The Business Of Being A Housewife - free ebook by Jean Prescott Adams

Read as playlist

The Business Of Being A Housewife

Jean Prescott Adams

87 chapters

2 hour read

Read as playlist

Selected Chapters

87 chapters

The Business of Being a Housewife

The Business of Being a Housewife

This is one of the most serious matters before us today, and the physicians of the entire country are deploring the fact that many of the children of the wealthy as well as of the poor are undernourished. Do you know foods? Prepared foods release you from less important tasks, that you may have time to learn food values. It rests with the responsible housewife to plan her own time so as to achieve the greatest returns in the health and efficiency of her family. Food knowledge means a better-fed

1 minute read

Read Chapter

ARMOUR PRODUCTS

ARMOUR PRODUCTS

Many thousands of housewives have come to depend upon the Armour Oval Label as a buying guide for a wide variety of their pantry and refrigerator staples; they know they can depend upon the uniformity and quality of every Oval Label product. Madam Home Manager receives the full benefit of our fifty-some years of experience in caring for foods. She has the Armour assurance of uniformity and quality and is guided in her buying by the distinguishing quality Oval Label. We prepare and distribute wit

1 minute read

Read Chapter

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK

It is the purpose of this book to assist Madam Home Manager in her mastery of the problems incident to the feeding of a family for health, happiness and efficiency. To simplify the presentation of this very important material, we have divided the book into four sections: Section one covers the apportionment of the income; Section two deals with the wise selection of foods and the place of each class of food in the building of a well-balanced menu. Section three is devoted to fundamental cookery

2 minute read

Read Chapter

FORM FOR YOUR FAMILY BUDGET

FORM FOR YOUR FAMILY BUDGET

Itemized Accounting of Expenditures and Percentage Apportionment of Income. Estimated for Family of Five on $300 a Month. Percentages of Expenditures for Food, Operating and Contingency vary according to income. The accompanying is a family budget outline that is easily adjustable to entirely satisfactory use in your home. If the home manager, by means of her ingenuity or by doing work herself, saves on the regular scheduled expenditures, that money should go to her personal account. Preparednes

1 minute read

Read Chapter

PROTEIN FOODS

PROTEIN FOODS

Food experts agree that 20 per cent. of the entire diet should consist of protein. In our country, meat is the favorite protein food. It provides a portion of the energy which is also furnished by carbohydrates and fats, but its chief purpose is to supply material for growth and repair of the body tissues which are constantly worn out in the performance of their various functions. Much of the frontier, upon which vast numbers of cattle were formerly raised, is now cut up into small farms and tow

3 minute read

Read Chapter

STANDARD CUTS OF BEEF

STANDARD CUTS OF BEEF

Every wise home manager should learn to cook to advantage every cut of meat. This knowledge of correct cookery offers an opportunity for a wide variety of meat dishes....

16 minute read

Read Chapter

PORK

PORK

Every home manager should have a thorough understanding of what U. S. Government Inspection of meat is—its significance and importance in her selection of meats. Practically everyone who has ever purchased meat has noticed a round purple stamp, the size of a half dollar, bearing the words “U. S. Inspected and Passed,” in the center of the commercial cuts displayed. The government stamp on the meat you purchase is your absolute guarantee that the meat you are buying is wholesome. It signifies tha

2 minute read

Read Chapter

COLD STORAGE HELPS SOLVE THE NATION’S FOOD PROBLEMS

COLD STORAGE HELPS SOLVE THE NATION’S FOOD PROBLEMS

Cold storage is a great factor in the present solution of the nation’s food problems. It is a means of holding certain foods over from the season of plenty to the season of scarcity. Since the first mechanical refrigeration was installed in the late eighties, Government investigators have been continually studying various methods of preserving food, without canning, and all insist that there is no modern method which equals cold storage. Understanding is fast eliminating the prejudice against us

2 minute read

Read Chapter

GREAT VARIETY OF MEAT CUTS

GREAT VARIETY OF MEAT CUTS

The great importance of meat as food lies in its high protein content. Protein is body building material. It forms one-fifth of our food requirements. Half of the protein requirement is furnished by meat. In lean meat the solid protein is very nearly in the pure form. Meat is delicately constructed with small cells of tissue holding the flavory juices. These cells are held together by a connective tissue. In the cheaper cuts of meat, the cells or fibers holding the juices are long and the connec

4 minute read

Read Chapter

SAUCES AND GARNISHES FOR BEEF

SAUCES AND GARNISHES FOR BEEF

Poultry is one of the most popular meats found upon the American table. Dry-picked poultry is the most sanitary and desirable. It is no simple matter to provide fresh poultry to our thickly populated cities. But with improved breeding, scientific feeding and the modern cold-storage houses and refrigerator cars, Armour and Company supply a large clientele with either fresh or cold-storage poultry of the highest quality. “Spring chickens,” so called because before the days of storage they could be

3 minute read

Read Chapter

LAMB

LAMB

Lamb and mutton afford welcome meat dishes. Lamb is most easily digested and very nutritious. From a standpoint of economics, the increased use of lamb and mutton results in greater production of wool. In the menu, lamb and mutton should hold a permanent place because of the number of attractive and wholesome dishes they afford. The crown roast of lamb is a decorative and delicious dish. The leg of lamb and shoulder roll are just of the right size to be convenient for the average family. With a

1 minute read

Read Chapter

PORK

PORK

The story of pork in the menu takes us back to the days when the Chinese people discovered the goodness of roast pork when the house burned and accidentally resulted in the first “burnt pig.” Every house in the village was soon in ashes to supply every inhabitant with the delicacy, and its popularity has steadily increased. Like all meat, pork is classed among the protein foods and builds body tissue. Because of its high percentage of fat, it also supplies heat and energy to the body. The U. S.

