Fruits Recipe

Apples, Baked

Peel and core six large sour apples; mix together a cup

of sugar, half a teaspoonful of mixed ground spice, a saltspoonful of

salt, two tablespoonfuls of grated cracker crumbs, and two

tablespoonfuls of milk or water. Fill the core with the mixture; put the

apples in a pan, and bake; serve them hot or cold with sweetened cream.

A border of whipped cream around the apples may be substituted for the

plain cream.

Apples may be served sliced, covered with sugar and a mild liquor poured

over them, and topped off with whipped cream.

Bananas

Select short, thick, red or yellow bananas; peel and cut them

in quarters lengthwise; serve on a napkin.

Blackberries, Raspberries, Whortleberries, etc., are too well known to

require instructions as to how they should be served; but a word of

caution is necessary. They should be very thoroughly examined before

they are served; all stems, bruised berries, and unripe fruit should be

removed, and a thorough search made for minute particles of grit and for

insects.

Cantaloupes, or small melons, should be placed on ice the night

preceding their use. Cut or slice off the top of each melon; remove the

seeds, and replace them with fine ice; replace the covers, and send to

table looking as though uncut.

Should they taste insipid, trim off the rind, cut the remainder into

neat pieces, pour over them a plain salad-dressing, and they will be

found quite palatable.

Cherries

If large, fine-looking fruit, serve them plain; but they

must be cold to be palatable. Keep them on ice over night, or serve

glasses of fine ice to each guest, with the fruit arranged on top of it.

Currants

Large, fine clusters should be served on the stem, arranged

on a fruit-stand alone, or in layers alternated with mulberries,

raspberries, or other seasonable fruits. Serve with powdered sugar.

Figs and Dates

may be served at breakfast.

Grapes

Malaga, Tokay, Hamburg, and similar varieties of grapes should

be well rinsed in ice-water, and cut into small bunches with fruit

scissors. Place on a glass dish, or dishes surrounded by fine ice, and,

if plentiful, do not divide the clusters, but drain them out of

ice-water. Serve on a neatly-folded napkin, a bunch for each guest.

Melons

The best way to eat melons is unquestionably with a little

salt; they should be kept over night in an ice-box and served at the

following breakfast; but melons are very deceptive; they may look

delicious, but, from growing in or near the same garden where squashes

and pumpkins are raised, they often taste as insipid as these vegetables

would if eaten raw. In this case they are made very palatable by cutting

the edible part into slices, and serving them with plain dressing of

oil, vinegar, pepper, and salt.

Oranges

Of the many ways of serving oranges, I prefer them sliced. If

in summer, keep them cold until wanted. Remove all seeds, and cut large

slices in two. Mandarins are served whole, with the peel scored but not

removed.

Peaches

If the peaches are large and perfect do not slice them, but

serve them whole; wipe or brush off the feathery coating, arrange them

neatly on the fruit-dish, and decorate them with fresh green leaves and

flowers.

Sliced peaches turn a rusty brown color if allowed to stand after

cutting them. Should this occur, cover them with whipped cream properly

sweetened.

Pears

Fine-flavored pears should be served whole; inferior pears,

sliced and dredged with sugar; they are acceptable when mixed with other

fruits.

Pineapples

are best served as a salad. Pare and dig out the eyes; take

hold of the crown of the pine with the left hand; take a fork in the

right hand, and with it tear the pine into shreds, until the core is

reached, which throw away. Arrange the shredded fruit lightly in a

compote, add a liberal quantity of powdered sugar, a wine-glassful of

Curacoa, and half a wine-glassful of brandy.

Alternate layers of shredded pineapple and fresh cocoanut served with a

sauce of orange juice, seasoned with sugar and liquors, is excellent.

Plums

are too often picked before they are quite ripe, which prevents

them from becoming popular as a breakfast fruit; this is true of

Apricots also.

Strawberries

are often objectionable, owing to grit; wash, or rather

rinse them in water, drain on a napkin, and serve with vanilla-flavored

whipped cream for a change.

Nearly all tropical fruits that are imported are excellent breakfast

fruits, such as the alligator pear, Lechosa prickly pear, pomegranate,

tropical mango, and many others.