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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1959-01-01, Page 2Thirty -Five 'Cent soiled Dinners It has just occurred to mo with something of a great 'sure prise that cookery, or whatever es lett of it, has lost its ingre- dient which may be called 'cheapness.' 'Cheapness, as used in this connection, has no hear- ing on quality, and is not meant to be a slur. Cheapness had only to do with the price, now called consumer cost, and it was entirely possible for an entire meal to be served to a faintly of fourteen, and the hired man, Mr 35e. Those days are, you see, gone forever. It was possible for a good cook to feed her family. the kind at things that stir up fond memories and tears of gratitude In later times, and do it without handling so much money that the Federal Bank was embar- rassed, There were cheap meals that will be remembered more than the famous Roman orgies, but the sterling area never knew they got et. The other day a neighbor went to the store here and bought a small chunk, or junk, or corned beef, with which to lay down the broad pattern of a boiled dinner and it cost her $3.45. By the time she invested in the other things to accompany this major expense, she had put her family budget on the brink of financial disaster. She ate sparingly, and did not rightly enjoy it. This fiscal fact, stated so swiftly above, is about as severe an indictment against our social and political system as you can muster. The boiled dinner, be- sides being a gustatory maneu- ver of extreme magnificence used to be somethingyou could tackle with the most stringent monetary status. It was not a major economic event. Corned beef did not imply the choicest cuts nearest the apex or zenith. It was wholesome and nutritious, but not high society. And it was most of all symbolic. Essential, yes, but indicative. It was the starting point, the fundamental beginning. Around it you erected an opulence of carrots, potatoes, cabbage, tur- nips, beets, etc., until the pot was tilled. The corned beef, it- self, was nothing more than the attention -arresting chord that commences a symphony. And the way things operated you had the whole luscious commingling without too much expense. s You could visit the gold and Ivofy Mansions of the rich, and sit with them amongst damask and mahogany, waited on by liv- eried servants, and partake of their silken Sarmacands with- out feeling they ate any better than you did. There wouldn't be a thing their millions could as- semble that would do the cul- inary job of a small piece of brisket and a peck of assorted vegetables. Furthermore, theyy might dine on hummingbird giblets day after day, and they would never get the next -day bonus of flan- nel hash. If you're going to have flannel hash, you've got to start with a boiled dinner, and there you are. It is interesting to remember that, on occasion,: the best of Blue Book families would draw the curtains and have a boiled dinner. Theydid not do this be- cause it was cheap — they did It because it was good. They might have had any exotic fare they pleased, but they liked corned beef and cabbage. We. have now reached an economic plateau where a boiled dinner saw costs about as mulch on either side of the tracks, if you can find a decent piece of corned; beef to begin witle It is a fallacy of modern tines when we are taught that eld-time lsitchen affairs were al- ways laborious, The patent mix in its airtight package, coming for the express purpose of , lightening Mother's chores, is actually a partial hoax, for Mo- ther's chores were not always that heavy. Most of the good things were not only cheap, but they were quick and easy to make" and I can recall many a conversation over recipes that began, "Oh, it's easy enough to make . , .' Grandmotherwasn't altogether a slave in chains, and she knew a shortcut or two, It hasalways amused me that the professional bakers took bread out of the home, liberat- ing womankind, arta then after a felt circle brought backthe half-baked biscuit. You have to ga to the store, stand in line to pay, come home again, and then finish baking the produot you bought so you wouldn't have to bake. All this takes five or six times the effort and duration that Grandmaw