TWO MEN WERE HEADED FOR A POPULAR HOTEL DINING
ROOM. THEY BORE A LOOK OF BEING WORN FROM A STREN
UOUS DAY’S BUSINESS, AND, AS THEY RELAXED, ONE WAS
HEARD TO 'SAY: "EATING WAS ONCE THE JOY OF LIVING
FOR ME, BUT TODAY IT IS ALL VERY DIFFERENT; THERE ARE
^0 THRILLS; I NEVER CARE TO EAT; I’M NEVER HUNGRY ANY
MORE, TELL ME, WHAT IS THE MATTER?”
/
Awakening Sleepy Appetites
Today, more than ever, every man craves his mother’s
“love of niceties” as reflected in her cooking.
Suggested from an interview with MICHAEL MASSARA, Steward,
Omaha Club and Omaha Country Club. .
lie was looking at his engagment book. Monday
called for noon luncheon at the Athletie club; evening
dinner was scheduled with the Ad-Takers club; Tues
day luncheon showed the Lions club; Wednesday was
open; Thursday was Rotary, Friday night was the
Father and Son banquet and Saturday a Press club ban
quet for the noon hour.
Hairy Nichols was 34.. He had been raised in a
quiet little village out in the state. He had gradu
ated from Nebraska university. Harry was known as
an all-American football star a”nd after leaving college
his popularity gained for him a place on one of the
great newspapers as sport writer.
His progress in newspaper work had been rapid. He
was now the managing editor and his days were filled
almost to the breaking point with business and lunch
eon engagement*. Saturday afternoon he managed to
get away from the office for a round of golf and Sat
urday night was the one night that he spent at home
with his little family.
But something was wrong with Harry’s Saturday
night dinners at home. They lacked the anticipation
that he had once enjoyed. He played hard at his game
of golf, thinking that possibly he had not allowed time
for the outdoor air to sharpen the pangs of hunger.
Yet, no matter how late he stayed or how hard he
played, Harry never sat down to his wife’s table feeling
that he cared to eat.
Of course, his wife noticed it, and it worried her.
Could it be that the strain of his new position was im
pairing his health. She wondered. Often she checked
herself from asking the reason, thinking that Harry
might resent it. Surely it could not be the food. Al
though the caring for the two children demanded a
great deal of her time, she reminded herself that she
always asked for the best of meats and foodstuffs and
paid the highest prices. Still she knew that Hnrry was
becoming n lighter eater every day, and it worried her.
A business trip called Harry east. He arranged to
take his wife with him and spend a few days on the
return trip with a brother he had not seen since he had
given up the road and married an old-fashioned “school
mam."
Harry and Beth had speculated a great deal upon
the event of meeting Brother Jim's bride. On the way
out to the house Harry had joshingly said that he just
couldn’t imagine a achool teacher cooking for dear old
Jim! And together they laughingly agreed that if Jim’s
appetite now compared with his boyhood desire for
“goodies” that cooking for him must indeed be a real
task.
The meeting was indeed a happy one and after a
rousing exchange of greetings Harry exclaimed: “Beth,
look »t this fat rascal of a brother of mine." “Why,
Jim, old man, you’re looking wonderfully well. How
do you do it ?”
1
“It’s a dark secret, Bud—just wait till you know
the cook.’* —
Jim’s wife announced dinner and Harry came for
ward with his customary reluctance. But something
was different! At the first taste of the meats he sensed
a desire for more. Everything he tasted seemed to in
vite him to eat more. His appetite had returned! He
could hardly restrain himself from deliberately gorg
ing himself with these delightful foods. Beth was hor
rified. Twice she stepped on his toes and frowned
under her napkin to tell him to stop acting like a
starving man. But still he ate, until finally he gave a
sigh of relief and made this announcement:
“Jim, this dinner has been a revelation to me. ' It
has awakened within me a craving for food that I have
never before experienced. With all due respect to my
wife’s cooking, I am forced to admit that this is the
first home meal I have really enjoyed in more than
five years. Beth is a good cook. There must be some
other reason for this revelation. If yon love yoar
brother, Jim, let your wife tell Beth the secret of her
cooking.”
So happy was Beth in the knowledge that Harry
had regained his appetite that she forgot to resent what
might have been construed to mean a reflection upon
her ability as a cook. But during the next few days
she and Jim's wife spent many happy hours discussing
methods of “awakening sleepy appetites.’’
“There really is no ‘secret’ about these new dishes,
Beth,” she had said. “The whole trouble with us
housewives is that we have allowed the chefs in the big
restaurant* and clubs to outhink us. We're afraid
when we see a popular dish with a long foreign name
that there’s something mysterious about the prepara
tion of it."
Since I’ve been reading up on the Art of Cooking
I have discovered that the dishes so popular with the
men at the club are really very simple. I used to think
that if I bought the most expensive meats and food
stuffs. that the dinner would take care of itself. But
it won’t. And it would surprise you to learn just how
economical these dishes are, if properly prepared.”
When the visit ended. Harry found a little roTl if
neatly written recipes in the grip pocket.
“What is this, dear?” he asked. “Oh that’s the result
of my training in the Art of Cooking.’’ And she con
tinued, “I'm not going to let you lose your appetit#
for my cooking if I have to go back for a post-graduat#
course !’*
And here are the recipes that brought Beth to ths
sharp realization that there is something to the Art
of Cooking besides buying the best meats and food
stuffs at the highest prices.
Menu for an Early Winter Dinne
Merih
Blue point oysters on the half shell served with
sliced lemon.
Hot consomme of chicken, served with celery and
olives and salted crackers.
Broiled filet of beef hash in cream potatoes and
combination vegetable dish of cauliflower, peas and
asparagus tips, served with drawn butter and salt to
taste.
In preparing the beef, cut the filet into slices on#
and a half inches thick, wrap with a strip of bacon,
brush with lemon juice and olive oil and broil not
more than twelve minutes.
Serve with drawn batter and chopped parsley. In
preparing the potatoes, select eight medium sized po
tatoes for a dinner of six; boil with jackets on and let
than get cold before removing coats. Chop very fine.
Put into pan with butter, salt, pepper and a pint of
cream and boil on slow fire for 2 5 minutes Hot rolls
arc delicious with this course.
Hoad Lettuce
Thousand Island Dressing
Mayonnaise
Chop two hard-boiled eggs, dill pickles, pimentoes,
green pepper, parsley, caper (a few!, tomato
catsup and chili sauce. Stir into mayonnaise and serve
with salted crackers.
Creme Ramversie
Instructions: To one pound of sugar stir a half glass
of water until it thickens like caramel. Put into mold
to form lining of dish; six eggs, beat well with pint
of cream, pint of milk, two teaspoons of vanilla, sugar to
taste.
Stir and pour into mold and bake in dish set in pan
of water v about two inches of water!. Bake one hour.
Creme Kamversio should he' made the day before
ami left in the mold until ready to serve. Take from
mold and servo at table. Vso mold with hollow center.
Center to be filled with ice cream Add coffee, fruit,
crackers and cheeae if desired.