YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
Eating foe Strength :
A BOOK COMPRISING:
1.—THE SCIENCE OF EATING.
2.—RECEIPTS FOR WHOLESOME COOKERY.
3.—RECEIPTS FOR WHOLESOME DRINKS.,
4.—ANSWERS TO EVER RECURRLNGt QtJESTIONS.
BY
M. L. HOLBBOOK, M D.,
Editor of the "Herald of Health"Parturition Without Pain," Etc.
aided by
NUMEROUS COMPETENT ASSISTANTS.
NEW YORK:
WOOD & HOLBROOK,
13 & 15 Laigiit Street.
137G.
YALE\
SE:.ter?.d according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by
M. L. HOLIiKOOK, M.D.,
la the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at VV ashington, i), 0-
7X//5"
H '/
/rf(o
{<<),
LAN«K, L1TTI.K & Co.;
POINTERS, EI.KCTROTYPERS AND STEREOTYPERS,
10S to 114 Wooster Street, y. Y,
PREFACE.
The Autlior and Editor of tliis little work sends it on its mission
witli the earnest hope that in some degree it may prove useful and
acceptable. He would like to acknowledge his obligations to those
who have aided him in his labors in the department of Recipes, by
a mention of their names, but those to whom he is most indebted
do not desire thus to be brought before the public. He may say this,
however, that they are one and all practical experimenters and
deeply interested in the subject of preparing wholesome and pal¬
atable food for our tables. Not one of all the number is a mere
theor.izer, but could, if need be, themselves cook a most delicious and
healthful meal.
lie also begs to acknowledge his indebtedness to several Health
Cookery Books, both English and American.
Many of the best Recipes, however, are those which have oeen
tried in our own kitchen, where they have stood the test of almost
constant use for years.
It will be observed that no Recipes are given for cooking meat or
fancy dishes, but our apology for this is, that there is no necessity for
doing so. Such Recipes are found in abundance in nearly every
cookery book, and this is not intended so much to supplant these
books as to supplement them.
ovr,"]
4
preface.
It is suggested tliat in tlie use of Recipes, a reasonable amount of
brains be mixed with them. Tlie best will prove failures in careless
hands. Food, to be well cooked, must be under the eye of a thought¬
ful person. It will not cook itself. It must be magnetized, so to
speak, by a living force, and Recipes must often be somewhat varied
to suit individual tastes and circumstances. The editor also suggests,
that those who read this book experiment and invent new methods of
their own. He will gladly print the results in the Herald of Health.
As to the other departments, it is hoped that they will furnish
numerous and acceptable hints for correct eating and drinking.
Should they not, the Author's hopes will not be realized.
M. L. H.
New York, October 1, 1874.
CONTENTS.
PART I.
PAGE.
Preface 3
CHAPTER I. Functions of Food 7
II. Classification of Aliments 10
III. The Amyloids 14
IV. Mineral Water 20
V. Values of Food 25
VI. Source of Muscular Strength 28
VII. Daily Wants of the Body 32
VIII. Digestion 38
PART II.
CHAPTER I. General Directions 43
II. Choice Treatment of Foods 45
RECIPES—
Soups 47
Porridges, Including Mushes 50
Remarks, Rules and Recipes for Making Good Bread 51
To Cook Eggs • 03
Preparations of Cheese Sandwiches G5
Cooking Vegetables 00
Pies and Pie Pastry. 72
Custards 77
Puddings 70
Cakes 82
Moulded Farinacea 84
Miscellaneous Dishes 85
6
CONTENTS.
PAET III.
I'AGH
Liquid Foods 99
Simple Beverages from Fruits 101
Lemonades 102
Drinks from Various Substances ' 103
Ices 100
Milk 107
Tea 113
Cocoa 116
Chocolate 110
Methods of Preparing Tea, Coffee, Cocoa, etc 117
PART IV.
Practical Dietetics, and Answers to Ever-recurring Questions 121
Index 153
CnAPTER I.
FUNCTION'S OF FOOD.
IIY do we eat at all ? "Why do all animals 011 the
globe, from tlie simplest worm to the highest,
most civilized man, depend for life on food and drink ?
Why is a child hungry, and if deprived of food for an hour
beyond the allotted time, ravenous for something to cat?
"Why does a hard-working man enjoy his food so well, and
want so much of it ? Why do great men and powerful
thinkers need to eat so abundantly? It does seem as if a
large part of the work of the world is to supply food for the
people. Why so many millions of acres of land devoted
to agriculture and horticulture ? Why so many more farm¬
ers producing food than people of any or all other occupations ?
Simply because food is so important, and its functions in the
body are so necessary to life and health. What then is the
great office 1 hat food performs for us ? Let us see. Food per¬
forms these functions:
1. It furnishes material with which to construct the body.
To the child this is very necessary. It would forever remain
a babe in stature, if this were not so. The food it imbibes from
its mother's breast increases the child's bulk; and if properly
fed till maturity, a large, powerful body is the result. Farm¬
ers increase or diminish the size of their domestic animals,
within a certain limit, by increasing or diminishing the
amount: of food supplied to them. The size, within con¬
stitutional limits, to which a child may attain is, to a great
extent, dependent on the supply of wholesome food it can
digest. Abundance of food, coupled with plenty of air.
8
fukctioxs or food.
exercise and sleep,insures a far greater size and development
than when the food is scanty. Farmers sometimes, by feed¬
ing, produce enormous development of the bodies of oxen,
sheep, and other animals. This abnormal development, how
ever, is not desirable in human beings, and should not be
sought for; but a normal development is desirable, and is
the legitimate aim of every parent fur his child, and person
for himself.
2. Still another function of food is to supply the waste
that goes on in the body from its daily wear and tear. This
varies greatly with different persons, and with the amount
of work done. Great workers wear out and use up every
day several pounds of the blood and tissues of the body.
New food is demanded to take its place, to make good this
loss. Those who work but little require less food. A month
of sickness sometimes wastes away a third of the weight of
the body. The patient becomes thin, emaciated and bony.
But a hearty appetite and plenty to eat soon restore it .to
its full size. There are some men of powerful frames who,
if they do a hard day's work, waste many pounds of their
avoirdupois, and must eat as much to make it up. Small
workers, and lazy, idle people eat less; and there are a few,
mainly corseted and inactive young women, and foppish, idle
young men, who waste very little of the tissue of the body
by effort, and consequently eat but little. It is, then, no bad
sign to see healthy people eat heartily—they must do it to
work and live.
3. Still another function of food is to maintain animal
heat. So important a function is this, that it has been com¬
puted that four-fifths of the food of the body is used to
maintain its temperature of nearly one hundred degrees. If
any one would appreciate the heat-producing power of his
food, let him in cold weather go without eating for a day
and still continue exposing himself to the weather, and he
will learn that a good meal will do more to warm his body
FUNCTIONS OF FOOD.
9
than clothing or fire. It furnishes the fuel which, consumed
or burnt in the body, maintains a comfortable temperature.
4. The last and most wonderful property of food is to fur¬
nish to the body strength. Strength conies in no other way.
When plants grow they store up the energy of the sunshine,
and when we consume these plants, that energy is transferred
to our bodies. It manifests itself in many ways. First,
in the form of motion, the ability to move from place to
place, or to move other things from one place to atucher.
Then in the form of sensation, feeling, seeing, hearing, and
thinking. The ability to do any or all of these things is
conferred by our food. Thought, motion, heat, as manifested
in the body, are all conferred by food. The body has the
peculiar power of abstracting these things from bread and
meat. Go without food, and all these functions of the body
gradually die away, and life becomes extinct. Perhaps this
point may be made more clear by an illustration. You give
your child a good hickory bow and arrow. He bends the
bow on its string, adjusts the arrow and pulls the string
back a few inches. Now what has he done ? Why simply
stored up in the bow a part of the strength of his arm.
But how did he get that strength? The sunshine of hist
summer stored it up in the bread, meat, and potatoes he ate
for breakfast. His body has the power to unfasten this
force and apply it to bending the bow. When he lets go the
string the arrow flies away, and the force is, so far as he is
concerned, lost. The food we eat does for us what the coal
does for the engine 011 the railroad train, it furnishes the
motive power, only the body is a living machine and can
think and feel, which the engine cannot do.
Now we see why we eat. It is, first, to increase the size
of the body; second, to supply the waste or loss by the daily
wear and tear; third, to maintain a proper degree of warmth
for the body, and fourth, to supply the energy by which we
move, think and feel.
CHAPTER II.
CLASSIFICATION OF ALIMENTS,
HE classification of foods now accepted by men of sci¬
ence is perfectly simple and easy. All the substances
used come under one of fourlieads. These are:
1. Proteids.
2. Eats.
3. Amyloids.
4. Minerals.
The proteids are generally known as albuminous, or nitro¬
genous substances. They take first rank in the material for
building up the fleshy part of the body. They include the
gluten of wheat, the albumen of white of egg, the muscle of
flesh, the casein of cheese, and a few other unimportant sub¬
stances.
The fats include all oils and fats, whether animal or vege¬
table. They are called the non-nitrogenous articles of diet,
because they contain no nitrogen. Butter, fat meat, vege¬
table and animal oils, oily nuts, etc., etc., are of this class.
They are also called hydro-carbons.
The amyloids include starch, dextrine, sugar and gums.
They are also non-nitrogenous and hydro-carbons; but the
hydrogen and oxygen are in the form of water, while in the
fats the oxygen is not in sufficient quantity to satisfy the
affinity of the hydrogen.
The minerals are water and certain salts of alkalies, and
other substances, such as go to make up the bones and teeth,
They act as regulators of nutrition.
None, however, of these substances alone will perfectly
CLASSIFICATION OF ALIMENTS.
11
nourish the body. All of them must be present. The food
which Nature has provided for the newborn babe is the only
one which perfectly illustrates a combination of them all.
1. The curd of milk is a proteid.
2. The cream or butter of milk is a fat.
3. The sugar of milk is an amyloid.
4. The water, magnesium, potassium, iron, sodium, lime,
phosphorus, etc., are the minerals.
Is this not simple and beautiful ? How perfectly good
milk nourishes the young. If in after years, when Ave eat
and drink what we please, Ave were to choose food so wisely
adapted to our wants as the Creator does for the child, it
would save much suffering.
TIIE PIIOTEIDS.
ISTow let us look at the functions of the different kinds of
food. This subject is not so well understood as we wish it
was; still what is known will help to decide somewhat as
to the choice of articles of diet. First in the list come the
p rote ids. What is their function in the body? One point
at least seems settled, that their chief value is to construct
and repair the tissues of the body. The nerves, the muscles,
the glands, the secretions of the mouth, stomach and ali¬
mentary canal which help to transform our food, are all pro-
teids. Parke says that every structure in the body in which
any form of force is manifested, as heat, electricity, or mechan¬
ical action, is mainly built up of these proteids. This is so
the world over. May Ave not, then, safely conclude, that the
main function of the proteids is to build up and repair cer¬
tain tissues of the body ? It is also believed that by oxidation
they develop some heat, and a small portion of the strength
of the frame. If the proteids are'cut off the functions of
the body languish. If we Avish to increase the power of the
body to do Avork, Ave must invariably increase the consump¬
tion of proteids.
