Part 48

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To prevent icing from cracking when it cuts add a teaspoon sweet cream to each unbeaten egg. When boiling syrup for icing add a pinch of cream of tartar.

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Brown sugar frosting which will not crack is made of one tablespoon of vinegar, brown sugar enough to mix and the beaten white of half an egg. Beat all well together and add sugar enough to spread.

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I have many times been asked how I retained the color of preserved fruits. I allow for all preserves equal measure of sugar and fruit.

It is impossible to have success if you make large quantities. I never make over three pints at a time--usually one quart.

The same method applies to all preserves. If possible, I extract some juice to start with. I then put this with one quart of sugar, (no water if the fruit contains plenty of juice, but if not, I add a little water). Allow this to boil until thick then have fruit ready to drop in; when it boils up, remove scum, and, as the juice is extracted by the boiling, dip off and allow only enough to thicken quickly.

This juice can be used for sauces, beverages of all kinds--Fruit darkens on account of continued boiling.

Economical Soap

Soap without boiling, will float if not too much ham or bacon drippings are used.

Into 1 quart of cold water dissolve the contents of one can of Babbits potash or lye. Melt to luke warm heat, 6 lbs, (light weight) of clean drippings that have been strained through cheesescloth several times.

Before adding the lye to the strained grease, add 1 large cupful of borax. Stir lye into kettle containing grease and stir constantly until very thick. Pour into a pan, score; in 10 or 12 hours turn out of pan and let dry. A little perfume may be added if you wish. Lamb drippings makes the finest soap.

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Transcriber's Notes:

Obvious punctuation errors repaired.

Italic text is denoted by _; bold by = and underlined text by ~.

Text uses both "today" and "to-day." It also used both "tablespoon" and "tablespoons" when referring to an ingredient with an additional fraction of a tablespoon added, i.e. "1 1/2 tablespoon" and "1 1/2 tablespoons."

Page 13, The original had the portrait pages out of order on the list. These have been reordered. The original read:

Fanny Garrison Villard 34 Helen Ring Robinson 40 Jane Addams 38 Julia Lathrop 44 Jack London 46 Mrs. J. O. Miller 42 Mrs. Desha Breckinridge 52

This also occurred on the following pages. The original text is below.

Page 15:

Potato Puffers 78 Baked Tomatoes 80 Stuffed Tomatoes 79

Page 16:

Virginia Butter Bread 102 Bran Bread 102 Excellent Nut Bread 101 Dr. Wylies' Recipes 103

Page 17:

Jam Cake 136 Hickory Nut Cake 138 Lace Cakes 137

Page 18: