CHAPTER XVIII
A MAN'S LUNCH
"MOTHER writes that she is so glad you are giving Billy such good lunches," said Father, looking up from his letter. "I've been waiting a long time for an invitation to lunch, little daughter. Do you know, I'll be quite jealous of Billy if my turn doesn't come soon!"
"Oh, Father," Mary Frances begged, "won't you come to-morrow? I didn't think you could get away from the store,—and I don't know so very much to cook."
"Thank you, Miss Mary Frances, I'll be most happy to lunch with you to-morrow," said Father, in a real so-ci-e-ty tone.
When Mary Frances went into the kitchen next morning, she said:
"I guess I'll make the dessert first; rice pudding is good cold."
"It is ex-cel-lent cold," spoke the deep voice of Baking Dish, "es-pec-i-ally if made by
No. 24.—Rice Pudding.
| 3 tablespoons rice |
| ¼ cup sugar |
| 1/8 teaspoon salt |
| sprinkling nutmeg |
| 4 cups milk, or 3 cups milk and 1 cup water |
1. Pick over the rice, and wash by putting in a strainer and shaking in a pan of water.
2. Butter the baking dish.
3. Stir rice, sugar and salt into the milk.
4. Pour into the baking dish.
5. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
6. Cover with a lid, and bake slowly 2 hours.
7. Uncover and brown ½ hour.
Note.—Seeded raisins may be added before browning. If desired, a thin narrow shaving of the outside rind of a lemon may be used as flavoring. Put this in the milk with the rice.
"Why, thank you, Baking Dish," exclaimed Mary Frances. "Will you kindly say it over slowly? I'll do it then, keeping time with your directions."
This he did, and as Mary Frances slipped him into the oven, "I'm sure this will be good," he said; "I can always tell."
"I'm very glad," said Mary Frances, gratefully.
"Now for the Boiled Mutton," she said. "I guess, Iron Pot, you can tell me about that."
"Yes, ma'am," said Iron Pot, importantly climbing from the shelf, and eying critically the piece of meat Mary Frances had placed on the table.
"That's a pretty nice cut of meat—pretty nice. It will be all right to cook it as I will tell you. But, really, mutton is less greasy if it is boiled long enough before needed to let the gravy cool. Take off the cake of fat which will form on the top when cold. Of course, take the meat out as soon as it is tender, and after 'skimming' the gravy, put it in again to re-heat."
"I haven't time!" said Mary Frances, anxiously.
"You can put yours in a bowl, and stand the bowl in ice water to cool the liquor quickly, and do the same thing that way, now——"
"You give the recipe?" asked Mary Frances.
Iron Pot looked pleased, and began:
No. 25.—Boiled Mutton.
About 3 pounds rack of mutton or "yearling."
1. Wipe with a damp cloth.
2. Pour 3 cups boiling water into a large pot.
3. Throw in 2 peeled onions.
4. Put in the meat. Cover.
5. Boil 10 minutes.
6. Draw pot to back of stove where it will simmer, or just bubble, until meat is tender when tried with a fork, which will be in about 1½ hours.
7. Take out the meat.
8. Skim off the fat from the surface of the liquor; or if there is time, cool, and remove the hardened fat.
"Correct!" exclaimed Sauce Pan, bending over Mary Frances' book. "And the gravy is made——"
"Saucy!" began Iron Pot, in a boiling rage; but he suddenly stopped, as Mary Frances shook her finger at him.
"It's all right this time," she said.
"It is your place, Sauce Pan——"
"It is my place," said Sauce Pan, trying not to let Iron Pot see how pleased he was to tell about
No. 26.—Sauce or Gravy for Boiled Mutton.
1. After cooling and skimming off the fat, measure the water in which the meat was boiled.
2. To each cupful, allow
1 tablespoon flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon vinegar.
3. Moisten these with a little cold water.
4. Stir them into the boiling gravy.
5. Add 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley.
"Thank you both, my friends," said Mary Frances, lifting Iron Pot.
"My, but you're heavy!"
"'Tis true," said Iron Pot, sadly, "all my old-fashioned friends, like Iron Tea Kettle—glancing toward the new Tea Kettle—and Caldron, are gone. But," he added, brightening up, "it has been proved that for boiling meats, no modern 'light-weights' could 'do them up so brown!'"
"We'll prove it again," laughed Mary Frances. "I do believe I'll have a splendid lunch for Father—a regular big man's lunch. Listen!
Boiled Mutton Parsley Sauce
Boiled Potatoes
Rice Pudding Coffee
"And now I'll set the table! I think I'll use the very best silver, and the prettiest dishes—it will please father, I know."
This is the way Mary Frances set the table for her father and Billy's lunch. Mary Frances sat in her mother's place.
Just as Mary Frances was finishing getting the lunch, the 'phone bell rang and Billy answered.
This is what Mary Frances heard:
"Hello!"
—————
"Yes!"
—————
"Too bad, Father, can't you?"
—————
"Well, I'll tell her, but I hate to, awfully. She's been hard at work all the morning."
—————
"I?—Oh, I attended to the fire for her, then went upstairs to make those drawings."
—————
"Oh, yes; I'll look after her, all right."
—————
"Yes, she is—a regular 'brick!'"
—————
"All right. Good-bye!"
—————
"Sis!"
"I know, Billy," Mary Frances sobbed. "I know!—Father can't come, and everything is ready. Oh, dear! Oh, oh,—de—ar!"
"Oh, I say, Sister," said Billy; "I'll pretend I'm Father—won't that do? And—oh, yes! I'll show you how to fold a napkin into 'Cinderella's slipper!'"
"Where did you learn how?" Mary Frances began to dry her tears.
"Not on land, and not on sea
Did this knowledge come to me.
When I learned, I had on my hat—
Where was I? Now, riddle me that?
* * * * *
No, lady fair, not up in the air—
On a boat in the river."
"Silly Billy!" exclaimed Mary Frances. "Please show me the trick now, will you?"
"Yes," said Billy, "and then I'll eat Father's share, as well as mine, of a very 'grand' lunch—if my nose isn't deceiving me."
"Well," said Mary Frances, "that will help some; but please fold the napkin."
And Billy showed her this:
Mary Frances was so pleased with the Cinderella's slipper that she folded all the napkins on the lunch table.
"Looks like a hotel table," said Billy.
"Well, Billy," said Mary Frances, "I know fancy folded napkins aren't so nice for home—but you don't mind."
"Indeed, no," said Billy; "I feel proud."
* * * * * * *
While they were at lunch there came a knock and a boy from the store handed in a box of candy and a little note addressed to
Miss Mary Frances.
"Ahem," said Billy, as Mary Frances opened the box, and offered him some candy "since Father couldn't come, he sent a sweet guest in his place."
"It isn't very nice to eat up your guest," laughed Mary Frances.
"Mary Frances," asked Billy, "what's better than a cream chocolate?"
"Two cream chocolates, I guess," said Mary Frances, passing the box—"but, Billy, listen:
