An old fat hen makes the best tamales. Cut it up and stew in plenty of water until tender. Put about 90 dried corn husks to soak in tepid water to make them pliable; prepare a cup of red pepper pulp or use 3 heaping tablespoons Chili powder, and add it to the stew' when the chicken is done. Also salt an onion that has been browned in butter, garlic may be used if liked. Pour off half the liquor, leaving the chicken in one kettle with just enough liquid to cover it, thicken the stew with flour made smooth in water.

Make a thick dough in the other kettle by stirring into the boiling liquor the best white corn meal sifted with about 2 tablespoons flour to prevent lumping and add more salt. Mexicans grind corn fresh every time, but for American taste the corn meal answers very well.

To fill the tamales lay upon a table overlapping from you 7 or 9 corn husks, according to size, and on the one nearest you put. some chicken stew, 3 olives, and 5 raisins. On the remaining husks put a thin layer of the dough, rolling it out with a well floured rolling pin. Roll the tamales like a jelly cake, tie up the ends securely with a narrow strip of corn husk. If a hen is not fat, add plenty of beef drippings to the stew. One hen will make 11 tamales, making 10 from the chicken and 1 from the giblet. Mark the giblet tamale with a twine.

Pack closely in a steamer, cover tightly and set over boiling water in which has been placed several whole cloves. Cook 4 hours or until time to serve. Veal makes good tamales, and beef is often used. 3 1-2 lbs. of meat will be equal to a hen.

Mrs. R. L. Haughey.