1 minute read

Read Chapter

FISH

FISH

Fish is an easily assimilated protein food and is sufficient for the main dish of the meal occasionally. See cook books, referred to on page 28 , for cookery methods. Fresh fish of many varieties are available only to those who live near the great bodies of water. The national producer, however, by canning makes it possible for all housewives, regardless of residence, to have these valuable foods at any season. The process of canning is done with the utmost attention to every detail necessary to

1 minute read

Read Chapter

EXTRA MUTTON AND LAMB PORTIONS

EXTRA MUTTON AND LAMB PORTIONS

Ham and bacon are two of the most popular foods in the American market. These tasty staple foods serve a double purpose. While they are perhaps the most satisfactory stimulators of a dull appetite, they are such hearty foods that in proper combination they easily satisfy the most ravenous appetite. Hams smoked in the stockinet covering retain their shape and keep moist and juicy to the last slice. The covering should be left on the raw ham and folded or tied over the cut surface so the ham will

3 minute read

Read Chapter

MANY WAYS TO SERVE HAM AND BACON

MANY WAYS TO SERVE HAM AND BACON

Boiled Ham with Apple Rings —Cold or hot boiled ham served with a border of apple rings fried in deep fat. Cold Ham with Sliced Pineapple —Ham sliced thin served with one slice of pineapple to each helping. Boiled Ham and Spinach —Slices of boiled ham steamed over spinach, served with border of ham surrounding spinach. Fritters —Ground ham in a fritter batter with corn. Rissoles of Ham —Diced boiled ham in cream sauce, baked in a pastry case. Ham Patties —Creamed boiled ham in patty shells. Timb

3 minute read

Read Chapter

WAYS TO SERVE HAM AND BACON (Continued from page 16)

WAYS TO SERVE HAM AND BACON (Continued from page 16)

Escalloped Ham with Peanut Butter —Dressing of crumbs, celery and seasoning, covered with slice of ham spread with peanut butter, buttered crumbs and baked until brown. Ham Omelet —Cooked ham cut fine and folded into an omelet. Croquettes of Ham with Green Peas —Ham ground, mixed with a thick white sauce, seasoned and formed in croquettes. Served on platter with creamed peas. Tomato Stuffed with Ham —Minced ham and rice pressed into tomato shells and baked. Sweet Peppers Stuffed with Ham —Cooked

3 minute read

Read Chapter

WAYS TO SERVE EGGS

WAYS TO SERVE EGGS

Delicately seasoned sausage, made of carefully selected Government-inspected meats, has a very definite place as a staple food. Sausage is all food, no waste, and most appetizing. The correctly blended seasonings of high-grade sausage, fresh, smoked or dry, start the gastric juices and act as an aid to digestion....

27 minute read

Read Chapter

FRESH PORK SAUSAGE

FRESH PORK SAUSAGE

Fresh pork sausage is very high in fuel value, the fat adding to the protein, heat and energy-producing material. This makes it essentially a cold-weather food. The drippings should always be saved to use as a sautéing medium or shortening. Fresh sausage, either links or bulk. Fry and serve with toast, pancakes or muffins, mashed potatoes, rice or hominy, for breakfast, dinner or luncheon. Stuff potatoes and apples with fresh pork sausage, bake and serve as a nutritive luncheon novelty. Tart fru

27 minute read

Read Chapter

SMOKED SAUSAGE

SMOKED SAUSAGE

Bologna and Frankfurters have gained wide reputation as dependable meats satisfactory for all informal occasions. They are made of pork, beef, and mutton. They are carefully spiced with delicate mild spices. Smoked sausage may be used for any meal. The Bologna is preferable for luncheon dishes and picnics; the Frankfurters for any hot meal. Left-overs of either sausage may be made into such appetizing breakfast dishes as omelet, creamed sausage on toast or heated in the oven with mashed potatoes

32 minute read

Read Chapter

DRY SAUSAGE

DRY SAUSAGE

As dry sausage is a product which originated across the water, American housewives are rapidly learning to appreciate its higher food value. Fresh U. S. Gov’t inspected meat cuts are selected and combined with the choicest seasonings and subjected to unique curing processes, making this a most delicious food ready to eat. There is a wide variety to suit every taste. Recipes from Italy, France and the other foreign countries are followed or improved upon to make American dry sausage the superior

2 minute read

Read Chapter

MEAT LOAF

MEAT LOAF

Meat loaf is made from choice selected Government Inspected meats. Prepared commercially by chefs who daily use the same accurate measurements of beef and pork trimmings combined with macaroni, eggs, cheese and seasonings. The results are standard products. When whole, the loaves average about six pounds in weight. Meat loaves are widely popular, time and energy savers for the housewife and may be purchased in any amount desired, from your butcher, grocer or delicatessen. In more elaborate form

34 minute read

Read Chapter

LUNCHEON MEATS

LUNCHEON MEATS

Luncheon meats are made of selected pork trimmings cut in somewhat larger portions than for the loaf meats. These meats, carefully seasoned, mixed and cooked, suggest a great variety of dishes. As an appetizer, sandwich fillers, sliced cold on lettuce or in salad, luncheon meats have come into great favor....

