The new practical housekeeping

Gelatine is usually put up in two-ounce packages, so that where recipes call for half package, one ounce should be used. In choosing gelatine or isinglass select that which is whitest, has no unpleasant odor, and which dissolves most readily in water. To test its purity drop a few threads of the substance into boiling water, some into cold water, and some into vinegar. In the first it will dissolve, in the second become white and cloudy, and in vinegar it will swell and become jelly-like. But if adulterated it will not so completely dissolve in hot water, in cold water it will become jellylike, and in vinegar will harden. In preparing fine small fruits with seeds for creams, etc., mash through a fine woven-wire sieve, called a puree sieve — the ordinary flour sieve being too coarse. A very ^^^H useful kitchen utensil is the little steamer de- T-SBSmr. fiigned to set over top of teakettle, in which creams and custarda that need to be cooked over hot water may be very easily prepared, saving space of one utensil. 160 CREAMS AND CUSTARDS. Macaroon Basket. — A pretty and unique way of serving macaroons with cream is as follows: Dissolve tablespoon gum arabic in half cup boiling water thoroughly; then stir in large cup white sugar. Boil gently until very thick. Set it while using in a pan of boiling water to keep hot. Take around tin pail, butter thickly on bottom and sides, dip edges only of each macarooa in hot candy and lay them in close rows on bottom until it is covered. Let them get perfectly dry, and be sure they adhere firmly to one another before beginning the lower row of the sides. Build < up wall one row at a time, letting each harden before adding another. When basket is done and firm, lift carefully from mold, make a loop-handle at each end with four or five macaroons stuck together, set on a flat dish and heap with whipped cream. Sprinkle comfits over cream or ornament with bits of red jelly. L^y fingers, brushing edges with white of egg, may be thus utilized. For an Orange Basket, slice oranges nicely, place on skewers, dip them in hot candy and line bottom and sides of pail or mold (which must first be buttered) in same way. Leave until hard and cemented together, then fill with whipped cream. Or for Orange Baskets, remove fruit from interior of oranges carefully by making a small incision on one side of fruit, then cut skin into shape of a basket, leaving about half an inch of stalk ends for handles. Fill baskets with any cream, ices, ice cream, whipped cream, jellies, etc., and they make a very pretty ornament for table. The juice and pulp removed can be made into jelly or custard, or sent to table sweetened with sugar. Chocolate Blanc-Mange. — Soak two-thirds box gelatine two hours in three pints of milk and then put in custard kettle. Cook three tablespoons grated chocolate, pinch of pulverized cinnamon, two each of sugar and boiling water in frying pan for a minute or two; add to milk with two more tablespoons sugar, cook two or three minutes and strain; | flavor with vanilla sugar, place in sauce pan and put in molds to cool, and eat with cream.