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Good Things to Eat As Suggested By Rufus

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<h2>CANDIES</h2> CANDIED VIOLETS—Gather the required quantity of perfect sweet violets, white or blue. If possible, pick in the early morning while the dew is still on them. Spread on an inverted sieve and stand in the air until dried, but not crisp. Make a sirup, using a half pound of pure granulated sugar and a half pint of water. Cook without stirring until it spins a thread. Take each violet by the stem, dip into the hot sirup and return to the sieve, which should be slightly oiled. Leave for several hours. If the flowers then look preserved and clear they will not require a second dipping, but if they appear dry as if some portions of the petals were not properly saturated, dip again. Now have ready a half cupful of melted fondant. Add a drop or two of violet extract and a few drops of water to reduce the fondant to a thin, grayish, paste-like consistency. Dip the flowers in this one at a time, dust with powdered crystallized sugar, and lay on oiled paper to harden. Rose leaves may he candied in the same way, substituting essence of rose for the violet and a drop or two of cochineal to make the required color. A candy dipper or fine wire can be used for dipping the rose petals. CREAMED WALNUTS—Cook two cups of sugar and one-half cup of water together until the sirup threads. Add a teaspoon of vanilla, take from the range and beat until thick and creamy. Make small balls of the candy and press half a walnut meat into each side. Drop on to a plate of granulated sugar. CRYSTALLIZED COWSLIPS—These make a prized English confection, much used for ornamenting fancy desserts. The flowers are gathered when in full bloom, washed gently and placed on a screen to dry. When this is accomplished the stems are cut to within two inches of the head and the flowers are then laid heads down on the tray of the crystallizing tin, pushing the stalks through so the flowers shall be upright. When full put the tray in the deep tin and fill with the same crystallizing sirup, pouring around the sides and not over the flowers. When dry, arrange in baskets or use in decorating. FRUIT PASTE—Take equal weights of nut meats, figs, dates and prepared seedless raisins. Wipe the figs and remove the stems, remove the scales and stones from the dates. Mix well and chop fine or run it all through a meat chopper. Mold it on a board in confectioners' sugar until you have a smooth, firm paste. Roll out thin and cut into inch squares or small rounds. Roll the edge in sugar, then pack them away in layers with paper between the layers. GLACE FIGS—Make a sirup by boiling together two cups of sugar and one and a half cups of water. Wash and add as many figs as can be covered by the sirup. Cook until they are tender and yellow, then remove from the fire and let them stand in the sirup over night. In the morning cook for thirty minutes, and again let them stand over night. Then cook until the stems are transparent. When cold drain and lay them on a buttered cake rack or wire broiler and let them remain until very dry. PINEAPPLE MARSHMALLOWS—This is a good confection for Thanksgiving. Soak four ounces gum arabic in one cupful pineapple juice until dissolved. Put into a granite saucepan with a half pound of powdered sugar, and set in a larger pan of hot water over the fire. Stir until the mixture is white and thickened. Test by dropping a little in cold water. If it "balls," take from the fire and whip in the stiffly whipped whites of three eggs. Flavor with a teaspoonful vanilla or orange juice, then turn into a square pan that has been dusted with cornstarch. The mixture should be about an inch in thickness. Stand in a cold place for twelve hours, then cut into inch squares and roll in a mixture of cornstarch and powdered sugar. RAISIN FUDGE—Put into a saucepan one heaped tablespoon butter, melt and add one-half cup milk, two cups sugar, one-fourth cup molasses and two squares chocolate grated. Boil until it is waxy when dropped into cold water. Remove from fire, beat until creamy, then add one-half cup each of chopped raisins and pecans. Pour into a buttered tin, and when cool mark into squares. SIMPLE WAY OF SUGARING FLOWERS—A simple way of sugaring flowers where they are to be used at once consists in making the customary sirup and cooking to the crack degree. Rub the inside of cups with salad oil, put into each cup four tablespoonfuls of the flowers and sugar, let stand until cold, turn out, and serve piled one on top of the other. <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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