plate that has been lined with paste. Spread strips of pastry across or cut into ornamental leaves with a cake-cutter, place over the fruit and bake.—Mrs.S.T.

Sliced Potato Pie.

Steam or boil the potatoes. Slice and lay in a syrup of sugar seasoned with whole cloves or allspice. Scald and set aside till nearly cool. Then place the slices evenly on the bottom of a deep pie-plate lined with crust. Put in each pie a tablespoonful of butter in bits, a wine-glass of brandy or Madeira wine.—Mrs.S.T.

Sweet Potato Pie.

One pint potatoes, boiled and mashed with a teacup sweet milk, and run through a colander. Beat separately four eggs; cream one teacup butter with one of sugar. Beat in the yolks, then the potatoes, grate in half a nutmeg, pour in a large wine-glass of brandy or good whiskey, and last of all, stir in the frothed whites. Bake in deep pie plates, lined with paste, without a top crust. Sift powdered sugar over the pies.

Irish potato pie may be made in the same way; only adding the juice and grated rind of a lemon.—Mrs.T.

Rhubarb Pie.

Carefully skin the stalks, cut in pieces half an inch long. Scald in a little rich syrup, but not long enough to become soft. Set aside, and when nearly cool, pour into a pie plate, lined with paste. Put a little grated lemon rind and a piece of butter the size of a walnut, in each pie. Dredge with flour, put on a top crust and bake.—Mrs.T.

Mincemeat.

Two quarts boiled beef, two quarts suet, chopped fine (or a part butter, for suet). Six quarts apples, one quart molasses (best quality). Four pounds sugar, three pounds raisins, one pound citron. Nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and wine to your taste. Mix well, pack in jars, with melted butter on top, if to keep long. Put in a cool place.—Mrs.J.W.

Mincemeat.

Three pounds meat (after it is boiled). Four pounds suet, three and one-half pounds raisins, one and one-half pounds currants, one-half pound dried cherries, two nutmegs, and mace to your taste. Four pints white wine, one pint brandy, four pounds brown sugar.—Mrs.M.E.J.B.

Mincemeat.

Six cupfuls beef, twelve cupfuls apples, three cupfuls sugar, two cupfuls molasses, two cupfuls butter, two pounds raisins, one quart cider, three tablespoonfuls cinnamon, two tablespoonfuls allspice, two nutmegs.

Mincemeat.

Two pounds lean fresh beef, boiled and chopped. Two pounds beef suet chopped fine, four pounds pippin apples, two pounds raisins stoned and chopped, two pounds currants, one-half pound citron, two grated nutmegs, one ounce powdered cinnamon, one-half ounce each of cloves and mace, two large oranges, one teaspoonful salt, one quart brandy, one quart wine, one wineglass rose water.

Cream Pie.

One quart morning's milk, 1 cupful sugar, yolks of six eggs, three tablespoonfuls sifted flour. Boil twenty minutes, after seasoning with nutmeg, wine, and vanilla or lemon. Have rich pastry already baked, in deep pie plates. Fill with the above mixture and bake. Make a mÉringue of the whites and some sugar, pour over the pie, and set it in the stove again to brown.—Mrs.T.

Cream Pie.

One half pound butter, four eggs, sugar and nutmeg to taste, two tablespoonfuls flour well mixed with milk. Pour over it one quart boiling milk, stir all together and bake in deep dishes.—Mrs.A.B.

Soda Cracker Pie.

Pour water on two large or four round soda crackers and let them remain till thoroughly wet. Then press out the water and crush them up together. Stir in the juice and grated peel of a lemon, with a cupful or more of powdered sugar. Put in pastry and bake.—MissH.L.

Silver Pie.

Peel and grate one large white potato. Add the juice and grated rind of a lemon, the beaten white of one egg, one cupful of white sugar, and one of cold water.

Bake in a nice paste. After baking, spread on top the whites of three eggs, frothed, sweetened and flavored with lemon. Set again on the fire and brown. Lay on small pieces of jelly or jam, just before taking it to the table.—Mrs.M.B.B.

Custard Pie.

One quart milk, five eggs, five tablespoonfuls sugar; flavor with lemon.

Bake slowly, half an hour.—Mrs.M.B.B.

Washington Pie.

One cupful sugar, one-half cupful butter, one-half cupful sweet milk, one-half cupful flour, one egg, one teaspoonful cream of tartar, one-half teaspoonful soda; flavor with lemon. Put on dinner plates-spread with apple sauce between each layer.—Mrs. Dr.J.

Sugar Pie.

Three cupfuls light brown sugar, one-half cupful melted butter, one-half cupful cream, three eggs. Season with lemon; beat well together; bake in pastry, without tops.—Mrs.J.F.G.

Molasses Pie.

Three eggs, beaten separately, one pint molasses, one tablespoonful melted butter. Bake on a rich crust.—Mrs. Dr.J.

Molasses Pie.

One teacup molasses, one teacup sugar, four eggs, four tablespoonfuls butter. Mix sugar and eggs together, pour in butter, and add molasses.—Mrs. Dr.S.

Cheese Cakes.

