GLAZE pie crust for fruit, custard and other pies by brushing over the under crust with a little beaten egg just before filling with the pie mixture. If the pie is very delicate in color use the beaten white of the egg only; this will prevent the crust from becoming soaked with the juices of the pie.

Tart Shells

Tart Shells may be very ornamentally glazed, by removing from the oven when partly baked, brushing over with the beaten white of an egg and then covering thickly with powdered white sugar. Sprinkle with a few drops of water and return to the oven.

Fruit juices, pie-plant, etc., may be prevented from boiling out of the crust in several ways.

1st. Put the usual quantity of sugar for the pie in a bowl. Add enough cold water to form a kind of dough; stir in a heaping tablespoonful of flour, or a level teaspoonful of corn starch and mix thoroughly. Pour this over the pie-plant or other fruit. Add the top crust and bake in a hot oven.

Another: Dust some flour on the bottom crust before filling, and in making pies of fresh fruit put the sugar on the bottom crust. Or roll up a small tube of white writing paper and insert in an opening in center of the upper crust, letting the lower end rest on the under crust and the upper project above the pie. The juice will collect in this and it may be removed when the pie is done.

A tablespo meul of flour may be substituted in a squash or pumpkin pie as equal in value to 1 egg.

A marble slab is much nicer for rolling out pastry than an ordinary bread-board, as it keeps the dough cool and firm.

Dough for pie-crust should always be rolled one way, from you. Turn the crust each time, and roll in the same direction until it is the required shape.

Pie without an upper crust should always have a heavy edge; and lay on a narrow strip and pinch together, or cut off the crust somewhat larger than the tin and roll this over with the fingers.

Pastry is very much improved by being kept on ice an how before rolling out.

Ice-water, or the very coldest obtainable, should be used in mixing pastry.

Under-crust of pies should be a little the thicker.

Two kinds of crust may be used in making a quantity of pies. One way of doing this is to make the dough of moderate richness, take a little more than half the crust and roll in more butter 01 lard, spread and fold, roll out; repeat this once or twice, thus giving a flakey upper-crust. Take the plainer portion for the under crust. Some cooks make two distinct kinds of dough, one very nice for the upper crust, and the other shortened with any kind of dripping for the under-crust. This will be found quite an economical arrangement.

Good pastry may be made by using as little water as possible to get the dough in shape. Let the water be very cold; knead the crust slightly. Place in a well-heated oven as soon as the pie is ready.

Butter pie-tins well, though some expert cooks simply flour them.

An apple-pie may require forty minutes, while a rich lemon-pie will cook in twenty.

Mince-pies may be made in quantities and kept in a cool place until needed.

Pumpkin-flour can be bought at any grocery, with full directions for using. This makes pies fully as nice as the fresh pumpkin, with less trouble.

Corn-meal added in the proportion of 1/3 to 2/3 flour makes piecrust more light and digestible.

Biscuit pie-crust is very wholesome.

Apples used for mince pies need not be peeled. Wash, dry and chop fine. This will be found a saving in labor.

Dried Apples, soaked over night and chopped fine, may be substituted for the fresh fruit in mince-meat.

Dried Fruit, prepared with sugar, such as dried cherries, gooseberries, etc, may be substituted instead of raisins ir mince pies. Soak over night in as little water as possible and throw in both water and fruit. This will be found very nice, as well as economical.

White Potatoes, chopped fine and soaked over night in vinegar, are sometimes used as a substitute for apples in mince-meat.

Fruit Pies

Fruit Pies take less sugar if they are sweetened after baking. Eemov9 the upper crust to put in the sugar.

Wild Grapes

Wild Grapes may be preserved for winter use by putting in a jar and covering with molasses. These will be found very nice for pies.

Meringue is a frosting made of the beaten white of an egg sweetened to the taste and spread over pies or custards. It must be put in the oven always to harden.

Apples cut in quarters and stewed in sweet cider or molasses are good for plain pies. Season with cinnamon or nutmeg. This will keep several months.

Green Apples, when quite small, may be stewed whole with the skins on, strained when soft and sweetened. These make nice pies. Use just water enough to prevent burning.

Dried Apples

Dried Apples should be soaked over night. Have boiling water to cover them and stew soft. If not tart put in lemon juice or sour cider. When they are partly stewed a little orange peel cooked with them gives a fine flavor. Season with sugar and nutmeg. Strain through a colander. Make very good pies.

Pumpkins that have commenced to decay may be preserved by cutting up the best parts, stewing until soft, sweetening well with sugar and molasses and seasoning with ginger. Scald in the seasoning thoroughly. Keep in a stone jar in a cool place. When wanted for use thin the desired amount with milk and eggs.