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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1953-4-1, Page 3TABLE TALKS ,JaAAnatte,w5 Ask any food expert whet is the most common cause of cook. et'y failures or disappointments and the answer Will probably be something `like this—"Not mak- ing measurements accurately". I have written about this matter before and, if I live long enough, will certainly do so again, be- cause the care we took yesterday doesn't help us today, and we are most of us too prone to "guess instead of making sure. So here are some useful hints regarding measuring borrowed from a very attractive booklet put out by The General Foods people, entitled "Learn to Bake." * 4 * In old-time baking, measuring was a matter of judgment. Re- cipes called for "butter the size of an egg" a "heaping cup of sugar," or "enough flour to stiffen" The results varied with each cook, and with every trial. No wonder baking was a hard-won art! Today, there's. no need for guesswork, Modern tested re- cipes all talk a common language, They are founded upon exact, standard measurements—the use of standard measuring cups, standard measuring spoons, and level measures, These measures are the same in every kitchen, They make it possible to get the same fine baking results, every time. ' 4 4 4 50 use standard measuring tools for your baking. You can buy these in almost any town. You need standard measuring cups, one for the dry ingredients, another for liquids, and one or two sets of standard measuring spoons. With this simple but cor- rect equipment it is possible to measure accurately every in- gredient palled for in the usual baking recipe, A standard measuring cup is an accurate half-pint measure— the equivalent of 16 level table- spoons. it is grooved on one side to read 1, '/z, and ?4; on the other. to read lA and %. For measuring liquids a glass measur- ing cup'is convenient, as the top extends above the cup line and so prevents spilling. A set o1 graduated measuring cups has advantages, too, for level mea- surements ,of 1-, 14-, 14-, and 1/4 cup amounts of dry ingredients or shortening. 4 4 4 A set of standard measuring spoons includes one tablespoon, one teaspoon, one half -teaspoon, and one quarter -teaspoon. The tablespoon is the equivalent of 3 level teaspoons. All measurements ars level. That's the success rule for every modern'recipe. The exact technic for measuring each thgredient is given here. This is the way to get uniform, exact measures every time MERRY MENAGERIE air liatgoer "It"sa nudist colony!" Flour has a tendency l0 peels on standing. So always sift flour once before measuring. Remem- ber, the woman too busy 'to 'bother to sift may put an extra half -cup of flour in her cake and ruin it. Lift the sifted flour; lightly by spoonfuls into the measuring eup and level off by drawing th'e edge of a spatula or straight knife. across the top. (Do not press flour or shake it down in cup), For fractions of cup, fill eup lightly to the proper fraction mark. Or use the correct mea- sure of, your set of graduated cups; fill and level off as just directed. Be sure that the light, sifted flour is piled in cup before level- ing off to make sure the cup is full 4 4 4 Use special care in measuring baking powder. Even .a little too much or too little can give die, appointing results, Be sure to use the baking powder called for in the recipe and the exact amount specified, Use a dry standard measuring spoon. Dip the spoon into the baking powder and fill it full. Then level off spoon lightly with edge of spatula or straight knife. For fractions use the small sizes of your set of measuring spoons. - 4 r 4 There are several ways to mea- sure solid shortening:, Small amounts are more easily'measur- ed by tablespoons; fractions of cups may be measured in graduat- ed measuring cups. 'Use one of these convenient ways: (1) Press shortening into a measuring cup (or tablespoon), packing in tightly. Then level off at top or fraction mark. (2) An easy way to measure butter is by weight, Allow 'fs pound for I cup. With print butter, 14 pound equals 1 cup. (3) Or measure shortening by water displacement, For example, to measure Sts eup shortening, fill cup half -fall of cold water; add shortening until water rises to top of cup; then drain off all water. This leaves ?