Yolks of twelve eggs, one pound sugar, one-half pound butter, one cupful flour, one pint milk, juice of two lemons. The milk, flour, and butter, creamed, and lemons put in together, after the eggs are well beaten. Stir all well together till it curds.

Bake in paste.—Mrs.A.C.

Lemon Cheese Cakes.

Yolks of sixteen eggs, one pound sugar, three-quarters pound butter, four lemons, boiling rinds twice before using, two tablespoonfuls powdered cracker.

Bake in paste.—Mrs. Dr.E.

Lemon Cheese Cakes.

Mix and gently melt four ounces of sugar and four ounces of butter; add yolks of two eggs, white of one; grated rind of three lemons, juice of one and a half lemon, one small Savoy or sponge biscuit, some almonds blanched and pounded, three spoonfuls brandy. Mix well and bake in rich pastry.—Mrs.V.P.M.

Lemon Cheese Cakes.

Yolks of eight eggs or yolks of five and whites of three, one-half pound sugar, a lump of butter, juice of one lemon and grated rind of three. Bake in rich pastry—MissD.D.

Corn-starch Cheese Cakes.

Juice and rind of three lemons, three cupfuls water, three cupfuls sugar, three eggs, three tablespoonfuls corn starch, two tablespoonfuls butter. Boil the water, mix the corn starch with a little cold water and pour on the boiling water. Let it boil up once and then pour it on the butter and sugar. After it cools add the lemons and eggs.—MissD.D.

Almond Cheese Cakes.

Beat up together very light one-half pound powdered sugar, and the whites of four eggs.

Blanch and cut in small pieces four ounces of almonds, which must be beaten up with the eggs and sugar. Add a little oil of almonds or rose water, and bake with pastry, in tins.—Mrs.I.H.

Almond Cheese Cakes.

Soak one-half pound Jordan almonds in cold water all night. Next morning, blanch them in cold water, lay them on a clean cloth to dry, and then beat them fine in a marble mortar with a little orange-flower or rose water. Then beat and strain six yolks and two whites of eggs, add a half-pound white sugar, and a little powdered mace. Rub all well together in the mortar. Melt ten ounces fresh butter, and add a grated lemon peel. Mix all the ingredients and fill the pans, after putting a paste at the bottom. Small tin shapes are best for cheese cakes.

Cream Tarts.

Make them small, of rich paste. Fill them after baking, with whipped cream, and drop a small spot of jelly in each one. The prettiest and most delicate of tarts.—Mrs.M.B.B.

Lemon Tarts.

Chop or grate a lemon; add a cupful white sugar, a cupful water, one egg, one tablespoonful flour. Line small patties with paste, put a spoonful in each and bake.—Mrs.M.B.B.

Prune Tarts.

Scald the prunes, take out the stones, break them and put the kernels in a little cranberry juice with the prunes, and some sugar. Simmer them, and when cold put in tart shapes in pastry and bake.—Mrs.V.P.M.

French Fritters.

One quart of milk (half to be boiled, and the other half mixed with a quart of flour, and used to thicken the boiling milk with).

Let it get done. While cooking, beat ten eggs very light; add a spoonful at a time to the batter, beating all the time, till well mixed. Add salt to your taste. Have a small oven full of nice lard, boiling hot. Put not quite a spoonful of batter to each fritter. Take them out before they turn dark and put them in a colander to drain the lard off of them.—Mrs. Dr.E.

Fritters (made with yeast).

One quart flour, three tablespoonfuls yeast, five eggs, one pint milk. Beat into a tolerably stiff batter. Stir a cupful of boiled rice into the batter, a short time before baking. A good deal of lard (boiling hot) is required for frying the fritters. Drop the batter in with a spoon, which must be dipped, each time, in boiling water. In cool weather, make the fritters about nine in the morning, in the summer, about eleven.—Mrs.A.C.

Bell Fritters.

Put a pint of boiling water in a preserving kettle, and as it boils, put in a tablespoonful of fresh butter. Have ready a pint of the best flour, sifted and wet with cold water, as for starch. Dip up some of the boiling water and pour to this, being careful to have it smooth. Return this to the kettle, stirring rapidly to prevent lumps. Turn into a wooden tray, and while hot, beat in six well beaten eggs, a spoonful at a time. Beat till very light, and beat quickly that the eggs may not cook in lumps. Have ready a pint of boiling lard in a pan. Make the fritters the shape of an egg, drop in and fry a light brown.

To be eaten with a pint of molasses, a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a little ginger and cinnamon, boiled to a thick syrup and served hot.

A great deal of lard is required to fry fritters nicely; yet it is not extravagant, as it may be used again. Strain what remains and put it by for use.—Mrs.S.T.

Quire of Paper Pancakes.

Mix with half a pint of rich milk the yolks of four eggs, well beaten. Add three tablespoonfuls fine flour, four ounces sugar, five ounces fresh butter, melted and cooled, four tablespoonfuls Madeira wine, half a nutmeg. Grease the pans once with fresh butter, and this will answer for all. The above quantity will suffice for five or six persons.—Mrs.R.

Common Pancakes.

Eight eggs, four tablespoonfuls flour, one pint of milk, one teaspoonful salt.