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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1958-10-01, Page 2Yee. enese:eiseese'..le • SHE'S THE TOPS — Mary Ann Mobley, Miss America of 1959, waves as she rests on the balcony of hotel overlooking the Atlantic City beach. TABLE TALKS 4 a (1,4es"1 tee eictueAnciteWS. A fur Coat Is A Fur Coat A fur coat is 4 fur coat is a fur coat in almost any woman's language, In. Kabul, it is not only that but also about eight. Or nine Menthe' occupation, full, or spare time, For Afghanistan, being the centre Of the caractil and broadtail industry for the world, provokes longings in fe- male hearts and a fine, free de- eision as to- style, color, weight, and design. FO„,r one begins up )10-re with the raw hide and Works tO finished elegance, We began in, early spring last year. It was not the time tO buy, but Mohammed Ali, our Pathan driver and general knowledgeable factotum, took Me down to the fur, sellers' xow Which faces on Kabul River, This is a long series of shops, open to the weather at the front, in which men and young boys sit cross-legged on wooden benches, their-long, nimble fin- gers rubbing: delicately at the hew hides, stretching and cos- seting each small, fine skin. When they are pliable as satin and as lustrous, they are ready to be worked into coats. We rode up and down the raw, Mohammed Ali comment- ing on the capabilities of this merchant and that, and why this man got better skins than another. After mature consi- deration, we settled on Hadji Usef: he was long established, understood the idiosyncrasies of western taste, and indubit- ably had fine skins. Two or three times a year he also went up to Mazar-i-Sherif, the great shrine city on the burgeoning plain that fronts the Oxus Riv- er, to buy skins for the whole complex of furriers. As we stepped into his shop he rose and bowed, hands at his breast. He wore the hadji's beard, sign that he had made the trip to Mecca, and below his own fine caracul cap his lean face was serene and intel- ligent. Mohammed An explain- ed our errand, before next fall, when the cold weather comes, the Memsahib desired a fur coat, full length, cut to the de- sign of the pitcure in her hand (I yeilded up my clipping from Vogue) and of the finest grade of black broadtail fur. Hadji. Usef bowed: he was go- ing north in about two weeks and would look fur the fur spe- cified. He glanced at the pic- ture; his eyes raced over me, taking measurements; we shook hands, the bargain was made, writes Hazel H. Bruce in The Christian Science. Monitor. I expected nothing for a few weeks and that is what I got. But when June came along and buyers from Paris, London, and New York began to come up to Kabul for the spring skins, I became anxious to see what Hadji Useif had found for me. Mohammed Ali and I drove down to his shop. Everywhere were the skins, piled up in heaps, bursting out of bales. Some looked coarse and ill-conditioned. Some were gray, some black, and a few fine brown. And here and there in excited knots of men the mu- tation skins were being passed from hand to hand; these rari- ties are sometimes gray under- neath and golden-henna on the top. Some are black, flecked with silvery threads, some black underneath and pure- walnut brown at the ends. These were the pick, the simon-pure, the linoh-inoors of the crop. I stopped and looked, too: there are never enough of these for coats; they are saved for fine collars: with Perhaps a matching cap, or a. small stole or muff, We Moved on to Hadji ITsee and the fleet disappoint- ment of the deal: He lead brought down some broadtail from the north It is never so plentiful as other skins, It had been a "bad year": late rains and pasterage delay- ed. Wse Might lOok at the skins he had foiled, One of them was like a piece of black moire: it folded over the hand with luxurious ease. Every satiny watermark was right, with no ridges or inequal- itiee, "This,"" we cried to the Hadji, "is it! Get us skins like this!" A pitying smile came over the Hadji's thin lips, "I wish I could," he told Mo- . hammed Ali, "That is one, that skin." "No others even in its class?" The Hadji looked doubtful, "There might be . . . later, The whole pack is not in, If Memsa- hib would care to look at others . , ." The Memsahib would not: having seen perfection, who could do with less? The Hadji shrugged; perhaps