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diff --git a/14066-0.txt b/14066-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..980f944 --- /dev/null +++ b/14066-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3001 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14066 *** + +EVERYDAY FOODS IN WAR TIME + +by + +MARY SWARTZ ROSE + +Assistant-Professor, Department of Nutrition, Teachers College, Columbia +University + +New York + +1918 + + + + + + + + The time has come, the Aggies said, + To talk of many things, + Of what to eat, of calories, + Of cabbages and kings, + Of vitamines and sausages, + And whether costs have wings. + + _Journal of Home Economics_, + November, 1917. + + + + +PREFACE + + + "FOOD IS FUEL FOR FIGHTERS. Do not waste it. Save WHEAT, MEAT, + SUGARS AND FATS. Send more to our Soldiers, Sailors and Allies." + + +The patriotic housewife finds her little domestic boat sailing in +uncharted waters. The above message of the Food Administration disturbs +her ordinary household routine, upsets her menus and puts her recipes out +of commission. It also renders inoperative some of her usual methods of +economy at a time when rising food prices make economy more imperative +than ever. To be patriotic and still live on one's income is a complex +problem. This little book was started in response to a request for "a war +message about food." It seemed to the author that a simple explanation of +the part which some of our common foods play in our diet might be both +helpful and reassuring. To change one's menu is often trying; to be +uncertain whether the substituted foods will preserve one's health and +strength makes adjustment doubly difficult. It is hoped that the brief +chapters which follow will make it easier to "save wheat, meat, sugars and +fats" and to make out an acceptable bill of fare without excessive cost. + +Thanks are due to the Webb Publishing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota, for +permission to reprint three of the chapters, which appeared originally in +_The Farmer's Wife_. + +TEACHERS COLLEGE, Columbia University, New York City. + +December 1, 1917. + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS + + CHAPTER + + I. THE MILK PITCHER IN THE HOME + + II. CEREALS WE OUGHT TO EAT + + III. THE MEAT WE OUGHT TO SAVE + + IV. THE POTATO AND ITS SUBSTITUTES + + V. ARE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LUXURIES? + + VI. FAT AND VITAMINES + + VII. "SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE" + + VIII. ON BEING ECONOMICAL AND PATRIOTIC AT THE SAME TIME + + APPENDIX--SOME WAR TIME RECIPES + + + + +EVERYDAY FOODS IN WAR TIME + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE MILK PITCHER IN THE HOME + + (Reprinted from _The Farmer's Wife_, by permission of the Webb + Publishing Company.) + + +There is a quaint old fairy tale of a friendly pitcher that came and took +up its abode in the home of an aged couple, supplying them from its magic +depths with food and drink and many other comforts. Of this tale one is +reminded in considering the place of the milk pitcher in the home. How +many housewives recognize the bit of crockery sitting quietly on the shelf +as one of their very best friends? How many know that it will cover many +of their mistakes in the choice of food for their families? That it +contains mysterious substances upon which growth depends? That it stands +ready to save them both work and worry in regard to food? That it is +really the only indispensable article on the bill of fare? + +Diet is like a house, a definite thing, though built of different kinds of +material. For a house we need wall material, floor material, window, +ceiling, chimney stuffs and so forth. We may, if we like, make floors, +walls, and ceilings all of the same kind of stuff, wood for example, but +we should need glass for windows and bricks or tile for chimneys. Or, +again, we may choose brick for walls, floors, and chimneys but it would +not do any better than wood for windows, would be rather unsatisfactory +for ceilings, and impossible for doors. In other words, we could not build +a modern house from one kind of material only and we really need at least +four to carry out even a simple plan. + +In a similar fashion, diet is constructed from fuel material, +body-building material and body-regulating material. No diet is perfect in +which these are not all represented. Now, foods are like sections of +houses. Some correspond to single parts, as a floor or a window or perhaps +a chimney; others to a house complete except for windows and roof; still +others to a house lacking only a door or two. It takes some thought to put +them together so that we shall have all kinds of parts without a great +many extra ones of certain kinds and not enough of others. + +Milk is unique in that it comes nearest of all foods to being a complete +diet in itself. It is like the house with only a door missing. We could be +quite comfortable in such a house for a long time though we could make a +more complete diet by adding some graham bread or an apple or some +spinach. + +We all associate milk with cows and cows with farms, but how closely is +milk associated with the farm table? Is it prized as the most valuable +food which the farm produces? Every drop should be used as food; and this +applies to skim milk, sour milk, and buttermilk as well as sweet milk. Do +we all use milk to the best advantage in the diet? Here are a few points +which it is well to bear in mind: + +_Milk will take the place of meat._ The world is facing a meat famine. The +famine was on the way before the war began but it has approached with +tremendous speed this last year. Every cow killed and eaten means not only +so much less meat available but so much less of an adequate substitute. +Lean meat contributes to the diet chiefly protein and iron. We eat it +primarily for the protein. Hence in comparing meat and milk we think first +of their protein content. One and one-fourth cups of milk will supply as +much protein as two ounces of lean beef. The protein of milk is largely +the part which makes cottage cheese. So cottage cheese is a good meat +substitute and a practical way of using part of the skim milk when the +cream is taken off for butter. One and one-half ounces of cottage cheese +(one-fourth cup) are the protein equivalent of two ounces of lean beef. +Skim milk and buttermilk are just as good substitutes for meat as whole +milk. Since meat is one of the most expensive items in the food bill, its +replacement by milk is a very great financial economy. This is true even +if the meat is raised on the farm, as food for cattle is used much more +economically in the production of milk than of beef. + +_Milk is the greatest source of calcium (lime)._ Lime is one of the +components of food that serves two purposes; it is both building material +for bones and regulating material for the body as a whole, helping in +several important ways to maintain good health. It is essential that +everyone have a supply of lime and particularly important that all growing +infants, children, and young people have plenty for construction of bones +and teeth. There is almost none in meat and bread, none in common fats and +sugars, and comparatively few common foods can be taken alone and digested +in large enough quantities to insure an adequate supply; whereas a pint of +milk (whole, skim, or buttermilk) will guarantee to a grown person a +sufficient amount, and a quart a day will provide for the greater needs of +growing children. Whatever other foods we have, we cannot afford to +leave milk out of the diet because of its lime. Under the most favorable +dietary conditions, when the diet is liberal and varied, an adult should +have _at least_ half a pint of milk a day and no child should be +expected to thrive with less than a pint. + +_Milk contains a most varied assortment of materials needed in small +amounts_ for the body welfare, partly for constructive and partly for +regulating purposes. These are rather irregularly distributed in other +kinds of food materials. When eggs, vegetables, and cereals are freely +used, we are not likely to suffer any lack; but when war conditions limit +the number of foods which we can get, it is well to remember that the more +limited the variety of foods in the diet the more important milk becomes. + +_Milk will take the place of bread, butter, sugar, and other foods used +chiefly for fuel._ The body is an engine which must be stoked regularly in +order to work. The more work done the more fuel needed. That is what we +mean when we talk about the food giving "working strength." A farmer and +his wife and usually all the family need much fuel because they do much +physical work. Even people whose work is physically light require +considerable fuel. A quart of milk will give as much working force as half +a pound of bread, one-fourth of a pound of butter, or six ounces of sugar. +And this is in addition to the other advantages already mentioned. + +_Milk contains specifics for growth._ Experiments with animals have taught +us that there are two specific substances, known as vitamines, which must +be present in the diet if a young animal is to grow. If either one is +absent, growth is impossible. Both are to be found in milk, one in the +cream and the other in the skim milk or whey. For this reason children +should have whole milk rather than skim milk. Of course, butter and skim +milk should produce the same result as whole milk. Eggs also have these +requisites and can be used to supplement milk for either one, but as a +rule it is more practical to depend upon milk, and usually more +economical. + +For little children, milk is best served as a beverage. But as children +grow up, the fluidity of milk makes them feel as if it were not food +enough and it is generally better to use it freely in the kitchen first, +and then, if there is any surplus, put it on the table as a beverage or +serve it thus to those who need an extra supply--the half-grown boys, for +instance, who need more food in a day than even a hard-working farmer. + +A good plan is to set aside definitely, as a day's supply, a quart apiece +for each person under sixteen and a pint apiece for each one over this +age. Then see at night how well one has succeeded in disposing of it. If +there is much left, one should consider ways of using it to advantage. The +two simplest probably are, first, as cream sauce for vegetables of all +sorts; for macaroni or hominy with or without cheese; or for hard cooked +eggs or left-over meats; and next in puddings baked a long time in the +oven so that much of the water in the milk is evaporated. Such puddings +are easy to prepare on almost any scale and are invaluable for persons +with big appetites because they are concentrated without being +unwholesome. + +The milk pitcher and the vegetable garden are the best friends of the +woman wishing to set a wholesome and economical table. Vegetables +supplement milk almost ideally, since they contain the vegetable fiber +which helps to guard against constipation, and the iron which is the +lacking door in the "house that milk built." + +Vegetables which are not perfect enough to serve uncooked, like the broken +leaves of lettuce and the green and tough parts of celery, are excellent +cooked and served with a cream sauce. Cream sauce makes it possible also +to cook enough of a vegetable for two days at once, sending it to the +table simply dressed in its own juices or a little butter the first time +and making a scalloped dish with cream sauce and crumbs the next day. +Vegetables which do not lend themselves to this treatment can be made into +cream soups, which are excellent as the hot dish for supper, because they +can be prepared in the morning and merely reheated at serving time. + +Finally, the addition of milk in liberal quantities to tea and coffee +(used of course only by adults); its use without dilution with water in +cocoa; and instead of water in bread when that is made at home, ought to +enable a housewife to dispose satisfactorily of her day's quota of milk. +If it should accumulate, it can be dispatched with considerable rapidity +in the form of ice cream or milk sherbet. When there is much skim milk, +the latter is a most excellent way of making it popular, various fruits in +their seasons being used for flavor, as strawberries, raspberries, and +peaches, with lemons to fall back on when no native fruit is at hand. + +The world needs milk today as badly as wheat. All that we can possibly +spare is needed in Europe for starving little ones. In any shortage the +slogan must be "children first." But in any limited diet milk is such a +safeguard that we should bend our energies to saving it from waste and +producing more, rather than learning to do without it. Skim milk from +creameries is too valuable to be thrown away. Everyone should be on the +alert to condemn any use of milk except as food and to encourage +condensation and drying of skim milk to be used as a substitute for fresh +milk. + +When the milk pitcher is allowed to work its magic for the human race, we +shall have citizens of better physique than the records of our recruiting +stations show today. Even when the family table is deprived of its +familiar wheat bread and meat, we may be strong if we invoke the aid of +this friendly magician. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +CEREALS WE OUGHT TO EAT + + (Reprinted from _The Farmer's Wife_, by permission of the Webb + Publishing Company.) + + +"Save wheat!" This great slogan of our national food campaign has been +echoed and reëchoed for six months, but do we yet realize that it means +US? We have had, hitherto, a great deal of wheat in our diet. Fully +one-third of our calories have come from wheat flour. To ask us to do +without wheat is to shake the very foundation of our daily living. How +shall we be able to do without it? What shall we substitute for it? These +are questions which every housewife must ask and answer before she can +take her place in the Amazon Army of Food Conservers. + +Is it not strange that out of half a dozen different grains cultivated for +human consumption, the demand should concentrate upon wheat? One might +almost say that the progress of civilization is marked by raised bread. +And wheat has, beyond all other grains, the unique properties that make +possible a light, porous yet somewhat tenacious loaf. We like the taste of +it, mild but sweet; the feel of it, soft yet firm; the comfort of it, +almost perfect digestion of every particle. We have been brought up on it +and it is a hardship to change our food habits. It takes courage and +resolution. It takes visions of our soldiers crossing the seas to defend +us from the greedy eye of militarism and thereby deprived of so many +things which we still enjoy. Shall we hold back from them the "staff of +life" which they need so much more than we? + +Can we live without wheat? Certainly, and live well. We must recognize the +scientific fact that no one food (with the exception of milk) is +indispensable. There are four letters in the food alphabet: _A_, fuel for +the body machine; _B_, protein for the upkeep of the machinery; _C_, +mineral salts, partly for upkeep and partly for lubrication--to make all +parts work smoothly together; _D_, vitamines, subtle and elusive +substances upon whose presence depends the successful use by the body of +all the others. These four letters, rightly combined, spell health. They +are variously distributed in food materials. Sometimes all are found in +one food (milk for example), sometimes only one (as in sugar), sometimes +two or three. The amounts also vary in the different foods. To build up a +complete diet we have to know how many of these items are present in a +given food and also how much of each is there. + +Now, cereals are much alike in what they contribute to the diet. In +comparing them we are apt to emphasize their differences, much as we do in +comparing two men. One man may be a little taller, a little heavier, have +a different tilt to his nose, but any two men are more alike than a man +and a dog. So corn has a little less protein than wheat and considerably +less lime, yet corn and wheat are, nutritionally, more alike than either +is like sugar. + +None of the cereals will make a complete diet by