20 minute read

Read Chapter

EXTRACT OF BEEF

EXTRACT OF BEEF

Extract of Beef adds the distinctive touch to many meat and fish sauces, soups and gravies. It is a valued meat extender as it adds the meat flavor necessary to make a small amount of meat, flavor a large amount of cereal in a loaf or croquettes. Many salads and vegetable dishes are greatly improved by the addition of a bit of Extract of Beef to the sauce....

19 minute read

Read Chapter

VARIETY OF SAUSAGES (Continued from page 19)

VARIETY OF SAUSAGES (Continued from page 19)

DRY SAUSAGE SMOKED Summer Sausage, Salami, Scandinavian, Mettwurst, Nola. DRY SAUSAGE UNSMOKED Milan Salami, Coppa, Capicolli, Arles, Menage, Sopressata, Peperoni, Mortadella. FRESH SAUSAGE Veribest Farm Style Pork Sausage, Blood Pudding, Bologna Style Sausage, Frankfurt Style Sausage, Garlic or Knoblach, Head Cheese, Liver Pudding, Pure Pork Sausage. A wide variety of superior sausage is put up in cans for convenience in keeping. Available under the quality brand are the following: A properly b

1 minute read

Read Chapter

SPREADS

SPREADS

Butter, oleomargarine, nut margarine and peanut butter are the spreads in general use. In a well balanced diet these may be used interchangeably. The food value is principally in the heat and energy furnished, which is practically equal in all the spreads. Butter and highest grade oleomargarine contain certain growth elements not found in the nut butter, but milk or the average well varied diet corrects this. Butter is one of the best sources of fat for the daily diet. High grade creamery butter

1 minute read

Read Chapter

THE PROPER FAT FOR EVERY COOKERY USE

THE PROPER FAT FOR EVERY COOKERY USE

For shortening purposes, fats are used to improve the texture of the product. The fat in the mixture protects the starch grains from the moisture until the proper time in baking, allowing the leavening agent to act and the starch grains to swell, resulting in a light even-textured product. It is possible to use a great variety of fats for cooking. Animal fats have been popular shortenings. Recent fat shortage has acquainted us with the value of vegetable fats as shortening and in spreads. Armour

51 minute read

Read Chapter

FATS

FATS

Bacon drippings may be substituted for lard in frying, baking, or in gravies, providing the drippings are clarified and not too strong. A great many people prefer the flavor of bacon drippings to any other shortening. Beef suet drippings, for reheating meats or for frying or shortening purposes, take the place of lard and are much more economical. Pork fat, left from roast, chops or ham, can be used in the same manner. Mutton drippings need no longer be set aside, since the housewife has learned

1 minute read

Read Chapter

SALAD OIL USED IN COOKING

SALAD OIL USED IN COOKING

Vegetable salad oil meets all the requirements for a rich, delicately flavored oil for salad dressing. Highly refined cottonseed oil and cocoanut oil are American products, made from highly refined vegetable oil. Both have proved entirely satisfactory and economical as salad oil. Highly refined cottonseed oil for frying has a high smoking point, and, properly used, gives off no unpleasant odor....

18 minute read

Read Chapter

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ARMOUR FATS

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ARMOUR FATS

The dietetic value of fruits lies in the fruit sugar, mineral salts, and organic acids which they contain. Fruits are body regulators. Fruit sugar or carbohydrates are the chief sources of fuel value in fruit. Most fruits also contain the substance which is necessary for jelly making. A fruit which does not contain pectin, such as pears and pineapple, must be combined with some fruit containing pectin. Apples, grapes, and currants contain great quantities of pectin. Fresh fruit eaten the first t

2 minute read

Read Chapter

The Fruits to Serve with Various Meats

The Fruits to Serve with Various Meats

All fruits combine in fruit salads, cocktails, ices....

12 minute read

Read Chapter

VEGETABLES

VEGETABLES

Vegetables contain a large amount of water, cellulose, and mineral matter. They are included under the classification of carbohydrates, or mineral salts according to the predominance of starch or mineral matter. Leafy vegetables are rich in vitamines. The mineral salts afford bone building material, while the large amount of cellulose which they contain furnishes bulk in the diet. Canned vegetables are preserved by sterilization. Salt is used to bring out the flavor, acts as a preservative, and

1 minute read

Read Chapter

VARIETY OF USES

VARIETY OF USES

Pie Patties, Brown Bread and Mince Meat Sandwich, Pudding, Tomato stuffed with Mince Meat, Mince Meat Salad, Mince Meat Relish, Mince Meat Cookies....

