SMOKED BEEF WITH CREAM—­Place the finely minced beef in a stewpan with a lump of butter, cooking it for two minutes, and moisten slightly with a little cream, add two tablespoonfuls of bechamel sauce.  Serve as soon as it boils up.

STEAK—­Cut the steak half an inch thick from between the two ribs, remove all gristle and fat, and trim in the shape of a flat pear.  Sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper and oil to prevent outside hardening.  Broil ten minutes over a moderate and even fire.  Place about four ounces of maitre d’hotel butter on a dish.  Lay the steak upon it and garnish with fried potatoes, serving either piquant, D’Italian, or tomato sauce.

STEWED SAUSAGE WITH CABBAGE—­Procure a medium sized white cabbage, remove all the green leaves, and cut it into quarters, removing the center stalks.  Wash thoroughly in cold water, drain well and cut into small pieces.  Put in boiling salted water for five minutes.  Take out and put in cold water and cool moderately.  Drain in a colander and put in a saucepan with one gill of fat from soup stock or one ounce of butter.  Season with a pinch of salt and one-half pinch of pepper, a medium sized onion and a carrot cut into small quarters.  Put on the cover of the saucepan, set on a moderate fire and cook for half an hour.  Take twelve sausages, prick them with a fork, add them to the cabbage and allow all to cook together for twelve minutes.  Dress the cabbage on a hot dish and arrange the sausages and carrot on top.  Serve very hot.

SUCKLING PIG—­The pig should not be more than a month or six weeks old, and if possible should be dressed the day after it is killed.  First, scald it as follows:  Soak the pig in cold water for fifteen minutes, then plunge it into boiling water.  Hold it by the head and shake around until the hairs begin to loosen.  Take out of the water and rub vigorously with a coarse towel, until all hairs are removed.  Cut the pig open, remove the entrails, wash thoroughly in cold water.  Dry on a towel, cut the feet off at the first joint leaving enough skin to turn over and keep it wrapped in a wet cloth until ready for use.

SALADS

ASPARAGUS SALAD—­Cook the asparagus in salted water, drain and chill.  Serve with French dressing or sprinkle lightly with a little oil dressing; let stand a half hour and serve with mayonnaise or boiled dressing as any one of the three distinct kinds is appropriate with this salad.

BEET SALAD—­Bake the beets until tender, remove the skins and place them in the ice box to chill.  Shred a white cabbage finely and sprinkle well with salt and use lettuce leaves to line the salad bowl.  Slice the beets, place them on the lettuce, spread with a layer of cabbage, garnish with sliced beets cut in points and dress with mayonnaise or boiled dressing.

BIRDS NEST SALAD—­Have ready as many crisp leaves of lettuce as may be required to make a dainty little nest for each person.  Curl them into shape and in each one place tiny speckled eggs made by rolling cream cheese into shape, then sprinkle with fine chopped parsley.  Serve with French dressing hidden under the leaves of the nest.