"Well, there are regular ice shavers, you know; but I haven't one, either. I keep a salt sack that I use for that purpose whenever I need just a little chipped ice. It isn't hard to break off a piece small enough to go in a salt sack; in fact, you usually have one in your ice box already. I put it in the sack and break it fine with the flat side of a small hatchet."
"Well, I've learned something more, and I'll use the knowledge tomorrow evening. I must be going now. How lovely those asters are on your dinner table! They seem to prophesy an especially good meal! Do tell me what you are going to have! I never can think of a variety--simple meat dishes are my bugbear."
"We have veal chops for tonight--just plain veal chops and boiled new potatoes and carrots with Bechamel sauce."
"Gracious me! Here comes Bob. I must hurry along or Frank will be home before I am."
Bettina's dinner that evening was made up of:
Veal Chops New Potatoes Carrots Bechamel Sauce Bread Butter Peaches Custard Sauce
2 chops 1 t-salt 1/4 t-paprika 4 T-flour 1 T-fat
Trim and wipe chops one-half inch thick, which are cut from the thick part of the leg. Season with salt and pepper and roll in flour. Put the fat (bacon fat or lard) in the pan, and when hot, add the chops. Brown both sides evenly and allow to cook ten minutes.
Carrots should not be peeled, but after being scrubbed well they should be scraped with a knife. Cut into one-half inch cubes, cook in boiling water (salted) twenty-five minutes, or until soft when pierced with a knitting needle. Drain and serve with Bechamel sauce.
1 T-butter 1 T-flour 1/4 t-salt 1/8 t-pepper 1 egg-yolk 2/3 C-milk
Melt the butter, add the flour, salt and pepper and mix well. Gradually stir in the milk. Cook until it thickens slightly. Add the beaten egg-yolk, cook one minute and serve immediately with one cup of diced carrots.
"RUTH has had some of the loveliest engagement presents," said Bettina to Bob across the dinner table. "And some that are so practical and sensible!"
"Yes, and we walked over to the new house. She has had Fred put up a shelf in the kitchen for her cook-books and recipe card box, and she finds that she really has quite a library! And the various engagement gifts are all put away. In fact the bungalow is nearly ready for use. I've told Ruth that she might write a magazine article on 'Engagement Presents' using her own for illustrations."