CARE OF SALAD GREENS. SERVING OF CHEESES AND CAVIARE

TO PREPARE SALAD GREENS

Lettuce.

IT is desirable to attend to lettuce as soon as it comes from market or garden. Cut off root close to leaves and remove leaves one at a time, discarding any of the outside ones that may be wilted, broken, or tough. Wash in a bowl of cold or ice- water and let stand until crisp. Take up each leaf separately, shake slightly, arrange in original form and place in wire basket (which comes for the purpose) or in bag made of cheese-cloth. Hang in refrigerator until needed.

The tender heart leaves should always be served whole, while it is often desirable to shred the outside leaves.

To Shred Lettuce.

Roll leaves by twos lengthwise and cut in thin slices crosswise, using a thin, sharp knife or scissors. Shake shreds lightly for use in garnishing or making a back- ground for salads. This should be done as near serving time as is possible. If the midribs of the leaves are tough it is desirable to remove them before rolling the leaves.

Romaine.

Separate leaves and wash, same as lettuce. The small ones may be served whole, the larger ones cut in halves lengthwise, then each half cut in three or four pieces crosswise. It is generally desirable to remove the midribs.

Escarolle and Chicory.

Separate leaves and wash same as lettuce. The leaves, being smaller, require more care in the washing. Discard the coarse green leaves, leaving the light green and yellow portions for serving.

Watercress.

Cut off roots, separate stalks, and wash in iced water. Drain thoroughly and shake each piece separately.

Endive.

Remove and discard outer leaves. Plunge the remaining stalk into ice-water. When it is crisp, drain, wipe, separate leaves of stalk, and serve whole, or the stalk may be shredded.

Celery

Cut off roots and leaves (excepting tender ones) from a bunch of celery. Separate stalks, wash, scrape, and cut in pieces of uniform length. Chill in ice-water to which a third-inch slice of lemon has been added. Drain and serve on a bed of crushed ice. If tops of stalks are gashed several times before putting into water, they will curl back and make celery look more attractive. The inside tender stalks do not require scraping.
Celery when used for a garnish is often curled.

To Curl Celery.

Scrape thick stalks of celery and cut in two-inch pieces. With a sharp knife, beginning at outside of stalks, make five parallel cuts extending one third the length of pieces ; then make six cuts at right angles to cuts already made. Treat the other end in the same manner or not, as desired. Put in ice- water to which a third-inch slice of lemon has been added and let stand several hours, when ends will curl back and celery will be found very crisp.

To Serve " Club Style."

Select celery, several bunches of which have been tied together, not " bunched " by the use of nails. The root being used here, rusty nail holes are a dis- advantage. Discard the coarse, outer stalks of each small bunch. Keep the inner hearts of each whole, not separating the stalks one from another. Wash thoroughly with a small vegetable brush and then trim the root neatly, discarding the outside, which is discolored. Cut the small bunch of un- separated heart stalks through the center lengthwise, from point of root to top, and if the halves are large, divide each again in the same way. Crisp in ice water, drain, and serve.

Radishes.

Remove leaves, leaving stems half an inch long, and remove tip of root. Wash, scrape, and serve on a bed of crushed ice. This treatment is always satisfactory for long radishes. Globe (otherwise called round) radishes are pleasing when cut to represent tulips or chrysanthemums.

To Cut Radishes to Represent Tulips.

Select long, globe radishes and remove leaves, leaving stems half an inch long, and remove tip end. Wash, and, beginning at root end, make six incisions ( at equal distances) through skin extending nearly to stem end. Pass thin bladed knife under sections of skin and cut down as far as incisions extend. Place in cold water and let stand an hour or two, when sections will fold back giving a tulip-like appearance. Drain and serve on a dish of cracked ice.

To Cut Radishes to Represent Chrysanthemums.

Select round radishes and remove leaves, leaving stems half an inch in length, and cut off a thin slice from the root end. Wash, and scrape radishes in several places to remove some of the red color. Cut from top nearly to stem end in thin, parallel slices, then cut thin slices at right angles to slices already cut. Place in cold water and let stand until open to suggest chrysanthemums. Drain and serve on a dish of cracked ice.

SERVING OF CHEESES AND OF CAVIARE

To serve Edam and Pineapple cheese, the top should be cut and notched in such a way that it can be fitted in, when not in use. The best grocers usually do this upon request. To pass, set the cheese in the folds of a napkin (which come up around it) on account of the oiliness of the rind. Also silver frames come for holding these cheeses. A silver cheese scoop is used to serve it. When putting away after serving, if a small, fresh piece of cheese-cloth is wet with brandy and placed inside ( cover on), the cheese will not become moldy as readily, and an additional flavor will be gained as well.

Camembert should be in the ice-box an hour or two before serving. To serve, scrape off the tinfoil, then scrape off discoloration under tinfoil. Place on a plate covered with a lace-paper doily and cut in wedge-shaped pieces, with a butter spreader upon the plate for serving. Prepare some time before serving and keep in ice-box until needed.

Roquefort should be placed upon a plate fitted with a lace-paper doily, with butter spreader on plate for serving, or cut in small pieces and placed on doily-covered plate.

Cream cheese, or Neufchatel, is placed on plate containing lace-paper doily, with butter spreader on plate for serving. American Dairy Cheese should be cut in small pieces of uniform size and placed on plate covered with a lace-paper doily.

RUSSIAN CAVIARE

Caviare is the roe of the sturgeon and can be bought fresh or salted, the former being the more expensive. It is used in various ways as an appetizer or hors-d'oeuvre and takes the place, to some extent, of the raw oyster. It is seasoned and served in small Swedish timbale cases, on cuts of toast or crackers, or as a sandwich filling. In combination with olives sardines, or a cress butter, it makes a good sandwich filling to serve with cocktails. After removing caviare from the can or jar in which it is bought, season with a few drops of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne. If using the fresh caviare, salt also should be added.