_ cup shorten- ing in the cup. Measure melted shortening like a liquid. + 4. With granulated or white sugar, fill a standard measuring cup or spoon with the sugar; and level off with edge of s iia t u'l a or straight knife. Brown sugar needs to be pack- ed into the cups so firmly that it holds the shape of the cup when turned out. This gives a consist- ent measurement - Average -sized eggs (medium to large) are used in most recipes. If using small eggs, allow about 31 tablespoons slightly mixed whole egg for each egg in recipe. Use special care in measuring liquids for undermeesuring is a conunon fault,, For accuracy, set measuring cup on a level surface. Otherwise the surface of the liquid may slept and deceive jou. Fill until liquid flows into the ,c or r e c 1 groove -mark of cup, do not undermeasure. Thick liquids and syrups, such as molasses, corn sygup,'or honey, should be poured into tile spoon or cup from the container or from another spoon. If the cup has already been used to measure shortening or water, the syrup will empty out readily. Do not dip a measuring spoon into sticky liquids for too much will cling to underside of sp o on, causing oVermeasurement or waste, Dolls far the Dutch—Rag dolls for Mile Dutch girls' are presented to Earoness be Vos Van Steetiwick, :wife of the Netherlands consul general. Donors are fdur•year-olds Vivian Albright, et left,' and Bianca Rivera. The 60 toys were made by children in a day nursery who sympathised with the flood stricken children of Holland, Warriors Worship—Somewhere in Korea these ' United 'Nations troops kneel in Easter worship. The men wear uniforms stained with the work of war as they attend open air services conducted by a Navy chaplain. They were not Identified by officials who released the photograph. HOW CAN 1 Q. Hew can I make a test for watered milk? A. Dip a well -polished knitting needle• into the milk for a few seconds, If the milk is. pure, it will form in a large drop at the end, of the needle; if watered, it ' will either run down quickly and drop in several small drops, or the point will appear- dry 'and clean. Q. Dow can I snake a practical polish for,all metals? A. Use one eup of cigar ashes • mixed with a tablespoon bicar- bonate of soda brought to a smooth paste by the addition of water. Use on a soft cloth, rub- bing vigorously. Q. How can I make good pot - holders? ' A. When making pot -holders, it is a good idea to insert a layer of leather from an old glove' through the center. This will eliminate d an g e r of burned fingers, as leather, is a noncon- ductor of heat. Q. How can I save gas when ' boiling liquids? ' A, A good thing to remember 'is that boiling liquids are no hotter when boiling rapidly than w h en boiling slowly. Have just enough flame to keep the liquids at the boiling point, and this will aid greatly le lowering that gas bill. Q. How often should. the water for the goldfish be changed? A. When. the goldfish come to the top of the bowl for air it is time to change the water. Use cold' water, as -goldfish do not like the temperature warm, with the ' exception 01 the tiny tropical fish. - Q. How can I make the mouth . appear longer? A. Application of lipstick to the corners 'of the• mouth actually elongates the line of the -Mouth. Remember this if youwish to make the mouth seem.larger or .. smaller than it actually ,is, Q. How can I be assured of good results when painting? A. See that the surface to be painted- is -thoroughly dry: Mois- ture, is' allowed •to remain•in the' wood, will eventually be drawn • to the surface by, the,,,heet, ;and cause blistering of the paint. Q. How can I remove sears caused rip severe burns? • A. Try 'massaging with pure olive til. Use the finger tips and massage lightly with .a .rotary movement.. It. often takes .many repeated treatments to do the, worts: Be persistent. Q. Haw' can I prepare honey cinnamon •toast? - A. Spread slices of toast with butter, brush with honey (about one tablespoonful of honey for each slice), sprinkle with cin- namon, and toast iii oven long enough to blend the cinnamon and honey. Q. -What is the best time for transplanting evergreen shrubs and trees.._ A. Evergreen shrubs and trees are best transplanted during the two months of the year beginning with the letter "A"—April and August. A ; San Fransisco woman charged ter failing to obey traffic signals told the . judge: "I run my car on a strict gasoline allow- ance, and; if I took notice of all traffic signals 1'd exceed my budget." In Chicago, U.S.A., a motorist WAS arrested for driving with out a licence. He pleaded that ire couldn't have , got a licence even it he'd .applied for one, be- cause he was getting a blind pens Mon from the State. When My Graduation Was Nearly Ruil*d' • On the night of June 15, 1904, Ebner' Black. and I, with our classmgtes„ tioolc part in tbe' grad- -Patton -exercises of the Colfax Ifigh School. I had written my Commencement oration on "The Nineteenth Century: Tha Eighth Wonder of the World." ' The Methodist church was packed. Ehnen B1aek and I sat with our classmates ort the flower -banked platform; our par- ents were seated a dozen rows back, and on their faces was the expression of worried hopeful- ness common to the parents of the high school graduates upon such occasions. I looked anx- iously around. the church for any brother, Harvey, but he was no- where to be seen. I felt easier after that. . . r • Hazel 'Swaihart was again Us lief seat, having sustained .the record, unbroken so far by the members of the Class of 1904„for the ease and. assurance "with which the orations had been had been delivered. Miss Mischler, our high school' superintendent, rose once more and adjusted his° spectacles. "The next oration is by Nor- man Hall. His subject • is `The Eight Wonder• of the World: The Nineteenth Century.'” As I stepped forward to speak I saw my brother, Harvey; sit- ting' in the front row. of pews directly below me. . . . Our mother had promised me that Harvey would be in one of the seats farthest .from the platform - where I would not be able •to see him; not•'' had I seen him all tluough the program until just before I rose to orate. How he hed.managed to sneak up to the first row just. before Wiry turn came was more than I could guess. and I had no time for guessing at the moment. a. He had a command of facial eicpressibn that was, truly, imp - like. He neither smiled nor gig- gled, but looked up at me with an innocent air of feigned -inter- est that would have fussed a wooden image. As I stood there, appalled at the sight of him, his lips moved, and I knew that he was forming the words: "Look to the Northward„ Stranger."' • "One hundred years ago the morning, broke, and in the light of a dawning era, the remnants 'or once -mighty hosts: Ignorance, Bigotry and Superstition, were seen .scattering in full retreat toward tlae Night of. the Past." • Do what I would, I was forced to glance again. at. Harvey. He waited with the same air Of blandly grave expectancy as though he were saying: "Yes? And then?" Not one of my classmates had faltered. 1 had to be the first. The silence in the church was beyond all silence. For a mo- ment my mind was blank; but thought of the shame it would be to go down in defeat before this hop of a kid brother arous- ed me to a truly, heroic efort. 1 was saved by the sight of Mr. Logaton, janitor, of the church, whom I sew standing in the roar of the auditorium, . 1 begat again, and by keeping my eyes fixed upon hint I brought the • nineteenth century to' a trium- phant conelusion.---T'rot t "]v]y Is- land Home," by Jellies Norman Hall. , A London ,youth' 1va5 sum - maned a few weeks ago tot fail-. ,ins to report for his Army ser- vice. He pleaded as an excuse that his calling -up notice didn't say what year he Was supposed to report, Ancient Man lied Modern Diseases Both wild animals and wild men bre sebjeet to the aches and pains of civilized man, finds Dr. Erwin A, Ackerknecht, medical historian. „Al thritis is the disease most often apparent in ancient bones. Lesions have been found in dino- saur skeletons, in Neanderthal man, ancient Egyptians and other human remains' -throughout the world, but pe far chronic arth- ritis of the hip joint has been observed only in- man. For some reason it afflicted Peruvian In- dians more than other primi- tives. Qne. palepathoiogisl attributes a foot defect in King Siptah of the Ninteenth Egyptian Dynasty of 1225 B. C. to poliomyelitis, Dr. Ackerknecht Sculptures from Egypt also show that polio para- lyzed the'aiicien$. ` Santee' Findings Only a smsll.,number of dis- eases affect the bones, and un- less they leave their marks lit- tle evidence remains in fossils. So a medical historian like Dr. Ackernecht must fad out what he can from ancient paintings .and sculptured figures and from X-ray photographs of mummies, "One of the most striking find- ings in Egyptian mummies by direct inspection and with X-rays was that Of ;arteriosclerosis," says Drs Ackernecht. The first histori- cal}"figure td leave his record of .hardened' arteries was the Phar- .aoh of the Exodus, Merneptah, who lived in 1200 B.C. Other ailments found in Egyp- tian ' mummies include silicosis, pneumonia, pleurisy, kidney stones, sinusitis, gallstones, cirr- hosis of the liver, mastoiditis, appendicitis, meningitis, small- pox, leprosy, malaria, congenital atrophy of the liver and tuber- culosis. Schistosomiasis, a parae shit disease in backward na- tions that practice primitive farming, was prevalent in Egypt 2,000 years ago. The Egyptians were also plagued by lire, and the Peruvians by sand fleas, judging from lesions on the soles of their feet. Tumors Rarer Malignant tumors of the bone were rarer ill prehistoric matt and animals than they are today. A. few such tumors have been found in fossils of the cave bear, in fossil horses, Peruvian In- dians, in human remains in France and North America, and in Egyptian mummies as far back as 3400 B.C. As Greek civilization develop- ed. the Greeks became bigger and healthier, Dr. Ackerknecht says. The expansion of Greek culture between 800 and 500 B.C. was accompanied' by an increase in body size and life span, and a decline in arthritis, bad teeth and infant Mortality. After 400 73.C., the general health of the Greeks again took a hum for the worse. ..Plain Horse Sense.. MI EMS Time Pot Action' Unless the timers of Ontario do pull up 'their socks and do set up one