itself. If we take white +bread as the foundation, we must add to it something containing lime, such +as milk or cheese; something containing iron, such as spinach, egg yolk, +meat, or other iron-rich food; something containing vitamines, such as +greens or other vitamine-rich food; something to reënforce the proteins, +as milk, eggs, meat, or nuts. It is not possible to make a perfect diet +with only one other kind of food besides white bread. It can be done with +three: bread, milk, and spinach, for example. + +If we substitute whole wheat for white bread, we can make a complete diet +with two foods--this and milk. We get from the bran and the germ what in +the other case we got from the spinach. _All the cereals can be +effectively supplemented by milk and green vegetables._ If green +vegetables (or substitutes for them like dried peas and beans or fruit) +are hard to get we should give preference to cereals from which the bran +coats have not been removed, such as oatmeal and whole wheat. Then the +diet will not be deficient in iron, which is not supplied in large enough +amounts from white bread and milk. Oatmeal is the richest in iron of all +the cereals. + +With such knowledge, we may alter our diet very greatly without danger of +undernutrition. But we must learn to cook other cereals at least as well +as we do wheat. Without proper cooking they are unpalatable and +unwholesome, and they are not so easy to cook as wheat. They take a longer +time and we cannot get the same culinary effects, since with the exception +of rye they will not make a light loaf. Fortunately we are not asked to +deny ourselves wheat entirely, only to substitute other cereals for part +of it. Let each housewife resolve when next she buys flour to buy at the +same time one-fourth as much of some other grain, finely ground, rye, +corn, barley, according to preference, and mix the two thoroughly at once. +Then she will be sure not to forget to carry out her good intentions. +Bread made of such a mixture will be light and tender, and anything that +cannot be made with it had better be dispensed with in these times. + +Besides the saving of wheat for our country's sake, we shall do well to +economize in it for our own. Compared with other cereals, wheat is +expensive. We can get more food, in every sense of the word, from half a +pound of oatmeal than we can from a twelve-ounce loaf of white bread, and +the oatmeal will not cost one-half as much as the bread. A loaf of Boston +brown bread made with one cupful each of cornmeal, oatmeal (finely +ground), rye flour, molasses, and skim milk will have two and one-half +times the food value of a twelve-ounce loaf of white bread and will cost +little more. One-half pound of cornmeal, supplemented by a half pint of +milk, will furnish more of everything needed by the body than such a +twelve-ounce loaf, usually at less cost. + +It pays at all times to use cereals in other forms than bread, for both +health and economy. Does your family eat cereal for breakfast? A dish of +oatmeal made from one-fourth cupful of the dry cereal will take the place +of two slices of white bread, each about half an inch thick and three +inches square, and give us iron besides. Served with milk, it will make a +well-balanced meal. When we add a little fruit to give zest and some crisp +corn bread to contrast with the soft mush, we have a meal in which we may +take a just pride, _provided the oatmeal is properly cooked_. + +A good dish of oatmeal is as creditable a product as a good loaf of bread. +It cannot be made without taking pains to get the right proportions of +meal, water, and salt, and to cook thoroughly, which means at least four +hours in a double boiler, over night in a fireless cooker, or half an hour +at twenty pounds in a pressure cooker. Half-cooked oatmeal is most +unwholesome, as well as unpalatable. It is part of our patriotic duty not +to give so useful a food a bad reputation. + +The man who does hard physical labor, especially in the open air, may +complain that the oatmeal breakfast does not "stay by" him. This is +because it digests rapidly. What he needs is a little fat stirred into the +mush before it is sent to the table, or butter as well as milk and sugar +served with it. If one must economize, the cereal breakfast should always +be the rule. It is impossible in any other way to provide for a family +adequately on a small sum, especially where there are growing children. + +Next to oatmeal, hominy is one of the cheapest breakfast foods. It has +less flavor and is improved by the addition of a few dates cut into +quarters or some small stewed seedless raisins, which also add the iron +which hominy lacks. For the adults of the family the staying qualities of +hominy and cornmeal can be increased by cutting the molded mush in slices +and frying till a crisp crust is formed. This can be obtained more easily +if the cereals are cooked in a mixture of milk and water instead of water +alone. The milk supplements the cereal as acceptably as in a dish of mush +and milk. Cornmeal needs even more cooking than oatmeal to develop an +agreeable flavor. It can be improved by the addition of an equal amount of +farina or cream of wheat. + +Cereals for dinner are acceptable substitutes for such vegetables as +potatoes, both for economy and for variety. The whole grains, rice, +barley, and hominy, lend themselves best to such use. Try a dish of +creamed salmon with a border of barley; one of hominy surrounded by fried +apples; or a bowl of rice heaped with bananas baked to a turn and removed +from their skins just before serving, and be glad that the war has stirred +you out of food ruts! + +Cereals combined with milk make most wholesome puddings, each almost a +well-balanced meal in itself. They are easier to make than pies, +shortcakes, and other desserts which require wheat flour, and they are +splendid growing food for boys and girls. + +For the hard-working man who misses the slowly-digesting pie, serve the +puddings with a hard sauce or add a little butter when making them. For +the growing children, raisins, dates, and other fruits are welcome +additions on account of their iron. From half a cupful to a cupful of +almost any cereal pudding made with milk is the equivalent of an ordinary +serving of pie. + +Aside from the avoidance of actual waste of food materials, there seems to +be no one service so imperative for housewives to render in these critical +times as the mastery of the art of using cereals. These must be made to +save not only wheat but meat, and for most of us also money. + +A wholesome and yet economical diet may be built upon a plan wherein we +find for an average working man fourteen ounces of cereal food and one +pint of milk, from two to four ounces of meat or a good meat substitute, +two ounces of fat, three ounces of sugar or other sweeteners, at least one +kind of fruit, and one kind of vegetable besides potatoes (more if one has +a garden). + +The cereal may furnish half the fuel value of the diet, partly +bread-stuffs and partly in some of the other ways as suggested, without +any danger of undernutrition. Remember the fable of the farmer who told +his sons he had left them a fortune and bade them dig on his farm for it +after his death, and how they found wealth not as buried treasure but +through thorough tillage of the soil. So one might leave a message to +woman to look in the cereal pot, for there is a key to health and wealth, +and a weapon to win the greatest war the world has ever seen. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE MEAT WE OUGHT TO SAVE + + +"Do not buy a pound of meat until you have bought three quarts of milk" is +a "war sign" pointing two ways. On the one hand it tells us that we need +to save meat; on the other, that we should encourage the production of +that most indispensable food--milk. + +But what a revolution in some households if this advice is heeded! +Statisticians tell us that Americans have been consuming meat at the rate +of 171 pounds per capita per year, which means nearly half a pound apiece +every day for each man, woman, child, and infant in arms. Now, as mere +infants and some older folk have not had any, it follows that many of us +have had a great deal more. Did we need it? Shall we be worse off without +it? Meat is undeniably popular. In spite of the rising price and the +patriotic spirit of conservation, meat consumption goes on in many +quarters at much the usual rate. There is probably no other one food so +generally liked. It has a decided and agreeable flavor, a satisfactory +"chew," and leaves an after-sense of being well fed that many take as the +sign of whether they are well nourished or not. It digests well, even when +eaten rapidly, and perhaps partly for this reason is favored by the +hurried man of affairs. It is easy to prepare and hence is appreciated by +the cook, who knows that even with unskillful treatment it will be +acceptable and require few accessories to make an agreeable meal. Its rich +flavor helps to relieve the flatness of foods like rice, hominy, beans, or +bread. From this point of view there is no such thing as a "meat +substitute." + +But, nutritionally speaking, meat is only one of many; undeniably a good +source of protein, but no better than milk or eggs. A lamb chop is a very +nice item on a bill of fare, but the protein it contains can be secured +just as well from one large egg, or two level tablespoonfuls of peanut +butter, or one and one-fourth ounces of cheese; or a part of the time from +a quarter of a cup of dried navy beans or a little less of dried split +peas. + +Meat is highly regarded as a source of iron; but, again, it has no +monopoly of this important building-stone in the house of diet. The eggs, +or peas, or half the beans mentioned above would any one of them furnish +more iron than the lamb chop, while a quarter of a cup of cooked spinach +or a small dish of string beans would furnish quite as much. Besides green +vegetables, fruit, and the yolk of egg, cereals are a not inconsiderable +source of iron. A man would have adequate nourishment for a day, including +a sufficient supply of iron, if he were doing only moderate physical +labor, from one pint of milk, one and one-half pounds of whole wheat +bread, and three medium-sized apples. Beef juice is often used as a source +of iron for children and undoubtedly it is one which is palatable and +digestible, but it takes a quarter of a pound of beef to get a few +tablespoonfuls of juice, and a tablespoonful of juice would hardly contain +as much iron as one egg yolk; and it seems probable that the iron of the +egg yolk would be better utilized for the making of good red blood. + +Meat is good fuel for the human machine if used in moderate amounts along +with other food. But meat is no better fuel than other food. An ordinary +lamb chop will furnish no more calories than a dish of oatmeal, a piece of +bread an inch thick and three inches square, a large apple or banana, an +egg, five ounces (five-eighths of a cup) of milk, or a tablespoonful of +peanut butter. The fatter meat is the higher its fuel value (providing the +fat is used for food). A tablespoonful of bacon fat or beef drippings has +the same fuel value as a tablespoonful of butter or lard, or as the lamb +chop mentioned above. The man who insists that he has to have meat for +working strength judges by how he feels after a meal and not by the +scientific facts. While in the long run appetite serves as a measure of +food requirement, we can find plenty of instances where it does not make a +perfect measure. Some people have too large appetites for their body needs +and get too fat from sheer surplus of fuel stored in the body for future +needs as fat. If such people have three good meals a day all the time, +there never is any future need and the fat stays. Other people have too +small appetites for their needs and they never seem to get a surplus of +fuel on hand. They live, as it were, from hand to mouth. Anyone accustomed +to eating meat will have an unsatisfied feeling at first after a meal +without meat. The same is true of other highly flavored foods. It is well +for the cook to bear this in mind and serve a few rather highly seasoned +dishes when there is no meat on the bill of fare. A very sweet dessert +will often satisfy this peculiar sensation, and it can be allayed, at +least in part, by the drinking of water some little time after the meal. +Such a sensation will pass away when one becomes accustomed to the change +in diet. It is probably due to certain highly flavored substances +dissolved in the meat juices which are known to be excellent stimulants to +the flow of gastric juice and which are stimulating in other ways. These +have no food value in themselves, but, nevertheless, we prize meat for +them, as is shown by the distaste we have for meat which has its juices +removed. "Soup meat" has always been a problem for the housewife--hard to +make palatable--and yet the greater part of the nourishment of meat is +left in the meat itself after soup is made from it. + +Let us frankly recognize then that we eat meat because we like it--for its +flavor and texture rather than any peculiar nourishing properties--and +that it is only our patriotic self-denial or force of economic +circumstances that induces us to forgo our accustomed amounts of a food +which is pleasant and (in moderation) wholesome. We must save meat that +the babies of the world may have milk to drink. Nowhere in Europe is there +enough milk for babies today. A conservative request for one European city +alone was a shipment of one million pounds of condensed milk per month! If +cattle are killed for food there will be little milk to send and the +babies will perish. We must save meat for our soldiers and sailors, +because they need it more than we do. It is not only easily transported, +but one of the few things to give zest to their necessarily limited fare. +Fresh fruits and green vegetables, which may serve us as appetizers, are +not to be found on the war fields. Dainty concoctions from cheese and nuts +may provide for us flavor as well as nutriment, but meat is the +alternative to the dull monotony of bread and beans for the soldier--the +tonic of appetite, the stimulant to good digestion. We can scarcely send +him anything to take its place. + +We must save meat, too, as a general food economy. Meat is produced at the +expense of grain, which we might eat ourselves. And the production of meat +is a very wasteful process. Grains have a fuel value for man approximating +1,600 calories per pound. A pound of meat in the form of beef will require +the consumption by the animal of some fourteen pounds of grain. The pound +of beef will furnish perhaps 1,200 calories, while the grain consumed will +represent over 20,000 calories. The production of milk from grain is only +about one-third as expensive, so the purchase of three quarts of milk to +one pound of meat is an economy in more ways than one. + +Saving for the rest of the world will not be without some physical +advantage to ourselves, if we have been accustomed to indulge in meat +freely. Among the well-to-do meat eating is apt to be overdone to the +extent of affecting the kidneys and the arteries, and some enforced +restriction would be a real advantage to health, as has been demonstrated +in other than war times. Because a food is good is no reason for unlimited +quantities; an ounce of sugar a day is wholesome--a pound is likely to +result in both indigestion and a badly balanced diet. A quarter of a pound +of meat a day is not undesirable for an adult, but a pound a day may +result in general overeating or in the special ills which are related +directly to a large quantity of meat. One of these is an upsetting of a +proper balance of food elements in the diet. Diets high in meat are apt to +be low in milk and consequently low in calcium. If the income is limited +this is almost sure to be the case, since there will not be enough money +to provide meat freely and at the same time satisfy other nutritive +requirements. Such diets are also likely to be low in fuel value and not +provide enough working force even while men are declaring that they must +have meat to give them strength. They would have more strength and a +better diet from every point of view if part of the meat money were spent +for milk. So the injunction to buy three quarts of milk to one pound of +meat is a good rule for securing a well balanced and ample diet at the +lowest cost. + +Another good rule is to spend no more for meat, fish, and eggs than for +milk, and as much for fruits and vegetables as for meat, fish, and eggs. +Families very commonly spend as much as one-third of the food money for +meat; and, while they may secure a full third of their protein, iron, and +phosphorus in this way, they may not get more than a sixth of their fuel +and almost no calcium. Three quarts of milk at fourteen cents a quart will +yield about 2,000 calories. For an expenditure of forty-two cents for beef +as free from waste as milk, we would pay perhaps thirty-two cents per +pound. A pound and a quarter of lean beef would yield about 1,000 +calories. So as fuel alone the milk would be twice as cheap as the meat. +Three quarts of milk would yield almost if not quite as much protein as +the meat and a liberal supply of calcium to offset the iron furnished by +the meat. Everything considered, then, milk is a better investment than +meat. The same is true of some of the other foods which supply protein in +the diet such as dry peas and beans; cheese and peanut butter are at least +twice as valuable nutritionally as beef. The domestic problem is to make +palatable dishes from these foods. This requires time and patience. The +cook must not get discouraged if the first trial does not bring marked +success. The rest of the family should count it their "bit" to eat +valiantly until they can eat joyfully. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE POTATO AND ITS SUBSTITUTES + + +Never did it seem truer that "blessings brighten as they take their +flight" than when the potato went off the market or soaring prices put it +out of reach in the winter of 1917. "How shall I plan my meals without +it?" was the housewife's cry. "How shall I enjoy my meals without it?" +said all the millions of potato eaters who immediately forgot that there +was still a large number of foods from which they might extract some +modicum of enjoyment. + +And so the Nutrition Expert was asked to talk about "potato substitutes" +and expected to exercise some necromancy whereby that which was not a +potato might become a potato. Now, the Nutrition Expert was very +imperturbable--not at all disturbed by the calamity which had befallen our +tables. That unfeeling person saw potatoes, not in terms of their hot +mealiness and spicy mildness, but in terms of that elusive thing called +"DIET." The vanishing tuber was bidden to answer the dietary roll-call: + + "Proteins?" "Here!" Answer somewhat faint but + suggesting remarkable worth. + + "Fats?" No answer. + + "Carbohydrates?" Loud note from "Starch." + + "Mineral salts?" "Here!" From a regular chorus, among + which "Potassium" and "Iron" + easily distinguishable. + + "Vitamines and "Here! Here!" Especially vociferous, the + Other Accessories?" "Anti-Scorbutic Property." + +"This is a good showing for any single food material. The potato, as truly +as bread, may be called a 'staff of life.' Men have lived in health upon +it for many months without any other food save oleomargarine. Its protein, +though small in amount, is most efficient in body-building, its salts are +varied in kind and liberal in amount, and it furnishes a large amount of +very easily digested fuel besides. It is at its best when cooked in the +simplest possible way--baked or boiled in its skin. Nevertheless we are +not absolutely dependent upon the potato." + +"Alas," said the housewife, "this doesn't tell me what to cook for +dinner!" "Patience, Madam, we shall see about that." The fact that starch +is present is what makes the potato seem so substantial. But bread, rice, +hominy, in fact, all cereal foods can supply starch just as well. Pick out +the one you fancy and serve it for your dinner. One good-sized roll or a +two-inch cube of corn bread, or three-fourths of a cup of boiled rice will +sustain you just as well as a medium-sized potato. A banana, baked or +fried, makes an excellent substitute for a potato. An apple is also a very +palatable potato equivalent, if you want something more spicy than hominy +or corn bread. Why mourn over the lost potato? + +But how about those mineral salts? Well, the potato has no monopoly on +those, either, though it is ordinarily a very valuable contributor. Milk +has already been mentioned as one of the great safeguarding sources of +so-called ash constituents. Others are vegetables and fruits of different +kinds. These have been a neglected and sometimes a despised part of the +diet: "Why spend money for that which is not meat?" is often taken +literally. Even food specialists have been known to say, "Fruits and +vegetables are mostly water and indigestible fiber; they have little food +value." This is a good deal like saying, "If your coat be long enough you +do not need a pair of shoes." A potato has as much iron as an egg yolk or +a medium-sized chop. This is one more reason why we should be sorry to +take the useful tuber from our tables, but we may feel a certain +independence, even when meat and eggs are prohibitive in price, since by +canning or drying, if in no other way, we can have green vegetables as a +source of iron the whole year through. Some people are afraid that canned +vegetables will prove unwholesome; but if removed from the can as soon as +opened and heated to boiling before they are eaten, we are recently +assured that the danger of food poisoning will be materially lessened. +Even when such vegetables are wanted for salads, boiling and subsequent +cooling are advised. The mineral salts of vegetables dissolve into the +water in which they stand, and in any shortage of such food, or for the +greatest economy, it would seem wise to save the water in the can, which +is often thrown away to secure a more delicate flavor. Water from the +cooking of fresh vegetables which are not protected by skins (among them +spinach, peas, carrots, and asparagus), can often be reduced to a small +amount by steaming instead of boiling the vegetable, or any drained off +can be used in gravy, soup, sauce, or some similar fashion. The strong +flavor of some vegetables, however, makes such economy rather impractical. + +Some people discriminate against canned and dried vegetables because they +do not taste like fresh ones. This seems rather unreasonable, as we want a +variety of flavors in our diet and might welcome the change which comes +from this way of treating food as well as that which comes from different +methods of cooking. Nobody expects a stew to taste like a roast, and yet +both may be good and we would not want either one all the time. Instead of +regretting that canned peas do not taste like those fresh from the garden +(incomparable ones!) let us be glad that they taste as good as they do. +Would we like them any better if they tasted like cornmeal mush? + +While a potato has about as much phosphorus as an egg yolk, substitutes +for it in this respect are not hard to find. Five tablespoonfuls of milk +or half an ounce of cheese will easily supply as much, while half a cup of +cooked string beans will provide all the iron as well as half the +phosphorus in a potato, and a teaspoon of butter or other fat added to the +beans will make them equal in fuel value. On the other hand, two small +slices of whole wheat bread would furnish all the phosphorus, half the +iron, and an equal amount of fuel. + +The potato is conspicuously high in potassium, but it is not likely that +in any diet containing one kind of fruit and one kind of vegetable each +day there will be any permanent shortage of this substance. Spinach, +celery, parsnips, lettuce, cabbage, rutabagas, beets, carrots, tomatoes, +cucumbers, and turnips are all good sources of potassium and some of them +are available all the year round without canning and drying. + +But what significance has the "Anti-Scorbutic Property"? Does that not +make potatoes indispensable? Scurvy, Madam, occurs whenever people live +for a long time on a monotonous diet without fresh food. The potato offers +good protection against this disease at a low cost, but other foods have +long been known to possess the same power, among them oranges, lemons, +limes, and other fruits, and cabbage and other green vegetables; in fact, +a mixed diet in which fruits and vegetables occur is assurance of freedom +from scurvy. Just how far the potato will go in providing the specific +vitamines essential for growth is still unsettled. It undoubtedly contains +one of them in goodly amount, but for the present it is wise to include +some green (leaf) vegetable in the diet even when potatoes are plentiful, +especially if butter, milk, and eggs cannot be freely used. + +Nutritionally then, we can find substitutes for the potato; practically, +too, we can find quite satisfactory alternatives for it in our +conventional bills of fare. On the face of things the potato is a bland +mealy food which blends well with the high flavor and the firm texture of +meat and the softness of many other cooked vegetables. Gastronomically, +rice or hominy comes about as near to having the same qualities, with hot +bread, macaroni, sweet potatoes, and baked bananas (underripe so as not to +be too juicy and sweet) close rivals. These are not so easy to cook and +serve as the potato and are not likely to supplant it when it is +plentiful. It might be worth while, however, to substitute these for +potatoes rather often. The latter will be appreciated all the more if not +served every day in the week, or at least not more than once a day. We +might extend the fashion of baked beans and brown bread to roast pork with +rice, ham with baked bananas, roast beef with hominy, and broiled steak +with macaroni. Why not? You, Madam Housewife, are always sighing for +variety, but does it never occur to you that the greatest secret of +variety lies in new combinations? + + + + +CHAPTER V + +ARE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LUXURIES? + + +In the house of diet fruits and vegetables may be likened to windows and +doors, fire-places and chimneys; we could dispense with them, we could +board up our windows and make a fire on a big stone in the middle of the +room, letting the smoke escape through a hole in the roof, but such a +course would not mean comfort year in and year out. So we may exist +without fruits and vegetables, but it is worth while to stop and consider +what we gain by their use. + +We shall have to admit at the outset that if we have to spend money or +labor for them, fruits and vegetables are not the cheapest source of fuel +for the human machine. Some of them are cheaper fuel than butter, eggs, or +meat, but not as cheap as cereals, sugar, molasses, syrups, and some of +our cheapest fats. This is true of potatoes, parsnips, carrots, dried peas +and beans, and such fruits as bananas, prunes, raisins, dates, figs, and +possibly a few other dried fruits, but we cannot justify our investment in +most fruits and vegetables solely on the plea that they are "filling" in +the sense of being of high fuel value; on this ground lettuce, celery, +cabbage, tomatoes, lemons, rhubarb, cranberries, and many others would +find no place in our domestic economy. + +Remembering that man does not live by fuel alone, we may find ample +reasons for spending some of our food money upon things which at first +thought seem to give an inadequate return. There is an old adage, "An +apple a day keeps the doctor away," which if true means that the apple is +a real economy, a kind of health insurance, for an apple costs seldom over +five cents--often only one--and a doctor's visit may easily cost a hundred +times as much. There is a certain amount of truth in the saying, though +the apple does not have a monopoly of the supposed virtue. It is more +accurate, if less poetic, to say that an _assortment_ of fruits and +vegetables helps to keep us in good health. Before the days of modern +"cold pack" canning, mothers used to assemble their little home groups in +the spring and, in spite of sundry hidings under tables on the part of +reluctant Johnnies and Susies, dutifully portion out herb tea or sulphur +in molasses. Spring cleaning could never stop short of "cleansing the +blood!" And after a monotonous winter of salt pork and fried potatoes no +doubt heroic measures were necessary to make up for an ill-chosen diet. +Nowadays we recognize no such seasonal need. We carry our surplus of +fruits and vegetables over from summer to winter and profit not only in +the greater daily pleasure of our tables but in clearer skins, brighter +eyes, and less "spring fever." + +How do fruits and vegetables help to keep us well? In the first place, by +their wholesome effect upon the bowels. As a rule we associate regular +daily movements with health, but do not always recognize the part which +diet plays in securing them. If we eat little besides meat and potatoes, +bread, butter, and cake or pie, we are very likely to have constipation. +This is particularly true for those who work indoors or sit much of the +time. Now, fruits and vegetables have several properties which help to +make them laxative. Many have considerable woody fiber. In celery and +asparagus we find it in actual "strings"; in cabbage, spinach, lettuce, +and other stem or leaf vegetables it may not be so noticeable, but it is +certainly present and we should realize that it is useful. The skins of +fruit are of this nature and may often be eaten, as in case of prunes, +figs, apples, dried peaches and apricots. The outer coats of grains, which +serve the same purpose, are frequently removed by milling, but similar +coats of peas and beans are not so removed except in the case of dried +split peas. In the juices of fruits and vegetables we find a variety of +laxative substances. This explains why apple juice (sweet cider), orange +juice or diluted lemon juice may be a very desirable morning drink. The +effect is partly due to the acid but not wholly. Juices which are not acid +to the taste, as those of prunes, figs, onions, have laxative properties. +So from a great variety of fruits and vegetables, especially those which +are fibrous or acid or both, we may obtain the substitute for "pills" in +wholesome foods which are generally cheaper than drugs. + +No diet can be properly built without a suitable supply of mineral salts. +The free use of milk is our greatest safeguard against lack of any save +iron, but when milk is scarce and has to be saved as now for the babies of +the world, it is fortunate that we can make fruits and vegetables take its +place in part. Some of our very common vegetables are good sources of the +calcium (lime) and phosphorus so freely supplied in milk. Among these may +be taken as an example the carrot, which has not had due recognition in +many quarters and in some is even spoken of contemptuously as "cattle +food." Its cheapness comes from the fact that it is easy to grow and easy +to keep through the winter and should not blind us to its merits. A +good-sized carrot (weight one-fourth pound) will have only about half the +fuel value of a medium-sized potato, but nearly ten times as much calcium +as the potato and about one-third more phosphorus. While actual figures +show that other vegetables, especially parsnips, turnips, celery, +cauliflower, and lettuce, are richer in calcium than the carrot, its +cheapness and fuel value make it worthy of emphasis. Everyone who has a +garden should devote some space to this pretty and palatable vegetable. It +is perhaps at its best when steamed till soft without salting and then cut +up into a nicely seasoned white sauce; its sweetness will not then be +destroyed nor its salts lost in the cooking water. It is not only useful +as a hot vegetable, but in salads, in the form of a toothsome marmalade, +and as the foundation of a steamed pudding. For little children it is most +wholesome and they should make its acquaintance by the time they are a +year and a half old, in the form of a cream soup. A dish of carrots and +peas (one-half cup peas, one-fourth cup carrot cubes, one-half cup white +sauce) will have almost the same food values (for fuel, calcium, +phosphorus, and iron) as an equivalent serving of oatmeal, milk, and sugar +(three-fourths cup