THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 2, 1955,
PRACTICAL HOMECRAFT
THE CORSET HAS A LONG HISTORY
ET'S take an inside look Srst emphasising the bust,
with that dress! And there into the language to describe it is, that secret thing that the first fitted corset, laced moulds her, holds her, and at back or front, and trin: occasionally torments her med with fùr. ́ ́. for a worthy cause, The corset,
women
one
Catherine
de Medici. Queen of France, went one No
knows exactly better with a steel corset in when the first one was worn, the 16th century it re- but in 2500 BC. a garment duced the waist to about re- 13 inches, half today's size. appeared that closely sembled it, and early Egypt- And just to forestall · those lan. Romari and Grecian masculine howls of derision
were two
bands, at the stupidity of women usually of scarlet kid, over men were as tight-laced the bist and hips. There as women during this adven- is nothing new about figure turous age.. control, but not until the 14th century did the first real corset arrive a coat shaped, "unboned affair held very tightly over the hips by a band. Queen Isabelle
of Bavaria takes credit for
DEATH
TO ALL
REVOLT
Early 18th century. the first real "pair of stays". μ two-piece corset with shoulder straps and
2
wooden busk, and then came
a mad period of revolt just advertisements of the period after the French Revolution. show cherubs using one as a Women threw away their boat!
Helen Burke stages a luncheon party to show you how to be the hostess who is just that little bit different...
A SPECIAL OCCASION
ONE
of the tough problems a housewife has to face occasionally is: what to do about a meal for
a Special Occasion. Some- thing extra is required, but at the same time it would be wrong for the hostess to spend half the meal in the kitchen. Bo the menu needs planning with care.
or- the I
To help you cope with the Special Occasion -- when dinary budgeting goes by board-Elleen Ascroft and have arranged a brief series of "Gourmet lunches." At these, I will entertain, is my own home,
#
small party of people to whom
I will give the sort of meal that would be prepared for a Special Occasion.
The first question is: do we. serve something safe or do we ourselves go with something more exciting that may go wrong? Nearly always, if we are corsets and wore long flow- The Hour-glass figure received wise, we fall back on "safe" ing gowns with the waists a job when Dana Gibson drew dishes.
his famous Gibson Girl,
Even then, however, we may just under the armpits,
presented by Camille Clifford, come
I did reżently, winen actress Pat way into popularity in 1810 ure with a thy waist, leaning Kirkwood, Mrs Josie Acres, a -the original wasp-waist forward at a precarious angle, member of Cookery Club, and
This .stance produced
the Antony Hunt an authority on laced up the back, Just
"Kangaroo Walk", according to wine, came to the first gourmet afterwards
"divorce writers at the time. the
Bunch with Bilean Ascroft and
myself. corset" became fashionable
PANIC OVER - the
"La Ninon"" pinched its the rage of the era-a very tulle ightly unstuck, as
breasts being
not everyone Ulkes the soft. imparted ones, Cheese, too, is a
• "hazard.**
"How was the rice cooked?”. asked Pat Kirkwood, who had passed her plate back for makro, despite her general abstinence from starches.
The rice was started
water, boiled for
drained. miantes, dra
from
OSADS
well washed, drained again, then dried on a cloth in a cool over. It was then heated through in just enough butter to gusten it and colour it delicately.
"How long was the trout
cokel This from Antony Hun
Five minutes in a grill pan, then left to become cold in its
stock. Four minutes, Ï think
would have been better. A WOU noods very little cooking, especi- ally it left to cool in the liquor, Mrs Acres asked how much the thout and chicken cost, and what was the flavour in the chicken sauce. The five troub cost 95. and the chicken 21s. whe The favour in the sauce
small touch of dry Ver
Luncheon for five—{loft.to right) Pat Kirkwood, Antony Hunt, Helen Burke, Josie
"
Acres and Eileen. Ascroft.
the
mouth
an exquisite bouquet and subtle flavour. It cost 145. 6à
ol
THIS WEEK'S MENU
The
frigerator to chill. The dish was garnished with aliced cucumber and tomato and, for those who
slices might prefer them,
lemozi
I also passed round mayen-
Mateus 'Rose which I made, the naise,
trout Niersteiner Orbel, 1952 evening before, but the
Truita Juive early in the morning.
