Vol. XXn. No. 8.] 



POPULAK SOIENOi: E^EWS. 



119 



l^ome, iFann, anD ©arDen. 



A TENT OF LIVING VINES. 

 An article in a recent number of St. Nicho- 

 las shows how a ver^' prett\' tent can be made, 

 which, instead of being formed of the usual 

 canvas, has its sides composed of running 

 vines, making a cool and refreshing retreat 

 from the heat of the summer's sun. The plan 



Fig. 1. 



of construction is shown in Fig. 1. A tree 

 with low-spreading branches is selected, and 

 stijut cords attached to them at three different 

 places. To these cords smaller strings are 

 attached, brought down to the ground, as 

 shown in the plan, and secured to pegs driven 

 into the earth. Any suitable plants, such as 

 hops, peas, beans, or morning-glories, are then 

 planted at the foot of the strings, and in due 

 time they will be entirely covered with foliage. 

 The size and shape of the tent may, of course, 

 be varied at pleasure. The circular parts are 

 laid out by first suspending a stone from the 

 branch above by a string reaching nearly to 

 the ground. This improvised plumb-line will 

 mark the centre of the circle. Then drive a 

 peg into the ground at this point, and attach 

 a string to it of a length equal to one-half the 



Fia. 2. 



(liameier oi the desired circle. By tying a 

 nail or sharp-pointed stick to the other end, 

 and moving the whole around the centre peg, 

 a very accurate circle can be readily marked 

 out on the ground, and the strings brought 

 down to it from above, as before. 



As the weight of such a mass of growing 

 vines is very considerable, cafe should be 

 taken to have the cords strong and firmly 

 fastened, or the whole affair will be likely to 

 collapse in a strong wind. 



SELECTED RECIPES. 



Tomato Fkitters. — Bake some tomatoes, but 

 not too much; add some parmesan cheese and a 

 very little finely chopped shallot. Add as much 

 cream and the white of an egg as will make the 

 preparation of the consistency of batter. Drop 

 this batter into a frying-pan of boiling butter; and, 

 when the fritters rise, take them out and send to 

 table, first dusting them over with grated parmesan 

 cheese. 



Iced Tomatoes. — Scald the tomatoes for a 

 minute or so, and peel carefully; cut out the stalks 

 with a sharp knife; remove about one teaspoonful 

 of the contents, and put in a pinch of salt, sugar, 

 and pepper, and as much minced parsley, shal- 

 lot, and tarragon as will fill the space. Boil 

 (that is, reduce) some cream with an onion and 

 some salt untd-qjiite thick, put a dessertspoonful 

 under each tomato, ice the whole, and serve in the 

 dish it is dressed in. 



Stuffed Tomatoes a la Milanese. — Take 

 six ripe tomatoes of equal size, cut a circle oft' the 

 top of each, and scoop out the insides. Press the 

 pulp through a sieve, and mix in with it a little 

 salt, cayenne, two ounces of butter broken into 

 little pieces, two tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs, 

 a large shallot finely minced, a teasfioonful of pars- 

 ley, and two very large tablespoonfuls of grated 

 parmesan. Fill the tomatoes with this mficture, 

 put on the tops again, and bake in a moderate 

 oven, or fry them in oil till cooked brown; put 

 mushroom sauce or sauce espagnole round them. 



Savory Codfish Patties. — Have puff paste 

 cases; spread anchovy butter all round inside, then 

 put in some dried codfish cut up finely, and place 

 on the top a cheese souffld mixture. Place in the 

 oven, and serve quickly. 



Savory Fish-Bali.s. — Take some dried cod- 

 fish ; pound in a mortar with some butter and a 

 little pepper; when quite smooth make into small 

 round balls; roll them in beaten egg, and then 

 have ready some very finely powdered parsley, 

 some finely powdered lobster coral, some yolk of 

 egg hard-boiled and passed through a sieve, and 

 some hard white of egg also ; roll some of the balls 

 in the coral, some in the parsley, some in the white, 

 and some in the yolk; aiTange them in a pyramid, 

 assorting their colors tastefully. 



Potatoes a la Milanese. — Take as many 

 potatoes as are required; choose the largest; bake 

 them well, cut off the tops, and scoop out the 

 insides. Pass the potato through a sieve, and add 

 a tablespoonful of grated parmesan and gruyere 

 cheese mixed, pepper, and salt; melt a good table- 

 spoonful of butter (or more according to the num- 

 ber of potatoes) in a stewpan ; put in the potato, 

 and make it hot, and fill the skins of the potatoes 

 with it; put them in the oven, and serve up very 

 hot. 



