"The 'tripe à la Normandie' is made with a thick brown gravy; the tripe made in rolls with pieces of ham in each and a few mushrooms to flavour. We have half a ham in the house just at present, so it was a good time to have the dish. The brown soup on Thursday was made of the broth in which the sheep's head was cooked; the fish mould is made by pounding half a pound of breadcrumbs, one ounce of butter, a beaten egg and a gill of thick white sauce; season this well and steam in a buttered mould. The callops are minced beef, which I buy at threepence each callop.
"Here is the food account—
| £ | s. | d. | |
| One pound and a half of chuck steak | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Two pounds of best end of neck of mutton | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| One pound and a quarter of tripe | 0 | 0 | 9½ |
| One sheep's head | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Half a pound of suet | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Four callops | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Quarter of a pound of mushrooms | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Flavouring vegetables | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| One pound of sprouts | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Eight pounds of potatoes | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Plaice | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Fresh haddock | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Half a pound of macaroni | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| One tin of cocoa | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Best eggs, one dozen | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Six cooking eggs | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| One pound and a half of fresh butter at 1s. 4d. | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Milk | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Two pounds of demerara | 0 | 0 | 3½ |
| One pound loaf | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Half a ham (three pounds and a half) | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Half a pound of tea | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Eight loaves | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| £1 | 0 | 2 |
"Let me know if I can be of any further use,
"Yours affectionately,
"Marion Thomas."
Three weeks later Marion received a hurriedly-written note.
"Many, many thanks, my dear Marion, for your letter. I have been waiting to profit by your instructions before writing to you, and now I am so busy I can only write a few lines. The new cook is an amiable girl, and I am getting on famously—thanks to you. Mrs. Holden is here, and I am enjoying her visit very much. She is so kind and helpful. You are quite right; it is ridiculous to be afraid of one's own cook, and I now enter the kitchen with an easy mind. Also, my cooking has improved so much, that I quite enjoy eating my own pastry, which I thought would for ever be an impossibility.
"Your grateful friend,
"Madge Holden."
(To be continued.)