small picnic party, unless the paper picnic plates are used. Paper napkins are useful, and instead of buying can be made from common white paper. Everything required last should be packed at the bottom.
HINTS ABOUT PICNICS.
It is better to take too much than too little.
Pack sandwiches in a dry table napkin with a damp one rolled round the outside. And always cut them the last thing. If cut over night they will be dry and stale by the luncheon hour.
Salad is a favorite dish at picnics. Make the dressing before starting and carry it in a bottle. Cut the lettuce up just before luncheon.
A plum pudding in which a number of coins, ring, thimble and button have been put makes much fun.
Never take china plates, if you can avoid it, to a picnic. Proper paper plates made for the purpose are very cheap and easily obtained.
Pressed tongues, round of beef, and hard-boiled eggs all make very nice sandwiches.
Sardine sandwiches are also very good.
When providing for a large number allow so much for each guest and a little over.
Blanc manges, fruit pies, jellies, and all such soft things should be avoided as unsuitable for a picnic.
If poultry is taken let it be carved before hand.
If the tea has to be made in a billy, put the desired quantity of tea into a muslin bag before putting it into the boiling water.
PICNIC BEEF.
Ingredients: A piece of brisket, or thick flank, saltpetre, three ounces of allspice, one ounce of cloves, two ounces black pepper, two and a half pounds of salt, one pound of black sugar, three lemons.
Mode: Place the meat in a large milk dish or, better still, a small wooden tub if you have one, and rub the beef well with salt and saltpetre. Pound up together the allspice, cloves, pepper, salt and sugar. Tie up the meat carefully and then return to the tub or dish and rub it with the pounded spice, &c., for a week or ten days. Then drain it well and squeeze over it the juice of three lemons. Chop up some suet, put a layer at the top and one at the bottom of the beef, cover with a paste of flour and water and bake six or seven hours. Then remove the crust and press under a heavy weight. This makes capital sandwich beef.
