Brevities

I once asked a colored woman whose puddings and custards and junkets and blanc manges were simply splendid, what made her concoctions so supremely delicious, and with a broad smile she answered: “Well, honey-chile, I’se puts in good so I’se take out good.”

The old woman was patently unaware that she had uttered one of the deepest ethical truisms, that in her terse words there lay hidden the secret of all happy human relationships, of all success and satisfaction we can attain to. She thought merely of her cooking, and there, too, she was more than right. To achieve culinary excellence we have, above all, to choose the right ingredients, for the quality of these insures the perfection of the finished product.

This is doubly true in all kind of dairy cooking. The best eggs are none too good, the freshest butter is indicated, a high quality milk is quite imperative. Best of all is Borden’s milk which has a high cream content and gives even to a simple rice-pudding a smoothness and richness that is truly enjoyable. If the proper ingredients are used the following recipe for a junket—the ideal dessert for growing children or invalids—will give most satisfactory results.

Needed ingredients: 2 cups of milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, I teaspoon vanilla, 2 teaspoons rennet or ½ junket tablet and 2 teaspoons lukewarm water. Heat the milk to lukewarm in a double-boiler. Add sugar and flavoring and stir until sugar is dissolved. Add junket dissolved in water and pour into dish from which the custard is to be served. Let stand until cool and firm. Serve with cream, fresh fruit, or fruit syrup. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoanut, chocolate, cocoa or any other flavor may be substituted for vanilla.