31 minute read

Read Chapter

THE PANTRY STOCK

THE PANTRY STOCK

Perhaps one of the greatest simple helps toward a well-ordered home is a well-stocked pantry. With this to rely upon, one is always ready for any demand that can interfere with the regular plans of the household. Besides a carefully selected assortment of quality foods already prepared, a number of menus and the recipes to accompany them should be easily accessible, so that in case the home-manager herself is away from home or is ill, almost any member of the family can keep the meals going sati

56 minute read

Read Chapter

FOOD CLASSIFICATION CHART For a Balanced Ration

FOOD CLASSIFICATION CHART For a Balanced Ration

Cookery, to meet the present day standards, is necessarily an art and a science. ( See page 46 for measures and abbreviations. ) Skill in blending flavors, and arranging dishes to please the eye as well as the palate, is an art of which every home manager may be proud. Still more important, however, is the scientific preparation of nutritious and economical dishes to supply the body needs of every member of the family. In these pages devoted to cookery we have covered important cookery points wh

1 minute read

Read Chapter

POPULAR COOK BOOKS (According to vote of leading libraries throughout the country.)

POPULAR COOK BOOKS (According to vote of leading libraries throughout the country.)

U. S. Government Bulletins, Department of Agriculture. Washington, D. C. Farmers Bulletins, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. The Department of Agriculture issues bulletins on almost all foods, their care and use in the home, household appliances, canning, etc. These bulletins may be obtained by writing to the addresses above. Send for a catalogue of the bulletins and order the ones in which you are interested....

2 minute read

Read Chapter

SOUPS

SOUPS

Prepare soup stock in a kettle which will retain heat. Fit with a tight cover, for the vapors must be held in to add to the flavor of the stock. Shank and neck of beef, pork or lamb, left-over morsels of meat, bones from steaks, roasts, chops and the carcasses of poultry, are good materials from which to make meat stock. Crack and saw bones to uniform size, put into kettle and add cold water in the proportion of three cups of cold water to one pound of bones. Let stand for one-half hour or until

2 minute read

Read Chapter

METHODS

METHODS

This process of cooking subjects the meat, fish or poultry to the direct rays of the fire, quickly searing and browning the meat; this is the approved method of cooking tender steaks and chops, fish and spring chicken. An intense, even heat is necessary. A very hot frying pan is used without addition of any fat; chops and steaks are cooked in this way. Roasting is oven cooking in an uncovered pan. Baking differs only in the fact that the pan is covered, thus making the cooking self basting. Prim

2 minute read

Read Chapter

ROAST CHUCK

ROAST CHUCK

Dredge the roast with flour. Rub skillet with suet and, when pan is hot, quickly sear roast on all sides. Add seasonings, except salt. Roast in hot oven for fifteen minutes, sprinkle with salt, lower heat and cook slowly until tender. Baste every twenty minutes, adding a little boiling water if necessary....

21 minute read

Read Chapter

POT ROAST OF BEEF WITH SPAGHETTI

POT ROAST OF BEEF WITH SPAGHETTI

Cut the suet and bacon fine and fry. Add the onion, garlic and green pepper chopped quite fine and fry. When beginning to brown, add the meat, turning it so that it will be well browned on all sides. Then add the hot water, tomatoes and the seasoning. Simmer gently for three hours, add 2 tsp. salt and a quarter tsp. pepper at the end of an hour and a half. Half an hour before the meat is finished, boil the spaghetti till tender, drain it and put it into the sauce surrounding the meat. Let cook 1

36 minute read

Read Chapter

ROLLED FLANK STEAK

ROLLED FLANK STEAK

Wipe steak. Score across grain with sharp knife. Rub with flour and brown; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread one side with bread dressing, well seasoned. Roll up and fasten with skewers or tie with a cord. Place in a casserole, add one-fourth cup boiling water and let bake slowly until tender. Slice and serve with the gravy....

18 minute read

Read Chapter

ROAST SHOULDER OF MUTTON

ROAST SHOULDER OF MUTTON

Wipe meat. Sear quickly to seal in juices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut garlic in two pieces and place on meat. Dredge both meat and bottom of pan with flour. Place roast on rack in roasting pan, and add hot water. Place in hot oven and baste every fifteen minutes. Lower gas after the first twenty minutes’ cooking, and cook slowly until tender. Keep meat covered and about three-fourths pint of water in the pan, as the steaming will help make the meat tender. Cook at low temperature....

26 minute read

Read Chapter

BAKED HAM

BAKED HAM

Set ham on a rack in a baking pan and bake one-half hour in a hot oven, turning after the first fifteen minutes. Lower heat. Pour a cupful of cider over ham and let bake five hours, basting often with the liquid in the pan. Remove from the oven and skin. Insert cloves in the fat of the ham, from which the skin has been taken; press these into the ham in a symmetrical manner. Mix half a cupful of brown sugar with half a teaspoon of pepper and half a cupful of fine cracker crumbs and sprinkle over

37 minute read

Read Chapter

HUNGARIAN GOULASH

HUNGARIAN GOULASH

Wipe beef, cut in two-inch pieces, and roll in flour. Cut salt pork in dice and fry until light brown. Add beef and cook until meat is well browned, stirring constantly. Add salt and enough boiling water to prevent burning, and cook slowly two hours or until tender. In another dish cook tomatoes, onion, chopped celery, bay leaf and cloves for thirty minutes. Add two tbsp. flour, mixed until smooth with two tbsp. cold water, and cook thoroughly. Add to meat. Remove meat to center of platter, surr