cooked oatmeal, one-half cup milk, one rounding +teaspoon sugar) and will add variety to the diet without costing a great +deal more unless one pays a fancy price for peas. + +Even when meat and eggs are not prohibitive in price, fruit and green +vegetables are an important source of iron in the diet. And when war +conditions make the free consumption of meat unpatriotic, it is reassuring +to think that we really can get along without meat very well if we know +how. Two ounces of lean beef will furnish no more iron than a quarter of a +cup of cooked spinach or half a cup of cooked string beans or dried beans, +or one-sixth of a cup of raisins, or half a dozen good-sized prunes. +Cabbage, peas, lettuce, dandelion greens, beet tops, turnip tops and other +"greens" are well worth including in our bill of fare for their iron +alone. By the time children are a year old we begin to introduce special +iron-bearing foods into their diet to supplement milk. Aside from egg +yolk, we give preference for this purpose to green vegetable juice or +pulp, especially from peas and spinach or a mixture of both. The +substantial character of dry beans is too well known to require comment, +but how many realize that they are a most valuable source of iron and +other mineral salts? The fact that they are not a "complete diet" in +themselves should not disturb anyone who realizes that all diets are built +from a variety of foods. We are hardly likely to use beans to the +exclusion of everything else except in dire necessity, and then what +better could we do than use freely a food which will go so far toward +sustaining life at so small a cost? + +There is a further significance for fruits and vegetables in their +contribution to the diet of the growth-promoting, health-protecting +vitamines. That the presence of fruits and vegetables in the diet is a +safeguard against scurvy is well known, though the full scientific +explanation is not yet ours. That the leaf vegetables (spinach, lettuce, +cabbage, and the like) contain both the vitamines which are essential to +growth in the young and to the maintenance of health in the adult seems +assured, and gives us further justification for emphasis on green +vegetables in the diet of little children, when properly +administered--i.e., always cooked, put through a fine sieve, and fed in +small quantities. + +Aside from being valuable for regulation of the bowels, for mineral salts, +and vitamines, to say nothing of more or less fuel value, fruits and +vegetables give zest to the diet. The pleasant acidity of many fruits, +their delicate aroma, their beautiful form and coloring, the ease of +preparing them for the table, are qualities for which we may legitimately +prize them, though we may not spend money for them until actual nutritive +requirements are met. Dr. Simon Patten, in his _New Basis for +Civilisation_, ably expresses the value of appetizers: "Tomatoes, the +hothouse delicacy of the Civil War time, are doing now what many a bloody +revolution failed to accomplish; they have relieved the monotony of the +salt pork and boiled potatoes upon the poor man's table. The clear acid +flavor of the canned vegetable lightens ugly heaviness and adds tonic +gratifications for the lack of which men have let each other's blood." + +As already remarked, those who have plenty of highly flavored meat are apt +to be satisfied by it or to demand stronger flavors (coffee, catsup, +pickles, and tobacco) than those found in fruits and vegetables. They are +also apt to spend so much money on meat that they have none left to buy +what seem to them unimportant items in the diet, and to have a much less +wholesome diet than they might have for the same money. Studies of +expenditures in many families show that a good rule to insure a well +balanced diet is to spend no more money for meat than one does for fruit +and vegetables. Also, it is well to remember that vegetables are usually +cheaper than fruits and that dried ones may largely take the place of +canned or fresh ones. For wholesome and economical living, have fruit of +some kind at least once a day and make the main dish of one meal a +vegetable dish whenever possible. Thick cream soups, souffles, creamed or +scalloped vegetables, are all substantial and appetizing. The way to learn +to like such foods is to keep trying. One may learn contentment with the +proverbial dinner of herbs more easily by realizing that one is building +valuable bricks into the house of diet; and in the present emergency one +may, by selection of fruits and vegetables of high energy value, save less +perishable foods for our soldiers and allies. The knowledge that a banana +is equivalent in calories to a large slice of bread or a small pat of +butter becomes tremendously significant; that an apple, an orange, four +prunes, four dates, or a cup of peas, may not only take the place of bread +but actually add something which the bread does not contain, means that we +may be the gainers from our own sacrifices, without embarrassment thereat. +We shall have reaped a speedy reward for doing our duty. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +FATS AND VITAMINES + + +In the days of the ancient Romans vegetable oils were prized for food and +butter was used for cosmetics. In America today we are asking what is to +become of us if we cannot have butter to eat! Such are the fashions in +food. "June butter" is one of our gastronomic traditions. The sample in +the restaurant may have none of the firm creamy texture and delicate +aromatic flavor of the product of the old spring house; but as long as it +is labeled butter we try to bring our sensations into line with our +imaginations. For the real butter flavor there is no more a substitute +than there is for the aroma of coffee. But these are matters of esthetic +pleasure rather than of nutrition. They depend largely upon habit. Whale +blubber and seal oil are as much appreciated in some quarters as butter is +by us. An American going inland from the Atlantic coast is often surprised +to find that olive oil, instead, of being served on every table, is +exceedingly disliked. + +For the sustenance of the body we must recognize that fat is fat, whatever +its flavor. A calorie from butter yields neither more nor less energy than +a calorie from lard or bacon, olive oil or cottonseed oil. The common food +fats are all very well digested if judiciously used--not in too large +quantities, nor over-heated in cooking, and not "cooked into" things too +much as in pastries, rich sauces, and fried foods. Whether we spread our +bread with butter or beef drippings amounts to the same thing in the long +run; the main point is which we are willing to eat. + +A change is rapidly coming over our food habits. The price of butter has +been soaring beyond our reach, and the market for "butterine," "nut +margarine," "oleomargarine," or whatever the substitute table fat may be +called, has expanded tremendously. It is excellent household economy to +buy milk and a butter substitute rather than cream or butter. In these +substitutes refined vegetable oils such as cottonseed, cocoanut, and +peanut, and oils derived from beef or lard are so combined or treated as +to produce the desired hardness, and churned with milk or milk and butter +to improve texture and flavor. Lard substitutes are similarly made from +one or more of these fats, but are harder in texture and no attempt is +made to give them a butter flavor by churning with milk. All the fats used +are wholesome and efficient sources of energy for the human machine. + +In the absence of butter some other form of fat is desirable in the diet, +because fat is so concentrated a food. There is a limit to the capacity of +the human stomach to hold food. People who live on a diet largely of rice, +which has almost no fat in its make-up, develop characteristically +distended abdomens, because they have to eat such a great quantity of food +to get fuel enough for their day's work. When people are for any reason +put on a milk diet for a considerable time it is customary to put +something into the milk to make it more concentrated, for otherwise they +would drink and drink and then hardly get fuel enough. To give a concrete +illustration--a man's energy requirement for a day may be met by from four +to five quarts of milk (unless he is doing very heavy manual labor), but +it would be much more practical to substitute a loaf of bread, which is +comparatively dry, for one quart of milk, and three ounces of fat (six +tablespoonfuls) for another quart of milk, making the total volume but +little over half what it would be if four quarts of milk were taken. For +people who are engaged in hard physical toil, fat is exceedingly important +for this purpose of gaining in concentration. "Fat is fuel for fighters," +and it is perfectly reasonable to ask those who are not doing much heavy +labor to eat other kinds of food and save fat for those who simply have to +have it to do their work well. In the ordinary mixed diet one can easily +dispense with an ounce of fat (two tablespoonfuls). Each tablespoonful is +equalled in energy by an apple, or a banana, a large egg, two half-inch +slices of bread about three inches square, four dates, four prunes--and it +is no great strain on one's capacity for food to substitute such items for +the fat. + +On account of its concentration, fat is good for transportation; and aside +from its energy value it gives the diet "staying" qualities. Other things +being equal, one feels hungry sooner after a meal without fat than after +one in which it is liberally supplied. People doing manual labor, and +especially out of doors, feel the pangs of hunger more than sedentary +folks and hence need more fat to keep them comfortable. No man can do his +best work when all the time thinking how hungry he is. It behooves us all +then, as good citizens, to recognize the greater need of our soldiers and +sailors and our hard-working laborers for as liberal allowances of fat as +we can make. At the same time, we cannot for our own best health dispense +with fat altogether. We may consider anything up to two ounces apiece a +day legitimate for our own maintenance of efficiency. + +In departing from food customs there is a natural timidity lest the new +food shall in some way be less healthful than the old. Recent scientific +researches have revealed a hitherto unsuspected property in butter, a +discovery which has aroused some concern as to whether we can safely +substitute other fats for it. Young animals fed on a diet of highly +purified food materials in which lard is the only kind of fat may seem +fairly well but do not grow normally, while those fed the same diet in +every respect except that the lard is replaced by butter grow as young +animals should and are more resistant to disease. Study of other food fats +shows that they may be divided into two groups, one with this growth +promoting property and one without it. In general, the vegetable oils do +not have it, while butter and beef oil do; on the other hand, lard does +not have it, while the oil from corn does. Careful analysis of the +situation has shown that a fat-soluble vitamine is present which can in +the laboratory be separated from the fat. This same vitamine is present in +a variety of food materials--in whole milk, in egg yolks, in leaves of +plants--but we have not studied it long enough to know just how much +spinach we can substitute for a tablespoonful of butter so far as the +vitamine is concerned. We must await further investigations. But we may +rest assured that with a fairly liberal amount of milk and some green +vegetables, possibly some beef fat, we need not fear any disastrous +consequences from the substitution of some other fat for butter. Where the +diet is limited and the entire quantity of fat is not very large, it seems +prudent to select oleomargarine made largely from beef oil and, where +circumstances permit its use without the sacrifice of any other dietary +essential, to use butter in the diet of growing children unless they get a +full quart of milk apiece a day. + +Changing our food customs is difficult because it means also changing our +cooking customs. But many dishes can be made with less fat than we are +accustomed to put in or with different kinds from those we have hitherto +preferred. Often the fat from frying is left in the pan to be washed out +and thrown away. If every cook could say to herself, "Every two drops of +fat make a calorie and every calorie counts in the world today," it might +seem more worth while to hold the pan a minute and drain out the fat for +further use. A thousand calories mean a day's life to a baby. It is always +more wholesome to cook foods so that they are not coated with fat, and one +may get brown products in a frying pan without more than a thin film of +fat to keep the food from sticking. It is well to remember in this +connection that the unsalted lard substitutes are more satisfactory than +the saltier fat foods, in which there may be a trace of milk. + +The thought that fat is fuel wherever we find it in food will stiffen our +resolution to take a little pains with the fats which we have been wont to +discard. Anyone can get from the Department of Agriculture suggestions for +the practical use of chicken, mutton, beef, and other kinds of meat fats. +The main points are to free them from flavor, by melting them with milk or +water, possibly using some special absorbent like potato or charcoal too, +and then mixing hard and soft together, just as the oleomargarine-makers +do, to get such a degree of hardness as suits one's purpose. All this +requires time and thought. Let no one dream that the patriotic duties of +the kitchen are trivial. Anything that is worth while costs something; +money, thought, labor--perhaps all three. To salvage kitchen fat may not +be economical in time and labor (though it generally is more so than one +might think), but there is more time and labor than food available today. +So it seems the "bit" of the housekeeper to set a standard for her family +as to the amount of fat she will purchase per week, which is at least +one-fourth lower than their ordinary consumption, and to depend upon +special conservation of what may have gone to waste hitherto for any +increase in this allowance. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +"SUGAR AND SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE" + + +"Do come and taste how nice the burnt pig eats!" So cried the miscreant +son of Hati when his attempt to rescue his father's live-stock from utter +destruction resulted (at least according to Lamb) in adding one more +delicacy to the table of civilized man. That the "burnt pig" commended +itself instantly to the taste of other men is attested by the recklessness +with which they ignited their own houses to secure the new sensation +again. + +Not all flavors make an immediate appeal. Many persons can mark the time +when they learned to like olives, or tomatoes, or tea. The taste for some +foods was acquired so early that there is no consciousness of any time +when they were not enjoyed, and the impression prevails that the liking +for such foods is instinctive. Sometimes that is the case, but quite as +often not. Children have to be taught by patient repetition to like most +of the common foods which make the staples of the diet, and likings thus +acquired are as strong as those which seem more natural. + +However taste be accounted for, we have to recognize the fact that food is +chosen for flavor more than for ultimate benefit. It is one thing to say +that oatmeal is more nutritious than bread and coffee; it is quite another +to induce a man to give up the latter for the former! And yet the +distinguishing characteristic of man is that he can subjugate his +immediate impulses for his future benefit, or find a course that will +harmonize the two--take coffee with his oatmeal for instance, or find some +way to flavor it, perhaps with sugar. + +Probably no one flavor is so universally enjoyed as sweetness. "Sweeter +than the honey in the honey comb" is an ancient symbol of appreciation. +When the sugar bowl is empty how many things lose zest! Tea, coffee, +cocoa, breakfast cereals, fruit, might still be acceptable, but cake, pie, +and ice cream are unthinkable without sweetness; the soda fountain, the +bakery, and the candy shop bear further testimony to our love of sweets. +Four million tons of sugar a year for the American people--eighty-five +pounds apiece, nearly a quarter of a pound apiece daily--this is no +inconsiderable amount of flavoring! + +But is not sugar good food? Most assuredly. Three lumps of sugar would +furnish the extra energy needed to walk a mile; a quarter of a pound +represents about one-sixth of a man's daily fuel requirement. But one +baked potato would furnish the same energy as the three lumps of sugar; a +quarter of a pound of cornstarch would supply the same fuel as the quarter +pound of sugar. Nutritionally starch and sugar are interchangeable, the +advantage as far as digestion is concerned being with the starch rather +than the sugar. And yet we put sugar on starch! So much for instinct being +a guide to scientific food combinations! + +The problem of doing without sugar is primarily a problem of flavor--a +problem of finding something else which is sweet. Hence we turn our +cornstarch into glucose (make corn syrup, for example) outside the body +instead of inside it, so that we can taste the sweetness as it goes down. +The main trouble with this kind of sugar is that it is not sweet enough to +satisfy us and we are apt to use too much, thus endangering our digestions +by sheer concentration of what would be, in smaller quantities, most +wholesome. Once more we see that nutrition is largely a question of _how +much_; how much glucose or other sugar our stomachs can stand we find out +by experience; few stomachs can stand when empty the quantity represented +by a lollipop, and yet we frequently see children allowed to suck these +between meals. The same amount of sugar diluted with water, as in a glass +of lemonade, would do less harm; it might be combined with flour in a +cooky with more impunity; better yet, it might be made a part of a whole +meal, taking it in several dishes (sauce, dessert, etc.), or, if we must +have it as candy, at the end of the meal. Used in this way, the advantages +of sugar as a food may be had with relatively little disadvantage. + +Honey, "the distilled sweetness of the flower," commands a price +commensurate with the exquisiteness of its production, but is not quite as +easy of digestion as some other forms of sugar. Because of its intense +sweetness it may be combined with advantage with less sweet syrups, such +as corn syrup. The cook estimates that by measure it will take one and a +half times as much corn syrup as cane sugar to get the customary effects +in sweet dishes. By using one part of honey to three of corn syrup a +sweeter product is obtained, which is free from several of the +disadvantages of honey in cookery. + +Maple syrup and sugar are not only prized for their sweetness, due to the +presence of ordinary cane sugar, but for the delicate "maple" flavor so +difficult to duplicate. Nutritionally a tablespoon of maple sugar is +equivalent in fuel value to about four-fifths of a tablespoon of cane +sugar, while equal volumes of cane molasses, corn syrup, and maple syrup +are interchangeable as fuel, though not of equal sweetening power. + +Molasses is a less one-sided food than cane sugar or corn syrup. The +latter furnish nothing but fuel, and if used too freely not only disturb +digestion but tend to crowd out foods which yield mineral salts. Molasses +is quite rich in calcium, one tablespoonful yielding as much as five +ounces of milk, and is for this reason a better sweet for growing children +than ordinary sugar or corn syrup when the amount of milk which they can +have is limited, or when fruits and vegetables are hard to get. Molasses +ginger snaps make, therefore, an excellent sweet for children, much better +than candy, but of course to be eaten only at meal time. + +The aim of good home cooking should be to please the family with what they +ought to eat. The chef in a big hotel may have to prove the superiority of +his art over that of a rival chef, and vie with him in novelty and +elaboration, but the home cooking may be ever so simple provided the +result is a happy, well-nourished family. A chocolate layer cake that +takes two hours out of a day is no more nourishing than the same materials +served as poached eggs, bread and butter, and a cup of chocolate. It is +worth while to train a family to enjoy the flavor of simply prepared +foods, and to realize that the food is the thing which counts and not the +way it is dressed up. On the other hand, if one has to use a few food +materials over and over, as one must in many places when the money that +can be spent for food is very little, it is by slight changes in their +form and flavor that one keeps them from palling on the appetite. If one +has to use beans every day, it is a good thing to know a dozen different +ways of preparing beans. One may have the plain bean flavor, properly +toned up by a suitable amount of salt; the added flavor of onions, of +tomatoes, of fat pork, of molasses, or a combination of two or three. One +may have plain oatmeal for breakfast (the flavor developed by thorough +cooking, at least three or four hours in a double boiler or over night in +a fireless cooker); oatmeal flavored with apples in a pudding for dinner; +or oatmeal flavored with onions and tomatoes in a soup for supper; the +same food but quite different impressions on the palate. + +Herbs and spices have from time immemorial given flavor to man's diet. +"Leeks and garlic," "anise and cumin," "salt and pepper," "curry and bean +cheese," are built into the very life of a people. The more variety of +natural foods we have the less dependent we are upon such things. Our +modern cooks, confronted in the present crisis with restrictions in the +number of foods which they may use, may find in bay leaves, nutmeg, +allspice, and all their kind, ways of making acceptable the cereals which +make a diet economical, the peas and beans which replace at least a part +of the meat, and dried fruits and vegetables which save transportation of +fresh or canned goods. + +Tea and coffee are both flavors and stimulants. They are used literally by +thousands to give flavor to bread or rice. Dependence on a single flavor +is apt to result in a desire to have it stronger and stronger, and hence +less and less wholesome. This is a good reason for some variety of flavor; +better tea one meal and coffee another than the same one all the time. Too +freely used, and made too strong, tea and coffee may have a bad effect +upon the nervous as well as the digestive system. They should never be +given to children. It is better for adults to get their flavor from +something without such effects. Because the combination of bread and +coffee tastes good, one may be deceived into thinking himself well +nourished on a diet consisting of little else. And yet this is a very +inadequate diet for anybody, and disastrous to the normal development of +children. One must be on guard, then, lest one's desire for flavor be +satisfied without the body's real needs being met. + +The wise cook saves her best flavors for the foods which would be least +acceptable without them and does not add them to foods which are good +enough by themselves. The latter course marks the insidious beginning of +luxury. "Once give your family luxuries and you are lost as far as +satisfying them economically is concerned," remarked a clever housewife. +"Even a rat will not taste bread when bacon is nigh," observed a sage +physiologist. The demand for flavor grows and grows with pampering, till +nothing but humming-birds' tongues and miniature geese floating in a sea +of aspic jelly will satisfy the palate of him who eats solely for +flavor--who never knows the sauce of hunger, or the deliciousness of a +plain crust of bread. We must be on guard, saying, like the little +daughter of a classical professor, "If Scylla doesn't get me Charybdis +will." Flavor we must have, but not too much, not too many kinds at once, +and not applied indiscriminately to foods which need them and foods which +do not. The wise cook uses her arts to secure the proper nourishment of +the family and not for her fame as "a good cook." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +ON BEING ECONOMICAL AND PATRIOTIC AT THE SAME TIME + + +Who does not sigh for the fairy table that comes at the pressing of a +button? It is invariably laden with the most tempting viands, satisfies +beyond words, and disappears when the meal is over, leaving behind no +problem of leftovers or planning for the next meal! No money, no work, no +thought, only sheer enjoyment. Alas, how different is the world of fact! +Even if we have plenty of money we cannot escape from the thought of food +today. There is imperative need for saving of food materials; at best +there will not be enough to go around, and all the world, ourselves +included, will suffer in proportion as we neglect the duty of food +conservation. To be economical in the use of food materials according to +the program of the Food Administration may, probably will, demand the +spending of more money, time, and thought upon food. If we have the money +and time to spend, well and good; but if we have not, how shall we do our +share in sending more "wheat, meat, sugar and fats to our soldiers, +sailors and allies"? + +Thousands of people had to practice strict economy before the war began. +They have no more money than they had then and the cost of food has +increased. Certainly the first duty of everyone is to secure sufficient +nourishment to avoid the undermining of health and strength which is sure +to follow inadequate food. But we must all remember that it is possible to +make a great many changes in diet without altering food value, and that +there are few diets which cannot be so rearranged as to give a better +nutritive return on the money spent than is usually secured by our +haphazard methods of planning meals. Saving of waste is commendable and +will go a long way, but this is a kind of passive service; loyal citizens +ought to be active participants in the food conservation movement, which +is a movement to distribute food in the way which shall promote the +efficiency of our allies and ourselves in this world upheaval. To do this +without increasing the cost of one's diet requires a careful study of the +situation. No one can give precise rules as to how it shall be done, but +perhaps a few suggestions as to the underlying principles will help in +determining a dietary plan which shall be economical and still in line +with the general policy. + +The same nutritive essentials must be supplied whether the cost of the +diet be much or little. A moderately active man needs some 3,000 calories +per day whether his activity be playing golf or working on a farm; whether +his board bill be $3.00 a day or $3.00 a week. In both cases there must be +suitable kinds and amounts of protein-bearing food, of other "building +materials," and those substances which directly or indirectly affect the +smooth running of the body machinery; nevertheless, these two diets, +closely alike in nutritive value, may be very dissimilar in their +superficial appearance. For instance, all the nutritive requirements may +be met in a ration composed of three food materials, as milk, whole wheat +bread, and apples; on the other hand, by one composed of canvas-back duck, +truffles, lettuce, celery, cranberries, white bread and butter, cream, +coffee, and perhaps a dozen other items. We love all the various +sensations that come from the mingling in a meal of food hot and cold, +moist and dry, crisp and soft, sweet and sour, exhibiting the artistic +touch as well as the homelier virtues; it is the sacrifice of pleasure of +the esthetic sort that food economy and to some extent food conservation +entail. + +The first step in food economy (aside from saving of waste) is to +emphasize the use of cereal foods. As much as one-fourth the food money +may be invested in grain products without nutritive disadvantage. But this +is not the last word on the subject, since cereal foods, while cheap, +differ among themselves in cost and somewhat in nutritive value. It is +possible to confine one's choice to some which contribute little besides +fuel to the diet, such as rice and white flour, or to include those which +are rich in other essentials, such as oatmeal. It is difficult to express +briefly this difference in foods in any concrete fashion, but recently a +method of grading or "scoring" foods has been introduced which may help to +make clearer the relationship between nutritive value and general economy. + +We cannot live exclusively upon foods which furnish nothing but fuel, +though fuel is the largest item in the diet and one which in an effort to +economize is apt to fall short; hence a food which furnishes nothing but +fuel will not have as high a "score" as a food which will at the same time +supply certain amounts of other essentials, such as protein, calcium +(lime), iron, and the like. By giving definite values to each of the +dietary essentials taken into consideration and comparing the yield of +these from different foods, we may have such a score as follows:[1] + + Grain Score value + products per pound + + White flour 1,257 + Graham flour 2,150 + Rye flour 1,459 + White bread 1,060 + Graham bread 1,525 + Cornmeal 1,360 + Oatmeal 2,465 + Cream of wheat 1,370 + Hominy 1,147 + Corn flakes 1,090 + + [1] For the method of calculation and further data see "The + Adequacy and Economy of Some City Dietaries" by H.C. Sherman + and L.H. Gillett, published by The New York Association for + Improving the Condition of the Poor, 105 East Twenty-second + Street, New York City, from which these figures are taken. + +By comparing the score with the price per pound we can easily see which +contributes most to the diet as a whole for the money expended. Thus, if +hominy and oatmeal cost the same, the oatmeal is more than twice as cheap +because we not only get a little more fuel from it but we also get +protein, calcium, iron, and phosphorus in considerably larger amounts; +that is, we shall need less of other foods with oatmeal than we shall with +hominy. This does not mean that hominy is not an excellent and a cheap +food, but it does mean that when the strictest economy must be practiced +it pays to buy oatmeal. The task of the housewife is to find out how much +she can make acceptable to her family; how much she can serve as breakfast +food, how much in muffins and bread, how much in soups and puddings. This +economy is strictly in harmony with the principles of food +conservation--saving of wheat, so hard to do without entirely, so easy to +dispense with in part. + +Cornmeal gives as good a nutritive return per pound as cream of wheat, so +that as long as the price of cornmeal is not higher than that of the wheat +product it is both good economy and good patriotism to use it as far as +one can. And, even if cornmeal should be dearer than wheat, one can save +money by increasing the proportion of cereals in the diet so as to be able +to be patriotic without increasing the food bill. + +A second measure which generally makes for food economy is to emphasize +the use of dried fruits and vegetables. The score of some of these foods +almost speaks for itself: + + Dried fruits Score value + and vegetables per pound + + Beans 3,350 + Peas 2,960 + Apples 955 + Dates 1,240 + Figs 1,782 + Prunes 1,135 + Raisins 1,550 + + Fresh fruits + and vegetables + + Beans 472 + Peas 475 + Apples 156 + Bananas 236 + Oranges 228 + Peaches 138 + Pears 228 + + +From the foregoing it is evident that, unless the cost of a pound of fresh +apples is less than one-fifth that of dried ones, the dried will be +cheaper; that if dates and raisins cost the same per pound they are +equally economical to buy. It may be noted, too, that the return on a +pound of dried fruit may be quite as good in its way as the return on a +pound of a grain product, but they will be equally cheap only when they +cost the same per pound in the market. Here, again, there is no +incompatibility between economy and conservation of special foods. Even in +the case of beans is this true, for, while certain kinds are wanted for +the army and navy, there are dozens of kinds of beans; one may count it as +part of one's service to find out where these can be obtained, how they +are best cooked and served. Soy beans commend themselves for their +nutritive value, but how many American housewives have made them a part of +their food program? How many have tried to buy them or asked their dealers +to secure them? + +A third step in the program of economy is the reduction of the amount of +meat consumed. In many American families at least one-third the food money +is spent for meat. That there are adequate substitutes which may be used +to reduce the amount of meat bought has been already shown. Saving of meat +is one of the most important planks in the food conservation program; so +here again there is no inevitable conflict between conservation and +economy. Some meat is desirable for flavor if it can possibly be afforded, +but no economically inclined person should set aside more than one-fourth +to one-fifth of the food money for it. How much one will get depends upon +the kind and cut selected. There is not so much difference in the +nutritive value as there is in the cost, as the following examples of +"meat scores" will show: + + Meat Score value + and fish per pound + + Beef, lean round 1,664 + Beef, medium fat rump 1,221 + Beef, porterhouse steak 1,609 + Veal, lean leg 1,539 + Lamb, medium fat leg 1,320 + Fowl 1,453 + Codfish, salt 1,710 + Codfish, fresh[2] 519 + Salmon, canned 1,074 + + [2] The low score of fresh cod is due chiefly to the absence + of fat and the presence of water. + +The great value of milk in the diet has already been discussed. The +"score" of milk is about the same as that for sugar (milk, 761; sugar, +725); hence, if sugar is ten cents a pound and milk eighteen-cents a quart +(about nine cents per pound), milk is cheaper than sugar. Yet there are +people cutting down their milk supply when the cost is only thirteen or +fourteen cents per quart on the ground that milk is too expensive! The +economical housewife should have no compunctions in spending from +one-fifth to one-fourth of her food money for this almost indispensable +food. Whether the free use of milk will be good food conservation as well +as good economy depends upon the supply. If there is not enough to go +around, babies and the poor should have the first claim upon it and the +rest of the world should try to get along with something less economical. + +A pound of eggs (eight or nine eggs) gives about the same nutritive return +as a pound of medium fat beef, but to be as cheap as beef at thirty cents +a pound, eggs must not cost over forty-five cents a dozen. Eggs must be +counted among the expensive foods, to be used very sparingly indeed in the +economical diet. Nevertheless the use of eggs as a means of saving meat is +a rational food conservation movement, to be encouraged where means +permit. + +The saving of sugar, while a necessary conservation measure, is contrary +to general food economy, since sugar is a comparatively cheap fuel food +and has the great additional value of popularity. Sugar substitutes are +not all as cheap as sugar by any means, but molasses, on account of its +large amount of mineral salts, especially of calcium, has a score value of +2,315 as against 725 for granulated sugar, and may be regarded with favor +by those both economically and patriotically inclined. + +In the case of fats, practical economy consists in paying for fuel value +and not for flavor. The score values for butter, lard, olive oil, and +cottonseed oil are about the same. The cheapest fat is the one whose face +value per pound (or market cost) is the lowest. Fats are not as cheap as +milk and cereals if they cost over ten cents per pound. The best way to +economize is by saving the fat bought with meat, using other fats without +much flavor, and cutting the total fat in the diet to a very small amount, +not over two ounces per person per day. This is also good food +conservation, since fats are almost invaluable in rationing an army, and +those with decidedly agreeable flavor are needed to make a limited diet +palatable. + +No program either of economy or food conservation can cater to individual +likes and dislikes in the same way that an unrestricted choice of food +can. If one does not like cereals it is hard to consume them just to save +money, especially to the extent of ten to fifteen ounces of grain products +in a day. Yet one might as well recognize that in this direction the +lowering of the cost of the diet inevitably lies. If one does not like +corn, it is hard to substitute corn bread for wheat bread. But one might +as well open one's mind to the fact that the only way to put off the day +when there will be no white bread to eat is to begin eating cornmeal now. +Most of us want to eat our cake and keep it too--to enjoy our food and not +pay for our pleasure; to do our duty towards our country and not feel any +personal inconvenience. But the magic table of the fairy tale is not for a +nation at war; food is not going to come at the pressing of a button +during this conflict. If we are to escape bankruptcy and win the war we +must eat to be nourished and not to be entertained. + + + + +APPENDIX + +SOME WAR TIME RECIPES + + +The following recipes illustrate some of the practical applications of the +principles discussed in the foregoing pages. They have been selected from +various publications, a list of which is given below. The numbers +following the titles of the recipes correspond with the numbers of the +publications in this list. + +1. Canned Salmon: Cheaper than Meats and Why, U.S. Department of Commerce, +Bureau of Fisheries, Economic Circular No. 11 + +2. Cheese and its Economical Use in the Home, U.S. Department of +Agriculture, Farmers' Bulletin No. 487 + +3. Economical Diet and Cookery in Time of Emergency, Teachers College, +Columbia University, Technical Education Bulletin No. 30 4. Food, Bulletin +of the Life Extension Institute, 25 West 45th Street, New York City + +5. Honey and its Uses in the Home, U. S. Department of Agriculture, +Farmers' Bulletin No. 653 + +6. How to Select Food: Foods Rich in Protein, U.S. Department of +Agriculture, Farmers' Bulletin No. 824 + +7. Meat Substitutes, Connecticut Agricultural College, Emergency Food +Series, No. 10 + +8. Ninety Tested, Palatable and Economic Recipes, Teachers College, +Columbia University, Technical Educational Bulletin No. 34 + +9. Recipes of New York City Food Aid Committee, 280 Madison Avenue, New +York City + +10. Recipes in The Farmer's Wife, St. Paul, Minnesota, September, 1917 + +11. Some Sugar Saving Sweets for Every Day, Teachers College, Columbia +University, Teachers College Record, November, 1917 + +12. War Economy in Food, Bulletin of the United States Food Administration + +13. Waste of Meat in the Home, Cornell Reading Course for the Farm Home, +Lesson 109 + + + + +BREAD AND MUFFINS + + + +Corn Meal and Wheat Bread (9) + + Corn meal, 1 cup + Wheat flour, 2 cups + Fat, 1 tablespoon + Corn syrup, 1 tablespoon + Salt, 1-1/2 teaspoons + Cold water, 1-1/4 cups + Lukewarm water, 1/4 cup + Yeast, 1 cake + +Pour cold water gradually over corn meal and salt. Cook over water for 20 +minutes. Add fat and syrup. Allow to cool to room temperature. Add yeast +which has been softened in the lukewarm water. Add flour gradually, +stirring or kneading thoroughly after each addition of flour. Knead +lightly for 10 or 15 minutes. Shape into a loaf. Let rise until double in +bulk. Bake in a moderate oven (360-380°) for about an hour. (The amount of +corn meal may be reduced if one desires a loaf with the characteristics of +wheat bread.) + + + +Corn Meal and Rye Bread (9) + + Lukewarm water, 2 cups + Yeast, 1 cake + Salt, 1/2 tablespoon + Molasses, 1/2 cup + Rye flour, 1 cup + Corn meal, 1 cup + Flour, 3 cups + +Soften yeast cake in water, add remaining ingredients, and mix thoroughly. +Let rise, shape, let rise again and bake. + + + +Sour Milk Corn Bread (8) + + Corn meal, 1 pint + Soda, 3/4 teaspoon + Baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon + Sour milk, 1 pint + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + Egg, 1 + Lard (melted), 1 1/2 tablespoons + +Slightly beat the egg, add milk, salt, and soda. Stir in the meal. Beat +well. Add melted lard and baking powder. Bake in hot greased pan. Cut in +squares and serve. Do not have batter too stiff. + + + +Eggless Corn Muffins (8) + + Corn meal, 1 cup + Pastry flour (sifted), 1/2 cup + Sugar, 1/4 cup + Melted butter, 2 tablespoons + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Baking powder, 2 teaspoons + Milk, 1 cup + +Mix dry ingredients and add milk and melted butter. Put in greased muffin +pan and bake 30 minutes in a moderate oven. + + + +Oat Bread (4) + + Boiling water, 2 cups + Salt, 1/2 tablespoon + 1/2 yeast cake, dissolved in 1/2 cup lukewarm water + Rolled oats (dry), 1 cup + Molasses, 1/2 cup + Fat, 1 tablespoon + Flour, 4-1/2 cups + +Add boiling water to the rolled oats, stir well and let stand for one +hour. Add molasses, salt, fat, dissolved yeast cake, and flour; let the +dough rise to double its bulk, beat well, and turn into greased bread +pans, let rise the second time, and bake about one hour in a moderate +oven. + + + +Oatmeal Muffins (8) + + Cooked oatmeal, 1 cup + Flour, 1-1/2 cups + Sugar, 2 tablespoons + Baking powder, 4 teaspoons + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + Milk, 1/2 cup + Egg, 1 + Melted butterine, 2 tablespoons + +Mix and sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the egg well +beaten and one-half the milk. Mix the remainder of the milk with the +cereal, and beat in thoroughly. Then add the butter. Bake in buttered +muffin or gem tins about 30 minutes in a moderate oven. + + + +War Time Boston Brown Bread + + Rye meal, 1 cup + Corn meal, 1 cup + Finely ground oatmeal, 1 cup + Milk, 1-1/2 cups + Soda, 3/4 teaspoon + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Molasses, 1 cup + Baking powder, 2 teaspoons + +Mix and sift dry ingredients, add molasses and milk, stir until well +mixed, turn into a well-greased mold, and steam three and one-half hours. +The cover should be greased before being placed on mold. The mold should +never be filled more than two-thirds full. A one-pound baking powder box +makes the most attractive shaped loaf for steaming; place mold on a trivet +in kettle containing boiling water, allowing water to come half-way up +around mold; cover closely and steam, adding as needed more boiling water. +One cup chopped peanuts and 1 cup of cut dates may be added. + + + +Rice Bread (10) + + Milk, 1/2 cup + Sugar, 6 tablespoons + Fat, 4 tablespoons + Salt, 1-1/2 teaspoons + Compressed yeast, 1/2 cake, softened in 1/4 cup liquid + Boiled rice, 7 cups + Flour, 8 cups + +This proportion makes two loaves of bread. + +Scald the milk with sugar, salt, and fat. Let cool until lukewarm and pour +over the boiled rice. Add yeast which has been softened in one-quarter +cupful warm water. Stir in flour and knead. Let rise until double its +bulk. Knead again and put into pans. Let rise until light and bake 50 +minutes to one hour in a moderate oven. + +_The rice should be boiled in a large quantity of boiling water_, in +order to insure a dry rice. At least eight or ten times as much water as +rice should be used. + + + +Eggless Rye Muffins (8) + + Rye flour, 2 cups + Baking powder, 4 teaspoons + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + Sugar, 4 teaspoons + Milk, 1 cup + Melted butter or other fat, 1 tablespoon + +Mix and sift the dry ingredients; add the milk and melted fat. Mix +quickly, do not beat. Bake in greased muffin pans 20 minutes in a hot +oven. + + + +Rye Corn Meal Muffins (9) + + Corn meal, 1/2 cup + Rye flour, 1 cup + Baking powder, 3 teaspoons + Sugar, 2 tablespoons + Melted butter, 1 tablespoon + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Milk, 1/4 cup + Egg, 1 + +Mix and sift dry ingredients, beat egg, add to it milk and molasses, then +stir liquid mixture into dry ingredients. Do not beat. Place in +well-greased muffin tins and bake in moderate oven 25 to 30 minutes. + + + +Rye Rolls (9) + + Milk, 1 cup + Water, 1 cup + Fat, 3 tablespoons + Sugar, 2 teaspoons + Salt, 2 teaspoons + Yeast cakes, 2 + Water, 6 tablespoons + Rye flour, 4 cups + White flour, 4 cups + +Scald the milk with the salt, sugar, and fat. Soften the yeast in the six +tablespoonfuls of water. + +Cool the milk by adding the rest of the water cold, stir in the yeast and +flour, and knead. Let rise until double in bulk. Knead again and shape +into rolls. Let rise until very light and bake. + + + + +CAKE AND COOKIES + + + +Apple Sauce Cake (4) + + Sugar, 1 cup + Butter, 2 tablespoons + Apple sauce, 1 cup + Flour, 2 cups + Raisins, 2/3 cup + Soda, 1 teaspoon + Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon + Cloves, 1/2 teaspoon + Salt, 1/4 teaspoon + Nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon + +Sift together the soda, spices, salt, and flour. Cream the butter, add +sugar, apple sauce, dry ingredients, and seeded raisins. Bake in a +moderate oven. + + + +Buckwheat Cookies (8) + + Butterine, 1/2 cup + Sugar, 1 cup + Eggs, 2 + Clove, 1/2 teaspoon + Buckwheat, 1 3/4 cups + Salt, 1/4 teaspoon + Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon + +Beat the eggs, add the sugar and melted butter, and beat until thoroughly +mixed. Sift the buckwheat, spices, and salt together and add very slowly. +Mix well; roll on a floured board one-eighth to one-sixteenth inch thick. +Cut the cookies and bake on a greased baking sheet in a moderate oven +about 10 minutes. + + + +Honey Bran Cookies (5) + + Bran, 3 cups + Sugar, 1/2 cup + Soda, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon + Cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon + Ginger, 1/4 teaspoon + Honey, 1/2 cup + Milk, 1/2 cup + Melted butter, 1/2 cup + + +Soft Honey Cake (5) + + Butter, 1/2 cup + Honey, 1 cup + Egg, 1 + Sour milk, 1/2 cup + Soda, 1 teaspoon + Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon + Ginger, 1/2 teaspoon + Flour, 4 cups + +Rub the butter and honey together; add the egg well beaten, then the sour +milk and the flour sifted with the soda and spices. Bake in a shallow pan. + + + +Molasses Cakes (4) + + Sugar, 1/2 cup + Fat, 1/2 cup + Molasses, 1 cup + Ginger, 1 teaspoon + Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon + Egg, 1 + Flour, 2 1/2 cups + Soda, 2 teaspoons + Hot water, 1 cup + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + +Sift together the salt, sugar, flour, soda, and spices. Melt butter in hot +water, add molasses, egg well beaten, and dry ingredients. Mix well. Bake +in small cup cake tins in a moderate oven for about 25 minutes. + + + +Molasses Cookies (11) + + Flour, 2-3/4 cups + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Soda, 1 teaspoon + Ginger, 1 tablespoon + Molasses, 1 cup + Hot water, 1 tablespoon + Hardened vegetable fat, 1/4 cup + +Sift together the flour, salt, soda, and ginger. Melt fat; add hot water +and molasses; stir this liquid gradually into the dry ingredients. Chill. +Roll on floured board to one-eighth inch thickness. Cut. Bake about 10 +minutes in a moderate oven (360-380° F.). + + + +Nut Molasses Bars (9) + + Oleomargarine, 1/4 cup + Hardened vegetable fat, 1/4 cup + Boiling water, 1/4 cup + Brown sugar, 1/2 cup + Molasses, 1/2 cup + Soda, 1 teaspoon + Flour, 3-2/3 cups + Ginger, 1/3 teaspoon + Cloves, 1/8 teaspoon + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Cocoanut, 1/2 cup + English walnuts, 1/2 cup + +Pour boiling water over fat; add sugar and molasses; add flour, soda, +spices, and salt sifted together. Chill. Roll one-eighth inch thick. Cut +in strips about three and a half by one inch. Sprinkle with cocoanut and +English walnuts cut in small pieces. + +Bake about 10 minutes in a moderate oven. + + + +Oatmeal Cookies (4) + + Egg, 1 + Sugar, 1/4 cup + Milk, 1/2 cup + Water, 1/4 cup + Flour, 2 cups + Fine oatmeal, 1/2 cup + Baking powder, 2 teaspoons + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Raisins, 1 cup + Melted fat, 5 tablespoons + +Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the oatmeal. Beat +the egg add sugar, water, and milk, dry ingredients mixed together, +raisins, and melted fat. Drop from spoon on greased baking sheet and bake +in moderate oven. + + + +Oatmeal Macaroons (12) + + Fat, 1 tablespoon + Corn syrup, 3/8 cup + Sugar, 2 tablespoons + Egg, 1 + Almond extract if desired, 2 teaspoons + Oatmeal, 1 1/2 