The Laurel Health Cookery: A Collection of Practical Suggestions and Recipes for the Preparation of Non-Flesh Foods in Palatable and Attractive Ways

ornamentation, but if fruit is properly prepared and freely used, cream will not be required; it would better be saved for some more necessary place. Two very thin crusts may be used, but the fruit flavor does not penetrate them as it does the split crust. Make the crust stiff enough to give a fine grain but not so stiff as to be hard. It may be baked in not too thick biscuit for individual serving. Crusts may be baked several days beforehand and kept closely covered. To serve, dip in cold water, slip in paper bag, set in hot oven for about 10 m. and use as fresh baked crust. Do not use cake, or a sweetened crust, and call it “shortcake.” One in writing of strawberry short cake says: “It must be remembered that the fruit must be served on a _genuine shortcake_ not the sweet cake of the restaurant and of too many households, but the plain, unsweetened cake that was the delight of our fathers, and which is still the joy of those who have been so fortunate as to have made the acquaintance of the blessings of the tasty and nutritious cookery of the olden times.” Some unsweetened, flaked, cereal preparations, crisped in the oven, make delightful shortcakes by sprinkling a few flakes on a plate, covering them with prepared fruit, then sprinkling the fruit generously with flakes. They must be served as soon as prepared. =Shortcake Fillings= =Strawberries=--Leave out a few small berries or cut some of the smaller ones in halves or quarters and set one side. Save also some of the largest and cut into halves, or leave whole with the stems on. Put a little butter into a granite pan, add berries with not too much sugar and a little salt. Crush over the fire with wire potato masher just enough to make juicy. Mix well with butter, stir carefully until just warm. Add small berries, spread crusts, place whole berries, or cut halves cut side up, on top. Serve shortcake at once on dessert tray or platter with a cluster