There are several new additions to our list. We have grass-lamb, mackerel, the first salmon, salads, salad-herbs, cucumbers, spinach, spring onions, turnip and nettle-tops, but as yet no additional fruits. However, whilst we have such an abundance of good rhubarb and green salads, we have nothing to complain of, for what can be better for health than these, or more refreshing?—so welcome, too, after the winter. Fresh mint, sorrel, chervil, and water-cress add flavour to the bowl, and spring onions give it piquancy.

People who suffer from sleeplessness should try the effect of a sandwich of spring onions—bread and butter with finely-minced onion spread between—before retiring to rest. It is said to be most soothing and sleep-inviting.

I would specially recommend these “green” sandwiches to all who find a difficulty in eating salad-herbs in any other form—for instance, chopped mustard and cress, thinly-shaved cucumber and onion, chopped parsley, mint and sorrel—all are excellent when spread between thin slices of buttered bread, and very dainty, too, are they.

This is the month when we may begin one of our favourite dishes of spinach and eggs—one of our physic dishes, I might say, for on very good authority we learn that spinach contains more iron than almost anything else that can be mentioned, and when combined with the sulphur of the egg becomes a capital tonic medicine. So by all means let us eat plenty of it.

I have mentioned mackerel as belonging to the month of April. From now until the end of June they will be prime, and are a good fish to eat; but out of their proper season they are not wholesome. Perhaps they are nicest when carefully boiled and served with parsley sauce; but if baked with butter and accompanied by gooseberry sauce, or split open and broiled, with herb sauce, they are very nearly as good. Also they are excellent for breakfast when pickled and eaten cold.

It is hardly possible this month to lay too much stress on the virtues of salads; and to prepare these well, to make as many varieties of them as possible, and to mix the dressing with due art, is well worth careful study on the part of every housewife.

A perfectly plain dressing of salt, pepper, vinegar and oil, if well beaten together, and then a spoonful of good cream added, becomes almost equal to a mayonnaise, and is not so expensive or troublesome to make ready.

The following would be found a suitable little dinner for this month, and it is easy to vary at will:—

MENU.

Cream of Spinach Soup.

Boiled Mackerel. Parsley Sauce.

Roast Lamb. Boiled Cucumber. Mint Sauce.

Spring Salad.

Rhubarb Fool. Sponge Custard Pudding.

Cheese Aigrettes.

Cream of Spinach Soup.—Pick and wash a quart of spinach, set it on to boil with enough water to cover it, and a spoonful of salt; stew a couple of young onions and a few herbs in a separate vessel, and then rub all together through a sieve until a green purée is obtained. To this add a pint of hot milk, a spoonful of cornflour wet with milk and an ounce of butter, also seasoning to taste. Boil up once and serve.

Boiled Cucumber is an agreeable change amongst vegetables, and is very easy to do. Pare the cucumber and cut it down lengthwise, then across into inch-lengths; throw into salted boiling water and cook ten minutes. Drain well and serve with a little parsley sprinkled over, or in melted butter sauce.

Rhubarb Fool.—Cut up two or three bundles of fresh rhubarb into short lengths, and stew quickly with sugar until quite soft, then rub through a sieve. Whip about a quarter of a pint of thick cream and the whites of two eggs together, with one or two tablespoonfuls of castor sugar, and lightly whisk these up with the fruit. Heap all in a bright glass dish.

Sponge Custard Pudding.—Make a boiled custard with the yolks of the two eggs, a pint of milk, two ounces of castor sugar, grated lemon rind for flavouring, and an ounce of dissolved gelatine stirred in at the last. Half fill a plain mould with sponge biscuits and pour this custard on them whilst hot. Set aside in a cold place until it is solid. The rhubarb fool would also be improved by being set on ice. Serve both together.

Cheese Aigrettes.—Dissolve an ounce of butter and stir into it a tablespoonful of flour; add half a pint of warm milk, and stir over the fire until a smooth paste is obtained. Add whilst hot salt, cayenne pepper, and grated cheese enough to give a strong flavour. When getting cool mix in carefully the yolk of a large fresh egg. Bring half a pound of lard up to boiling point, and then drop into it small pieces of the paste, and boil rapidly. They should puff out and be a beautiful golden brown. Roll each aigrette in grated cheese when it has drained, and serve on a paper doyley whilst hot. They are not good cold.