The Stage Favourites Cook Book

BUCKWHEAT CAKES
Contributed by May Robson

Mix together in a basin 2 ozs. buckwheat flour, 1 oz. cornmeal, 1 oz. wheat flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon butter. Drop in 1/2 pint cold milk, 1 egg, 1/2 gill warm water, 1 teaspoon butter, and 1 tablespoon molasses and whisk all sharply together for 5 minutes. Now lightly butter a large frying-pan, and drop in tablespoonfuls of batter at a time, enough to make cakes 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side, then pile up on a hot dish and serve hot with maple syrup for breakfast.

CHEESE FONDUES EN CAISSES
Contributed by Sybil Arundale

Pound 2 ozs. grated Gruyere cheese to a paste in a mortar, then soak 2 ozs. white breadcrumbs in just enough milk to moisten them for a few minutes, before adding to the cheese, along with a walnut of butter. Mix well together, season with pepper and salt to taste, and beat in a level teaspoon dry mustard and the yolks of 3 eggs. Lastly, fold in the whites of the 3 eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and heap up into well buttered paper cases. Bake from 1O to 15 minutes in a hot oven till pale brown.

BEIGNETS DE BETTERAVE
Contributed by Ethel Irving

Boil 2 medium-sized beets till tender, taking care not to break the skins during the process. Then peel off skins and rub vegetables through a coarse sieve. Now add the yolks of 4 eggs well beaten, 3 tablespoons sugar, a tiny pinch of ground mace, and the grated rind of half a lemon. Mix well together then form into fritters, using a little flour if necessary. Allow to stand in a cool place for 15 minutes, then fry in smoking hot deep fat, drain well, and serve garnished all round with tinned apricots.

HONEY PANCAKES
Contributed by Kyrle Bellew

Sift lIb. flour into a basin, mix in 1/2 oz. castor sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 saltspoon salt, 1/2 saltspoon grated nutmeg, 1 oz. baking powder; then make a hole in the centre with your wooden spoon, and crack in 2 eggs and stir in 1/2 pint cold milk. Now beat with a whisk until thick and smooth, then lightly grease the bottom of your frying-pan with a little melted lard or butter, and when hot pour in 4 small pancakes taking care that they do not touch. When bubbles appear on top, turn and cook on other side. Go on cooking like this till all are finished, then serve with maple syrup.

OMELETTE D'ASPERGE
Contributed by Eva Carrington

Blanch 1 tablespoon asparagus tips and saute them in butter till tender. Now melt a "walnut" of butter in your omelette pan, and when delicately brown pour in 3 well-beaten eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste and mixed with the asparagus tips. Cook in the usual way then fold over, and draw a bit of butter quickly over it to make it glossy, then serve at once.

TENNIS CUP
Contributed by Marjorie Spiers

Remove the stalks and stones from 1 quart cherries and put fruit in a large bowl along with all its juice. Now add 1 cup cold tea, 1/2 cup shredded fresh pine-apple, 1 small cup castor sugar, 2 or 3 sprigs fresh mint, 1 orange and 2 lemons thinly sliced. Allow this mixture to stand in a refrigerator or on ice for 4 hours, then when ready to serve add 1 pint cracked ice and 1 quart chilled carbonated water. Serve in tall glasses with long-handled spoons.