later , ." And so began for Mohammed Ali and me our weekly pilgrim- age down to furriers' row. See- ing us start off, other Ameri- cansgrinned: "There they go again. You haeve to learn to take what you can get up here!" But that was a base retreat, though for almost three months nothing happened. It was. September first before the summons came. Mohammed All and I went down to the river bank with the tired accus- tomedness of soldiers on the march: This time we were sur- prised. The "pack" had come in: there were eight skins that had the quality of the first. Hadji Usef solemely gave me his pen and I signed my name on the back of each skin and he put them away in his locked case And that was the way it went: October brought eight mare; November was more pro- lific: twenty came. "How many do I need?" we asked, The Hadji ran his experienced eye down my frame. "Forty-four." We got the last skin on the first December day: there were flecks of snow cloud in the sky and the wind blew out of the great hills with howling force. "I must have the coat soon," I shivered, The Hadji nodded, "Next week." And, hopeful, we left again. The one thing it is wise to get from "home" is lining for a coat: I had had mine sent weeks be- fore and now we took et down. The shop was humming and warm; the boys were working by the light of a dropped bulb and now I saw for the filet time my coat taking rhape. Bach man was working on one strip, stitching, matching, and shap- ing, but recognizably it was go- ing to be a coat! By December fifteen I tried it on: it was too tight in the sleev- es and the collar was too large. The Hadji looked thoughtfu, but agreed it should be ripped out. December eighteen, the lin- ing was too long. But oh, it was a beauty. The skins lay smooth- ly on the throat and glistened like silver in the half lieht. De- cember twenty, Mohammerl discovered a seam where tee graining was not perfect. "Look here!" he called atten- tion sternly. "How would you like to have them say to Mem- sahib in San Francisco and New York: "Where did you get that coat? T h e seaming doesn't match!" The Hadji gave us a level leek and ripped it out with his can hands. Then came the , clay we were to take delivery, but Mohammed Ali discovered, the col- lar, one inferior skin. "Did you know this?" he ask- ed the boss, "I did," Hadji Usef said cold- ly, "But Memsahib had smelt so much I didn't think " "If she can pay for 44-skins," our faithful retainer told hen with equal coolness, "she cen pay for 45. Take it out — and God be with you!" It was Christmas morning when the coat was delivered, It hung in silky folds from neck to hem: to my fond eye, it seem- ed perfection and I had the af- fection for it that one has for a thing one has seen grow. I thought of the pictures I had seen in the Hadji's shop: hand- some women wearing his fur coats had sent the prints back from Moscow, Paris, and Rome On one of them I had read; "This coat was marveled at in London, admired in New York, and reveled in in Notne!" It was well I had read that, for oil Christmas morning we al- so received the work that we were posted for Bagdad; and a fur toot iii ,Itae belongs'ih the seine eategorY as the Eskimo's refrigerator. The Masterpiece of Hadji Usef would spend the winter iii a storage vault at hatele. Obey the traffic signs — they are placed there for ? U U ii SAFETY. Here's a wonderful platter meal to set before the family some cool autumn day—tender potatoes, plump boiled onions, and gay carrot or turnip strips, encircling bacon-garnished salt cod, and accompanied by a sa- voury white sauce to splash over all, Well known in Atlantic coast communities, this dish is the fisherfolles,exersion of the fam- ous "boiled dinner," It is eco- nomical, satisfying and delicious. Salt Cod Boiled Dinner 2 pounds boneless salt cod 6 small whole potatoes 6 small whole onions 1 medium sized turnip, cut in strips 2 cups thin white sauce 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped 2 tablespoons minced rarsicy 1/4 poemd sliced bacon OR salt pork, diced Rinse salt ced thoroughly un- der cold running water. Cover with cold water and let reek overnight. Before dinner time, prepare and cock the vegetaeles. Make a thin white sauce and add to it the chopped, hard-cocked eggs. Fry bacon or diced salt pork until crisp. Drain fish, cover with fresh cold \\rater and bring to boiling point. 