35 minute read

Read Chapter

STEAKS

STEAKS

Wipe meat with cloth wrung out of cold water. Remove superfluous fat and use to grease the broiler. Have broiler very hot. Place meat on broiler about three inches from the heat, which should be even, whether it is coal, gas or electricity. Turn meat every ten seconds at first, that the surface may be well seared and prevent the escape of the juices. Steak 1½ inches thick will require 10 minutes if desired rare, 12 to 15 minutes if preferred well done. Wipe steak, remove superfluous fat, and pan

51 minute read

Read Chapter

MEAT SAUCES AND GRAVY

MEAT SAUCES AND GRAVY

Use the meat juices left from cooked meat or fowl, removing any excess fat. Extract of beef may be substituted for meat juices in gravy. After removing meat and excess fat from the roasting pan or skillet, heat meat juices to boiling and thicken carefully. To avoid lumpy gravy, the best way is to mix the flour with a small amount of water, stirring until smooth, then gradually adding more cold water until the thickening is of the right consistency. Add gradually to the hot liquid, stirring const

48 minute read

Read Chapter

FOUNDATION RECIPE FOR CREAM SAUCES FOR MEATS, FISH AND VEGETABLES

FOUNDATION RECIPE FOR CREAM SAUCES FOR MEATS, FISH AND VEGETABLES

Method of Preparation —Melt fat, add flour, stir until smooth. Add liquid gradually, stirring constantly. Place over hot water until the starch is well cooked and the sauce is smooth and of the desired thickness. Season to taste....

35 minute read

Read Chapter

SELECTION OF YOUNG FOWL

SELECTION OF YOUNG FOWL

The flesh of young fowl is smooth. The claws and feet are usually light yellow in color and are very supple. A breastbone which bends easily indicates young fowl. Fowl should be plump, but not over plump. If fowl is exceptionally fat at the crop, it indicates large inner organs. They weigh heavily, and therefore are poor purchases....

17 minute read

Read Chapter

PREPARATION FOR COOKERY

PREPARATION FOR COOKERY

Care should be taken that the fowl is drawn and thoroughly cleansed. This is often attended to by the local butcher, but special care and attention is also needed in the home. The pin feathers must all be removed and the fowl singed. All blood clots, portions of lungs, etc., should be removed. Hold fowl under faucet, and let water from faucet rush through it to remove any clinging portions....

20 minute read

Read Chapter

METHODS OF COOKING

METHODS OF COOKING

Chicken and turkey being dry meat, require frequent bastings. The grease which accumulates in the roasting of geese must be poured off from time to time. This should be clarified and carefully saved for use in pastries and as spreads. Strips of salt pork or bacon if placed across turkey or chicken baste the fowl as well as flavor it. Older fowl is best when stewed. The fowl should be put into boiling water, seasoning added, and gently cooked at the simmering point for several hours before the ve

1 minute read

Read Chapter

WAYS OF SERVING LEFT-OVER FOWL

WAYS OF SERVING LEFT-OVER FOWL

Fricassee, creamed chicken, chicken à la king, croquettes, soufflé of fowl, timbales, en casserole, salad, pilaff, patties, cold jellied loaf with vegetables, club sandwiches, hot chicken sandwiches, fritters, dumplings, pot pie, cottagers’ pie, pan roast, boned stuffed chicken, soup, country fried, pressed chicken, forcemeat, blanketed, curry, cutlets, gumbo, scalloped, stew. Salads are combinations of meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, or fruits and nuts with a dressing. Mayonnaise should not be ad

42 minute read

Read Chapter

CARE OF MATERIALS

CARE OF MATERIALS

Wash and pick over carefully as soon as brought from garden or market. Wrap in a wet tea towel or in salad bag and place on the ice or in cold place to keep fresh. To keep parsley or other garnishes fresh, place in a fruit jar, sprinkle with cold water and cover tightly. The greens will remain fresh as long as there is moisture in the jar....

20 minute read

Read Chapter

SALAD DRESSINGS

SALAD DRESSINGS

A mixture of salad oil, two parts, with one part vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.—Suitable for almost all salads. To a French dressing add one part of one of the stronger varieties of cheese, crumbled.—Suitable for lettuce salad. Salad oil, eggs, a small amount of lemon juice, or vinegar and seasoning whipped together to form a thick dressing.—Suitable for chicken, Waldorf, cream cheese, fruit, Macedoine, asparagus, celery and other salads. Milk, eggs, mustard, vinegar and seasonings cooked

51 minute read

Read Chapter

EGGS

EGGS

Although hens’ eggs are more commonly in use, the eggs of ducks, geese, guinea fowl and turkeys are all used as food. The various uses of eggs in cooking may be listed as follows: In cooking eggs, heat produces a change in both color and in firmness, the firmness, or hardness, depending on the temperature and length of time cooked. The change which takes place in the egg albumen is called coagulation. A high temperature for any continued length of time will produce a leathery consistency, which

