The Story of Crisco

by Marion Harris Neil

*Salsify Fritters—3 heads salsify, lemon juice, salt, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted Crisco, fried parsley, 4 tablespoons flour, and 2 eggs. Wash, scrape, and soak the salsify in cold water seasoned with salt and lemon juice to taste. Boil in salted, acidulated water until tender. Take it up when done, drain, and cut the salsify into pieces all the same size. Sieve the flour into a basin, work in the yolks of the eggs, the milk, and the melted Crisco. Beat to a smooth batter, season with salt and pepper to taste. When ready to fry, beat up the whites of eggs very stiffly and stir them lightly into batter. Drop the salsify into the batter, then into hot Crisco and fry to a golden brown color. Take up, drain, and serve garnished with fried parsley.

February 17

Strained Gumbo
Oyster Souffle
*Calf's Head, Vinaigrette
Baked Eggplant String Beans
Russian Salad Ambrosia
Coffee

*Calf's Head, Vinaigrette—Clean and scald 1/2 a calf's head. Cover with water and boil 1/2 an hour, then plunge into cold water. When cool, remove meat and cut in small squares. Make a roux of 1 tablespoon Crisco and 2 tablespoons flour cooked thoroughly; add 4 cloves, 3 whole peppers, small onion, carrot, 2 bay leaves, dash of thyme, and 2 tablespoons strong vinegar. Add the meat. Simmer 2 hours; remove into deep dish and cover with vinaigrette sauce, which is made with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, dash white pepper mixed with 3 tablespoons tarragon or plain vinegar. Add 6 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon gherkins, and 1 teaspoon each chives and parsley all chopped very fine, and 1 tablespoon minced green pepper. Blend well before pouring over meat. This may be served either hot or cold. Garnish with cucumber pickles cut into fan shapes.

February 18

*Cheese Canapes
Lamb Chops
French Peas Baked Potatoes
Artichoke Salad
Russian Charlotte Preserved Ginger
Coffee

*Cheese Canapes—8 croutes bread, 1/4 pound cheese, 2 tablespoons Crisco, salt and red pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon mustard, and 1 dessertspoon sherry.

Cut the croutes of bread out of slices of stale bread with a round cutter 2 inches across. Fry the bread a golden color in hot Crisco. Cut up cheese; put it into a mortar with Crisco, and pound until it becomes a smooth paste; then season with salt and red pepper to taste. Add the mustard and sherry. When all ingredients are thoroughly mixed, put it on the croutes of bread; place them in oven until hot through, then serve at once.

February 19

*Mulligatawney Soup
Roast Pork, Frozen Apple Sauce
Potatoes Creamed Onions
Indian Salad
Toasted Biscuits Cheese
Mocha Souffle
Coffee