spent on the batch of salratus biscuits — particularly when you stop and reflect that Grandmaw didn't go .to the store at all, ever, for such staples as the place needed. Of course, you can emphasize the amusement values of going to town, which Grandmaw didn't have, but you must also figure in the cost — and it's cost we're considering. There was some kind of an anti- American attitude' in those days which believed in saving money. There was some kind of .a pudding made with skimmed milk and things in a flat pan, and I don't remember that anything ever pleased me more than that did. It cost about ten cents an acre, and the labor involved in making it was. incidental. But on the end of a large supper, this pudding was a monumental ex- perience, and there is. nothing — no, nothing — in modern af- fairs than can approach it. It was manufactured so that the ingredients, all of them cheap, were disguised, and I have no knowledge of what the pudding came from. I just know it was good. And it was cheap enough so we could have it about any time we wanted to. Today, no doubt, that same pudding would run into real money. What America needs is a cheap meal. Not just an inexpensive one, but a meal that not only comes in the lower figures but has all thsoe old -day qualities of good, rich hearty, family thoroughness. Something like a boiled dinner at 35c again, with $35 worth of flannel hash' as a leftover. This is a crazy thesis, but it's true, true, true.' By John Gould in The Christian Science Monitor. The Smile Habit It has been said that it takes 65 muscles to make a frown but only 13 for a smile. Yet it seems that a great many people make a habit of looking glum. Granted that all of us have our troubles but why ,should we post a public notice about them? It isn't pleasant for others to look at and it doesn't lessen our problems one bit. On the other hand, the persistent effort to at least "think a smile" will help not only to brighten the face . but brighten the heart — and the heart of the other fel- low, as well —Concord (Calif.) Transcript GROUNDED CHERUB -- Pamela 'Henry, 8, front row, second from ,right; is one of three children selected to. symbolize the 1959 March of Dimes. She's shown ,singing with the Cherub Choir of the Covenant United Presbyterian Church, Oklahoma City. DEATH CAME TO SCHOOL — This was the scene as firemen removed injured and, dead from Our Lady of•the Angels paro- chial, school In Chicago, III.., in wake of one of the worst .school fires on record. The toll' at least 87,children dead, plus three nuns of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin, who died with their pupils. s - A TASLE TALKS yr eiarz Avd cors. BEEF KIDNEYS 3 to 4 beef kidneys Flour Salt and pepper Paprika 3 tbsp. butter 1/2 cup onions, chopped\ 1/4 cup green peppers, chopped small can tomato juice or puree % cup consomme Pinch of thyme Wash kidneys, remove 'mem- bran and cut into small cubes or slices. Dip pieces of kidney in • flour that has been mixed with salt pepper and paprika. Saute•light- ly in butter with onions and green peppers for 4 to ,8 minutes. Add tomato juice or puree and consomme. (Use a bouillon cube, or meat extract if desired.). Add thyme and 'taste. for sea- soning. Cover and simmer. about 25 minutes. Thicken gravy with flour. Serve with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.• a n * CALF'S BRAINS 2 pairs calf's brains. 3 to 4 tbsp. butter Salt and pepper (to taste) Juice of % lemon Chopped parsely or chives 4 tbsp. butter 2 tbsp. capers (optional) Wash brains, remove mem- brane and dry in clean towel. Brown brains in 3• to 4;tbsp. butter over high heat and sprin- kle with salt and pepper. Re- duce to simmer and cook gently for 18 to 20 minutes. . Sprinkle with lemon juice, parsley or chives andkeep warm. Spoon drippings from pan over brains. Brown 4 tbsp. butter in an- other pan, add capers and pour over the brains. Do not burn the butter but merely brown it well. (Serves 4.) ttt 9 ry CALF'S LIVER l lb, liver per person Flour Butter Salt and pepper (to taste) Dredge liver slices (they should be very thin) with flour. Saute lightly in butter. Turn and brown quickly. Season with salt and pepper, Liver should be pink in the cen- tre, but some prefer it well done. VARIATIONS Saute bacon till crisp and drain on paper towel. . Saute liver in a combination of bacon `fat and butter. Serve liver and bacon together. Saute liver over high heat in butter. Keep warm in the oven. Add 1 tsp. dry mustard .and 1 tbse.