34 minute read

Read Chapter

WAYS OF COOKING AND TIME REQUIRED TO DIGEST

WAYS OF COOKING AND TIME REQUIRED TO DIGEST

As there is a harvest time for eggs, it is necessary to insure eggs for year around use by preserving a supply for winter release. Preserve only fresh clean eggs in the spring and early summer when they are cheap and plentiful. They may be preserved in any of the following ways: 1 Commercial cold storage is the most satisfactory method of preserving eggs. 2 Pack in sawdust, salt, bran or sand, with small end down. 3 Cover with salt brine, limewater or water glass. 4 Coat with lard, oil or paraff

41 minute read

Read Chapter

CHEESE

CHEESE

Cheese is sufficiently cooked when melted. Protein is toughened by a high temperature, therefore a low temperature process should always be used in preparing cooked cheese dishes. Cheese should be kept dry and covered, but never wholly exclude the air. If spread with melted paraffin, it will keep moist. Soft cheese should be kept in the ice box. The receptacle for cheese should be thoroughly sterilized before new cheese is placed in it. Cheese gives character to many nourishing but indistinct-fl

22 minute read

Read Chapter

HOW TO USE CHEESE

HOW TO USE CHEESE

Melt the oleomargarine, add the flour and when well mixed add gradually the scalded milk. Then add salt, cayenne and cheese. Remove from the fire and add the yolks of eggs, beaten until lemon colored. Cool the mixture and fold into the whites, beaten until stiff. Pour into a buttered baking dish and cook twenty minutes in a slow oven. Serve at once. Cheese soufflé is suitable as the main dish for luncheon, dinner or supper. Make a medium white sauce. To each cup of sauce add half a cup of grated

1 minute read

Read Chapter

PREPARATION FOR COOKING

PREPARATION FOR COOKING

The first step is cleansing. Wash thoroughly in cold water and then pick over or scrub with a vegetable brush to thoroughly remove any small portions of dirt that may be embedded in the outer covering or hidden among the leaves. Remove all leaves, tops, etc. The ideal way, from a food value standpoint, is to cook potatoes with the skins on, for, if pared, the valuable mineral salts escape into the water. Vegetables that are pared before cooking should be pared very thin. Between the skin and out

34 minute read

Read Chapter

METHODS OF COOKING

METHODS OF COOKING

Vegetables should be cooked in boiling water. Strong smelling vegetables, such as cabbage, onions, etc., will not give off strong odors if cooked in plenty of water and uncovered. Other vegetables should be cooked in just enough water to cover and the kettle should be covered. Salt, however, toughens the fiber and, for this reason, is only used in the cooking of young, tender shoots. For the older vegetables the salt may be added just before serving. Steaming is a very satisfactory method of coo

47 minute read

Read Chapter

GARNISHES

GARNISHES

Garnishes of vegetables are often used to give a colorful touch to meat dishes. A little sprig of parsley is often sufficient decoration. Clever garnishes are made by means of vegetable cutters. These are attractive additions when used as a border around a meat dish. Lettuce is used extensively as a garnish. It is used most commonly as a garnish for cold meats....

17 minute read

Read Chapter

VEGETABLE GARNISHES

VEGETABLE GARNISHES

Method: Pare the potatoes. Cut in two lengthwise. Parboil for fifteen minutes, drain and lay in baking dish. Spread with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, sugar and cinnamon. Add a few tablespoonfuls of hot water and bake until tender, basting often with the sauce in the pan. ASPARAGUS BAKED WITH CHEESE Wash and tie the asparagus in a bunch and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and save the liquor for soup. Make a sauce of the butter, flour, seasoning, stock and evaporated mi

4 minute read

Read Chapter

PROPORTION AND USE OF MATERIALS

PROPORTION AND USE OF MATERIALS

Salt is used to bring out flavor. Quantity used should be according to amount of butter present. When nuts are used, the amount of salt should be increased slightly to bring out flavor. When chocolate or cocoa is used, decrease the amount of fat, as there is a certain amount of fat in the cocoa and chocolate....

21 minute read

Read Chapter

PLAIN PASTRY

PLAIN PASTRY

In plain pastry the shortening is mixed into the flour by chopping or with tips of fingers. All ingredients and utensils should be cold. When the lard is thoroughly chilled a large amount of ice-water can be incorporated, which, when converted into steam, acts as a leavening agent and makes the pastry light and fluffy....

15 minute read

Read Chapter

PUFF PASTE

PUFF PASTE

In puff paste the shortening is worked into a paste of flour and water by folding and rolling. Equal parts by weight of flour and shortening are used....

8 minute read

Read Chapter

MATERIALS

MATERIALS

Pure leaf lard is the ideal shortening for pastry making. It makes a light colored, soft, tender crust. Pure leaf lard is made only of leaf fat rendered in open kettles by a special process which makes the resulting product extremely rich and delicate. Vegetole may be successfully used, following the same methods as with lard. Vegetole is an absolutely pure vegetable fat, processed to proper cooking consistency without anything being added. It may be secured in a sanitary pail in convenient size

58 minute read

Read Chapter

FRENCH PASTRY

FRENCH PASTRY

French pastries are nationally popular and are very attractive for tea or fancy dessert service. The maker has wide scope for the display of individuality in devising and decorating pastries. Slices of jelly roll, loaf or sponge cake may be spread with mocha frosting to form individual cakes. Fruit-filled tarts, topped with a bit of meringue, are always popular. The real French pastry is made of puff paste, very tender and flaky, and filled with fruit....

