Boil, but do not stir, one-half pound of loaf sugar in one breakfast cup of water. Pit some cherries, or prepare any desired fruit, and string them on a thread, then dip them in the syrup; suspend them by the thread. When pineapples are used, slice them crosswise and dry them on a sieve or in the open air; oranges should be separated into sections and dried like pineapple. STUFFED DATES Make a cut the entire length of dates and remove stones. Fill cavities with English walnuts, blanched almonds, pecans or with a mixture of chopped nuts, and shape in original form. Roll in granulated sugar or powdered sugar and serve on small plate or bonbon dish. DATES STUFFED WITH GINGER AND NUTS Remove the stones from choice dates, and chop together equal measures of preserved ginger and blanched nuts chopped, (hickory, pecan, or almond). Mix with fondant or a paste of confectioner's sugar and ginger syrup. Use only enough fondant or paste to hold the ingredients together. With this mixture fill the open space in the dates, cover securely, and roll in granulated sugar. DATES STUFFED WITH FONDANT Fill with fondant, letting it project slightly, and insert in it a pecan or half a walnut. Roll in granulated sugar. STUFFED FIGS Cut a slit in the side of dried figs, take out some of the pulp with the tip of a teaspoon. Mix with one-fourth cup of the pulp, one-fourth cup of finely-chopped crystallized ginger, a teaspoon of grated orange or lemon rind and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Fill the figs with the mixture, stuffing them so that they look plump. STUFFED PRUNES Take one pound of best prunes, stone and soak in sherry for about an hour (do not cover with the wine). Fill prunes with one large browned almond and one-half marshmallow or with another prune, roll in granulated sugar, and when all are finished, put in oven for two or three minutes. FROSTED CURRANTS Pick fine, even, large bunches of red currants (not too ripe) and dip each bunch, one at a time, into a mixture of frothed white of egg, then into a thick, boiled sugar syrup. Drain the bunches by laying on a sieve, and when partly dry dip again into the boiled syrup. Repeat the process a third time; then sprinkle powdered sugar over them and lay on a sheet of paper in a slightly warm oven to dry. Used on extra occasions for ornamenting charlottes, cakes, creams, etc. *BEVERAGES* All drinks contain a large proportion of water which is the beverage nature has provided for man. Water for hot drinks should be freshly boiled, freshly drawn water should be used for cold drinks. COFFEE