12
CLASSIFICATION OP ALIMENTS.
THE PATS AND TIIEIR FUNCTION, Oil USE.
The fats are, in the scientific works on food, called hydro¬
carbons. They contain some oxygen, but never enough to
satisfy the affinities of the carbon and hydrogen. For this
reason they are powerful generators of heat. An ounce of
fat burned in the fire generates a large amount of heat. An
equal weight of it when burned will produce two and a half
times as much heat as dry starch, or sugar. Some idea of its
wonderful heating properties may be gained by the fact that
ten grains of fat burned so as to save all its heat, will raise
the temperature of twenty-three pounds of water one degree.
This is sufficient to raise 18,000 pounds weight one foot high.
Their two great uses, then, are first, to maintain animal heat ;
and second, to generate force. It is very easy to see how it
does the former, by burning in the body; but how heat be¬
comes force is not so easy to see. That it does in the steam-
engine is evident, and the same is true in the body. The
man who does a hard day's work, does so by virtue of the
fact that he is, so far as his labor is concerned, an engine.
The muscles do not furnish the strength, they only transmit
it. The wheels of the engine do not furnish the strength,
that is the power behind them. Not only the heat of the
body, but the working power of it, is largely due to the con¬
sumption of fat. (The reader must not confound fat with
fat meat alone, butter is a fat, and so are oils and oily nuts.)
Still another use of fats is that, like the proteids, when
taken into the body, they enter into its structure, forming
in all cases an essential part of muscle, nerve, brain, and
other organs; and also entering largely into the adipose
tissue.
Besides these important and principal functions of fat,
it has minor uses in the processes of digestion, assimilation,
and nutrition, and, it is believed, in the formation of bile.
Food digests more readily if fat is mixed with it. It also
CLASSIFICATION OF ALIJIEXTS.
13
plays an important part in the formation of cells, blood
corpuscles, and even the generation of blood. It is present
in large quantities in the tubules of the nerves; and in all
the nervous centers serves some highly important function
in nervous action.
Indeed'the distribution of it in every tissue and its accu¬
mulation around certain organs, serves to fill up the cavities
of the body and give roundness to the form, equalizes the
external pressure, and diminishes friction; and, by its bad
conducting property, retains animal heat. Fat, therefore,
must ever be regarded as highly important to the physical
development of the body, and any system of diet that ex¬
cludes it is faulty and to be condemned.
An interesting case of the evil effects of the non-use of
fats was recently brought to our notice. A gentleman of
education and refinement, in rather feeble health, put him¬
self under the care of a physician who ordered him to ab¬
stain from all butter, sugar, salt, milk and meat, and to live
exclusively 011 farinaceous articles and fruits. The result
was that he lost rapidly in flesh and strength, and soon took
to his bed. The physician insisting that he would in the
end be better for this course, advised him to continue it.
The patient thinking that hickory nuts were not forbidden,
purchased a quantity and ate freely of them. Being very
rich in fatty matter, they supplied the place of butter and
fat meat perfectly, and he soon became much better and be¬
lieved he had made a great discovery in the dietetic value of
this nut. We may add, this nut is excellent food for those
who can digest it and for those who abstain from animal
fats it will often prove to be very valuable. "Where oily foods
are not used, the proteids exist in excess in the blood, and
furnish more nitrogen than can be used. The result is that
the system is poisoned and seriously suffers.
CHAPTER III.
THE AMYLOIDS.
THE word "amyloid " is from two Greek words, which,
taken togither, signify "resembling starch." The prin¬
cipal amyloids arc starch in its various forms, as arrow-root,
corn-starch, potato-starch, etc.; sugar in the form of grape-
sugar, milk-sugar, cane-sugar; honey and cellulose. Cellu¬
lose is the woody substance of plants, after all other mat¬
ter in their composition is dissolved and washed away.
The amyloids, like the fats, discussed in the last chapter,
are destitute of nitrogen, and are composed of only oxygen,
hydrogen, and carbon. They are the true hydro-carbons.
(A hydro-carbon is a substance in which the hydrogen and
oxygen are in the proportion to form water; and, to make
the matter perfectly simple, we might call them water-car¬
bons—Jn/fJro meaning water.) Liebig divided foods into two
great classes, nitrogenous and non-nitrogenous, and fats
and" amyloids come under the latter, head ; but as they are
very different in their chemical composition, and in their
uses, they have more recently been subdivided. Liebig
thought their use was to support animal heat, and this they
do to a certain extent; but, as before remarked, they do
not equal the fats in this respect. The reason of this is,
that the fats contain a great deal of hydrogen in excess of
what, with its oxygen, forms water, and this excess, when
burned, helps to maintain heat. The following table will
make this clear:
TIIE AMYLOIDS. ■ 15
CALORIFIC POWER OF TEX GRAINS OF TIIE SUBSTANCE IN
ITS NATURAL STATE.
Lbs. of water raised 1° F.
Grape sugar 8.42
Lump sugar 8.01
Arrow-root 10.00
Butter 18.00
Beef fat 20.91
From the above instructive table it will be seen that fat
is over twice as valuable a heat-producing agent as starch.
This might be inferred by throwing an ounce of each into
the fire, and noticing the difference in the amount of blaze
they produce.
There is also the same difference in the amount of work
these substances will do when burned, as the following table
"will show :
MOTIVE POWER OF TEN GRAINS OF THE SUBSTANCE IN ITS
NATURAL STATE.
Lbs. lifted one foot high.
Grape sugar G,500
Lump sugar 0,047
Arrow-root 7,TOO
Butter 14,441
Beef fat 10,142
That the above may be made perfectly clear, it must be
understood that any substance which, when burned, will
heat a pound of water one degree, will, by another mode of
action, raise 772 pounds one foot high. This seems marvel¬
ous at first sight; but the marvel avill disappear when wo
consider the won tier ful power that a little coal generates in
the engine of an ocean steamer, and in this case much of
the power is lost, as no engine has yet been made perfect
enough to save all the force generated by the fire under the
boiler.
1C
THE AMYLOIDS.
But the amyloids have other important uses in the sys
tern besides the generation of heat. In the first place, they
may he converted into fat, and stored up in the system for
future use. This has been abundantly proved by numerous
experiments. Perhaps as good an illustration of its truth is
the one familiar to most, that the negroes of the South al¬
ways become fat from the sweets they eat during the season
for gathering the cane and manufacturing its juice into
sugar. Indeed, it is generally thought that most, if not all,
of the fat of the system is produced from the amyloids of
the food we consume. Other uses still remain for the amy¬
loids. In the processes of digestion and circulation, they
are converted into lactic acid, found both in the stomach
and in the flesh, and into butyric, formic, and acetic acids;
found in the sweat. These acids have their uses in the vari¬
ous reactions of the fluids of the system—the blood being-
alkaline, while most of the secretions are acid. They also
assist in the solution of effete matter in the system, and ren¬
der it more easy of removal.
MINERAL MATTER.
The bodies of men and animals contain a very con¬
siderable amount of mineral matter, and this comes from
the food we eat. Minerals constitute one of the important
divisions of food as now divided. The bones and teeth are
largely composed of mineral matter. They also constitute
an important element of the blood, and of many of the secre¬
tions. Nearly every tissue contains a small amount of min¬
eral matter. The principal minerals of the body are calcium
(the base of lime), magnesium, potassium (base of potash),
sodium (base of soda), iron, chlorine, phosphorus, and sul¬
phur; water is also included in this list. The minerals are
equally important with the proteids, fats, and amyloids.
Lime, chiefly in the form of phosphate, is absent from no
THE AMYLOIDS.
17
tissue. No cell growth can go on without it. Lime and
magnesia are necessary to bone growth.
Potash and soda, combined in the form of phosphates and
chlorides, are important. They are thought to be concern¬
ed in the molecular currents. They form parts of nearly all
tissues. Potash seems to constitute an important part of
the formed tissues, while soda is contained in the fluids that
bathe them.
Chlorine and phosphoric acid exist in considerable quan¬
tities. Chlorine is found combined with sodium, and also
in a most important acid, the hydrochloric; and has a spe¬
cial action 011 the proteids. The phosphoric acid produces
important actions with the alkalies. Nearly all food con¬
tains them.
Iron is found in all foods, and is an important constituent
of red blood corpuscles, and in the coloring matter of red
flesh. A small amount of iron is found in nearly every
tissue.
Sulphur and phosphorus exist in the tissues as important
constituents of the proteids, or albuminates.
Silica is present in the integuments, the hair, nails,
etc., and in the lower animals is more important than in
man.
It has been one of the most difficult problems of physiol¬
ogists to discover the uses of some of the minerals of the
blood. It was easy enough to discover the uses of lime to
build up the bones and teeth; but the other minerals had
uses more difficult to find out. Even yet there is doubt
and uncertainty about it. Still much is known, and it is
pretty certain that the mineral constituents of blood are
largely concerned in (lie constant changes going 011 in the
body. I11 the first place, the food, as it goes into the
stomach for digestion, could never be digested or absorbed
through the microscopic absorbing vessels if not rendered
perfectly fluid,,and this is done by the minerals contained
IS
THE AMYLOIDS.
in the gastric and pancreatic juices. They give a soluble
form to those substances which would otherwise be semi¬
fluid, like glue or jelly. They maintain this fluidity in the
blood that it may circulate through the arteries and veins
and capillaries. It is very curious, but probably true, that
as the nutrient material leaves the blood and is converted
into tissue, this too is done by means of the help of the
mineral constituents of the blood. In the blood, which is
alkaline, the proteids remain fluid; but in the flesh, which
is acid, they lose their fluidity and become solid.
Then, again, when any tissue is worn out and must be re¬
moved from the system, it needs become fluid again, and
this is accomplished by the action of mineral substances.
Lethebysays: "As to the special functions of each of the
saline (or mineral) constituents of food, little can be said;
but it is a remarkable fact that the alkaline (or basic) phos¬
phate of soda is invariably found in the blood, while the acid
phosphate of potash is the chief constituent of the juice of
flesh ; and," he continues, " most likely the former is con¬
cerned in preserving the liquid condition of albumen and
fibrin, and so keeping them from being lost by secretion,
while the latter is engaged in an opposite duty."
The following table will show the relative amounts of dif¬
ferent minerals in human blood:
Phosphoric acid 31.79
Alkalies 55.GG
Alkaline earths 3.33
Mineral acids and oxide of iron 0.22
100.00
Just how much of each mineral our food should contain
for each day is not so easy to answer; but Dr. Edward
Smith says that a full-grown man requires daily from 32 to
79 grains of phosphoric acid, 51 to 175 of chlorine' (equal to
TFTE AMYLOIDS.
19
from 85 to 291 of common salt), 27 to 107 of potash, from
80 to 171 of soda, and from 3 to G of lime, and 2 to 3 of
magnesia.
According to Lawes, these minerals are not stored np in
the system to any extent. lie found that of every 1L lbs.
taken into the body, but 12 oz. remained, the rest be¬
ing unabsorbed, or used in the work of secretion and ex¬
cretion.
