June, 19 13 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



227 



HELPS TO THE 

 HOUSEWIFE 



TABLE AND HOUSEHOLD SUGGESTIONS OF INTER- 

 EST TO EVERY HOUSEKEEPER AND HOUSEWIFE 



SERVING LUNCHEON WITHOUT A MAID 



By Elizabeth Atwood 



T is really surprising how easily one may 

 serve a luncheon without a maid, if care is 

 taken in the selection of the menu. Many 

 things may be prepared the day before and 

 not be spoiled by keeping. It is a mistake to 

 suppose that any luncheon can be given with- 

 out work and careful thought. Of course, if one employs a 

 caterer the responsibility is shifted, but someone must plan 

 well in order to have the luncheon a success, and this result 

 may be obtained if the articles are selected and prepared 

 according to the reasonable hints and formulae suggested. 

 But the one who gives the luncheon without help must 

 do even more planning, for she must have her viands in 

 such shape that she can easily serve them, and, too, with 

 as little jumping up from the table as possible. If she 

 is fortunate enough to have a "dinner-wagon" serving is 

 made very easy indeed. Consider this menu given below: 



Oyster Cocktails 



Swedish Tomato Soup 



Creamed Tunny Fish 



(In Bread Shell) 



Beef Fricadelles Apples 



Turquoise Salad Cheese Toast 



Chocolate Cream 

 Coffee Cheese and Crackers 



The oyster cocktails may 

 be prepared and placed on 

 the table before the guests 

 are bidden to the table. 

 The table may be set, the 

 flowers arranged and the 

 dining-room finished early 

 in the day. Then, as nuts, 

 olives, radishes and celery 

 are made ready, place 

 them on the table. 



The Swedish tomato 

 soup may be prepared 

 right after breakfast ready 

 to reheat at the last mo- 

 ment. Cook one can of 

 bouillon with one can of 

 tomatoes very slowly for 

 an hour, adding more 

 water as it boils away. 

 Strain, reheat, thicken with 

 a little cornstarch blended 



A NOVEL TENNIS CAKE 



By Mary H. Northend 



Tennis Ca^e: This cake is made as follows: Cream one cup butter; 

 add two cups sugar, yolks of six eggs, one cup cold water and four cups 

 sifted flour, sifted with half a teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg, 

 one teaspoon soda and two level teaspoons cream tartar, whites of six 

 eggs, beaten dry, one pound Sultanas, and one cup English walnuts, 

 dredged with flour. Frost with white icing. On each side, a "net" may be 

 made by drawing crossed lines with a little of the icing, colored green. 

 The smooth white icing on the top represents the court, and four balls 

 are made of fondant and laid around the sides. In the center are two 

 racquets, crossed. On the outside, to resemble the green grass around 

 the court, is placed a border of shredded cocoanut, which has been 

 mixed with a little green coloring to make a delicate color. A border 

 of this "grass" is also placed around the bottom of the cake. 



with cold water. Season with salt, a little Worcester sauce 

 and mushroom catsup. Serve with croutons, which, too, may 

 be prepared early and put in a pan ready to heat when the 

 soup is being heated. 



The tunnvfish may be prepared and kept warm on the 

 back of the range. Take a heaping teaspoon of butter and 

 melt in a pan. Add a teaspoon of flour, and when well 

 blended add slowly, in order to mix smoothly, one pint of 

 milk. When thoroughly mixed add a can of tunnyfish 

 separated into small bits. Have a five-cent loaf of home- 

 made bread which is a day old. Cut the top off smoothly 

 and scoop out the soft part, being careful not to spoil the 

 edges. When it is time to serve the tunnyfish, pour into 

 the bread shell, place the cover and tie with ribbon an inch 

 and a quarter wide, of the color used on the table. Serve 

 on "butter-tins" which are warm. 



The beef fricadelles may be made the day before so as to 

 avoid the smell of boiling fat in the house on the day of the 

 luncheon. Have a pound of finely chopped lean beef and 

 mix with a pound of sausage meat. Add a cup of bread 



crumbs, two eggs well 

 beaten, a scraped onion 

 with pepper and salt to sea- 

 son. Mix thoroughly, shape 

 into small cakes and saute 

 in hot fat. On the day of 

 the luncheon, put these 

 cakes in the oven to re- 

 heat. Have small apples 

 peeled and cored and have 

 them steam-cooked, whole 

 and hot. Place the frica- 

 delles on the center of the 

 platter and around them 

 place the apples. Take 

 cubes of domino sugar, 

 half size, dip these in 

 alcohol and place one 

 lump on each apple. Just 

 before bringing to the 

 table light the sugar. The 

 ring of apples with the 

 blue flame is very effective 

 and the' flavor of the ap- 

 ples is greatly improved. 



Turquoise salad must 

 be the last on the list of 

 preparations as the apples 

 change color. Pare six- 

 sweet apples and cut into 

 small dice or strips; put 

 into a wet cloth and place 

 on the ice. Cut four Span- 



