"The doctor said soft things, because her poor throat is so sore. What do you think I'd better give her for lunch, Miss Betty?"
"Invalids have to have nourishing things, Mildred, strong soups and eggs and cereals with cream, and custards. Suppose you plan to have a cream soup for to-day and start a meat soup for to-morrow; it takes two days to make that kind, you know. And—let me see—with cream soup you might have an egg, I think, and perhaps junket; that is the very softest thing in the world. Then by night perhaps she can have cream toast; that is perfectly delicious; if my throat feels sore toward night, Mildred, will you please make enough for two? I just love it."
Mildred laughed and promised that she would.
"And soft boiled custard in a pretty glass cup; and tea, I suppose. By to-morrow she will be so much better that I think she can have ever so many other things. Shall I write out the receipts for you now? Here is a good one for the soup."
CREAM SOUP
(This makes one cupful.)
| 2/3 | cup milk. |
| ½ | tablespoonful butter. |
| ½ | tablespoonful flour. |
| ¼ | teaspoonful salt. |
| 1 | shake pepper. |
| 1 | tiny slice of onion. |
| ¼ | cup of any hot cooked vegetable; measure after thoroughly mashing it |
Scald the milk with the onion in it; then take out the onion and slowly mix the milk and vegetable. Melt the butter, rub the flour into it and stir till it is smooth; then pour gradually on the hot milk; add the seasoning, bring it to the point where it almost boils, strain it and put it into a hot cup.
"This is one of the rules you have to learn by heart, Mildred. It is very easy, you see, almost like a very thin white sauce with vegetable in it. You can use mashed potato, or peas, or corn or celery or carrots, or whatever you happen to have in the house to make it with, and if you multiply it four times you will have enough for a dinner soup."
"Multiply two-thirds by four—" Mildred began.