From what lias been said, the reader must feel that the
subject of food, and eating, and drinking, is a very elaborate
one. The system, to do the best work, requires each day a
certain amount of a great variety of substances. Excess of
one and deficiency of another may cause serious disease, or
prevent the full play of all the faculties. Too much of the
proteids poison by an excess of nitrogenous matter. Too
little of the fits and amyloids prevents the generation of
lieat and force, and reduces the heat and vigor of the body,
while their excess produces corpulency, and other diseases—it
may be fevers, colds, etc.; while an excess of the minerals
produces gout, gravel, rheumatism, and their deficiency pre¬
vents the full play of secretion and excretion.
CHAPTER IV.
MINERAL MATTER CONTINUED.
"TK" our last chapter the function of mineral matter was dis-
-L cussed; before closing this subject we desire to add a few
words concerning common salt. The value of this mineral
has been stoutly denied by a few modern hygienists, and
there will be no doubt many readers of this book inclined
to take this view of the question, and perhaps many of
them never use it. It is not our intention to enter into
any discussion on this subject, but to present briefly the
points in its favor put forward by those who maintain that
it has a normal relation to the healthy action of the body.
Salt docs not enter into the composition of the tissues, but
it is a large constituent of every one of the secretions, the
saliva, gastric juice, bile and sweat, and exists in the blood
in larger amounts than any other mineral matter. Indeed,
about one-half of the mineral matter of the blood is salt.
This amount in the blood cannot be much increased. If one
should use a very large amount of it with his food, any
excess beyond a certain amount is immediately thrown out
in the excretions. Letheby says : "It is a curious fact that
common salt has the faculty of formingcrystallizable com¬
pounds with most of the organized and effete constituents
of the body; " and inquires, "May it not therefore be an im¬
portant agent of diffusion; and be thus concerned in the
phenomena of absorption and secretion ? for albumen and
fibrin cannot pass through the walls of the intestines, or the
blood-vessels. It may well be that through the agency of
common salt and the free acid of the gastric juice, they
MINERAL MATTER.
21
temporarily assume a condition in which they can be ab¬
sorbed and secreted."
The same author also adds that "The experiments of
Boussingault on animals have shown that, although salt
mixed with the fodder does not much affect the quantity of
flesh, hit, or milk obtained from them, yet it seriously allocts
their appearance and general condition ; for animals de¬
prived of suit other than that naturally contained in the
food soon get heavy and dull in their temperament, and have
a rough and staring coat."
Iieulin states that animals which do not find it in their
food or drink become less prolific, and the breed rapidly
diminishes in number.
Dr. Le Same says that salt increases the fertility and
doubles the power of nourishing the foetus, and renders the
milk more abundant and nutritive. It also gives a finer
condition to the skin, and the flesh of animals is more
digestible and better flavored which partake of it. Probably
one use of salt is to increase the amount of saliva and gastric
juice secreted. That it does this is certain. Salty food is
sure to excite the salivary glands to intense action, they
throwing out large quantities of saliva. If the amount of
salt in food, however, is too great, this object is partly de¬
feated, as we are apt to swallow the food too rapidly and
before it is well chewed and incorporated with the juices;
and this is a serious evil.
Such are a few of the views of eminent writers on the
value of salt.
The instinct for salt, seen almost everywhere, is vividly
related by many writers. It is said that on the coast of
Sierra Leone brothers will sell their sisters, husbands their
wives, and parents their children for it. Another writer
adds, that on the gold coast of Africa a handful of salt will
buy one or two slaves. It is said, in barbarous times the
most horrible punishment was to feed criminals oil food
22
MINERAL MATTER.
without salt. "We are, however, inclined to believe that
there is a good deal of extravagance of statement in all such
stories. At any rate, what is true of savages and of animals,
whose choice of food is narrow and meagre, is no rule for
civilized beings who have a great variety of food, rich in
mineral matter. Moreover, we have known many persons
to refuse to eat salt with their food for weeks and months,
and declare they were improved by abstinence from it. We
are of the opinion that while a moderate use of salt may be
advisable, most people eat far too much of it; in this way
corrupting the appetite and taste, and taxing to far too
great an extent the excretory organs in getting rid of it.
Then, too, those who live on foods rich in mineral matter
would naturally need less of this mineral. So, too, a con¬
stantly improving agriculture improves our foods. By using
salt largely on certain crops as a fertilizer they may probably
be made to contain more of it, and thus it will be introduced
into our systems as a constituent of our food, and not as a
condiment. That its use on almost everything, and the un-
savoriness of foods without it, is a mere habit, and not an
instinct, cannot be doubted.
In using salt, therefore, Ave advise moderation. Learn to
use some articles of diet without it, and others with but
little; and make up for any deficiency of this article by such
foods as are rich in mineral matter, of such kinds as are im¬
portant in the animal economy.
CONDIMENTS.
A discussion of foods and drinks which should omit con¬
diments would be very incomplete. According to Dr.
Letheby, "they are merely stimulants of the digestive
organs, promoting the flow of saliva, gastric juice, and other
intestinal secretions, and increasing the peristaltic movement
of the viscera. Thus they aid in the processes of digestion,
and by giving flavor to the food they whet the appetite and
MINERAL MATTER.
23
so increase tlie relish for it. Food is made more palatable,
and digestion promoted."
Many eschew condiments entirely, and to manifest advan¬
tage. William Cullen Bryant, in a letter published a couple
of years ago in Tiie Herald of Health, said : " Even with
my food I do not take the usual condiments, such as pepper
and the like."
They contain no nutriment. Where used, they should be
free from adulteration, of the best quality, and of the finest
kinds. Pot herbs are used often for condiments, especially
for broths and soups. The best of condiments used in
moderation are doubtless useful, though not essential to
high heal tli. Flint, in his great work on physiology, says of
them: "The refinements of modern cookery involve the use
of articles which cannot be classed as alimentary principles.
Pepper, capsicum, vinegar, mustard, spices, and articles of
this class, which are so commonly used, with the various
compound sauces, have no decided influence 011 nutrition,
except in so far as they promote the secretion of the diges¬
tive fluids. * * * The various flavoring seeds and leaves,
truffles, mushrooms, etc., have 110 physiological importance,
except as rendering articles of food more palatable."
I11 addition to the above we give the following from Pro¬
fessor F. W. Newman. It appeared in the January number
of The London Dietetic Reformer. "In the writings of
several leading vegetarians it is noticeable that they profess
to take 110 condiments but salt. Mr. G. Dornbusch does not
even take salt. I feel that this subject needs more light
thrown on it. Salt being a mineral seems, at first sight, to
need a justification. I find it in the fact that horses and
cows love grass which has a taste of salt, and the American
bisons make long pilgrimages to lick the salt rocks; in the
notorious fact that it kills worms in children. Hence it
may be inferred that a certain portion of it is healthful, and
preservative from ailments. When instinct and common
24
MINERAL MATTER.
sense point to a, conclusion it is satisfactory to liaye corro¬
boration from science. And here we find that the gastric
juice is reported to us as containing muriatic acid, for which
salt, being muriate of soda, gives a supply. Besides, salt is
one of the ingredients of blood. Thus salt is really food,
though any excess of it is of course mischievous.
" But that vegetarians should sweepingly renounce vege¬
table condiments comes to me as a paradox. So much of
condiments as tends to thirst I warmly deprecate, and with
difficulty bear a very minute taste of cayenne pepper or
curry. But are we to foreswear mint, sage, mace, cloves,
cinnamon, caraway, ginger, pepper, and all spices ? Where
shall we stop ? What of mustard and cress, and watercress,
celery, orange, and citron peel ? As a special example, rice
is so tasteless that the hardiest rustics (Turks and Arabs)
reject it unless some condiment be added. Salt and butter
are their ordinary demand, and then they call it pilau (pro¬
nounced pilow). The English generally expect milk with
it, or milk and sugar. All watery vegetables seem to need
some condiment. Salt may suffice, but it is difficult to
understand why other tasty articles are to be banished from
our tables."
CHAPTER Y.
VALUES OF FOOD.
AT this point of our'studies it will be well for us to
carefully look into the heating power derived from
food, as w^ll as the mechanical force extracted from it. We
shall draw freely from the works of Frankland, Letheby,
Parkes, and other writers, whose experiments are of recent
date and most reliable.
IIEATIXG TOWER OF FOOD.
Lbs. of water 10 gra. will heat
NAME OF FOOD. 1° when burned in the body.
Butter 18. G8
Cheshire cheese 11.20
Oatmeal 10.10
Wheat flour 9.87
Pea meal ' 9.57
Ground rice 9.53
Yolk of egg 8.50
Lump sugar 8.G1
Grape sugar 8.43
Boiled eggs 5.80
Lean beef 8.GG
Lean veal 3.01
Potatoes 3.5G
White of egg 1.48
Milk 1.G4
Carrots 1.83
Cabbage 1.08
Theoretically, the amount of work which can be done by
foods, that is, the number of pounds that can be raised one
foot high is 772 times the number of pounds of water it
will, by burning, lieat one degree. Therefore, to find the
VALUES OF FOOD.
comparative value of foods to support strength, multiply the
above figures by this sum. It must not he supposed, how¬
ever, that these figures are yet iixed beyond improvement,
though it is certain they are very nearly correct. It is, of
course, understood that when these values are got out of
foods, they must all be digested, and completely absorbed
and converted into nutriment; and this is never done. JSTo
invention ever made is so perfect as this. The human
hotly, perfect as we think it is when in robust health, is
not perfect enough to get all the virtue out of food. A
working diet of 4| ounces of perfectly dry nitrogenous mat¬
ter, and 22{- ounces of dry carbonaceous matter—equivalent
to a daily allowance of some six pounds of ordinary food—-
possesses, theoretically, a working value sufficient to raise
10,874,130 pounds one foot high, yet the most work that
can actually be got out of this amount of food is—-includ¬
ing the beating of the heart, and respiration—not over
1,010,200 pounds. From this it will be seen that there is
a vast difference between the theoretical and the actual
value of food in work. 1STo allowance, however, is here made
for the food used up in thought, in feeling, emotion, and
the molecular movements of the body. This cannot, in the
present state of science, be calculated—if it ever can.
It has been found by experiments 011 a large number of
men, that the carbonic acid exhaled and urea secreted daily
in the amount of food mentioned above, really should sup¬
ply force sufficient to raise 7,720,000 pounds one foot high,
while the actual work is only about one-sixth of this amount.
What becomes of the other force? Is it lost, or used up in
mental and molecular labor, which cannot be measured?
It must be the latter.
AN" INTERESTING COMPARISON.
Letheby in liis work says: "I11 the steam engine, ac¬
cording to Sir William Armstrong, only a tenth part of the
VALUES OP FOOD.
27
actual power of the fuel is realized in work. The human
machine is therefore more economical of its force than a
steam engine; in fact it is assumed by Heidenham that
less than half the force applied to the living muscles, as it
is developed in their tissues, is realized. But although the
animal machine is so much more economical of force than
the steam engine, yet on account of the costliness of its food
(fuel), it is far more expensive." Taking, for example, a
steam engine of one-horse power, it will take two horses to
do the same work for ten hours a day, or twenty-four men.