atrgng, organization of their own that can speak authoritatively for its mother - ship, they will soon bo out in the cold, This organization; be It call- ed Federation or Union, must have the funds necessary 10 keep adequately ataffed offlees, to send out fieldmen, to finance ad- vertising and publicity cam- paigns and most important of all —to hire the best manager. avail- able. Every practical farmer knows that a hired man elan be very dear at $50 per month doing e lot of damage to the cows and machinery, while another ono who has the know-how may be cheap at $150, and make money for the boas. With industry and big buel- ness offering tremendous oppor- tunities to the go-getters, agri- culture will have to match them, Agriculture is still the biggest industry in Ontario and needs the beat man to manage its af- fairs. It will, of course, have to pay him accordingly. Labour has done all this and has gone ahead ever since they started organizing. Why ,should not the farmers 'be capable of doing the same? If Ontario farmers had this kind of organization, they would not have to w or r y so much about lost markets, slipping p.ces and the competition of edible Dile. Lip To The Farmers The people of Ontario ware aroused by the large advertise- ments in the daily newspapers denouncing the provincial gov- ernment for trying to ban mar- garine and peanut butter and shortening. Not knowing any- thing about ,the true situation they fell for specious arguments. Had the milk producers car- ried on an open educational campaign htform]ng the people of the possible dangers of re- placing milk and mill. products by synthetic substitutes, they would have had public opinion behind them. To complain about reduced in. come Is not enough. City people have to be made t4 realize that a reduced purchasing power of the farmer means lay-offs in in- dustry. Just as unemployment in industry means lost markets for the farmer. Farther representatives will have to present a strong case be- fore the Agricultural COmmlttee of the Legislature to win some protection against imitations of dairy products. More Light Needed Another chore for farm or- ganisations is the lifting of tha fog that lies over marketing legislation, provincial and feder- al. 11 aeons to us that a lot bras been said about the right of the produoers t0 control the mar- leeting of their products. Very little hes been done to establish this right, " If ial'tners were given the long Pre/misted legislation providing viding for marketing agencios for marketing agencies with th power to enter Inter-provinoi and export trade, there won d> hardly be any problem of farm surpluses. • Canadian farmers could do the same as Austratlans and New Zealanders are doing. Ther: could estab1)ah "their own ages: oleo In Britain, sell their cheese. skim intik powder, bacon and apples and accept payment in. Sterling, They could use this Sterling for purchases anywhere in the Sterling area, practically had` the world. Quite a number 0C articles presently imported front .S.A, could be brought over from Britain ar other colmtrle4 to be marketed in Canada through the farmers' co-oper- atives. Possibly the prices receive& would not be as high as Canadi- an prices; they would have to be comparable to the prices of other countries. Probably trip greater problem would be the fulfillment of any contracts un- dertaken; surpluses are not too big yet. Certainly any such scheme would help to stabilize the home markets.'- It can be done and it ought to be done, but it will not be done, unless the individual farm- er is willing to spend some of his time and his dollars to set up that one strong organization we mentioned In the opening paragraph of this article. 4 4 4 The writer of this column wilt be pleased to hear from farmers, or others "interested in fares problems, at any time. Griii•- cisms, suggestions for subjects to he dealt .with, knocks or boost:. — all .will be welcome Just ad- dress Bob Ellis, Box 1, 123 Eight- eenth St, Nwe Toronto, Ont. TO THE POINT An actor, who possessed an extremely high opinion of him- ' self, received an offer of a part In ty VroadWaY fl 34O.i, le E plied by telegram: "Will accept double What you offer. Otherwise count me out" A. few hours later he received a wfe which read: "1. 2, 3, 4, 5, 0. 7, $, 9, 10:,, Jimmy Ross takes "Prince," the dog, and "Ducky" to the store. Dud Quacks Way into Family Life Folks in Cleveland, Ohio, are getting, used to seeing this un- usual but amiable triple ail'. once. Jimmy Ross, a 12 -year-old schoolboy, his`dog, Prince, and his ,,duck, Ducky, form the in• separable trio. Already owner of the two-year-old dog, Jimmy won Dueky at the fair last sum- mer. As soon as he was estab- lished as an unchallenged mem- ber of the family, Ducky set up. a keen, friendship with the dog, as seen in these photos. Doghouse is now "Duck -lits„ Pir'inee thinks it's "dusky" that ijinky chases his fleas.