Clos de "Mouches, 1950
Poulet Alexandra xux
Champignona
So that I need not be out of the dining room more than once separated by a piece of Paris came forth with the during the meal. I planned had to be freshly cooked, very' padded iron to give them brassiere and the front-lace simple
three-curse lunch the the correct "Grecian.shape." corset. America began to mass first to be cold, the second hot produce, and hose-supporters"
and the third sweet, also cold. HEALTH BEFORE FASHION were attached to the corset. But I left it to Mr Hunt to select the they were houding for the wines to suit the dishes, The
Nothing startling happen- waists came large and women was to be kept to £7.
troublesome twenties when cost of food and wine for five
bound themselves to attain a
The trout
This
The aperitifs
Chateau Aubaud, 1945
Savarin aux Fruits Cafe
العامة
The sauce
sauce did not entirely This is one of the easiest please me because, while it sweets we can serve because, waited, it thickened a
little berig at A rich yeast batter more than T expected and mixture, it can be made a day though I have made similar or two advance.
in
sauces many times before, add- On the day of the meal, it is ing Vermouth, I shall make a mounted on a round of sweet test on Vermouths to discover apricot which one does not bleach out puree as the "adhesive," and the warm colour of the egg
French pastry, with
moistened with thin syrup yolks.
delicately flavoured with rum It is so easy to Desume
that
The surface is then glazed with all wines of the same name will apricot sauce and decorated so the same job.
preart..
1
Before
drank the meal, we Mateus Rose bottled in Por- wine, served very
with glace cherries and leaves" Pai Kinkwood asited me if I' tugal. This ed then for a long while,
chosen by Mr Hunt
of angelica. L Alled the centre had made a syrup for the fresh cold, was Truite en Geloe seemed to for the aperill because of its
with slightly sweetened whipped fruit saladt No-but all fruits until in 1874 two young boyist, shape, in 1930 the panic be safe," but because
freshness, beautiful colour and
which became rusty when peel- American brothers named was over; designers started using so dislike anything in aspic. I gaiety,
It occurred to me that the ed and being very
the air, slightly
exposed to Warner, both practising more rubber and making simpler changed it, almost at the last naturally sparkling.
went towards the making of a pastry part of this sweet might (pears and bananas, for in- Bechamel sauce, to which 1 not be acceptable to all my stance)
turned were
in lemon This, at 145. 6d. a bottle, was "physicians, decided it was designs and women rediscovered minute, to, Truite Julve.
their figures, in 1931 came she was followed by Poulet Alexan-
added the tiniest morning- guests so, instead of adding the juice cot them and keen time women wore a Health greatest single discovery of alldra aux Champignons, with a pleasant change from sherry
mushrooms, the gathered
rapidly fruit to the Savarin, I served their natural colour. summer day. With on a Corset as opposed to a mere the two-way stretch,
pilafr rice, and tiny
French rout, we hadi Niersteiner Orbel cosiced in a little bitter ansi it separately.
And to end it all came, the beans, nishing with Savarin
The wine? Chateau Rebaud. coffee of course, newly-roastect Fashion Coreet. Their de
From then, ga it is a story aux Fruits.
.1952, a particularly delicately water with a squeeze of lemor
flavoured Rhine wine,
1945, a costing juice to keep them white.
prender cru classe and freshly ground, signs revolutionised the most of us know trom ex-
Into this sauce, at the last Sauternes, a near neighbour of 12s. 6d.