cups + Salt, 1/4 teaspoon + Baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon + Flour, 1-1/2 tablespoons + +Combine the melted fat and sugar and syrup, add the beaten egg and stir in +the other ingredients. Drop from a teaspoon on greased baking sheets or +pans and bake in a moderate oven about 15 minutes. + + + +Potato Drop Cookies (13) + + Hot mashed potatoes, 1-1/2 cups + Sugar, 1-1/4 cups + Beef or mutton fat, 1 cup + Flour, 1-3/4 cups + Baking powder, 2 teaspoons + Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon + Cloves, 1/2 teaspoon + Nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon + Raisins, chopped, 1/2 cup + Nuts, chopped, 1/4 cup + +Combine the ingredients in the order given and drop the mixture by +spoonfuls on a slightly greased tin. Bake the cookies in a moderate oven. + + + +Spice Cake (9) + + Hardened vegetable fat, 3-1/2 tablespoons + Sugar, 1/4 cup + Egg, 1 + Corn syrup, 1/4 cup + Milk, 1/4 cup + Flour, 1 cup (plus 1-1/2 tablespoons) + Baking powder, 1-1/4 teaspoons + Chopped citron, 2 tablespoons + Raisins, cut in half, 1/2 cup + Cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon + Clove, 1/4 teaspoon + Nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon + +Cream fat; add sugar gradually, syrup, egg well beaten; mix and sift dry +ingredients; add alternately with milk to first mixture. Add raisins +(which have been rolled in a little of the flour), mixing them through the +cake thoroughly. + +Bake about 30 minutes in a moderate oven (about 380° F.). + + + + +JAMS AND SANDWICH FILLINGS + + + +Banana and Nut Paste for Sandwiches (11) + + Banana, 1 + Shelled peanuts, 1/4 cup + +Mix the banana with the shelled peanuts, which have been crushed. Salt to +taste. Use as a filling for sandwiches. + + + +Carrot Marmalade (3) + + Carrots, 3 pounds + Sugar, 3 pounds + Lemon, 1 (juice and grated rind) + Oranges, 2 (juice and grated rind) + +Wash, scrape, and steam carrots until soft; chop fine and mix with fruit +and sugar. Cook gently one hour. + + + +Date and Cranberry Marmalade (3) + + Cranberries, 1 quart + Dates, stoned, 1 pound + Water, 1 pint + Brown sugar, 2 cups + +Simmer together for 20 minutes cranberries, dates, and water; put through +a sieve; add sugar and cook 15 minutes longer. + + + +Dried Apricot Conserve (11) + + Dried apricots, 1/2 pound (1-2/3 cups) + Cold water, 2 cups + Raisins, 1 cup + Juice of 1 lemon + Whole orange, 1 + Nuts, 1/2 cup + Corn syrup (light), 1 cup + +Soak apricots over night in cold water. When soaked add raisins, lemon +juice, orange sliced very thin, with slices cut in small pieces, and corn +syrup. Bring to boiling point and simmer for about one and one-quarter +hours. Add nuts 15 minutes before taking from fire. + + + +Fruit and Peanut Butter (for Sandwiches) (11) + + Dates, 1/4 cup + Figs, 1/4 cup + Peanut butter, 1/2 cup + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + Lemon juice, 1-1/2 tablespoons + Raisins, 1/4 cup + Corn syrup (light), 2 tablespoons + +Wash figs, raisins, and dates, and put through food chopper. Add salt, +peanut butter, lemon juice, and corn syrup, and mix well. + + + +Plum Conserve (without sugar) (11) + + + Pitted plums, 1 pound (2 dozen plums) + Raisins, 1/3 pound + Cold water, 1/2 cup + Walnuts, 1/8 pound (1/4 cup) + Oranges, 2 + Corn syrup, 1/3 cup + +Wash and cut plums in pieces: add chopped raisins, orange pulp and peel, +cut very fine; corn syrup and water; boil until it is of the consistency +of marmalade (about one and one-half hours of slow cooking). Add walnuts +five minutes before removing from fire. + + + + +SUBSTANTIAL HOT DISHES + + + +Baked Barley (4) + + Barley, 1/2 cup + Boiling water, 3 cups + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + Left over gravy, 3/4 cup + +Soak barley over night. Drain. Cook in boiling salted water until tender. +Drain. Add left over gravy and bake for 20 minutes in a moderate oven. If +one has a meat bone, or left over bits of meat, these may be boiled with +the barley to give it flavor. + + + +Beef and Bean Stew (6) + + Beef, lower round, 1 pound + Red kidney beans, 1 cup + Onion, 1 + Canned tomatoes, 1 cup, or 2 or 3 fresh tomatoes + Salt pork, 2 ounces + +Wash the beans and soak them over night. Cut the pork into small pieces +and try out the fat. Cut the beef into small pieces and brown it in the +pork fat, then add the vegetables with water enough to cover. Cook just +below the boiling point for about three hours. + + + +Cheese Fondue (2) + + Milk (hot), 1-1/3 cups + Bread crumbs, 1-1/3 cups + Butter, 1 tablespoon + Eggs, 4 + Cheese, 1/3 pound (1-1/3 cups grated or 1 cup cut in pieces) + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + +Mix the water, bread crumbs, salt, and cheese; add the yolks thoroughly +beaten; into this mixture cut and fold the whites of eggs beaten until +stiff. Pour into a buttered dish and cook 30 minutes in a moderate oven. +Serve at once. + + + +Corned Beef Hash with Vegetables (4) + + Corned beef (cold, left over), 1-1/2 cups + Dice potatoes (cooked), 2-1/4 cups + Turnips (cooked), 1 cup + Onion, chopped fine, 1 small + Carrots (cooked), 1/2 cup + Water, 3/4 cup + Fat, 3 tablespoons + +Cut the meat into small pieces. Add cooked vegetables cut into small +cubes, onion and water. Put fat into hot frying pan, add hash and cook for +about 20 minutes, allowing the hash to brown. Other left over meat may be +added to corned beef, or used instead of corned beef. + + + +Corn Meal Scrapple (3) + + Shin of beef, 2 pounds + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Onion, 1 medium + Pepper, 1/8 teaspoon + Cold water, 2 quarts + Corn meal, 1 cup + +Cook onion thinly sliced in beef marrow or suet. Add to water with meat +and bone and cook until meat is tender. Let cool, skim off fat, and remove +bone. To liquid remaining, add enough water to make one quart. Add corn +meal and salt and cook one hour. Turn into a mold, cool, cut in slices, +and fry in pork fat until brown. Serve with or without gravy. + + + +Corn Chowder (4) + + Corn, 1/4 can + Salt pork, 1-1/2 inch cube + Potato cut in slices, 1 medium + Milk, 2 cups + Boiling water, 1-1/2 cups + Butter, 2 tablespoons + Sliced onion, 1/8 + Sugar, 1/4 teaspoon + Salt and pepper + +Cut the pork into small pieces and try it out. Add the onion and cook for +about five minutes. Strain the fat into a stew pan. Cook the potatoes for +about five minutes in boiling salted water. Drain, and add the potatoes to +the fat. Add the boiling water and cook until the potatoes are soft. Then +add corn and milk and heat to the boiling point. Add the salt, pepper, +sugar, and butter. Serve immediately after adding butter. + + + +Cottage Cheese and Nut Loaf (12) + + Cottage cheese, 1 cup + Nut meats (use those locally grown), 1 cup + Stale bread crumbs, 1 cup + Juice of 1/2 lemon + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Pepper, 1/4 teaspoon + Chopped onion, 2 tablespoons + Oleomargarine, meat drippings or vegetable oils, 1 tablespoon + +Mix the cheese, ground nuts, crumbs, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cook +the onion in the fat and a little water until tender. Add to the first +mixture the onion and sufficient water or meat stock to moisten. Mix well, +pour into a baking dish, and brown in the oven. + + + +Dried Fish Chowder (7) + + Salt fish, 1/2 pound + Potatoes, cut in small pieces, 4 cups + Salt pork, 2 ounces + Small onion, chopped, 1 + Skim milk, 4 cups + Crackers, 4 ounces + +Salt codfish, smoked halibut, or other dried fish may be used in this +chowder. Pick over and shred the fish, holding it under lukewarm water. +Let it soak while the other ingredients of the dish are being prepared. +Cut the pork into small pieces and fry it with the onion until both are a +delicate brown; add the potatoes, cover with water, and cook until the +potatoes are soft. Add the milk and fish and reheat. Salt, if necessary. +It is well to allow the crackers to soak in the milk while the potatoes +are being cooked, then remove them, and finally add to the chowder just +before serving. + + + +Gevech (Roumanian Recipe) (9) + + Shredded cabbage, 1-1/4 cups + Chopped onion, 1/4 cup + Rice, 1/4 cup + Diced potatoes, 3/4 cup + 1/2 green pepper cut into strips + Fish, 3/4 pound + Canned tomato, 3/4 cup + Water, 3 tablespoons + Salt, 3/4 teaspoon + Paprika, 1/4 teaspoon + Pepper, 1/8 teaspoon + +Parboil cabbage, onion, rice, potatoes, and green pepper together in +salted water for 20 minutes. Drain. Clean fish, cut into small pieces, and +mix with parboiled vegetables, canned tomatoes, water, and seasonings. +Bake in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes. Baste occasionally while +cooking. Serve with a garnish of sliced lemon. + + + +Kidney Bean Stew (3) + + Kidney beans, 1 cup + Onion, 1 small + Rice, 2 tablespoons + Canned tomatoes, 2 cups + Fat or drippings, 2 tablespoons + Flour, 2 tablespoons + Salt and pepper to taste + +Soak beans over night in cold water to cover. In the morning place beans +over fire, adding water to cover if necessary. Add onion, rice and +tomatoes and cook slowly until beans are soft. If too thick, add water. +Mix flour and fat, and use to thicken stew. + + + +Baked Oatmeal with Cheese (9) + + Cooked oatmeal, 4 cups + Grated cheese, 1 cup + Salt and pepper + Soft bread crumbs, 1/4 cup + Fat, 1 teaspoon + +Put into an oiled baking dish a layer of left over oatmeal, then a +sprinkling of grated cheese, pepper and salt, another layer of oatmeal, +then cheese and seasonings; continue until the dish is full. Melt the fat +and mix with this the bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the dish. +Bake in a moderate oven until the crumbs are golden brown. + + + +Green Pea Loaf with White Sauce (9) + + Dried green peas, 1 cup + Cold water, 4 cups + Boiling water, 2 quarts + Soft, stale bread crumbs, 1-1/2 cups + Milk, 1-1/2 cups + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Pepper, 1/8 teaspoon + Paprika, 1/2 teaspoon + Grated onion, 1/2 teaspoon + Egg, 1 + Fat, 3 tablespoons + +Soak peas in cold water over night. Cook in boiling water until soft. Rub +through a sieve. To one cup of this pea pulp add bread crumbs, milk, +seasoning, egg (slightly beaten), and melted fat. Turn mixture into a +small, oiled bread pan. Set pan into a second pan, containing water. Bake +mixture 40 minutes or until firm. Remove loaf from pan. Serve with white +sauce. One-half cup of cheese may be added to one and one-half cups of the +sauce. + + + +Mock Sausage (8) + + Lima beans, dried, 1/2 cup + Bread crumbs, 1/3 cup + Butter, 3 tablespoons + Egg, 1 + Pepper, few grains + Salt, 1/4 teaspoon + Sage, 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon + +Pick over and wash beans, cover with water, and let soak over night. +Drain; cook in boiling salted water until tender, about one and one-half +hours. Force through a strainer, add remaining ingredients. Shape into +form of sausages, roll in crumbs, egg, and crumbs again. Sauté in fat +until brown. It requires about two-thirds cup crumbs and one-half egg for +dipping sausage. May be garnished with fried apples. + + + +Baked Soy or Togo Beans (6) + +Soy beans, known in the retail market as togo beans, resemble navy beans +in some ways. They contain, however, a considerable amount of fat. For +this reason neither pork nor other fat is used in cooking them unless it +is wanted for flavor. They are considerably richer in protein also. + +Wash and pick over one quart of soy beans. Cover with boiling water, boil +for 10 minutes, and soak over night in the same water. In the morning pour +off and save the water. Pour cold water over the beans and rub them +between the hands to remove the skins, which will float off in the water. +Removing the skins in this way takes only two or three minutes and greatly +improves the quality of the dish. If a few skins are left on, they will do +no harm, unless the dish is being prepared for a person of poor digestion. +Drain the beans, pour over them the water in which they were soaked, and +cook until tender at a temperature just below the boiling point. Pour off +the water, put the beans into a bean pot, cover with cold water, add one +and one-half tablespoonfuls of salt, and bake four or five hours in a +covered dish. Remove the cover and bake one hour more. + + + +Peanut Loaf (10) + + Chopped peanuts, 1 cup + Bread crumbs, 2 cups + Egg, 1 + Milk, 1 cup + Salt, 1-1/2 teaspoons + Paprika, 1/4 teaspoon + Melted fat, 1 tablespoon + +Mix dry ingredients, add beaten egg and milk. Put into a greased pan, pour +the melted fat on top, bake. Turn on a hot platter and serve with sauce. + + +Sauce for Loaf + + Hot water, 1 cup + Beef cube, 1 + Juice 1 lemon + Fat, 2 tablespoons + Flour, 2 tablespoons + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + Paprika, 1/8 teaspoon + Few grains nutmeg + +Melt fat, add flour with seasoning, add hot water in which beef cube has +been dissolved. Just before serving add lemon juice. + +This nut loaf with its accompanying sauce is a highly nutritious dish and +is excellent for lunch or supper. Serve no meat or potatoes with it. + + + +Peanut Butter Bean Loaf (10) + + Peanut butter, 1/2 cup + Cooked beans, 1 cup + Soft bread crumbs (toasted), 1 cup + Milk, 1 cup + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Pepper, 1/2 teaspoon + +The beans should be soaked over night and cooked in fresh water until +tender. Press through a sieve, add other ingredients, mix well. Shape into +a loaf, place in pan, and bake about two hours, basting with melted fat +and hot water. + + + +Peanut Butter Cream Soup (10) + + Milk, 1 quart + Onion (grated), 1 small + Flour, 1 tablespoon + Melted fat, 1 tablespoon + Peanut butter, 1 cup + Bay leaf, 1 + Celery (chopped) 3 stalks + Celery salt, 1 saltspoon + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + A little white pepper + Dash of paprika + +Heat milk in a double boiler, add peanut butter, onion, bay leaf, chopped +celery, and other seasoning. While the milk is heating, melt fat in a +separate sauce pan, stirring in flour as for cream sauce. When smooth add +the hot milk, after straining through a sieve. Serve at once with croutons +or tiny squares of bread browned till crisp. + + + +Peanut Fondue (8) + + Peanuts, shelled, 1 cup + Bread crumbs (soft), 1 cup + Milk, 1-2/3 cups + Egg, 1 + Salt, 1-1/2 teaspoons + Cayenne + +Grind peanuts in a meat grinder. Mix all ingredients except the white of +the egg. Beat the egg white stiff and fold in. Turn into a buttered +pudding dish and bake in a moderate oven 30 to 35 minutes. + + + +Peanut Soup (10) + + Blanched shelled peanuts, 2 cups + Onion, 1/4 cup + Celery, 1/4 cup + Carrot, 1/4 cup + Water, 2-1/2 cups + Fat, 1/4 cup + Flour, 2 tablespoons + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Paprika, 1/2 teaspoon + Milk, 2 cups + +Chop and crush the nuts until very fine; add the vegetables and water; +simmer 20 minutes. Make a white sauce of the other ingredients, mix the +two mixtures thoroughly and serve. + + + +Potato Soup with Carrots (4) + + Potatoes, 3 medium + Water, 2 cups + Flour, 4 tablespoons + Soup greens + Onion, 2 slices + Sprigs of parsley + Milk, 1-1/2 cups + Carrot, 1 + Fat, 1-1/2 tablespoons + Salt and pepper + Stalk of celery + +Wash and pare potatoes. Cook in boiling salted water until they are soft. +Rub through colander. Use water in which potatoes were cooked to make up +the two cups of water for the soup. Cook carrot cut in cubes in boiling +water until soft; drain. Scald milk with onion, celery, and parsley. Add +milk and water to potatoes. Melt fat in sauce pan, add flour, and cook for +three minutes. Slowly add soup, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute, +season with salt and pepper. Add cubes of carrots and serve. + + + +Salmon en Casserole (1) + +Cook one cup of rice. When cold line baking dish. Take one can of salmon +and flake. Beat two eggs, one-third cup of milk, one tablespoon of butter, +pinch of salt, dash of paprika. Stir into the salmon lightly, cover +lightly with rice. Steam one hour, serve with white sauce. (This may also +be made with barley instead of rice.) + + + +Scalloped Salmon (1) + + Salmon, 1 can + Egg, 1 + Milk, 1 pint + Flour, 2 rounding tablespoons + Butter, 1-1/2 tablespoons + +Put the milk on stove in double boiler, keeping out one-half cup. Mix +butter and flour to a smooth paste, and add the egg well beaten, then the +one-half cup of cold milk. Mix well and then stir into the milk, which +should be scalding. Stir until smooth and thick like gravy. Season with +salt and pepper and set aside to cool. Butter a baking dish and fill with +alternate layers of flaked salmon and the cream dressing. The top layer +should be of the dressing. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs and bake one-half +hour in moderate oven. + + + +Salmon Loaf (1) + + Salmon, 1 small can + Egg, 1 + Cracker crumbs, 1 cup + Sweet milk, 2 tablespoons + Paprika + Nutmeg + Salt + +Remove bones from salmon; break into small pieces, add well beaten egg, +seasoning, and cracker crumbs; bake in a well buttered dish for 15 +minutes; serve hot for lunch. + + + +Tamale Pie (12) + + Corn meal, 2 cups + Salt, 2 1/2 teaspoons + Boiling water, 6 cups + Onion, 1 + Fat, 1 tablespoon + Hamburger steak, 1 pound + Tomatoes, 2 cups + Cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon, + or + Chopped sweet pepper, 1 small + Salt, 1 teaspoon + +Make a mush by stirring the corn meal and one and one-half teaspoons salt +into boiling water. Cook in a double boiler or over water for 45 minutes. +Brown the onion in the fat, add the Hamburger steak, and stir until the +red color disappears. Add the tomatoes, pepper, and salt. Grease a +baking-dish, put in a layer of corn meal mush, add the seasoned meat, and +cover with mush. Bake 30 minutes. Serves six. + + + +Turkish Pilaf (3) + + Washed rice, 1 cup + Raw lean beef or lamb, 1 pound + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Boiling water, 2 cups + Small onion or garlic, 2 cloves + Tomatoes, 2 cups + Olive oil or any fat, 2 tablespoons + +Fry onion cut in small pieces or the garlic in the fat until slightly +brown; add rice, seasonings, water, tomatoes, meat, and cook in a covered +dish until the rice is soft. The meat may be omitted, the rice cooked in +the tomatoes and water, and the whole covered with grated cheese and baked +until cheese is melted. + + + +Vegetable Stew + + Beef, 1/2 pound + Mutton, 1/2 pound + Carrots, diced, 1/2 cup + Potatoes, diced, 2 cups + Tomatoes, canned, 3/4 cup + Fat, 2 tablespoons + Carrot, 1 whole + Onion, sliced, 3 tablespoons + Cabbage, chopped, 1 cup + Flour, 1/4 cup + Bay leaf, 1/2 leaf + Cloves, 6 + Peppercorns, 6 + Parsley, chopped, 2 tablespoons + Salt, 2 teaspoons + Thyme, 1 sprig + Water, 7 cups + +Cut meat in small pieces, brown with onion in fat, add water, one carrot +in which cloves have been imbedded, and other vegetables. Tie bay leaf, +thyme, and peppercorns together in a piece of cheesecloth and cook with +stew about two hours (till vegetables are done). Remove bag of seasonings, +thicken stew with flour. Add more salt if needed. + + + + +PUDDINGS + + + +Apricot Tapioca Pudding (4) + + Apricots, 6 + Sugar, 1/2 cup + Pearl tapioca, 1 cup + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + Boiling water, 3 cups + +Cover the tapioca with cold water and soak for one hour. Drain off the +cold water, add the boiling water and salt, and cook over water (in a +double boiler if you have one) until the tapioca is transparent, and no +hard center portion remains. This will require about 30 minutes. Place the +apricots in a buttered baking dish. Add sugar to the tapioca, pour this +over the apricots, add apricot juice, and bake in a moderate oven for +about 20 minutes. Cool and serve. If dried apricots are to be used, they +should be soaked over night or several hours in cold water sufficient to +cover them. Cook in the water in which they have soaked until they are +tender. + + + +Cereal Pudding (8) + + Left over cereal, 3-1/2 cups + Apple sauce, 1/2 cup or + Apple, 1 + Sugar, 1 tablespoon + Butter, 1 tablespoon + Bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons + +Put a layer of cereal in the bottom of a buttered baking dish, then a +layer of apples or sauce, then sugar if the sauce has not been sweetened. +Then put in another layer of cereal, cover with buttered crumbs. Bake 30 +minutes if it has apple sauce in it, one hour if raw apples are used. +Serve with cream. + + + +Cereal Date Pudding (11) + + Cereal (half corn meal and half farina), 3/4 cup + Boiling water, 3 cups + Salt, 3/4 teaspoon + Chopped dates, 1 cup + Oleomargarine, 1 tablespoon + Corn syrup (light), 1/2 cup + Egg, 1 + +Stir the cereal mixture gradually into the boiling water, to which the +salt has been added. Cook directly over the flame for about five minutes, +stirring constantly, and then cook over water for one and one-half hours. +Add oleomargarine, syrup, egg, well beaten, and chopped dates. Turn into a +greased baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes in a moderate oven +(360-390° F.). + + + +Chocolate Bread Pudding (11) + + Bread, broken in small pieces, 2 1/2 cups + Corn syrup (dark), 1/2 cup + Brown sugar, 1/4 cup + Egg, 1 + Salt, 1/4 teaspoon + Chocolate, 2 squares + Milk, 1 1/2 cups + Hot water, 1 1/2 cups + Vanilla, 3/4 teaspoon + +Soak bread in milk; add syrup, brown sugar, egg, well beaten, and salt. +Melt chocolate in water; add gradually to bread mixture. Add vanilla. Bake +in custard cups, set in hot water, in a moderate oven. + + + +Eggless Steamed Pudding (11) + + Flour, 1 2/3 cups + Soda, 1/2 teaspoon + Salt, 1/4 teaspoon + Cloves, 1/4 teaspoon + Allspice, 1/4 teaspoon + Nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon + Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon + Hardened vegetable fat, 3 tablespoons + Molasses, 1/2 cup + Milk, 1/2 cup + Raisins (seeded and cut in pieces), 1 cup + +Sift together the flour, soda, salt, and spices; add the raisins. To milk +add molasses and melted fat; add liquid mixture gradually to dry +ingredients. Stir thoroughly. Turn into greased molds, filling them a +little over half full; cover and steam for about two and one-half hours. +Serve with pudding sauce or milk. (Baking powder cans are satisfactory +molds for steamed puddings.) + + + +Honey Pudding (5) + + Honey, 1/2 cup + Bread crumbs, 6 ounces + Milk, 1/2 cup + Rind of half a lemon + Ginger, 1/2 teaspoon + Eggs, 2 + Butter, 2 tablespoons + +Mix the honey and the bread crumbs and add the milk, seasonings, and yolks +of the eggs. Beat the mixture thoroughly and then add the butter and the +whites of the eggs well beaten. Steam for about two hours in a pudding +mold which is not more than three-quarters full. + + + +Indian Pudding (3) + + Milk, 1 quart + Molasses, 1/2 cup + Corn meal, 1/3 cup + Ginger, 2 teaspoons + Salt, 1 teaspoon + Cold milk, 1 cup + +Pour milk, scalded, over meal, and cook 20 minutes; add salt, ginger, and +molasses. Cook slowly in a buttered baking dish two hours. When half done, +add the cold milk and finish cooking. + + + +Baked Indian and Apple Pudding (8) + + Corn meal, 1/4 cup + Milk, 2 cups + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + Ginger, 1/2 teaspoon + Molasses, 1/4 cup + Apple, 1 + +Sift corn meal slowly into the scalded milk, stirring constantly. Cook in +double boiler 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt, ginger, and +molasses. Put into greased baking dish and bake one hour in a slow oven, +stirring occasionally. Slice apple and stir into pudding. Bake until apple +is tender. + + + +Prune Brown Betty (11) + + Cooked prunes, stoned and cut into halves, 2-1/2 cups + Bread crumbs (dry), 1/2 cup + Corn syrup (dark), 1/4 cup + Lemon juice, 3 tablespoons + Grated rind of 1/4 lemon + Cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + Oleomargarine, 1 tablespoon + Prune juice, 1/2 cup + +Mix together heated prune juice, fat, salt, corn syrup, lemon juice, lemon +rind, and cinnamon. Moisten bread crumbs with part of this mixture. Into a +greased baking dish put alternate layers of bread crumbs and prunes, +pouring part of liquid mixture over each layer of prunes. Bake in a +moderate oven about 45 minutes. + + + +Rice Pudding (11) + + Rice, 1/4 cup + Milk, 3/4 cup + Corn syrup (light), 2 tablespoons + Nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon + Raisins, 3/4 cup + +Cook the rice in boiling salted water, until soft. Pour off water, add +milk, syrup, nutmeg, and raisins. Bake in a moderate oven (370-380° F.) +for 40 minutes. + + + +Spiced Pudding (11) + + Browned crusts of bread, 1 cup + Scalded milk, 2 cups + Molasses, 1/2 cup + Raisins, 1/2 cup + Salt, 1/2 teaspoon + Nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon + Cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon + Cloves, 1/4 teaspoon + +Soak the crusts in the milk until soft. Add molasses, salt, spices, and +raisins. Bake in a moderate oven (360-380° F.), stirring occasionally at +first. Serve with milk or cream. + + + + + * * * * * + +The following pages contain advertisements of books by the same author or +on kindred subjects. + + + +FEEDING THE FAMILY + +BY MARY SWARTZ ROSE + +Illustrated, $2.10 + + +This is a clear and concise account in simple every-day terms of the ways +in which modern knowledge of the science of nutrition may be applied in +ordinary life. The food needs of the different members of the typical +family group--men, women, infants, children of various ages--are discussed +in separate chapters, and many concrete illustrations in the form of food +plans and dietaries are included. The problems of the housewife in trying +to reconcile the needs of different ages and tastes at the same table are +also taken up, as are the cost of food and the construction of menus. A +final chapter deals with feeding the sick. + +"The volume is so simply and entertainingly written that it cannot but be +enjoyed by anyone interested in the planning or preparation of household +meals, and it would be difficult to imagine a more helpful book to put +into the hands of a reader desiring information along such +lines."--_Trained Nurse_. + + +THE MACMILLAN COMPANY + + Publishers 64-66 Fifth Avenue New York + + * * * * * + +A LABORATORY HAND-BOOK FOR DIETETICS + +BY MARY SWARTZ ROSE, PH.D. + +Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition, Teachers College, Columbia +University + +Cloth, 8vo, $1.10 + + +Investigations into the quantitative requirements of the human body have +progressed so far as to make dietetics to a certain extent an exact +science, and to emphasize the importance of a quantitative study of food +materials. This little book explains the problems involved in the +calculation of food values and food requirements, and the construction of +dietaries, and furnishes reference tables which will minimize the labor +involved in such work without limiting dietary study to a few food +materials. + +Only brief statements of the conditions affecting food requirements have +been made, the reader being referred to general textbooks on the subject +of nutrition for fuller information, but such data have been included as +seem most useful in determining the amount of food for any normal +individual under varying conditions of age and activity. + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS + + PART I + + FOOD VALUES AND FOOD REQUIREMENTS + + THE COMPOSITION OF FOOD MATERIALS. + + THE FUNCTIONS OF FOOD. + Food as a Source of Energy. + Food as Building Material. + Food in the Regulation of Body Processes. + + FOOD REQUIREMENT. + The Energy Requirement of Normal Adults. + The Energy Requirement of Children. + The Energy Requirement of the Aged. + The Protein Requirement. + The Fat and Carbohydrate Requirement. + The Ash Requirement. + + PART II + + PROBLEMS IN DIETARY CALCULATIONS + Studies in Weight, Measure, and Cost of Some Common Food Materials. + Relation between Percentage Composition and Weight. + Calculation of the Fuel Value of a Single Food Material. + Calculation of the Weight of a Standard or 100-Calorie Portion. + Food Value of a Combination of Food Materials. + Distribution of Foodstuffs in a Standard Portion of a Single Food + Material. + Calculation of a Standard Portion of a Combination of Food Materials. + Analysis of a Recipe. + Modification of Cow's Milk to a Required Formula. + Calculation of the Percentage Composition of a Food Mixture. + The Calculation of a Complete Dietary. + Scoring of the Dietary. + + REFERENCE TABLES + Refuse in Food Materials. + Conversion Tables--Grams to Ounces. + Conversion Tables--Ounces to Grams. + Conversion Tables--Pounds to Grams. + Food Values in Terms of Standard Units of Weight. + Ash Constituents in Percentages of the Edible Portion. + Ash Constituents in Standard or 100-Calorie Portions. + + APPENDIX + The Equipment of a Dietetics Laboratory. + + +THE MACMILLAN COMPANY + + Publishers 64-66 Fifth Avenue New York + + * * * * * + +THE FOOD PROBLEM + +BY VERNON KELLOGG AND ALONZO E. TAYLOR. $1.25 + + + "Food is always more or less of a problem in every phase of its + production, handling and consumption. It is a problem with every + farmer, every transporter and seller, every householder. It is a + problem with every town, state and nation. And now very + conspicuously, it is a problem with three great groups, namely the + Allies, The Central Empires and The Neutrals; in a word it is a + great international problem." + +These sentences from the introduction indicate the scope of _The Food +Problem_ by Vernon Kellogg and Alonzo E. Taylor. + +Both authors are members of the United States Food Administration. Dr. +Kellogg is also connected with the Commission for relief in Belgium and +professor in Stanford University. Mr. Taylor is a member of the Exports +Administrative Board and professor in the University of Pennsylvania. The +preface is by Herbert Hoover, United States Food Administrator and +Chairman for the Commission of Relief in Belgium. + +The food problem of today, of our nation, therefore, has as its most +conspicuous phase an international character. Some of the questions which +the book considers are: + +What is the Problem in detail? + +What are the general conditions of its solution? + +What are the immediate and particulars which concern us, and are within +our power to affect? + +And finally, what are we actually doing to meet our problem? + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS + + Introduction: The International Problem. + + Part I. The Problem and the Solution. + + Chapter I. The Food Situation of the Western Allies and the United + States. + II. Food Administration. + III. How England, France and Italy are Controlling and Saving Food. + IV. Food Control in Germany and Its Lessons. + + Part II. The Technology of Food Use. + + Chapter V. The Physiology of Nutrition. + VI. The Sociology of Nutrition. + VII. The Sociology of Nutrition (Continued). + VIII. Grain and Alcohol. + + Conclusion: Patriotism and Food. + + +THE MACMILLAN COMPANY + + Publishers 64-66 Fifth Avenue New York + + * * * * * + +TWO TEXTBOOKS OF THE HOUSEHOLD ARTS + + +BY HELEN KINNE, Professor, AND ANNA M. COOLEY, Associate Professor of +Household Arts Education, Teachers College, Columbia University + +Cloth, 12mo, ill. $1.10 + + +FOODS AND HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT + +Treats specifically of foods, their production, sanitation, cost, +nutritive value, preparation, and serving, these topics being closely +interwoven with the practical aspects of household management; and they +are followed by a study of the household budget and accounts, methods of +buying, housewifery, and laundering. It includes about 160 carefully +selected and tested recipes, together with a large number of cooking +exercises of a more experimental nature designed to develop initiative and +resourcefulness. + +The book is new, practical, and economical. It is well illustrated and +attractively bound. + + +SHELTER AND CLOTHING + +This book takes up fully, but with careful balance, every phase of +home-making: location, structure, plan, sanitation, heating, lighting, +decorating, and furnishing. The second part is devoted to textiles, +sewing, and dressmaking. Sewing, drafting, designing, fitting, and cutting +are treated in considerable detail as is also the making of the personal +budget for clothing. + +The authors hold that harmony will be the keynote of the home in +proportion as the makers of the home regard the plan, the sanitation, the +decoration of the house itself, and as they exercise economy and wisdom in +the provision of clothing. + + + +THE MACMILLAN COMPANY + + Publishers 64-66 Fifth Avenue New York + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14066 *** |