Breakfast Dainties

Excerpt

REMARKS ON BREAKFAST COOKERY.

"Dinner may be pleasant,
So may social tea;
But yet methinks the breakfast
Is best of all the three."

The importance of preparing a variety of dainty dishes for the breakfast table is but lightly considered by many who can afford luxuries, quite as much as by those who little dream of the delightful, palate-pleasing compounds made from "unconsidered trifles."

The desire of the average man is to remain in bed until the very last moment. A hurried breakfast of food long cooked awaits the late riser, who will not masticate it properly when he finally arrives at the breakfast-table, and the best of housekeepers is discouraged and prevented from ever attempting culinary surprises, when they are not to be appreciated. In this way she is innocently driven into a rut from which it is difficult to escape when occasions present themselves for offering novelties.

The following recipes and remarks will be found valuable assistants to those so situated, and will offer many practical suggestions intended to develop ingenuity and skilfulness in this much-neglected branch of cookery. Avoid asking that innocent but often annoying question, "What shall we have for breakfast?" Rely upon your own resources and inventiveness, and you will soon master the situation. The average business man generally knows but little of what is or is not in market, and he dislikes to have his gastronomic knowledge constantly analyzed.

Should your domestic duties prevent you from occasionally visiting the public markets, it will be found expedient to subscribe for a reliable newspaper that makes a specialty of reporting the latest gastronomic news. This cannot be accomplished by cook-books, owing to the fluctuations in prices and the constant arrival of "good cheer" at seasons when least expected.

Steaks and chops are looked upon as the substantials of the breakfast-table, but when served continually they do not give satisfaction, be they ever so good, and are not duly appreciated unless interspersed occasionally with lighter dishes.

Apples, Baked.—Peel and core six large sour apples; mix together a cup of sugar, half a teaspoonful of mixed ground spice, a saltspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of grated cracker crumbs, and two tablespoonfuls of milk or water. Fill the core with the mixture; put the apples in a pan, and bake; serve them hot or cold with sweetened cream. A border of whipped cream around the apples may be substituted for the plain cream.

Apples may be served sliced, covered with sugar and a mild liquor poured over them, and topped off with whipped cream.

Bananas.—Select short, thick, red or yellow bananas; peel and cut them in quarters lengthwise; serve on a napkin.

Blackberries, Raspberries, Whortleberries, etc., are too well known to require instructions as to how they should be served; but a word of caution is necessary. They should be very thoroughly examined before they are served; all stems, bruised berries, and unripe fruit should be removed, and a thorough search made for minute particles of grit and for insects.

Cantaloupes, or small melons, should be placed on ice the night preceding their use. Cut or slice off the top of each melon; remove the seeds, and replace them with fine ice; replace the covers, and send to table looking as though uncut.

Should they taste insipid, trim off the rind, cut the remainder into neat pieces, pour over them a plain salad-dressing, and they will be found quite palatable.

Cherries.—If large, fine-looking fruit, serve them plain; but they must be cold to be palatable. Keep them on ice over night, or serve glasses of fine ice to each guest, with the fruit arranged on top of it.

Currants.—Large, fine clusters should be served on the stem, arranged on a fruit-stand alone, or in layers alternated with mulberries, raspberries, or other seasonable fruits....