They have not been disturbed since the first turning and have retained their shape.  Half a tomato is placed on a slice of toast, with sufficient gravy to moisten.  At the season of the year, when tomatoes are hard and firm, they may be peeled before cooking.  Later they will likely fall to pieces unless the skin is left on.  This is one method of cooking tomatoes in which they lose the sharp acid taste, disagreeable to so many persons.

STRING BEANS WITH TOMATOES

Cut off both ends of the beans, string them carefully and break into pieces about an inch in length and boil in salt water.  When tender drain off this brine and add fresh water (boiling from the kettle).  Add a piece of butter, three or four large potatoes cut into squares, also four large tomatoes, cut up, and season with salt and pepper.  Melt one tablespoon of butter in a spider, stir into it one tablespoon of flour, thin with milk, and add this to the beans.

STRING BEANS WITH LAMB

Take a small breast of lamb, two large onions, one-quarter peck of beans (string and cut in long thin pieces); skin six large tomatoes, and add two cups of water.  Cook until the beans are tender, then add one tablespoon of flour to thicken.

STRING OR WAX-BEANS, SWEET AND SOUR

Put the beans into sufficient boiling water to just cover them; cook for one hour and a half to two hours, depending upon the tenderness of the beans.  Meanwhile, prepare for each quart of beans five sour apples; peel, core and cut in pieces.  When the beans are done, add the apples, the thin peel of one lemon, the juice of one and one-half lemons, a small teaspoon of salt, and two tablespoons of cider vinegar.  Let the apples cook on top of the beans until they are thoroughly done, then mix well with a good quarter cup of granulated sugar.  This dish will be better by being served the next day warmed up.

SWEET SOUR BEANS

If you use canned string beans, heat some fat in a spider and put in one tablespoon of flour; brown slightly; add one tablespoon of brown sugar, a pinch of salt, some cinnamon and vinegar to taste; then add the beans and let them simmer on the back of stove, but do not let them burn.  The juice of pickled peaches or pears is delicious in preparing sweet and sour beans.

STRING OR GREEN SNAP BEANS

Cut off the tops and bottoms and “string” carefully; break the beans in pieces about an inch long and lay them in cold water, with a little salt, for ten or fifteen minutes.  Heat one tablespoon of drippings in a stew-pan, in which you have cut up part of an onion and some parsley; cover this and stew about ten minutes.  In the meantime, drain the beans, put into the stew-pan and stew until tender; add one tablespoon of flour and season with salt and pepper (meat gravy or soup stock will improve them).  You may pare about half a dozen potatoes, cut into dice shape, and add to the beans.  If you prefer, you may add cream or milk instead of soup stock and use butter.