Postcript by Eileen Ascroft: corset trade-in ten years perience, with nylon as the key
The poulet Alexandra
minute, two egg yolks and three the great Chateau d'Yquem, "Excellent, I'd be proud to word. We need never
tablespoons of cream they had the largest factory whether our corset will leave
beautifully rounded and Champignons was not, perhaps,
very
serve such a meal in in the world. They were rust stains on our undies, and it for
fragrant, costing 20s. But bere court quite as Escoffier would have stirred. five minutes in a
The sliced chicken was now we found that, in a party of five appointed with the sweet. Like
home. Personally, I was dis bursting with new ideas is not a major operation to boullion laced with Chablis, left it
First
I very gently simmered transferred to a hot platter, the two of the ladies did not like many women
today, dom/ti produced the first un- doop-but we can safely assume them to became cold in the
a really lovely 51b, bird in sauce, was poured over it and sweet wine.
Like sweet things either for my the dish was placed breakable corset, the first the designers are thinking up sicek.
Pat Kirkwood preferred garnished with little butter, then added some of
a palate or my: Agure. I'd much something new for us. rustproof corset. Delightful always are.
They them, on a rack and gave them the stock from the giblets and groups of asparagis tips, first piece of Cheddar to the sweet rather have a savoury of cheese
a thin coat of aspic.
turmedi steamed it in this for under an
butter. The rice and her glass was refilled with and fresh fruit. However, I seemodi find favour because, white Burgundy. Next, I deorated them with hour. - blanched leaves of tarragon and The chicken is skinned and perhaps,
being Patne, it beheved That is the hazan a hostess made an exception and tackled bring each time flowers" of water-thin rounds cut into slices while hot,, then itself very well.
sha gives a lim h but I just couldn't
myself to sample the sickly of radishes and sieved yolk of kept warm in very little stock With the chicken, Clos de chance, dinner party. Make B hard-boiled egg -
Some of the stock, an calon Mouches, 1050 was served. This note to discover it sweets and sweet wine that went with it"
-{London Express. Service) I gave them another coat, and a tablespoon of Vermouth, is a white Burgundy, produced sweet wines are "out," we have
WORLD COFYEIGHT RESERVED then slipped them into the re- simmered together then sieved, within a mile of Beaume, with at hand some English, cheese, for
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I poached the trout (one each)
skinned them,
ALEX
2
THỊ
PRETTY SUN FROCK
LITTLE GIRLS
2-3 YEARS Materials: 4, (5) ozs, Emú + Baby Wool Gr Emu Soft
knit 3 ply in main colour. 1 Oz. Emu Baby Wool or Emu Softknit 3 ply In contrast esiour, 1 pair each Nos, 13 and 11 knitting needles. 2 buttons,
Measurements: Length of Skirt to waist 0% (10%) inches Chest 22 (23) inches.
Tension: 8 sts, and 10 rows to
1 inch measured over
stocking stitch,
[
4th row:"" As 1st row but purling, instead of knitting.
Work 8 rows in stocking st. in m,c.
...
13th row: K, 1 m., (14 m.c., 2 cc.) 8 (9) times, 15 m,c.
14th row: P. 14 m.c (4'c.c., 12 m.c.,) 8 (9) times, 2-m,c,
13th row: As 14th row. but knit,
"
were
FOR
Next row. K. 2 tog, k to last 2 sts, k, 2 tog.
Next row, P
Next row, K. 13 (18) me., 2 c.e., 14 me, 2 c.c., 14 m... 2 cc. 13 (18) m.c.
Next 8 rows, Work in spot pattern..
Next row. K. 2 tog, k
to last 2 sts. K. 2 tog. Work next 18th row: As 13th row but raws in stocking stitch. the purl.
Next row, K 2 log, k to Work next 8 rows in stocking last 2 sis, k, 2 tog,
Next row, P.