'Drain and taste. If fish seems too salty, cover with fresh water and again brine to boiling temperature. Place hot, drained cod on a large heeied platter, Garnish with crisp beeses curls or salt pork, Quickly boea der the platter with the steem- ing vegetebles and sprinkle tleeri with minced parsley, Serve ec- companied by the egg sauce. Makes 6 servines. Of all the fah in the hervest from the Fee, the salmon this first place, Some re; sons for its popularity are the delicious fla- vour, fine firm texture, and ,at- tractive colour of the flesh. Most Of the annual British Columbia catch of salmon is taken during the summer and early fill. Thanks to modern transportation and refrigeration, it is shared across the country. Throughout the early Pall, both fresh and frozen salmon steaks should be in good eupply, Enjoy them leaked, broiled, fried, steam- ed, or poached. Here is a tempt- leg, west coast recipe for Baked Salmon Steaks With Dill Sauce, Baked SOinion Steitcs With bill Settee 2 poinitis Whiten steaks Salt gild pepret Melted hettee nr other fat 2 tablespoons .bettet tablespoons finely chopped (mein teitepeett dill settle 1 tablespoon flour' i. cup boiling water 1 (6 os.) can evapeteled 1% teaspoon eat Few'grains' tieteee ts' lea'mon mitteed parsley 1 t rotit i:Yittrrr twee Have steaks cut about 1-inch thick. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place in a shal- low, greased baking dish and brush with melted butter. Bake in a hot oven (450°F.), allowing 10 minutes cooking time per inch thickness. If steaks are frozen, double the, cooking time. They are cooked when flesh will flake and is opaque. While steaks are baking, pre- pare sauce. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan, over low heat. Add onion and dill seeds; cook gently until onion is yel- low and transparent. Blend in flour, Add .boiling water; cook stirring constantly over low heat until sauce has thickened. Add milk gradually. Stir 'in season- ings and parsley. Heat thorough- ly, Stir" in lemon juice. Serve ever cooked steaks, Makes 6 servings., A whole planked 'fish, togeth- er with three or four of the season's most colourful and de- corative -vegetables, makes a fes- tive and delicious dinner. Any fish suitable for baking or broil- ing may be planked, Some com- monly planked .varieties aee shed, haddock, lake trout, white- fish, and small salmon. The American Indians, we are tole, taught early settlers on this continent how to secure a fish to a hardwood plank and then get ]] it by lilting the plenk up boftee a hot flee, Over the years, as the modern kitchen range dis- placed the carnesere and the open tire-place, plank cocking almost . vanished. Today however, the me Of plenks for cooking and serving is i-eing r evived, Hardwood cooking planks fashioned of oak, hickory, or maple come in various sizes and shapes for individual or family service. They should be about lee inches thick and grooved around the edge to catch cooking juices,. If you are purchasing a plank, follow the manufacturer's Mc:Tuttl:1ns for seasoning it. Planking in the modern sense is more a method of serving than of cooking: fish. The fish may be stuffed or not, as .1csired, The general procedure is simple. The fish is pieced skiri-sicle down in 'the centre of a well oiled, pte- heated plank, then baked.. Short- ly before the 'allotted 'cooking time is up, the plank is removed from the 'oven .and surrounded with" a beeder. of Mashed ;Ate., toes, often put through a pastry tube, Freshly cooked vegetables of contrasting colour and tex- ture are 'arranged in the space between, the fish and potatoee. The plank is then returned to the oven and baking eentintied until the fish is cooked and the potatoes are lightly browned. For serving, the plank is placed in a holder or on a large platter. The lupine economists of Carl- tida i t Departnient Of Fisheries tell tie that I work-saving way to "plank"' a. fish is on aluminum foil. Here are their tested, direc- tion$ foe /oil "Planking" a 3 tO 4 pound fish, Foil "Planked" Fish 1 caressed fish weighing to 'f peunds Salt Minted bread dressing Melted fat or cooking oil Duchess potatoes 6 medium-sized tomatoes cup dry bread crumbs, but- tered 12 small whole carrots, cooked and buttered Lemon slices Parsley sprigs Wipe fish with a damp cloth, Sprinkle on the inside with, salt, Stuff with Minted Bread