Now, the cost for fuel for the engine will he about twenty
cent's worth of coal; for the horses, about $2 worth of
liay and oats; and for the men about $10 worth of br< id,
butter and meat."
CHAPTER VI.
SOURCE OF MUSCULAR STREXGTII.
IX a general way we have already shown that our strength
of body comes from our food. It is proper now for us
to inquire whether it comes from the proteids, fats, amyloids,
or salts. Liebig taught us that all muscular strength exerted
was at the expense, the breaking down, using up, metamor¬
phosis, or oxydation of the muscular tissue. So much mus¬
cle destroyed, so much strength exerted. Now the proteids,
that is, the albumen, librin, gluten in our food goto make up
muscular structure; and Liebig taught, and all physiolo¬
gists accepted his doctrine, that during exercise the des¬
truction of the muscles was the source of the strength exer¬
ted. This would be very much like a theory that a saw-mill
received all its power to saw logs from the wear nnd tear
of itself. Ilis theory made it necessary that the proteids of
our food should be converted into muscle, and then during
exertion destroyed, new proteids constantly, during rest,
being converted into muscle for further use. Liebig also
taught that the fat? and amyloids were only necessary
to supply heat for the body; but it seemed never to have
entered his head that they were the source of muscular
power.
In the present state of science this is alkchanged. Now
the muscles are not regarded as the source of strength,
but the vehicle to convey or exert it. In exercise they are
not metamorphosed, or oxydized, or used up to an extent
sufficient to account for all the strength ; but their destruc-
SOURCE OF MUSCULAR STRENGTH.
2D
tion is comparatively small. Now the theory is that the
proteids supply the material for building up, constructing
the body, and especially the muscles; but the main source
of muscular strength is the fats and amyloids.
How came about this change of view ? In this wise. It
was found that men could do very hard work for awhile
when deprived of proteids in their food. It was also found
that the urea in the urine was not in sufficient quan¬
tity to account for all the force exerted, nor was it nnfcli
more (often less) during long continued exercise than
during repose. As'long ago as 1SG1 Troube asserted that
all muscular strength was derived from the oxydation of
the fats and hydro-carbons; and in 18G4 Donders was con¬
vinced that the transformation of muscle was not sufficient
to explain all the force exerted in the body. Soon after,
Dr. Edward Smith showed that while the amount of urea
in the urine (urea is the product of the oxydation of mus¬
cle) was not increased by exercise the amount of carbonic
acid (carbonic acid is a product of the oxydation of the car¬
bon of the fats and hydro-carbons) was greatly increased,
showing that during the manifestation of muscular power
there was a great increase- in the destruction of fats and
amyloids. The most powerful argument, however, against
Lie big's theory was yet to be given, one which Liebig
himself saw the force of, and never satisfactorily ans¬
wered. It is the argument, or rather the result of the experi¬
ments of Pick and Wislicenus, made in August, 18G0. The
results of these experiments were carefully and elaborately
printed in Tiie Herald of Health for September of that
year. In order to make the subject clear, a very brief state¬
ment of these experiments is necessary. On the 29th day of
August, 186G, these gentlemen prepared themselves for the
work of climbing to the top .of one of the Bernese Alps
mountains,, called, the Fanlhorn, 6,417 feet above Lake
Brentz.. Their object was to see if their muscular strength
30
SOURCE OF MUSCULAR STRENGTH.
could be supported in this arduous undertaking on fats and
amyloids and withoirt nitrogenous food, which could be
converted into muscle and then oxygenized. To prepare
themselves for the work, for seventeen hours before they
commenced their ascent they ate only solid food, composed
of starch, fat and sugar, compressed into solid cakes. They
began their ascent by the steepest and most dangerous route
at 5.-80 in the morning, and at twenty minutes past one in
the'afternoon they had, without fatigue, finished their jour¬
ney. Now what was the result?
1. That they had, without a nitrogenous diet, easily
accomplished their task.
2. That the amount of nitrogen excreted was one-third
less during the hours of vigorous exercise than the hours
before and afterward.
This not wholly unexpected result was almost conclusive
proof that the source of muscular power is mainly found in
fats and amyloids, and not in the proteids.
Now let us glance at the work done.
Fick, weighing 145| pounds, had climbed 6,417.5 feet
high. This was equivalent to raising 933,740 pounds one
foot high. Wislicenus, weighing 1G7.5 pounds, had climbed
to the same height, which was equivalent to raising 1,074,931
pounds one foot high. In addition, however, to the mere
labor of ascending the mountain, was the labor of the beat¬
ing of the heart, and respiration. Now, according to the
calculations of Donders, each heart beat is estimated to be
equal to raising 4.G5 pounds one foot high, and each respira¬
tion equal to 4.5G pounds one foot high. Let us then add
this to the other work done. Fick says that during his
ascent the heart beat at the unusual rate of 120 per minute,
while his respirations were 25 per minute. There then
must be added to the other work for this man 220,968
pounds for heart and respiration work, and if Wislicenus
was in the same proportion there must be added for him
S0UECE OF MUSCULAR STRENGTH.
31
257,790 pound?. Adding these sums together we have the
work done as follows :
luck, in 51- hours' work, 1,154,714 pounds raised one foot
high; Wislicenus 1,332,727 pounds one foot high. Now
the amount of urea excreted in Fick shows a destruction of
muscle which, perfectly oxygenized, would only have raised
498,525 pounds one foot, while Wislicenus shows the des¬
truction of even less, namely sufficient to only raise 481,618
pounds one foot high. These results show conclusively
that, in their cases at least, by far the larger source of mus¬
cular strength was derived, not from the destruction of
muscle and nitrogenous food, but from the destruction of
fats and amyloids; the proportion being about two-thirds
of the latter to one-third of the former.
Becent experiments confirm the general result of those
above given. From an economical point of view, these re¬
sults are interesting. It* the source of muscular strength
is entirely the destruction of muscular tissue, then the
labor of assimilation, the constant repair of destroyed muscle
would be very much greater than economy would dictate,
fur all the nitrogenous food would have to be converted into
muscle before available. But if the source of strength is
largely fatty and amylaceous matter, then much is saved,
for they become oxydized and give out their virtues in the
capillaries when they meet the oxygen.
Whether brain and nerve energy has the same origin is
not yet settled, but there is little doubt that, to a certain
extent, they have; though it is likely the addition of phos¬
phorus, and perhaps other substances, are necessary for this
work.
The practical value of these facts might be very great, if
properly applied. We shall discuss this point as we proceed.
CHAPTER VII.
THE DAILY WANTS OF THE BODY.
HE requirements of the body vary with age. sex, occupa¬
tion, health, work clone, climate, and race. Therefore
any attempt to decide just how much any person should eat
would be fruitless. Still some facts may be useful and in¬
structive. In the first place it may be stated that as a
general rule a healthy man requires from 700 to 800 pounds
of perfectly dry food in a year. This amounts to about two
pounds of solid matter daily. In addition to this are re¬
quired from five to six pounds of fluid. So, again, a man
cannot live well on the meagre diet of a pound of bread
daily, with water, but will become thin and weak. It is
said that the poor needle-women of London almost starve
on a daily allowance of a pound and a half of bread and an
ounce and a half of butter daily.
It is well known that farm laborers have a good appetite
and eat heartily. Dr. Edward Smith made inquiries into
the food allowance of some hundreds of families in Eng¬
land, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, and formed the following
tables:
AVERAGE DAILY DIET OF FARM LABORERS IN GREAT
BRITAIN.
Dry Nitrogenous
Dry Carbonaceous
Matter.
England.
Wales..,
Scotland.
Ireland..
Matter.
3.18 ozs.
4.12 "
, 4.76 "
4.94 "
29.82 ozs
,35.51 "
.36.30 "
,34.26 "
THE DAILY WANTS OF THE BODY.
33
Dr. PI ay fair, who also made extensive observations in the
same field of inquiry, gives in liis valuable work the follow¬
ing table:
DAILY DIET ACCORDING TO WORK DONE.
Flesh-formers.
Fat.
Starch and sugar.
Subsistence diet
2.0
0.5
12.0
Quietude
2.5
1.0
12.0
Moderate exereise, .
4.2
1.8
18.7
Active labor
2.5
20.0
Hard work
, . , G.5
2.5
20.0
According to Voit and Pettenkofer,
an
adult working-
man requires daily five ounces of nitrogenous matter and
twenty-three ounces of carbonaceous matter (calculated as
starch).
According to Liebig, the Bavarian wood-choppers, who
live five and a half days in the forests, are allowed three and a
half pounds of fat, eight pounds of meal, and four and a half
pounds of bread for five days' rations. This equals four and
one-third ounces of nitrogenous matter and fifty ounces of
carbonaceous matter. The Russian peasant has his yearly
rations apportioned to equal five and two-thirds ounces of
nitrogenous matter and forty-two and a half of carbona¬
ceous. The Chinese laborer eats daily four and two-thirds
ounces of dry nitrogenous and thirty-six and one-third
ounces of carbonaceous.
These statements will not, perhaps, enlighten our readers
much, unless they carry them further. This, however, is
certain, the working-man requires about six times as much
carbonaceous food as nitrogenous. Children, however, who
have bodies to build up, require a larger proportion of nitro¬
genous; and so do those who are run down in flesh, and need
building up, while, on the other hand, those who suffer from
a lack of animal heat, require perhaps more carbonaceous.
Now it becomes a matter of some importance how Ave are
to eat, so as to combine in our foods the right proportions
34
THE DAILY WANTS OP TUB BODY.
of these different elements, and also mineral matter. This
is no easy task. Science may aid ns in the decision, but Ave
must rely largely oil good judgment and instinct, provided
the former is instructed by science and the latter not per¬
verted by bad habits and depraved tastes.
Science teaches, according to Letlieby, that the best pro¬
portions of food for the body are, of fat, nine parts; of
flesh-forming material, twenty-two parts; and of starch
and sugar, sixty-nine parts. To this the same author
adds, that when we eat of a food which is deficient in any
necessary ingredient, we generally combine with it another,
which contains an excess of it. For instance, we combine
bread with butter, lean meat with potatoes, salad with
eggs. On the other hand, we should never mix together a
great variety of foods containing an excess of carbonaceous
matter, and a deficiency of nitrogenous.
DISTRIBUTION OF MEALS.
As a general rule, savages eat when they can get food.
If it is abundant, they eat nearly all the day long; if
if is scarce, they live on one meal a day. They are like ani¬
mals in this respect. They are as little injured by it as the
cow or horse that grazes from morn till night oil the
sweet grass of the pasture. Civilized beings must not
do this, because their mental and physical labors would
seriously interfere with the processes of digestion. As a
rule, three meals a day are best for most persons, though two
meals are ample, and better for some. It depends on the
kind of food, rapidity of digestion, and work done, how
often we should eat. Our meals should be so arranged as not
to offend the taste and burden the digestive powers.
BAD DIETETIC HABITS.
We suppose there is no doubt but at least half the il]
health of the world comes from improper eating.
Til 13 DAILY "WANTS OF THE BODY.
35
An excess of carbonaceous food promotes the formation
of fat, and prevents the complete nourishment of the
muscles.
