The household cook book

Have fruit fresh, and as cold as possible when served. That which has stood for some days in a warm room is not very tempting. Pounded ice is an agreeable addition to a dish of raspberries, strawberries, or currants. Pound it in a clean cloth until it is almost as fine as snow, and then spread it over the berries. If sliced fruits or berries are sprinkled with sugar and allowed to stand 1 or 2 hours before serving, they will be much improved. Grape scissors, a melon knife and fork, and nut crackers should always be put on the table if there are dishes of fruit requiring their use. There are many very attractive ways of preparing fresh fruits for desserts, etc., which we explain elsewhere, such as " Frozen Fruit," "Frosted or Iced Fruit," " Glaces,"' " Cream= Coated Fruit," "Fruit Molds," "Fruit Ice Creams," etc., which the reader can readily refer to APPLES. — Choose those which are not too sour, and which have a pleasant taste; wipe them clean, or polish brightly with a cloth, and mix together different colors, like red and yellow, piling them up on a dish when they are to be served at the table. APRICOTS — These need only a few green leaves to garnish them. Pile them high on a glass or other dish. BANANAS. — These, if whole, should be piled on either high or low dishes, and high in the center, with bright green leaves to make them look pretty. They are often mixed in with oranges and grapes. Bananas make a delicious dessert if the skins are taken off, and they are cut crossways into thin slices, and then sugar and cream served on them. Or, after slicing them, sprinkle on sugar and add a little orange juice. Alternate layers of bananas and oranges (peeled and sliced) with sugar on each layer are very nice. It will be an improvement to let the fruit get very cold, and cover with whipped cream when serving. Bananas and strawberries also go well together. BERRIES. — Choose the freshest. It is better not to wash them unless they need it, but pick them over, hull them, spread a layer in a dish, sprinkle with sugar, then put in another layer of berries, and so on alternately. Set them in a cold place until ready to serve, and then put on a layer of crushed ice. If necessary to wash them, use cold water, wash a few at once, and then hull them, handling as little as need be. Do not stir them wuth a spoon nor drain them with a colander. Then sprinkle with sugar and set away as before. Do not wash berries after being hulled, as more or less juice escapes with the hulling, and the less they are then disturbed the better. It improves their appearance to garnish them with a border of green leaves. Blueberries, blackberries, huckleberries, whortleberries, etc., are all served much the same way. The Whortleberry is native to the nortliern parts of the world, and there are many varieties. The fruit contains about 71% water, 6.7^ sugar and l.S^ free acid. It is very wholesome. The Bluebebky belongs to the same species as the bilberry, whortleberry, etc. WHORTLEBERRY. It is found in most northern countries. It is a very -wholesome and palatable fruit, and its composition is about the same as the whortleberry.