Dres- sing (see recipe). Place fish in centre of a lightly greased rec- tangle of heavy aluminum foil on a baking sheet, It is recom- mended that a double thickness of the heevy foil be used and that it be turned up at the edges to hold cooking juices. Have it extend well beyond the fish and all sides. Brush fish with melted fat, Bake in a hot 'oven (450°F,) allowing 10 minutes cooking time for each inch of stuffed thick- ness, measured with a ruler at the thickest part. Ten minutes before the cook- ing time is up, remove "plank" from oven and quickly arrange a border of Duchess Potatoes (see recipe) around fish, at foil edge. Remove a slice from .top of each tomato, season tomato and sprinkle with buttered crumbs. Place tomatoes and but- tered carrots between potatess and fish, A suggested s rrange- ment is to place 3 tomatoes on either side of fish and pile car- rots at either end. Return "plank" to oven and bake food for 10 minutes or until fish will flake on testing with a fork and pota- toes are lightly browned. Slide 'foil onto a large serving platter, lifting by the edges. Re- move top skin train fish. Garn- ish fish with lemon twists and nestle sprigs of parsley between tomatoes. Serve at once. Makes 6 servings. • • * Minted Bread Dressing 1/3 cup chopped onion cup chopped celery 3 tablespoons butter 1,e teaspoon salt '% teaspoon dried mint 3 cups soft bread crumbs Pan-fry onion and celery in butter for about 5 minutes or until tender. Add cooked vege- tables and seasonings to bread crumbs; mix thoroughly. This quantity of stuffing is sufficient for a 3 to 4 pound dressed fish. * Duchess Potatoes 6 medium-sized potatoes 1 egg, separated N. cup soft butter Salt and pepper to taste hot milk (about cup) Peel potatoes, s cut into uni- form pieces, and cook, in boiling salted water until tender. Drain well; mash.• Beat egg yolk slight- ly and add to potatoes, Stir in butter. Add hot milk gradually and beat potatoes until very light. The amount of milk need- ed will depend on the mealiness of the potatoes. Season mixture to taste. Force through a pastry tube onto the greased foil to form a wall, mounds, or any de- sired pattern. •a pastry tube is not available, drop from a tablespoon onto foil. For a glazed look, brush .potatoes with egg white. Brown in a hot oven (450'F.). Makes 6 servings. The bus .was jammed with heavily laden shoppers and as a pretty girl entered •a man im- mediately rose. Before he had spoken a word, the girl said: "ft's kind of you, but I prefer to stand." Politely raising his hat, he said: "Yes but --" "Really, I mean it,". she said. "But I --" Again she interruped him. "I assure you I'd rather stand." "But," the man shouted .des- peeately, "I'M trying to get out!" ISSUE 39 — 1958 "Scandalous" Hospitals. Doctor Bated (Health) Plan So lie Let Patfint Die This front-page shocker in. The San Francisco News sent Cali- fornia reeling recently, The headline was based on a vol- canic 341-page report by Richard H. Blum, consulting psycholo- gist of Woodside, Calif., the findings of a two-year study of California hospitals authorized, by the California Medical As- sociation. He examined in depth pnly five of the state's 421 me- dical hospitals and he frankly admitted to reporting much hair - raising corridor g o s s i p. Even so, Dr. Bluni felt that at least some of the gossip was convincing enough to be told, In a single hospital, staff mem- bers told him: "Once two of our staff got into a fight during surgery. One reached across the table, grab- bed the other, and then knock- ed him out. Two of. our staff physicians right now are so scared of a third one that they both carry guns." "One staff member was on emergency duty at night when ail ambulance brought in an ac- cident patient . . . The nurse found a (group health insur- ance) identification card on him. The doctor hated that (group) so he told the attendants to put the patient back in the ambu- lance, When the ambulance ar- rived at the (group hospital) some miles away, the patient was dead . . ." "The Credentials Committee (which selects staff physicians) just gave their 'approval to a narcotics addict." "One staff member wanted his partner to give the anesthe- sia in ,a scheduled tonsilectomy, The partner . . had no special training for it. The doctor want- ed to have the partnership get the extra money . . The opera- tion took place and