It gives a person bulk, but not strength. Vital power is
deficient in very fat people.
An excess of nitrogenous food gives rise to diseases of a
plethoric character—apoplexy, fevers, etc., etc.
Too little food, we all know, impoverishes the blood, and
gives rise to feebleness and starvation. Nothing will so
soon derange the brain and the nervous system as a low diet.
The salts in our food must neither be in excess nor de¬
ficient. Man cannot live without them any more than
without the elements which go to form fiesli or give heat.
So too goitre and cretinism are caused by certain minerals
in the water. There is much to be discovered oil this
subject.
I.—GENERAL STATISTICS.
At this point I wish to add a quotation from Prof. Iluxley,
which will supplement this chapter:
The average weight of the human body may be taken a';
154 lbs.
Such a body would be made up of—
lbs.
Muscles and their appurtenances G8
Skeleton 24
Skin 10i
Fat . < 28
Brain 3
Thoracic viscera 2|-
Abdominal viscera 11
147
lbs.
Or of water 88
Solid matter 66
36
THE DAILY WANTS OF THE BODY.
The solids would consist of the elements oxygen, hydro¬
gen, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, silicon, chlo¬
rine, fluorine, potassium, sodium, calcium (lithium), mag¬
nesium, iron (manganese, copper, lead), and may be ar¬
ranged under the heads of-—
PROTEIDS. AMYLOIDS. FATS. MINERALS.
Such a body would lose in 24 hours—of water, about
40,000 grains, or G lbs.; of other matters, about 14,500
grains, or over 2 lbs.; among which of carbon 4,000 grains;
of nitrogen 300 grains; of mineral matters 400 grains; and
would part, per diem, with as much heat as would raise
8,700 lbs. of water from 0 degree to 1 degree Fahr., which is
equivalent to 3,000 foot-tons. Such a body ought to do as
much work as is equal to 450 foot-tons.
The losses would occur through various organs, thus—by
Water.
Other matter.
1ST.
C.
grs.
grs.
grs.
grs.
Lungs
.. .. 5,000
12,000
• . •
3,300
Kidneys....
.,..23,000
1,000
250
140
Skin
....10,000
o
o
i-
10
100
lucces
.... 2,000
800
40
400
Total
40,000
14,500
300
4,000
The gains and losses of the body would be as follows:
grs.
Creditor—Solid dry food 8,000
Oxygen 10,000
Water 30,500
Total 54,500
g>'8.
Debtor—Water 40,000
Other matter 14,500
Total 54,500
TIIE DAILY WANTS OP TIIE BODY.
37
II.—DIGESTION.
Such a body would require for daily food, carbon 4,000
grains; nitrogen 300 grains, which, with the other necessary
elements, would be most conveniently disposed in—
grs.
Proteids 2,000
Amyloids 4,400
Fats 1,200
Minerals 400
Water 3G,500
Total 44,500
which, in turn, might be obtained, for instance by means
of—
grs.
Lean beefsteaks 5,000
Bread 0,000
Milk 7,000
Potatoes 3,000
Butter, dripping, etc COO
Water 22,900
Total 44,500
The feces passed, per diem, would amount to about 2,800
grains, containing solid matter, 800 grains.
CHAPTER VIII.
DIGESTION.
IT is well to conclude this portion of our work with, a brief
account of the manner in which foods are converted into
nutriment. Digestion is a process of washing or rinsing
from food those substances needed for the nourishment and
maintenance of the body. It begins in the mouth. During
each twenty-four hours the salivary glands pour into this
cavity—mainly during mastication—about three and a half
pounds of saliva. This contains nearly half an ounce of
solid matter, and less than a quarter of an ounce of ptyaline,
which is its active principle. Saliva dilutes the food and the
ptyaline acts on its starch, converting a portion of it into
sugar. It is calculated that one part of ptyaline will convert
8,000 parts of starch into sugar. It produces no action on
fat or albumen. Where the food is well chewed the saliva is
more thoroughly mixed with it, the starch more completely
converted, and digestion more perfect.
The food passes from the mouth into the stomach when it
meets another digestive fluid, the gastric juice. It has been
estimated that a healthy stomach secretes fourteen pounds of
gastric juice daily, which contains less than half a pound of
solid matter, and two-thirds of an onnce of pepsin, the active
agent of digestion. The gastric juice converts all the soluble
albumen and fibrin of food into liquid albumen and fibrin,
which differs in many particulars from common albumen,
more especially in this that it is capable of being passed
through animal membrane by absorption, which al¬
bumen is not. The power of this pepsin in the pres-
DIGESTION.
39
ence of an acid is enormous,—0110 part of it being
capable of converting GO,000 parts of albumen into the con¬
dition before mentioned. It always requires the presence of
a small amount of free acid to produce this effect. So im¬
portant is pepsin as an agent of digestion, that a large
business has grown up in England and France, and also in
America, in preparing it from the stomachs of calves and
pigs to help the stomachs of poor mortals when overtaxed
and incapable of digesting sufficient food for the demands
of the body. A really good article of this pepsin is often
very serviceable and may be considered a hygienic or physio¬
logical remedy.
Pepsin is rendered inert by heat or cold, hence either very
hot or very cold driuks during and after a meal are hurtful.
The stomach absorbs and carries into the circulation con¬
siderable of the most fluid portion of the partly digested food
and drink. A large portion, however, passes from this organ
into the small intestines, in the first portion of which it meets
with other digestive fluids; first of which may be mentioned
is the pancreatic juice, the function of which is to digest the
oils and fats. It has been estimated that nearly nine pounds
of pancreatic fluid are secreted daily in a healthy person.
This contains one pound of solid matter and nearly an ounce
and a half of pancreatin, which is its active principle. The
true action of the pancreatic fluid is to break up the oily and
fatty matter of food into minute particles, so that instead of
floating 011 the surface it is converted into a milk-like fluid,
which can be absorbed through the walls of the intestines
into the lacteals. This pancreatic fluid also acts like the
saliva and converts the remaining starch into sugar.
Another fluid which meets the food in the intestines is the
bile from the liver. Nearly four pounds are secreted daily.
Its use is not yet well known.
The intestinal secretion is small in quantity, there being
less than half a pound daily, but it is a powerful aid to
40
DIGESTION.
digestion and acts equally well on starch, albumen, and
fat.
Thus we see that the food eaten meets several fluids, each
of which helps to fit it for absorption. When digestion is
perfect a very large part of its nutriment is given up, but
not, all; a small portion always passes away with the excreta.
In dyspepsia, the amount of undigested food is often very
large.
The mineral substances of our food are mainly soluble
in water and easily absorbed.
The aids to digestion are:
1. Proper selection of food.
2. Best treatment of food as regards cooking, flavoring,
and serving.
3. Proper variety of food, with occasional change of diet.
4. Moderate exercise; warmtli and a genial state of
mind.
5. Abundance of sleep.
G. Pleasant social surroundings at the table.
7. Thorough mastication.
8. Regularity in eating, and proper intervals between
meals.
PABT II.
CHAPTER I.
RECEIPTS AND GENERAL DIRECTIONS.
IIOEVER would bo a good cook must give the mind
to it. Fruits, grains, and vegetables will not walk
into the kitchen and cook themselves. Troublesome as it is,
cooking is an art that requires a good brain, education in the
art, and love for it. "With these qualifications a good repast
may be made with few materials; without them the best
kitchen in the world, and the most completely stocked larder
are of little avail.
All the knowledge that science can give should be hers.
A friend of mine believes that good cooks magnetize the
food they prepare, impart to it wonderful virtues it did not
before possess. There is no doubt of this. A good cook
can transform the raw material of food at will into delicacies
that are both healthful and nourishing.
2. Another requirement for cooking is a good kitchen. It
should be light, well ventilated, cheerful; pretty pictures
should adorn the wall, and comfort reign. Water should be
convenient; wood, good and abundant; and the utensils,
such as stove or range and all other apparatus, good in
quality and properly kept.
3. The raw material should be of the very best. No
mouldy flour, stale vegetables, and diseased meats should
ever find their way to the kitchen. Nothing but the best
should be provided, and that should be in proper variety and
in abundance.
THE KITCHEN.
MATERIAL.
u
RECEIPTS AND GENERAL DIRECTIONS.
ORDER.
4. Cleanliness and order should prevail tlirougliout the
domain of the kitchen.
SIMPLICITY.
5. Mr. William Ilorrel says, " Simplicity is a virtue which
has almost grown out of fashion, especially in relation to
food and cooking. You can scarcely sit down anywhere to
a good plain meal, and find everything simple. Even our
dietetic reformers have much to learn in this respect, before
the full amount of the good their system contains can be
enjoyed by them. All that pertains to the science of cooking,
on physiological principles, is easily accomplished. The
real object of cooking should be to increase the quantity,
and improve the quality of food ; to render it more economi¬
cal and physiological. This is best accomplished by simplicity.
It saves money, time, and health. Variety may still be kept
up to almost any extent, without complexity, by taking one
kind one day, or at one meal, and another on the next day."
CHAPTER II.
CHOICE TREATMENT OF FOODS.
"TN tlie clioice of foods Ave cannot exorcise too mucli care.
It is cheaper to procure only the very best articles. All
vegetables and fruits should be grown on the best soils, and
the fertilizers used should be well decomposed and not fresh
and rank. Partially decayed food of whatever kind, should
be avoided. For breads, the best white wheat is none toO
good. If grown in new soil it is likely to be better and to
contain abundance of the mineral matter so needful to
health. Fruits for eating without cooking should be ripe,
tender and not too tart; while those for cooking may be-
either sweet or sour, but they must possess the peculiar
quality of retaining when cooked their best flavors. All
woody fibres must be removed from fruits and vegetables be¬
fore eating. Potatoes should be fresh and ripe—old ones are
less wholesome, especially when they have been exposed to
the light and air, and bruised by much handling, or long
exposed to the cold.
Animal food should be chosen with great caution. Only
healthy animals should be used for eating. They should
neither be too old nor too young, too fat nor too lean. In
butchering, all the blood should be removed from the body,
as otherwise the flesh putrefies readily. It should be thorough¬
ly cooled before eating. It is also desirable that the animal
be not killed for several hours after eating or after fatigue.
The long journeys animals are sent 011 crowded, filthy cars,
render their flesh unwholesome. They ought to be butchered
far away from the city, and the meat transported in refriger¬
ator cars, for city use.
46
CnOICE TREATMENT OF FOODS.
The treatment of animal food is a matter of importance.
"Why do we cook it at all? First, to render it more pleasing
to the sight; second, to develope its best flavors; and third
to render it digestible and palatable. Flesh cooked too
much is rendered innutritions and indigestible ; if cooked too
little, it is disagreeable eating. The albumen of flesh coagu¬
lates at 133° F., and the coloring matter is coagulated and
destroyed at about 170° F., says Liebig, and he would never
have flesh subjected to a higher temperature than this,
except for a few minutes after it is put into the pot, when it
may be submitted to a temperature of boiling water in order
to coagulate the albumen into a sort of crust on the outside
to hold in the flavors that might otherwise be evaporated.
