Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 August 1896 — HOUSEHOLD DEPAKTMENT [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOUSEHOLD DEPAKTMENT

Cheap Ice Closet. A good refrigerator is not always possible where money is scarce or the home is far removed from any town. Then, again, the refrigerator is often crowded and an extra ice chest is then in demand. Herewith is an Illustrated description of a simple home-made affair that can be produced at trifling expense. Ice will molt in it faster than in the expensive manufactured ice '•hests or refrigerators, but where a tew pounds more or less do not count bis is of small consequence. A wellnade dry goods box can be made to

serve as the closet, to which is fitted a door, divided as shown. The front edges of the closet are covered with listing, to make all tight when the doors are closed. The shelves have openings at the ends for the cold air to pass through in its downward course and for the warmer air to pass up through. On the top shelf is placed a big pan with ice in it held up from the bottom of the pan by two bits of wood, that the ice may not stand in the water from Its melting. As the air in the top of the closet is cooled by contact with the ice, it falls to the bottom, because made heavier by cooling, and so forces up into contact with the ice the warmer air below,, which in turn is cooled and the process repeated, thus keeping a constant circulation of cool air through the closet. By covering the ice in the pan with an old woolen blanket, or, that lacking, with newspapers, the melting of the ice will be greatly retarded.

Brown Bread Pudding. Weigh six ounces of any pieces of stale brown tread you may have; break them into small pieces and put them into a bowl. Pour over them half a pint of boiling milk, cover the bowl with a plate and let it staDd till the bread is soft. Next put the bread in a strainer and press it well to get it as dry as possible; beat it up well with a fork and take out any hard pieces there may be in it. Add to it two ounces of brown sugar, the grated rind of a lemon, two ounces of sultanas or raisins cut in halves, and a few drops of vanilla. Mix these well together. Now beat two eggs well and add them to the rest of the ingredients. Butter a mould, put in the mixture and steam for one and a half hours. Then turn out on to a hot dish, and serve with sweet melted butter or German sauce. Glazing Wheat and Poultry. Meal and poultry, to be served cold, may be very much improved in appearance by being glazed. The process Is simple. An excellent glaze may be made of half an ounce of gelatine dissolved in a pint of water, and flavored as well as colored with extract of beef. To be successful the meat must be perfectly cold before the glaze is put on, and the first coating should be allowed to dry before the second is applied. The glaze must be well melted and warm and applied with a brush. A French woman in one of the San Francisco markets has established a large trade in cold roast meats. She glazes them all. The meats prepared by her sell in the markets and stores for 35 cents per pound.

Brief Hints. White spots upon varnished furniture will disappear if a hot plate be held over them. Piek a nutmeg with a pin, and, if It is fresh and good, oil will instantly spread around the puncture. Silver spoons that have become discolored by eggs may be cleaned readily by rubbing with a soft cloth and a little dry salt. Save all the stale bread, grate it, and keep in glass jar with lid. This makes an excellent covering for friend veal, friend liver, croquettes and oysters. Fresh meat should not be allowed to remain rolled in paper, for the paper will absorb the juices. Remove the paper and lay the meat on an earthen plate. When frying out fat cut a potato in the thinnest slices possible and drop In while hot. This prevents a smutty look and makes the fat clean and sweet. Silks or ribbons that are to be packed away should be rolled in brown paper, as the chloride of lime In white paper will discolor them. White satin should be folded in blue paper and a brown paper put outside and pinned closely together at the edges. A carpet stained with ink can b& cleaned by squeezing lemon juice on the spot and covering with salt. Let It remain thus for several hours and wash with a flannel rag wrung out in warm water and a little ammonia. An excellent dessert is made by putting an abundance of choice strawberries dipped in powdered sugar in a mould of lemon jelly. The berries should be scattered between alternate layers of the jelly, which may be colored red or a deep or light green.' One of the best remedies for a btirn Is corron oil, a mixture of equal parts of linseed or olive oil with lime water. Another admirable remedy is bicarbonate of soda—that Is, cooking soda, a small box of which should always be kept at hand for immediate use. Woolen blankets should be washed in warm water after having been soaked for an Lour in lukewarm water, in which one and one-half tablespoonfuls of ammonia are added to each pailful of water. Pound gently when washing, but do not rub. Rinse three times in clean water.

HOME-MADE ICE CHEST.