• Worcestershire sauce to pan in which liver was cooked. Stir and cook for a few minutes,. pour over liver and serve imme- diately. • Garnish cooked liver with onions which have been sauteed, gently in butter. 5 k +M JELLIED :TONGUR 1"beef tongue 2 tbsp. gelatin 2! tbsp. cold Water 2 cups boiling water 1 tsp. salt % tsp. pepper 1 tbsp. prepared mustard 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce Cook tongue, skin and •cool. Whole Tongue. Skin and cool. Sprinkle gelatin on cold water and dissolve in boiling water. Add salt, pepper, mustard, lemon juice and: Worcestershire sauce. ,Chill until almost set and fold in 2 cups cooked tongue, cut up or sliced. Pour into greased 81/4 x 41 x 235 -inch loaf pan. Chill until 'firm. Unneould and slice. * * s VEAL AND CHICKEN LIVER 12 chicken livers 2 tbsp. butter 2 slices cooked ham 1 tsp. parsley chopped 34 tsp. sage or tarragon Salt and: pepper 11/2 lbs. veal outlet slices (boned) 1 tbsp. butter 1 to.2 tsp. flour lh cup consomme e .slices .. crisp 'toast Saute livers "in butter, then chop finely. 'Cut ham into small pieces and add to liven With herbs and sea- sonings. Pound veal .• so that slices are very thin, and spread each slice of veal with liver -ham mixture. Ro11 and secure with toothpicks, Melt, 1 tbsp. of butter•,in skil- let and add veal rolls, cooking till meat is browned all over. Sprinkle flour ' over butter in pan, add consomme and cook till liquid has ;nearly evaporated. Add a little water to this pan gravy, arrange veal rolls on toast squares and pour gravy over them. (Serves 6.) Call Me Mister? Should the habit of addressing men as "Esquire" on envelopes be abolished? Yes, say critics of the custom in pleading for a plain "Mister" for every man. They declare that the title of "Esquire" has lost much of its original value through indiscrini-. mate use and that when, we write to a man and address him as "John Jones, Esq." we are ' in- dulging in 'meaningless flattery. In olden days, an "Esquire" was a candidate for knighthood and, virtually, a knight's :apprentice and servant. He was the arms - bearer of the knight he follow- ed. In a strict social sense, say students of heraldry; no man is an "'Esquire" who does not in- herit a coat of arms, Nearly a eentUry ago, in 1859, a man who wanted to take out a life insurance policy described himself on the proposal form as "Esquire" after his name: and gave as his address the mansion in which he was then living. It chanced that he carried on business as a shopkeeper' in a nearby town, ' On his death, the; insurance' company sought to evadepay- ment on the ground -that the description was reisleodin". The court over -rule;] their objection, Latest Fashions For Your Pooch! Looking for' something special for your dog? Saks Fifth Avenue has it: A space suit. It's made of silver ,lame, with a plastic bubble for the head, and wriggly antennas fore and aft. "Nothing serious technically, of course," explains Erie Rich - men, head of Sak's dog toggery, "Just a conversation piece." ' Actually, the space suit is for the dog that has, everything. That means only for a small circle of dogs, to be accurate about it, for to have everything isn't easy for a dog in New York First of all, there is the long regular line of furnishings every well-dressed dog should have coats (from simple woolens to $375 minks) with matching berets, suits, dresses, snowsuits, bathrobes for after grooming, and pyjamas. For owners not fully aware of the wide range of dog fashions, here's a hint from Mr, Richman on how t0 avoid being caught in the wrong outfit: "For the morning censtitu- tional, we recommend just a sweater with matching cap — blue and visored for the boys, jewelled for the girls. "For noontime shopping the thing to wear is a little tailored coat, matched to the mistress's wardrobe. For late afternoon, there is a sweeping choice of. cocktail coats, of course, "In the evening for going out it's either tails or tuxedo for the boys and, sequin coats for the girls, with some nice jewelry. One