In roasting meat, also, let the • heat at first be high, and
gradually decreased to the boiling point for the same reason.
Stewed meats are more wholesome and nutritious than
any other. The process renders flesh tender and succulent
and easy of digestion. Letheby says, " all kinds of tongue
and strong flavored meats may be cooked with advantage in
this manner. The process is, moreover, susceptible of very
delicate treatment of flavorless foods."
RECIPES.
SOUPS.
Soups are often complicated and expensive, requiring much money,
time, and attention to prepare tliem. These difficulties are avoided in
the following recipes, and a few trials will enable any one of ordinary
understanding, who will follow the directions, to produce cheap,
wholesome, and agreeable soups, without shins, knuckles, scrags,
bacon, or drippings.
Split Pea Soup.—Put one pint of split peas, which have been
previously soaked in cold water four hours, into two quarts of pure
soft water. Let them boil for one hour, then add one carrot, one par¬
snip, one turnip, two onions, a small head of celery, and a little mint,
all cut small, and boil the whole another hour. Strain the soup from
the vegetables, and thicken it with a little Indian meal, previously
mixed in cold water ; boil the whole for ten minutes more, and serve
in a tureen with toasted or plain wheat-meal bread. Mix the vege¬
tables well, and put them into a mould or a basin, and then into a
vegetable-dish, and serve it with steamed or baked potatoes. Salt
moderately.
Bean Soup.—Wash and pick over one pint of white beans ; steep
tliem twenty-four hours in pure soft water, put them into a stew-pan
(earthen and enameled is best), set them on the lire in two quarts of
wat£r, let them boil for two hours, then add two onions, one parsnip,
one carrot, a little parsley and thyme cut small, a little cold boiled
rice, and a little salt. Boil the whole gently for another hour, and
serve it the same as pea soup. Salt to taste.
Barley and Bread Soup.—Take three ounces of barley, one and a
half ounces of stale bread-crumbs, one and a half ounces of butter,
one-half ounce of salt, and one-quarter ounce of parsley. Wash and
steep the barley for twelve hours, in one-half pint of water, to which
a piece of carbonate of soda, the size of a pea, has been added ; then
pour off 1he water not absorbed, and add the crumbs of stale bread,
three quarts of boiling water, and the salt. Digest these in a salt-
glazed covered jar, in the oven, or boil them slowly in a well-tinned
covered pan, for from four to six hours, adding the chopped parsley,
with the butter, thirty minutes before the expiration of the time of
boiling.
48
EECIPES.
Brown Soup.—One pound of turnips, one pound of carrots, half a
pound and six ounces of onions, one and a half pints of peas, four
ounces of butter, and half a pound of bread. Cut the vegetables into
small pieces, put tliem in a pan with the butter, cover the pan, and let
them stew over the lire till brown, occasionally stirring them ; put in
the peas with the water in which they were boiled ; add sufficient
boiling water to make three quarts altogether ; next add the bread,
which should be browned or toasted before the fire, but not burnt;
season, and let the soup boil gently for three or four hours ; rub it
through a coarse sieve, return it into the pan ; let it boil, and it will be
ready to serve. If dried peas are used, they should be steeped for
twenty-four hours in soft water, and boiled for two hours.
Barley Soup.—Three ounces of barley, one and a half ounces of
stale bread crumbs, one ounce of butter, quarter of an ounce of chop¬
ped parsley, and half an ounce of salt. Wash, and steep the barley
for twelve hours in half a pint of water, to which a piece of soda, the
size of a pea, has been added ; pour oil the water that is not absorbed ;
add the bread crumbs, three quarts of boiling water, and the salt; boil
slowly in a well-tinned covered pan for four or five hours, and add the
parsley and butter about half an hour before the soup is ready to be
served.
Celery Soup.—Six roots of celery, one large turnip, two omices
of onions, four ounces of bread crumbs, one ounce of butter, one des¬
sert-spoonful of Hour, and half a pint of cream. Strip oft' all the green
part of the celery, using only the white ; cut it in shreds, reserving
the inside of three of the roots to be added afterward ; slice the turnip
and onion, and put them with the celery into a pan ; add two quarts
of water, the bread crumbs, and a little salt; let all boil till the vege¬
tables are perfectly soft ; rub through a sieve ; return it to the pan ;
add the celery (previously boiled till quite soft), the butter, and flour,
well mixed; stir it, seasoning it with a little mace ; aryl, after boiling
a quarter of an hour, stir in the cream, but do not allow it to boil
afterward.
Buowxtxo for Soups.—Three large spoonfuls of brown su^ar;
one half pint of boiling water. Put the sugar into a frying-pan, set it
on the fire to brown, stirring it with a wooden spoon, that it may not
burn. When sufficiently dark-colored, stir into in the boiling water ;
when thoroughly mixed put it into a bottle ; and, when cold, cork it
closely down, and use a tablespoonful or more, as may be required, to
give a color to your sou]). A burnt onion or two can be made of use
for the purpose of browning, and is often considered better than the
above recipe.
Notr.—For the convenience of those who have not an opportunity of weighing
tli<; ingredients for the soaps, it may be stated that one larjre tablespoonful will be
about equal to one ounce, and one teusponful to a quarter of au ounce. But weigh¬
ing should be resorted to whenever it is possible.
Potato Soup.—One quart of potatoes, pared and cut into small
strips or blocks, a large sprig of parsley, the same of thyme or sweet
marjoram, cut line; boil three-fourths of an hour in three quarts of
RECIPES.
49
water, then add half a pint of crenm or new milk ; put a small table-
spoonful of butter into a plate where it will soften, and stir into it
two spoonsful of Hour, add to the soup, and boil five minutes. Drop-
dumplings made with a little Hour and cream, yeast and milk are an
addition.
Green-Pea Sour.—Take two quarts of green-peas, one small
onion, and a sprig of parsley cut line; add two quarts of hot water,
and boil slowly for half an hour, then add a pint of small new potatoes
which have been peeled and laid in cold water an hour ; put in a table-
spoonful of sugar and a little salt, boil till the potatoes are done, now
add a teacupful of cream or a pint of milk, boil a minute or two,
and serve with small slices of toasted bread or gems cut in halves.
Tomato Soup—Take two quarts of fresh, round tomatoes, scald
and peel, Avithout breaking; do not cut or fork them. Put into a
porcelain kettle, or fire-proven stone vessel, add two quarts of boiling
water, and a teaspoonful of salt, and set on the fire or in the oven,
cover, and let them stew slowly three quarters of an hour. Mix two
tablespoonsful of flour with a tablespoonful of butter, or a teacupful
of good cream, which has been boiled, stir into the sou]), and let it boil
together ten minutes, and dish up with small thin slices of well-toast¬
ed bread. Be careful to let the tomatoes remain whole, as you would
oysters.
A teacupful of grated corn added to the soup when }tou put in the
flour, etc., will be an excellent addition, and render the imitation of
oyster soup more complete. Simmer the corn only ten minutes, if it is
fresh and full of milk.
Note.—We give you only one or two moat soups, and these with special refer¬
ence to tomatoes, Meat soups are well known in almost endless varieties, but good
vegetable soups are scarce.
Beef and Tomato Soup.—Take two pounds of red beef—a neck
piece, or from the round ; carefully remove all the fat, and cut the
meat into small bits; put into a stewpan with two quarts of cold
water, and simmer slowly one hour. Remove all the scum as soon as
it rises, and keep covered close. Scald until quite soft, one quart of
nice ripe tomatoes, and press through a colander ; add to the broth
from which you have removed the meat, and boil half an hour ; put
in a sprig of sweet marjoram or thyme, then take two ears of swee-
corn, and cut and scrape all the kernels from the cob, also two table
spoonsful of Hour and one of sugar, browned but not burned,mix with
half a teacupful sweet cream or milk ; add these ingredients and boil
fifteen minutes. Season with a little salt and cayenne pepper.
Note.—You will observe that all the ingredients of this soup require lint little
actual cooking. The pure nutriment of bed is found with rare cooking. Tomatoes
lose their fine flavor by much boiling, and corn hardens at a certain period—iil'leen
or twenty minutes, if it, is fresh and full of milk, is sufficient to cook corn.
AxOTTTEii.—Make a soup of bones or bits of meat left from a roast,
add a little cabbage, sweet potato, and parsley cut fine, boil till well
done, then cut or grate a pint of green corn and half a dozen fresh
50
RECIPES.
tomatoes, boil tliese with the soup fifteen or twenty minutes, and
serve.
Note—Itemove all the fat from the meat, before putting it into the water, and
gkim oft' what, remains as soon as it rises. This is far more wholesome and relish-
able than slock prepared some days beforehand. Stale meats are the same, even in
soup.
Vermicelli Soup.—Six ounces of vermicelli, two quarts of new
milk, the yolks of four eggs, and one pint of cream. Blanch the ver¬
micelli by setting it on the fire in cold water ; when it boils, drain off
the water, and put it into cold water ; let it remain a few minutes, and
then drain the water entirely from it; put it into a pan with the milk,
and boil it; beat up the yolks of the eggs, and after gradually adding
a pint of boiled cream, strain through a sieve. Take off the pan ; add
the eggs, cream, a small lump of white sugar, and a tea-spoonful of
salt, and stir the soup on the fire till near boiling.
Barley Brotii.—Four ounces of Scotch barley, four ounces of
onions, four ounces of oat-meal, or Indian meal, and two ounces of
butter. After washing the barley well, steep it in fresh water for
twelve hours; set it on the fire in two quarts of water, adding the
onions and a little salt, and boil gently 1'g»- an hour and a quarter.
Melt the butter in a saucepan ; stir in the meal till it becomes a paste ;
then add a little of the broth gradually, till it is a proper thickness to
mix with the whole quantity ; stir well together till it boils, and mix
with a little of the broth a drachm of celery seed, pounded ; stir well
in the broth; simmer it gently a quarter of an hour longer, and serve.
PORRIDGES.
"Wheat-meal Porridge.—Having boiled one quart of soft water,
and mixed half a pound of meal in a little cold water, mix them to¬
gether, and boil for fifteen minutes, stirring it occasionally. Pour it
into basins and let it stand for ten minutes. To be eaten with fruit,
sugar or molasses, and bread.
Indian-meal Porridge.-—Make same as the wlieat-meal porridge,
only that it must be cooked for nearly an hour, and be made thinner,
to allow for the evaporation which comes from the boiling.
Indian Farina Porridge.—To one pint of boiling water add four
tablespoonful of farina; mix and serve the same as the wlieat-meal
porridge.
Ai;rowroot Porridge.—Mix one ounce of prepared arrowroot with
a tablespoonsful of cold'water, then pour boiling water 011 it to make it
the required thickness, stirring it well at the same time. A slice or
two of lemon with a little sugar will be found an improvement. To
be eaten with crackers or bread.
Boiled Wheat Porridge.-—Having soaked over night one pound
of good wheat in pure soft water, strain the water off and add a quart
of fresh ; stew it gently till quite soft. It may be eaten as wlieat-mea
porridge.
recipes.
