=Currant Salad.=--Remove the stems from half a pound each of red and white currants, (cost ten cents,) and pile them in regular layers high in the centre of a shallow glass dish, sifting a little powdered sugar between each layer; the sugar will cost two or three cents. A gill of cream, (cost five cents,) may be poured over the top, if desired. The dish should be tastefully ornamented with green leaves, and the salad kept very cool until wanted for use. The cost of a nice dishful will be about eighteen cents.
=Iced Currants.=--Beat the white of one egg, (cost one cent,) to a stiff froth, mix it with three dessertspoonfuls of cold water, dip into it carefully some perfect bunches of ripe red and white currants, which can be bought in season for ten cents a pound; drain each bunch a moment and then dust it well with powdered sugar, lay each bunch carefully upon a large sheet of white paper, so that there is plenty of room between the bunches, and set them in a cool, airy place for five hours. The sugar will partly crystalize upon the fruit, and the effect will be very pretty. The cost of a good sized dish will be about fifteen cents.
=Compôte of Damsons.=--Wipe one quart of sound, ripe damsons, (cost ten cents,) with a clean, dry cloth, drop them, one by one into the following syrup: make a syrup by melting one pound of loaf sugar (cost fifteen cents,) with one pint of water, stir in the white of an egg, (cost one cent,) and boil the syrup fifteen minutes, skimming it clear. Simmer the plums in this syrup until they are tender, about five minutes, but do not let them break; take the plums up carefully and arrange them in a heap on a shallow dish, letting the syrup boil about ten minutes, until it is quite thick; then remove it from the fire, cool it a little, and pour it over the plums. The dish will cost about twenty-five cents.
=Stuffed Dates.=--Remove the stones from a pound of fine dates, (cost ten cents,) by cutting them open at one side; remove the shells and skins from half a pound of almonds, (cost ten cents;) the skins can easily be rubbed off by first pouring boiling water on the almond kernels; replace the date-stones with the almonds, and arrange the dates neatly on a shallow dish; dust a little powdered sugar over them, and keep them in a cool, dry place till ready to use. The dish will cost twenty-three cents.