Abbreviations: K. knit; p.
purl; st(s) stitch(es); tog. to. stitch in m.c. gether, m.c. main colour; c,c.,
contrast colour.
written
For the 1st alza Repeat these Kart row, K. 3 (6) IC.. NOTE: These instructions are 24 rows once more and 16 rows, (2 c.c., 14 m.c.) 3 times, 2 c..
For the 3 (6) mc. in two sizes, stitches of the next pattern. and
measurements for the 2nd size Repeat the 24 rows smaller size being given in the twice more, then work rows 1 ordinary way, the larger size do 4 inclusive, being bracketed in the following space,
FRONT
xx Using No. 11.needles and 1.C., cast on 144 (160) sts. Work in stocking stitch (1 row k, 1 row p.) for 16 rows. Make
-5
· Both sizes Nëxt row K... 2 tôg., k. 13, x k. 2 tog, k. 14, repeat fran x to last 17 abs, k. 2 tog.. k 13, k. 2 tog. 134 (149) ts.
Work 3 rows in stocking at Next row x 2 tog., 1, repeat from x to last 2 sts.. k. 2 fog.. Next row: P. 2 tog., P, to cod,
Next 3 rows. Work in spot pattern,
Next row. K 2 tog, k to list 2 sts, k. 2 tog. Work next 5 rows in stocking stitch,
last 2 sts, k, 2 tog,
Next row. K 2 tog., kto
Next row, F.
a hem as follows: With a spare 18 (98) sis, Work 2 more rowe Next row, K. 9 (12) m,c.. needle, pick up 144 (180) Bts, in stocking st. Change to Ho, 2 c.d., 14 mc., 2 cc 14 m along the cast on row, with the 13 needles and work in k. 1, p. 2 cc., 9 (13) ma
needle point ending at right rib for 11⁄2 inches, ending-Next rows, Work in spet alde of work. Place the 2" with a wrong side row, ** needles together, the spare ane
pattern,
at the back, and in the next Next row: Rib 12 (14), slip row knit 2 sis. together (one these sis on 16 a safely pin, Next row, K. a tog, k from each needle) to end of Change to No. 11 needles, k 64 last 2 sts, k2 tog.
(70), slip next 12 (14) sis, on
Next row. PA
row."
Next row: F.
Now work spot pattern,, stranding the colour not in use at the back of work,
-to another safety, pln. Next row*23 PAARDEER
P. 84 (70).
Next row (For 1st sro) Work spot pattern as 1st row. but repeat the instructions in brackets 3 times instead of B iss tow; Kali 7 mc., (20.C., times (For and sise.k: 10 m 14in): 8 (9) Limes,
then repeat brackets 3 times, 7 m,c
ending last repeat . 10 m.c.)
- 2nd row: Pury 6 m2,
kizo only: Work. "mbre:rows" in stocking stitch,
All kiztat: Change to No, – 13 needles and work in k 1, p. 1,
for 1 inch Cast off in rib. 810 1813 (14) ale, from Tot
SHAPE END
safely pli on to a No, 18 needle, Decrease 1 st. at each end of Jobs in me wood and work in every tow until 2 sk, remain
TO COMPLETE
Press the pattern part with shot from over a
12 m.c.) 8 (9) times Nexi 3 zows, Work In spoke Elina, rib for 18 (19) inches, Cast off. Take the sts, from cloth, Sew up kring seams“
6 TLC.
Makes a buttonhole; RiB) 4 (3), 'the other safety pin and work "a back st. seams** Bew pattern,
cast of 4, rib 4 (6), in next to match the bands, atretching Flickflas Next row, K. 2 tog, k to tow - complete" buttontiole" by
BACK
sides of blò, - New” bai ård rows Askňa row but last. 3 sisu: k. 2 tog, Work fezh tasting on 4 ste, over flidse cant. Work as for Front from xx to back ribbing, about 2 kultting instead of purling face & rows in stocking stitch, foff in previous row,"
Cast off in rib
from" side scaIDA"
OWD
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