If the hands and the utensils which were used in preparing raw onions be thoroughly washed in cold water before soap or hot water touches them, the odor of the vegetable will disappear.
Stoning Raisins in an Easy Manner.
Stem the raisins, and, putting them in a bowl, cover with boiling water. Immediately pour off the water. This softens the skins and makes the raisins puff up so that the stones are removed with ease.
To Freshen Bread and Cake.
If you wish to freshen a stale loaf of bread or cake, put it in a deep pan, cover it closely and set it in rather a cool oven for about twenty minutes. The loaf will be almost as fresh as when first baked, but it must be used the same day, as it dries quickly when reheated in this manner.
Making a Bouquet of Sweet Herbs.
Tie together one spray of parsley, one sprig each of thyme and summer savory, one small leaf of sage, and one large bay leaf. This bouquet will flavor a gallon of soup. It must not cook in it for more than an hour. When only a small amount of soup or sauce is to be flavored, the bouquet should be cooked in the liquid but a short time,—perhaps from ten to twenty minutes.
Preventing a Meringue from Falling.
The means of preventing a meringue from falling when it is taken from the oven are simple. Usually the trouble arises from baking the meringue in too high a temperature. If you beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff, dry froth, then gradually beat in the powdered sugar (a generous tablespoonful for each white of an egg), put the meringue on the pie or pudding when partially cooled, and bake in a moderate oven, with the door open, for eighteen to twenty minutes, the annoyance may be avoided.