the child died during surgery . . ." "One doctor on the Records Committee cited three cases of negligence, two of which re- suited in deaths . . . He was attacked for picking on (one of the offending) doctors. Now he says it's easier to mind his own business." Copies of the Blum report were originally sent only to 30 "trusted" individuals for com- ment. One of these, making cer- tain that the report would get prompt and wide attention, sent it to science writer George Du- shecic of The San Francisco News, After Dushek's exclusive story exploded in print, the California Medical Association .sent copies to other newspapers and quickly assured. Californians that "the quality of both hos- pital and medical care in this state on a very high plane." But observers underscored the , fact thee the association itself had set Blum's investigation of California hospitals into motion, California (and New York) hos- pitals have a-higher rate of mal- practice suits than do hospitals, in the rest of the nation (which average about 'thirteen suits for every 100.,000 patients); on/ California hospital has nowt.) ihree times that number.. As an eMplayee of the Stanford Ile-, search Institute, the ?0-year,-.old- Blum had been given the task of ""confiden- tial"' making an earlier rttQriile GMA. The report which had found that 16 per cent of California's "suit- prone" doctors are psychotics,--, so startled the CMA that it con- tracted with Blum to make this • latCeasitifsatindiy' a legislators, stunned by Blum's accusations, acted promptly, Although a membor of the. State Board of Medieel, Examiners pointed out that such a matter as a physician's hula, ference to a patient's life is "rta violation of law „ „ it's an ethical problem," the State As4 sembly's Public Health stibcorn4 mittee called a meeting attend- ed by representatives of t California Medical Association, the California Hospital Associa- tion, and the State Department of Health. Hearings will be held, it was announced, to .de- terrnine "the need for legisla- tion,,, 'Psychologist Blum, who left for an "extended European va- cation" before the report was, released, had already made his own recommendations_ The only significant difference found be- tween 'good" and "bad" hosPi- tals, he reported, lay with the personnel. Hospitals with a bad record of malpractice suits tend- ed to be understaffed, he said; doctors, ,nurses, the administra- tor, and the trustees squabbled constantly,' Medical records, he said, were frequently not kept or were falsified, and members. of some hospitals' watchdog committees had no idea where to turn in their reports. The re- sulting sloppy work and often unethical practices were, Blum said, reflected by a higher num- ber of death s, un.necessar,ir operations, and exorbitant bills. Blum strongly urged that me- dical socities establish independ- ent committees to audit hospi- tal records and, to set up "a standard of conduct for physi- cians in hospitals so that they Will not feel the painful reluc- tance they now do in calling' attention to the substandard practices of a colleague," Blum's most radical recom- mendation, however, concerned the patients who now "mask fear and anger -with compliance' and fail to complain of hospital praetices. The California Medi- cal Association, s a i. d 'Blum, should inaugurate a public in- formation program, which teaches the patient to demand better hospital care and insist on his rights. -"Every patient," Blum con- eluded,: "bears resporisibility .for seeing that he gets good health- care by means of thoroughly' eunsubmissive and firm demands upon the medical personnel whop are paid 'by him to provide for these very needs," — From •Newsweek. HAIRCUT; ANYONE'LThis chap looks as if he's 'allergic to best but that's jest because he's proudly wearing the Char- eitteistie oneetied-d-half-fotet bearskin hat of his regiment, Her Majesty's G e e ei elide Guarcit,He rt Meijer I. Johnston, M.C., pictured in Wettlititfah, D.C., where he's lie charge of the Grenadier Guards regiments l band and the mass= ed bands' Of the Scots beetede. *teet ed. tt,t, 'concert feet'r• FISH STORY — Angling for a new idea in shoe design, Enzo Albanese of Rome comes up with this striking "fish line." IT HAPPENED TO A DOG—"Rudolph of Hesse" is brought up short as he niats what seeirts Cue a personal adverfitemerit at the Ihtliana Stele Fair.