ofour popular items in dog jewelry is a rhinestone tiara. It can be worn by either boy or girl, I dare say. "Dogs' tastes, like men's, vary But it's usually determined by the owner's. In fact, if the owner is fashion conscious, the dog is almost certain to be fashion conscious. At times we just take one look at the dog and we can tell what the owner is like. "It the dog is extremely shy, you can be pretty certain the owner is, too: except that he can hide it and the dog can't." To please the highly developed nose of dogs, Mr. Richman has developed his own line of canine cologne., "It's called 'Faithfully Yours," he said with - a . gentle blush of pride, "it comes in two kinds, rugged masculine scent for the boys, sweet and dainty for the girls." For other seasonal giving, there is a Christmas stocking with gaily colored bones, "Made of latex. We try to get away from rubber. It hurts the teeth." What about actual bones? "Out of the question," said Mr, Ricbman, "they tend to splinter. Our ciogs aren't used to them." M'r..Richman is dead set on safety. Saks wouldn't think of selling a woman's necklace at the dog counter, "We have epee eial ones, smoothed around the edges so the dogs won't catch their hair in the setting," For the dog that rides in open cars there is a pair of motoring goggles, personally designed by Mr. " Richman, writes Frederick W. Roevekamp in The Christ - ion Science Monitor. Born in Vienna, Mr, Richman grew up among six dogs and several horses at home, None were dressed except in ordinary collars. In the United States, he gave up a stage career to enter the dog fashion world. He has been an outstanding success. Although competition in dog haute couture is sharp, few if any of his competitors take their business as seriously as Mr. Richman. Dogs pretty much rhape his life. Ile writes to them on birth- days and the major holidays, In return he gets autographed photos. " He is perhaps the most sought after dog -party guest in town. "Some of 'these dog parties you must see tee; believe At one birthday party';I went to the other day, the lights were turned out and we ail sang 'Happy Birthday to You, "And the birthday child, that is birthday dog, who was the belle of the ball, went around getting pats. And then she went to open her packages. That's why we gift wrap everything on request. "Well, you should have seen those fabulous presents -every- thing from a diamond necklace to an ermine collar to gift cer- tificates and even stocks and bonds," Some of Mr. Richman's com- petitors think things are going a bit far. Said British -born Ken Egger, salesman at Abercombie & Fitch Company: "In England, eve just take the dog for a brisk walk. They don't need any coat. But then those heated apartments in New York you know. Well, you've got to take it with a. grain ,of salt, I'd say." "How did you do, at school to -day; Tommy?" asked a school- boy's mother. "All right," was the answer. "Teacher said I was a regular little beaver." "She did?" exclaimed the par ent proudly. "That goes to show what a hard worker you are." "We -1-1, not exact/9," : said the boy. "It was really for chewing my pencil." - es Designed To Please The Masculine Eye - - - Shirts . For Dad 'n' Son No matter what his age, every male .cherishes a secret yearn- ing to own a wardrobe of custom-made shirts. Thanks to our new, easier to cut and sew Printed Patterns, it's simple (and fun) to make this masculine dream come true. Printed Patterns 4555 for men and 4735 for boys can be used for sport or dress shirts depending on the fabric you choose. For, casual wear, we suggest cotton, flannel, rayon, or foulard in pais- ley, bright solids, stripes, or plaids. For dress shirts, choose classic Oxford cloth, fine stripes or white -on -white designs. If a light - Weight jacket is his order for spring, a woe' plaid issoft, warm and fashion -bright. Pattern 4555 is available in Men's Sizes Smelt', (14, 141/2); Medium (15,' 1515); Large (16, 16%), Pattern 4735. is available in Boy's Sizes 4, 6, 8, 10, 12. Send FORTY CENTS (40e)' (stamps cannot be .accepted; ,use poet 1: note for .safety), for this pattern. Please print plainly SIZ;F, NAME, ADDRESS, STYLE NUMBER. ` Send the order tat ANNE.' ADAMS, Box 1, 123 Eighteenth St., New Toronto, Ont.