3656. To Clear Vegetables of Insects.—Make a strong brine of one pound and a half of salt to one gallon of water, into this place the vegetables with the stalk ends uppermost, for two or three hours; this will destroy all the insects which cluster in the leaves, and they will fall out and sink to the bottom of the water.
3657. Potatoes.—There are few articles in families more subject to waste, both in paring, boiling, and being actually thrown away, than potatoes; and there are few cooks but what boil twice as many potatoes every day as are wanted; and fewer still that do not throw the residue away as totally unfit in any shape for the next day's meal.
3658. Yet if they would take the trouble to beat up the despised cold potatoes with an equal quantity of flour, they would find them produce a much lighter dumpling or pudding than they can make with flour alone; and by the aid of a few spoonfuls of good gravy, they will provide a cheap and agreeable appendage to the dinner table.
3659. Bad Butter may be improved greatly by dissolving it thoroughly in hot water; let it cool, then skim it off, and churn again, adding a little good salt and sugar. A small quantity can be tried and approved before doing a larger one. The water should be merely hot enough to melt the butter or it will become oily.—(See "Mrs. Hale's Cook Book.")
3660. Dinners.—The appearance a dinner-table presents does not depend so much upon a profuseness of viands, as upon the neatness, cleanliness, and well-studied arrangement of the whole. Taste, if well directed, may produce a handsome dinner; whereas three times the amount of money may be expended upon another, and yet not make even a respectable appearance.