A Section For Women

By "Therese"

SOUTH Sea Islands flower prints, trick printed crepes and seersuckers will go to the making of better and brighter wardrobes for 1941. Suitable for day or evening wear, they also are ideal for hostess gowns, the most useful garments women have had for years. Prints have the decided advantage of laundering perfectly and many of them are creaseresistant.

The present fashion silhouette is youthful and any mother of 35 may sally forth in the same type of clothes that find favour with her daughter—for instance, the pinafore frock with pleated skirt and vivid printed blouse with puff sleeves looks equally delightful on either, Lingerie trims on frocks will keep “wash boys” busy and their snowy whiteness makes any frock look cool and re-

freshing. White linen pique, broderie Anglaise and exquisitely embroidered handkerchief linen all are used for cuffs, collars and jabots. Nowadays, clever women make blouses, cuffs, collars and even entire evening dresses and coats with lace, in addition to trimming hats.

Jackets are worn with anything and everything, these days. There is an epi demic of them—boleros, bell boy jackets and monkey jackets. The straight skirt takes hip length or slightly longer jackets, and these are particularly smart when fashioned of check or striped linen over a plain skirt. The jacket is an ex cellent accompaniment to slacks, too, making them attractive wear even for the older woman. Slacks must be well cut, of course, and it really is foolish for an amateur to make them.

Swim suits are more delightful than ever for 1941. They are presented in satin lastex, wool, rubber and cotton and each is attractive. All are figure mould ing, with the exception of the cotton variety which is made in little girl frock fashion, demure and unsophisticated in design.

Beach coats of necessity find a place in the tropical wardrobe. These are charming and original in design and mostly are made on tailored lines with wide skirts, giving freedom of movement.

Some button from neck to hem, while others add hoods to protect the wearer from a too ardent sun. Multi-coloured cottons patterned in bold designs are the best medium. Coats are of varying length, but for a good all-rounder choose one that reaches to your toes. If you favour a shorter length, however, what about a knee-length jacket of gaily striped cotton lined with towelling?

Recipes

AREALLY good plum cake is appre ciated in any climate and during the Christmas season its value is doubled. Here is a tested recipe that is rich in flavour and colour:— Christmas Cake Take II lb. flour, 14 lb. castor sugar, 1 lb. butter, I lb. raisins, I lb. sultanas, I lb. currants, 4 lb. each of cherries, lemon peel (finely shredded), almonds (blanched and chopped), dates and figs, 10 eggs, 1 teaspoon mixed spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda (no cream of tartar required), I glass brandy, 1 teaspoon glycerine and a few drops of essence of lemon.

Soak fruit overnight in brandy. Mix castor sugar and butter until well creamed: add eggs one at a time, beating well after adding each egg. Sift in all dry ingredients including a pinch of salt.

Lastly add fruit and glycerine. Mix very well; put in tin lined with three thick nesses of brown paper. Bake for at least 31 hours in even temperature oven.

Simple Sweet Mince An excellent recipe for easily prepared sweet mince without which no Christmas fare is complete:— One large apple, 3 tablespoons sul tanas or raisins, 2 tablespoons sugar, a little grated lemon rind or lemon peel, 1 teaspoon each cinnamon and mixed spice, 1 good teaspoon butter (melted). Chop apples and raisins finely, add other in gredients and mix well. A little brandy may be added, if desired.

Meringues Simple to make, delicious to taste and most attractive to look at, nut meringues are well worth trying.

Boil 1 lb. 10s oz. sugar in II tea cups of water for quarter of an hour, stir ring constantly. Beat whites of four eggs until so stiff that you can turn the bowl upside down without spilling. Place beaten egg whites in a double boiler (the pot should be able to hold three quarts), add boiled sugar and beat over a quick flame until crust begins to form.

Remove from fire and form meringues with the help of 2 teaspoons or a pip ing tube. Lay them on an oiled baking tin. Place a nut in the top centre of each meringue and bake slowly in moderate oven until dry. These quantities will make 40 meringues.

Used as a garnish, meringues make a delicious addition to trifle. There also are lots of ways of varying them with fresh fruit and the addition of chopped nuts.

Savoury Biscuits W.D. (Papua) sends the following recipe: Rub 1 dessertspoonful butter and one dessertspoonful potted meat (or anchovy)

into one cup of self-raising flour. Mix to stiff paste with a little milk; roll out to desired thickness. Cut and cook in mod erate (not hot) oven for 10 minutes. May be used as savoury biscuits or with usual savoury fillings or toppings.

Banana Croutes J.G. (Samoa) suggests:— Four bananas, 1 egg, frying fat, sea soning, flour. Peel bananas; remove all stringy bits, cut them lengthwise and then across. Beat up the egg; season with salt and cayenne. Flour the pieces of banana; coat them with egg; and then again with flour. Have ready a pan of hot fat and put in the pieces a few at a time; fry till crisp and a golden brown.

Drain well and serve very hot.

Note:—Bananas egged and crumbed and fried in deep fat make a delicious ac companiment to cold meat.

Egg Plant Recipe Mrs. M. Clarke, Whenuapai, Upper Harbour, Auckland, a regular “PIM” reader, who was at one time resident in Tonga and Fiji, contributes:— Peel egg plant, cut into I inch slices and put on soup plate. Season with salt and pepper, adding half a gill of cold milk. Turn well in seasoning and then flour well. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a meat dish; put in egg plant and fry 3 minutes each side. Carefully break same number of eggs over slices: season with pepper and salt. Bake in moderate oven for five minutes and serve with buttered toast.

Pineapple Delight One level teaspoon gelatine, 2 table spoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons cold water, I cup shredded pineapple and juice, 3 tablespoons boiling water, 2 egg whites, h cup sugar, i cup whipped cream.

Soak gelatine in cold water; add boil

ing water and mix with sugar, lemon juice and pineapple. Allow to half set.

When it is beginning to thicken beat until frothy, add stiffly beaten egg whites and lastly whipped cream. Turn into a wet mould and chill.

Sea-Food Avocado Make use of the Avocado pear when ever possible. Try this attractive recipe:— Two cups of lobster and crab meat mixed (or'crab only may be used), 1 cup milk, 1 cup cream, 4 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons flour, salt, pepper (cayenne), 3 avocados (not too ripe).

Break up lobster and crab meat. Heat milk and cream in double boiler. Melt butter and blend with flour; add slowly to milk and cook over hot water until sauce is smooth; season to taste; add crab and lobster meat. Cut avocados length-wise and remove stones. Peel, then fill the avocados with the hot creamed mixture; bake in hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes in a pan with a little hot water. Keep covered while baking, so that avocados will retain their colour.

Baked Salmon Rounds One large can salmon, salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley, 4 slices lemon.

Chill salmon in the can; drain and cut into four slices. Put in pan, dust with salt, pepper and parsley; dot with butter or margarine. Cover and bake 20 minutes.

Garnish with lemon. Serve with tartare sauce and peas, but any green vegetable goes well with this.

Tartare Sauce One tablespoon vinegar, 2 tablespoons mustard (dry), a teaspoonful flour, 1 oz. salt, yolks of 2 well-beaten eggs. 1 tea cup water.

Thoroughly mix ingredients. Dissolve 2 oz. butter before fire and add to mixture; stir continuously until it boils. If too stiff

add water or vinegar as it must pour out like cream. Thinly sliced good pickles or a teaspoon of Tarragon vinegar is an im provement.

Captain T. A. McPherson, master of the Melanesian Mission’s “Southern Cross V”, has returned to Sydney from the Solomon Islands, where the vessel has been laid up for the duration of the war.