51
Sago Porridge.—Four tablespoonsful of sago, one salt-spoonfuls of
salt, and one. quart of water. Soak the sago in cold water for a few
minutes, and boil it gently about an liour, adding the salt; pour it into
soup-plates, and serve with molasses or sugar.
Sago and Rice Porridge.—-Equal quantities of sago and ground
rice. Proceed as with sago porridge.
Milk' Porridge.—Take of new milk a pint and a half, and half a
pint of water ; place it over the lire. When just ready to boil, stir in a
tablespoonful of flour, wheat-meal, oat-meal, or Indian corn-meal, pre¬
viously mixed with a little water; after boiling a minute pour it on
bread cut into small piyces. As milk burns quicker than almost any
other article of food, it is always best to put it into a tin pail or fa¬
rina kettle, which is or can be surrounded by boiling water while heat¬
ing, then you are sure of not burning it.
Arrowroot Gruel.—Take one ounce of arrowroot, and two large
tablespoonsful of preserved black currants. Put the currants into a
pan with a quart of water; cover the pan and let them stew gently
about half an hour ; then strain the liquid and set it 011 the fire; when
boiling pour it gradually upon the arrowroot, previously mixed with a
little cold water, stirring it well; return it in1o the pan and let it boil
for a few minutes gently, adding sugar if required.
Sago Gi:uel.—Take two tablespoonsful of sago and one quart of
water. Wash and soak the sago a few minutes in cold water; stir it
into the rest of the water when boiling; boil slowly till the sago is
well done, and add sugar and nutmeg as required.
Tapioca Cruel.-—Wash a tablespoonful of tapioca and soak it in a
pint and a half of water twenty minutes; then boil gently, stirring
frequently, till it is suiliciently cooked, and sweeten.
Groat Gruel.—Pick the groats very clean and steep them in water
for several hours; then boil them in soft water till quite tender and
thick, and add boiling water sullicient to reduce the whole to the con¬
sistency of gruel, also currants, sugar, and grated nutmeg. Groats are
made of oats' grain, the hulls being removed and the grain left quite
whole, as arc all preparations of this grain. This gruel is very nutri¬
tious.
REMARKS AND RULES FOR GOOD BREAD.
With good flour, a good oven, and a good, sensible, interested cook,
we can be pretty sure of good, wholesome bread. Yeast bread is con¬
sidered the standard bread, and is, perhaps, more generally found on
every table than any other kind. Hence it is important to know how
to make good, sweet, wholesome, yeast bread. Good flour is the first
indispensable, then good, lively yeast, either yeast cakes or bottled,
tlie former is preferable in all respects. Then, of course, there must_
be the proper materials to work with. A bread bowl or pan—the pan
is easiest kept clean—a stone or earthen jar for setting the sponge; a
sieve—liour should always be sifted before making bread of any kind,
52
EECIPES.
first, to be sure that it is perfectly clean, secondly, sifting enlivens and
aerates tlie flour, and makes both mixing and rising easier and quicker;
a clean, white cloth to cover the dough, and a woollen blanket to keep
the dough of even temperature while rising; baking pans, deep and
shallow, a large, strong spoon for stirring, and a little melted suet or
fresh butter for oiling the pans ; never use poor butter. If you want
shortening, rich milk or cream scalded and cooled will answer the pur¬
pose and be most wholesome. But thorough kneading is better still,
and should always be done effectually. Scalding a portion of the flour
makes a sweeter bread and speeds the work. Water, milk, or butter—
milk may be poured boiling hot 011 a quart or two of the flour, stirring
well, and cooling to a moderate temperature before adding the yeast—
this makes the sponge. Scalded flour always makes a little darker
bread, unless we use buttermilk, which makes a rich, creamy, white
bread. Yeast is fermented flour or meal—the first stages of decompo¬
sition or decay. Understanding this, every baker will comprehend the
necessity of regulating the extent of the fermentation with the great¬
est care: for a sponge or bread fermented or " raised " too long, is de¬
composing, spoiling—actually rotting ! This is the language of an ex¬
perienced English baker to us only a few days ago, during a talk about
the delicate, foamy loaves " yeasted to death," which so many families
are eating and calling "the stall' of life," quite discarding the firm,
sweet, substantial, home-made loaf which our mothers and grand¬
mothers kneaded with their own skilled hands. Bread-making should
stand at the head of domestic accomplishments : since the health and
happiness of the family depends incalculably upon good bread ; and
there conies a time in every true, thoughtful woman's experience when
she is glad she can make nice, sweet loaves, free from soda, alum, and
other injurious ingredients, or an earnest regret that she neglected
or was so unfortunate as not to have been taught at least what are the
requisites of good bread-making.
Yeast.—Dry yeast or yeast cakes are more convenient and less liable
to taste in the bread than bakers' yeast. Two or three times a year
there should be a fresh supply of yeast cakes prepared and carefully
put in a dry place. Yeast cakes are manufactured and sold, some of
which are very reliable. To make dry yeast, steep for half an hour a
handful of fresh hops in a quart of boiling water. Sift two quarts of
flour in an earthen or stone pan, and strain into the flour the boiling
hop tea. Stir well and let it cool, when lukewarm add a cent's worth
of baker's yeast or a cupful of good home-made yeast, and put in a
tablespoonf ul of brown sugar, a tablespoon!'ul of ginger, a teaspoonful
of salt, mix thoroughly and let it rise. It is best to prepare this sponge
over night, and early in the morning it will be rounded up and light,
and give you all day, which should be sunny and breezy, to make and
dry the yeast cakes. Now mix into the sponge as much good corn
meal as will make a stiff, firm dough, knead it well and make it into a
long, round roll three or four inches in diameter. Cut it into slices
half an inch thick, spread a clean cloth or clean paper 011 a board and
lay the cakes 011 and put into a light, airy place to dry. Turn them
several times during the day, and speed the drying as fast as possible,
as the fermentation goes 011 while they remain moist. When dry put
RECIPES.
53
into a bag made of firm linen or cotton, tie close, and hang high and
dry.
Bread with Scalded Sponge.—Sot your sponge the last t-liing at
night, thus: put one yeast cake to soften in a half cup of warm water,
sift two quarts of flour into a bowl or pan that will hold four quarts,
scald the dour with a sufficient quantity of boiling water to moisten it
all. Stir very thoroughly till it is free from lumps and cool enough to
put in the yeast cake, add the yeast, and set to rise in a warm place in
winter, or in a cool place in summer. In the morning before breakfast
the sponge will be risen round and foamy, and should be made imme¬
diately into dough. Sift as much flour as you need into your bread
bowl or pan, and in cold weather to warm the tiour will gain you time
and credit. If you wish to make a Graham loaf or two, save one-third
of the sponge for that, and mix the rest into the sifted and warmed
Hour, add a pint of warm water, or sufficient to make the Hour into a
firm dough, and knead until smooth and free from the board and hands.
Put the dough back into the bread pan, cover with a clean cloth, and
wrap a warmed blanket over the whole to keep from the air. The
more muffled you wrap it_tlie sooner the bread will rise. If the tem¬
perature has been just right, the bread will be ready to mold into the
baking tins in less than two hours. Have the pans cleaned and greased*
divide the dough into loaves which will two-thirds till the pan, knead
lightly with a little fiour 011 the board, but use 110 more than you can
help. Cover slightly and let it rise again till the loaf looks as large as
it should be. Now the oven should be hot, with a firm steady fire,
which will last three quarters of an hour ; fresh fuel ought not to bo
added till the bread is finished. Every cook should know just what
her oven will do, and be governed accordingly; if too hot at the bottom
set the pan up an inch, if too hot at the top cover the loaf with brown
paper, open the oven as little as possible. When baked, remove the
loaf at once from the pan and put to cool 011 a rack, or resting it 011
one edge. Never cover or allow bread to sweat in the baking tins, the
crusts will soften as they cool. Good flour and properly made bread
will not have hard crusts. When cold, wrap the bread in the bread
cloth and put into a tray or into a clean tin boiler, cover, but not air¬
tight. Bread thus made will be good and fresh for several days.
Kemark.—The keen fermenting odor which starts up when the
dough is ready for the second kneading is not sour, nor does it need
soda. Soda kills the lively quality of yeast.
Yeast Graiiam Bread.—Take the remainder of the white fiour
sponge, a tablespoonful of sugar, and three pints of warm water ; mix
with them Graham flour into as stiff a dough as you can stir well with
a large spoon. Beat it up thoroughly for ten minutes, or, if you can-
lint manage the spoon, dip the hand into water, and work the dough
till it is very smooth. Let it rise two hours, then stir it up and put it
into deep baking-tins, and let it stand till it begins to rise again. Bake
in a <puck oven one hour. Graham flour ferments quicker than fine
flour, and should not be allowed to rise so long. If, when the bread is
cold, it seems too soft, remember, the next time, to mix the dough a
54
RECIPES.
little stiffer. Tlie precise consistency cannot be guessed always, as
some wheat works softer than others. The sweetening can be left out
with propriety. Indeed, we never could see why Graham tlour should
be sweetened at all, as it has all the sugar of the grain left in, while
fine hour has had the sugar taken out by the process of bolting.
Bread witii Potatoes.—Potatoes assist fermentation, and render
the lough lighter and more tender when we wish to make bread in
haste. Peel and boil, or steam, a quart of potatoes, mash them very
fine, or, what is better, press them through a colander while they are
hot, add half a pint ot' water and a salt-spoonful of salt, stir them into
a batter, and then put in a yeast cake previously softened, or a teacup-
ful of lively yeast, and make into a dough with two quarts of sifted
flour. Knead it half an hour, put plenty of flour on your board, and
knead it until it cleaves from the board with a light tearing sound.
Be careful not to let your dough grow very cold while you work it.
Divide into loaves, and set to rise in a warm place. Watch the pro¬
cess, and when the loaves are quite light have your oven in good heat
and bake three quarters of an hour. This bread is very nice if well
made, i. c., the potatoes made very fine and kept hot, and perhaps the
flour warmed also ; but it is not so good when stale as that made with
a scalded sponge.
I)et,ic;ous Biscuit.—Made in the same manner, only adding half a
pint of sour cream instead of the water. Bring the cream to a scald¬
ing heat, and put in a teaspoonful of soda; mix otherwise the same.
Set to rise in the bowl, and, when light, make into small cakes. Put
them close in the pan, and let them rise upward within an inch of the
top of the pan and bake.
Buttermilk Bread.—Put three or four pints of fresh buttermilk
into a saucepan and boil it. Stir it pretty constantly while it is heat¬
ing, to keep it from separating into whey and curd. Have a quart of
flour sifted into a suitable vessel, pour the boiling buttermilk on the
flour, and scald it thoroughly. Stir until all the flour is mixed, and
set to cool. When sufficiently cool add a teacupful of good yeast, and
let it rise over night; in the morning sift and mix into the sponge
enough flour to make a stiff dougli; knead well, and set to rise for
two hours, then divide into loaves and knead slightly. At this time
use as little flour as possible. Set to rise again, and bake as soon as
light enough. Bake in a steady oven three quarters of an hour. This
is a good sponge for dark, or runny flour. The bread will be white
and moist. Graham llour, prepared with scalded buttermilk, mixed a
little stiffer than where sweet milk or water is used, is very sweet and
good. Do not put soda into the milk or sponge. It will be perfectly
sweet when it is baked if the yeast is fresh, and if the whole process
is carefully attended to in the right time.