21 minute read

Read Chapter

CAKE MAKING (Continued from page 36) LEAVENING AGENTS

CAKE MAKING (Continued from page 36) LEAVENING AGENTS

Baking powder, soda and eggs are used as leavening agents; this is to make the cake light. If the number of eggs is increased in the cake recipe, decrease the amount of baking powder. One egg is equivalent to one teaspoon baking powder in leavening. Egg and milk together should not exceed 1½ cups liquid with three cups flour....

19 minute read

Read Chapter

SHORTENING

SHORTENING

A large amount of fat makes a cake close-grained; a small amount makes it porous, but it dries out easily. With too much fat, the cake crumbles and it maybe heavy. If melted fat is used in a cake, add it cool. If added hot, the cake will be tough, coarse in grain and less light....

15 minute read

Read Chapter

LIQUID

LIQUID

If water is substituted for milk, use seven-eighths cup of water where one cup of milk is called for. If Veribest Evaporated Milk is substituted for whole milk, use one-third cup of evaporated milk and two-thirds cup of water. If cream is substituted for milk, lessen the shortening and use more cream than the milk called for....

15 minute read

Read Chapter

USE OF SOUR OR SWEET MILK

USE OF SOUR OR SWEET MILK

Soda and acid both act on gluten and tend to make it tender, so cakes made with sour milk or buttermilk will be more tender than those made with water or sweet milk. One scant teaspoonful of soda is necessary to neutralize a cup of buttermilk or milk of the same sourness as buttermilk. An excess of soda gives the product an unpleasant flavor and, if present in too large a quantity, is injurious as well. Sour evaporated milk is very useful in cookery. Dilute it as when sweet and add the necessary

1 minute read

Read Chapter

TABLE FOR COOKING CEREALS

TABLE FOR COOKING CEREALS

Stir cereals gradually into required quantity of boiling water, allowing one teaspoon salt to each cup of cereal. Fine granular cereals may be mixed first with a small amount of cold water to prevent lumping, then add boiling water. Stir flaky cereals with a fork. Cook rapidly at first over flame five or ten minutes, then in double boiler. For prepared cereals, allow plenty of time to cook thoroughly as their palatability and ease of digestion depend largely on this. For variety, stir figs, date

1 minute read

Read Chapter

SERVE MORE FRUITS

SERVE MORE FRUITS

During the season when fruits are plentiful serve them plain, uncooked and well ripened. Small fruits and berries should be thoroughly chilled. All fruits should be washed and drained or wiped before serving. To wash berries, place in a colander and pour water over them, handling as little as possible. If washed under the faucet turn to a small stream. Wash strawberries before removing the stems, otherwise they will become water soaked....

20 minute read

Read Chapter

CANNED FRUITS

CANNED FRUITS

Serve canned fruits with their juices as a dessert for luncheon and dinner, as an appetizer for breakfast, in cocktails for dinner, and in various desserts in which fruit is used as a base. The flavor of canned fruit is improved by removing from the can to a dish and allowing to stand in the air one hour before using. The juice which is not served with the fruit should be used in fruit gelatins, sauces, or drinks. Do not waste any fruit juice. Certain fruit juices contain a neutral substance cal

35 minute read

Read Chapter

GRAPEFRUIT AND ORANGE

GRAPEFRUIT AND ORANGE

In preparing grapefruit to serve, chill the fruit thoroughly, cut in two crosswise, remove the seeds with a sharp pointed knife, remove the center, and, slipping the knife down between rind and pulp, loosen all around without cutting the tissue. Bread can be made out of flour, water, yeast, and salt, but usually a little fat and sugar are added to give additional food value and flavor. Milk when used in place of water makes a more nutritious bread, and the crust has a more appetizing appearance.

1 minute read

Read Chapter

ROLLED OATS BREAD

ROLLED OATS BREAD

Pour two cups of scalded milk (or part milk and part water) over one cup and a half of rolled oats, add two tablespoons of sugar or molasses. When cooled to lukewarm, add one-third a cake of compressed yeast, softened and mixed with half a cup of lukewarm water, three cups of whole wheat flour and two of white flour. Mix with a knife to a dough, adding as much more flour as is required to make a dough that may be kneaded. Knead until smooth and elastic. Wash and butter the mixing bowl; in it put

38 minute read

Read Chapter

HOMINY BREAD

HOMINY BREAD

Boil potatoes, drain and press through colander. Add enough water to liquor drained from the potatoes to make four cups of liquid. Add to this one yeast cake dissolved in one-fourth cup of lukewarm water, add lard, salt, hominy, and enough white flour to knead. Knead and let rise until double its size. Knead again, shape into loaves, put into pans, and let rise again. Bake in a moderate oven forty-five minutes to one hour. Bread and Bread Making in the Home by Caroline L. Hunt and Hanna L. Wessl

45 minute read

Read Chapter

FAVORITE SOUTHERN DISHES

FAVORITE SOUTHERN DISHES

Cook onion and pepper with oleomargarine five minutes; add tomatoes, mushrooms, and olives and cook two minutes, then add brown sauce. Bring to boiling point and serve hot. This can accompany fish, meat or vegetables. This is a most delicate and palatable way of cooking chicken. After cleaning the young chicken, split down the back and dredge with salt and pepper. Put a tablespoonful of lard into the frying pan, and, when it is hot, add the chicken. Cook over slow fire fifteen minutes, then add