Potato Farci. — Cut large potatoes into halves. 

 Scoop out the centres, leaving enough of the potato 

 with the skin to form a case or cup. Mince cold 

 cooked meat; add to it salt, {)epper, and a palata- 

 ble amount of butter; put it in these potato-cups, 

 brush over the top with beaten egg, and bake in a 

 moderate oven until the potatoes are done. The 

 portions scooped out may be used for mashed pota- 

 toes or potato croquettes. These, if nicely made, 

 are very palatable. 



Lobster Cutlets. —This is one of the nicest 

 ways of preparing canned lobster: — 



Cut two cups of lobster rather fine ; this is best 

 done with a sharp silver knife, as steel is apt to 

 destroy the flavor of the lobster. Put a half-pint 

 milk on to boil in a small saucepan. Rub together 

 one large tablespoonful of butter aud three round- 

 ing tablespoonfuls of flour; then stir it into the 

 boiling milk, and stir continually until it forms a 

 thick paste. Beat until smooth, then add the 

 yolks of two eggs; cook over the fire one minute, 

 then remove, and add the lobster, a quarter of a 

 grated nutmeg, a tablespoonful of chopped pars- 

 ley, ten drops of onion-juice, salt and pepper to 

 taste. Mix carefully without stirring, and turn 

 out on a dish to cool. When cold, form into cut- 

 lets; roll first in beaten egg, and then in bread- 

 crumbs, and fry in smoking-hot oil, dripping, or 

 lard. This will take about two minutes. When 

 done, drain; arrange them on a hot plate, and put 

 a quilling of paper in the small end of each cutlet. 

 Serve with cream sauce or sauce tartare. 



Lobster Croquettes. — To every two cups of 

 chopped lobster allow a half-pint of milk, two 

 ounces of butter, and two rounding tablespoonfuls 

 of flour. Put the milk on to boil. Rub the butter 

 and flour to a smooth paste, and then add it to the 

 boiling milk; stir until smooth and very thick, 

 then add the yolks of two unbeaten eggs ; cook one 

 minute longer, and take from the fire. Add the 

 lobster, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, ten 

 drops of onion-juice, a quarter of a nutmeg grated, 

 and a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper; mix 

 and carefully stir in the lobster; stand away to 

 cool. When cold, form into cone-shaped croquettes. 

 Dip in beaten egg and then in bread-crumbs, and 

 fry in smoking-hot fat. Put a small claw in the 

 top as a garnish. — From the Practical Confectioner 

 and Table Talk. 



HOW TO BLANCH CELERY. 



The operation of blanching is one of the prin- 

 cipal parts of growing good celery. Even large, 

 well-grown celery, if it be not well blanched, looks 

 very inferior; and, if it sells at all, it is usually at 

 a very low price. 



In no other part of this country, except in the 

 far South, is celery grown as early, and of such good 

 quality, as in Kalamazoo, Mich. We think, how- 

 ever, that it is useless for any person to try and 

 grow early market celery unless he has the right 

 kind of soil. If grown on high ground, the early 

 crop will nearly all run to seed. 



Some gardeners commence hilling celery nearly 

 as soon as it commences to grow, while here we 

 wait until the plant has attained nearly its full 

 growth. We look more to the thickness of the 

 celery than the length, which later develops as 

 soon as hilled, but increases in thickness very 

 little. 



We have two methods of blanching celery, — 

 one being by ground, and the other with boards. . 

 We prefer at all times to hill with ground when 

 the weather will permit; but when it is too hot, we 

 use boards. 



Ground-Blanching. — When two crops are raised, 

 nearly all the work of hilling has to be done by 

 hand. If one crop is grown, the soil can be 

 thrown toward the rows with the plough, thus 

 greatly reducing the labor. A large hoe is used, 

 about twelve inches in length. With this the soil 

 is drawn lightly against the celery. No dirt is 

 allowed to fall in the heart of the plant. 



About five days after, and after it begins to 

 blanch a little, the muck should further be put up 

 against the celery with a hoe. If it cannot be 

 done with a hoe, a spade or shovel must be used. 

 This second hilling should be about six inches 

 higher, or almost to the leaves of the celery. The 

 bank at the bottom should be broad, so that, when 