3 minute read

Read Chapter

SANDWICH SUGGESTIONS

SANDWICH SUGGESTIONS

Star ham, mayonnaise, chopped pickles, lettuce. Cold chopped veal, mayonnaise, chopped peppers, pimentos. Cold chopped pork, mayonnaise, chopped parsley, lettuce. Star ham, Thousand Island dressing, lettuce. Cold chopped pork, boiled dressing, chopped olives. Cream cheese, chopped nuts, green chopped olives, lettuce. Chopped almonds, Thousand Island dressing, lettuce. Grated American cheese, mayonnaise, chopped green peppers. Chopped liver sausage, mayonnaise, chopped chives, lettuce. Sliced ton

43 minute read

Read Chapter

USE OF LEFT-OVERS

USE OF LEFT-OVERS

Waste has no place in the substantial American home. The wise home manager uses every bit of wholesome edible product for food. She makes tasty dishes of all left-over foods. A bit of extract of beef adds just the flavor necessary to make many left-over meat and vegetable dishes favorites with the family. Left-over egg yolks are rich in fat and may be used with skimmed milk in making custards, pudding sauces, salad dressings, noodles and in soups or drinks. Left-over whites may be used to clear

2 minute read

Read Chapter

CARE OF FOOD IN THE HOME

CARE OF FOOD IN THE HOME

Much waste of food is due to carelessness in handling after it is delivered in the home. Thus the benefits of the elaborate care exercised in bringing the food to the consumer are sometimes lost by the carelessness of the housewife. Few of us realize the patient care and ofttimes burdensome labor incident to food production. The long hours of labor necessary to produce food in any form should give us a wholesome respect for it when it comes into our kitchen all ready to form a part of the family

2 minute read

Read Chapter

A FEW STANDARD RULES FOR SERVING

A FEW STANDARD RULES FOR SERVING

1. Pass and place everything from the left, except beverages and extra silver belonging on the right. 2. Place and remove plates one at a time. To save time, two plates may be brought to the dining room. Place one on the serving table and the other on the dining table; return to the serving table for the second plate, rather than to the pantry. 3. Use a folded napkin in the hand under all dishes served which contain food. 4. Use a tray only when passing or removing more than one article, as crea

58 minute read

Read Chapter

PREPAREDNESS MAKES DOING EASY

PREPAREDNESS MAKES DOING EASY

The great majority of the American housewives do their own work. A bit of hourly help now and then is the extent of help in thousands of representative homes. To be able to prepare a perfect meal, have the house in order, the children happy and spotless, the table attractively set, and to serve the meal oneself at the same time retaining one’s poise, occupying the hostess’ place at the table, directing the conversation and creating a feeling of true hospitality is, perhaps, the greatest test of

1 minute read

Read Chapter

THE THREE FORMS OF TABLE SERVICE

THE THREE FORMS OF TABLE SERVICE

1. The Russian Service is most formal. No food is on the table except candy and nuts. All serving is done from the pantry or the serving table. The food is attractively arranged upon suitable dishes from which each person helps himself; or portions may be arranged upon plates, one of which is placed before each person. The former method is preferable. 2. The English Service is informal. The food is placed upon the table and served by those seated at the head and the foot. If one has a maid, the

1 minute read

Read Chapter

Balanced Rations

Balanced Rations

A general balance of food should be maintained in each day’s diet: 1/5th meat or meat alternatives, 1/5th fat, and 3/5ths carbohydrates, with a serving of fruits and vegetables and plenty of liquid, completes the necessary variety....

10 minute read

Read Chapter

WHERE THE CALORIE COMES IN

WHERE THE CALORIE COMES IN

Before assimilation, the food we eat must be oxidized or burned. The heat resulting from this oxidation is measured in terms of calories, or heat units. While the number of calories supplied by the diet is important, the proper balance as to the classification of the food is of prime importance. We cannot build up the diet on calorie values alone without consideration of the food elements....

54 minute read

Read Chapter

PROTECTIVE FOODS

PROTECTIVE FOODS

The responsibility for the correct development of a family rests more and more surely at the door of the one who plans and cooks the meals for that family. Nutrition experts are continually making careful tests and giving us valuable information through the newspapers and women’s national publications. With such easy access to the fundamentals of correct eating, it comes close to criminal negligence for a mother to feed her family improperly; the present percentage of under-nourished children is

1 minute read

Read Chapter

1—General Kitchen Equipment

1—General Kitchen Equipment

Accurate measuring of materials, heat and time are primary factors in successful cooking. Every kitchen should have a weighing scale and a measuring cup....

45 minute read

Read Chapter

TIME AND TEMPERATURE

TIME AND TEMPERATURE

It will not be long before thermometers will be generally used as kitchen appliances. Until then we must show how we may know when a food is cooked, instead of stating the exact number of minutes required. It is better in most cases to subject foods to a moderate heat for a long time, than to intense heat for a shorter period. The shape and size of the article to be cooked and the variety and age of fruit or vegetables must be considered....

24 minute read

Read Chapter