Sweet Potato Brxs.—Boil, and then mash three good-sized sweet
potatoes with a pint of cream or new milk ; mix with as much flour as
will make a dough as for bread, adding a teacupful of good sponge or
yeast. Knead well, and set to rise. Always wrap your blanket close
around the bowl, and place where the wind or cold air does not come,
RECIPES.
55
if you -wish a quick rising. As soon as tlie dough begins to crack
open mould into small rolls and put close together in the baking-pan,
"\Vlien sufficiently light bake in a moderate oven half an hour.
Graham Muffins.—Dissolve a half cake of yeast in a littfe warm
water, scald a quart of milk and pour it into two quarts of Graham
Hour, stir well, and let it cool sufficiently, then put in the yeast and a
spoonful of brown sugar, make a very thick batter, which will heap
on the spoon ; set to rise over night. In the morning have a good hot
oven, butter your rings and the pan well with cold butter, fill the
rings two-thirds full, let them stand a few minutes in a warm place,
then put into the brisk oven and bake half an hour.
Bread Muffins.—Take four slices of baker's bread, and cut oil the
crust. Lay them in a pan, and pour boiling water over them, only
just sufficient to soak them well. Cover the vessel with a cloth, and
when it has stood an hour draw off the water, and stir the soaked
bread till the mass is quite smooth, then mix in two tablespoonsful of
sifted Hour and half a pint of milk, and stir in, gradually, two well-
beaten eggs. Batter some muffin rings, set them in a buttered bake-
pan, and till each two-thirds full. Bake brown, and send to the table
hot.
Buckwheat Cakes.—One quart of buckwheat flour and a half a
pint of Graham meal. Mix with lukewarm water into a batter, stir in
a teacupful of gocxl yeast sponge or a half cent's worth of baker's
yeast; mix in an earthen or stone vessel, and set over night in a warm
place to rise. If the temperature and yeast have been just right, the
batter will be light and sweet, and not need soda. It should be con¬
sidered a mistake when the ferment needs neutralizing, and care
taken to set cooler or correct the yeast.
Buckwheat Gravy.—Buckwheat cakes are often considered rather
an unwholesome dish ; but we think that the fault conies from the
excess of melted butter and syrup, which is usually eaten with them.
Substitute this, at least for the children :—Boil a pint of milk and half
a pint of cream, put in half a teaspoonful of salt and two or three large
spoonsful of buckwheat batter, dip a spoonful and put directly into
the boiling milk, wait for it to boil up, and then add another till you
get a proper consistency, boil a minute longer, and pour into a tureen
or pitcher for the table.
Gravies—May always take the place of butter and syrup when
griddle cakes are to be eaten, simply by boiling a pint of milk or
cream and adding a spoonful or two of the batter of which the cakes
are made as a thickening, a little salt and a very little lump of butter
may be added. Children are far better satisfied with a creamy gravy
than with butter.
Hygienic Breakfast Cakes.—One pint of fresh oatmeal, one quart
water, let it stand over night. In the morning add one teaspoonful of
line salt, one tablespoonful of sugar, and the same of baking powder,
and one pint of Graham ilour, If the above proportions make a batter
56
RECIPES.
too stiff for griddle cakes, add more water. If gems are preferred in¬
stead of cakes, the addition of a little more flour is all that is required
to produce au extra article.
Oat.meal Bread.—One quart fresh oatmeal, two quarts of water,
let stand half a day or over night. When ready to hake, add one
quart of fine, or Graham flour, half a cup of sugar, one teaspoonful
tine salt, two teaspoonsful of baking powder ; mix with a spoon. No
kneading is required. If too stiff, add water.
Corn Cakes.—Three cups of corn meal, one cup of Graham flour,
two teaspoonsful of cream yeast powder sifted together, one cup of
cream, and half a cup of milk, one egg well beaten ; stir altogether
well and quickly ; heat your gem irons hot; butter and fill; bake with
a brisk heat. Gem tins or forms do not need to be heated before fill¬
ing, they may be oiled and filled on the table, and put into a quick
oven.
Graham Griddle Cakes.—Into one pint of Graham flour and half
pint Indian meal mix thoroughly two teaspoonsful of cream yeast and
half teaspoonful salt, beat up well one egg and mix with one pint cold
water, into which mix thoroughly the flour as prepared, and fry at
once.
Gold Medal Corn Cakes.—Mix two heaping teaspoonsful of cream
yeast and half teaspoonful of salt thoroughly through one pint of In¬
dian meal and half pint of sifted flour, beat well one egg and mix in
one tablespoonful of brown sugar, half pint milk or cold water, and
stir in the meal as prepared, to the consistency of a thick batter, steam
until half done in a three pint basin, and finish by baking in a hot
oven, or drop into hot cup or gem pans well buttered, and bake in a
hot oven.
Corn Gems.—Mix two heaping teaspoonsful of cream yeast and half
teaspoonful of salt thoroughly through one and one half pound sifted In¬
dian meal; stir the meal as prepared slowly into one pint (more or
less) of sweet milk or cold water, so as to make a very thin batter,
place in hot gem tins or cups, let them stand live minutes in a warm
place and bake in a very hot oven.
Yankee Strawberry Short Cake.—Mix two heaping teaspoonsful
of cream yeast and half teaspoonful of salt thoroughly through one
quart of sifted flour, beat well one egg, and mix in two tablespoonsful
melted butter, one of sugar, nearly a pint of sweet milk or cold water,
mix in the flour as prepared, as thin as convenient to handle, knead
but little, let stand five minutes in a warm place, bake in a quick oven;
cut into three layers, place sugar and strawberries between and dust
upper crust with sugar.
Squash Cakes.—Mix Graham flour with half its bulk of stewed
squash, or pumpkin, and add milk enough to make a thick batter,
about a cup of milk to each cup of squash. Put in one teaspoonful
cream yeast, mixing it well with the flour. Cpok on a griddle.
RECIPES.
57
Boston Brown Bread.—Take three pints of Indian meal, sifted,
^id one quart of rye meal, sifted. Stir into the corn meal one tea.
spoonful of salt and one teacupful of molasses, and wet it to a batter,
as thick as that used for griddle cakes, with boiling water ; then set it
aside to cool. Stir one large cofleecupful of sour milk, or buttermilk,
into the rye meal, add to it one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in two
tablespoonsful of boiling water, and boil on the stove for two minutes,
or until it is in a light froth.
Mix together the corn and rye meal batter with the hand, beating it
well. Let it stand for fifteen minutes, then turn into an iron bake
kettle, and bake for three or four hours. This will make a large loaf
of bread, but it is better to bake it all in one pan, as a very thick, hard
crust forms over the whole, and if one likes, it can be partly removed
while hot, and eaten with milk or cream, for it makes a very palatable
dish for breakfast or supper.
We prefer to bake brown bread, however, by steaming it in a large tin
pudding dish for three hours, placing the tin in a kettle of boiling
water, and not letting it boil over the top of it. Then it is put into
the oven for another hour ; and this way of cooking it will form no
crust that is not easily eaten, and gives the bread a delicious liavor,
and it will remain moist for several days. When it is two or three
days old it is much improved by being warmed in the oven or toasted.
-Apple Bread.—Weigh one pound of fresh, juicy apples, peel, core
and stew them to a pulp, being careful to use a porcelain kettle or a
stone jar, placed inside an ordinary saucepan of boiling water; other¬
wise the fruit will become discolored ; mix the pulp with two pounds
of the best Hour; put in the same quantity of yeast you would use for
common bread, and as much water as will make it a fine, smooth
dough ; put into an iron pan and place it into a warm place to rise, and
let it remain for twelve hours, at least. Form it into rather long-shaped
loaves, and bake in a quick oven.
Fruit Corn Cakes.—Put a pint of whortleberries in a bowl, add a
teacupful of sugar, one pint of corn meal and a large tablespoonful of
fine flour, wet with boiling water. Bake in cakes about one-half an
inch thick on a griddle or in an oven twenty minutes. For nice apple
cakes use sweet and tart apples, chopped, instead of berries.
Oat Meal or Scotch Puffs.—One quart of sweet milk, three well-
beaten eggs, two and a half cups of oat meal, one and a half cups of
(iraham fiour, and a little salt. Use a medium-sized cup. Heat and
oil the gem irons and bake in a quick oven.
(tRAHAM Flour Puffs.—One quart of sweet milk, two eggs, flour
to make a thin batter, fill the gem cups two-thirds full, bake in a quick
oven.
Bice Grtddle Cakes.—Cook half a teacupful of whole rice t ill every
grain i»s dissolved and like jelly. Warm half a pint of rich milk,
put in halt' a teaspoonful of salt, stir the rice into the milk till it
is smoothly mixed. Bent three eggs, whites and yolks separately,
till very light, and put into the rice and milk the last thing. Bake
;>n a hot greased griddle till brown and light.
58
RECIPES.
Indian Griddles.—Two cups of meal, one of flour, one of milk;
one of water, one egg well beaten, two teaspoonsful of cream yeast,
gifted into tlie meal and flour. Mix and bake on hot griddles,
Graiiam Gems.—You are supposed to liave the baking irons or
"setting" for these gems; else we don't know what you will do.
Tliey are to be had of hardware dealers ; at least no kitchen is fur¬
nished without them. These gems are displacing all other kinds of
coarse bread on our table. They can be eaten with butter or without
butter, hot or cold, morning, noon, and night. They are as handy as
crackers ; are just what you want for children's lunch, and to till in
when you are making up a picnic basket. They are not only hygienic,
but are good in the moutli. They have an almond-like sweetness,
and their libre is like that of nut-meats, giving the teeth just the ex¬
ercise they crave. No taste of " emptyings." But to our receipt,
which will not be half as long as this preamble. Put the irons in tlie
oven, where they will get hot by the time you have mixed tlie gems.
Then take milk and water, half and half, and stir in Graham flour,
No. 1, till you have a batter that will " drop from the spoon and not
run." Stir very thoroughly, the more the better. Drop into the hot
irons and bake immediately. (If you are quick you can take the irons
out of the oven for better convenience in filling.) The oven is a grand
point. It should have a solid heat, and bake as fast as it can and not
burn. " If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Make the bat¬
ter a little thicker or thinner, the oven a little slower or quicker
(quicker more likely). There is a way, and you will find it, and then
be able to repeat your success as often as you wish.
Wheat Meal Unleavened Cakes (Gems).—To one quart of soft,
cold water, add, by degrees, three pints of coarsely ground wheat
meal. Stir rapidly, with a large spoon, three or four minutes, so as to
incorporate a large amount of atmosphere. Dip out into iron baking
molds, which have been heated hot and oiled. Bake immediately in
an oven as liot as it can be and not burn, for twenty or twenty-five
minutes. Diminish the heat after fifteen .minutes. Iron molds are
better than tin. The small size, about three inches in length, and one
and a half in width, is better than the larger sizes. The proportions
of water and meal in this formula are for white wheat. For red wheat
a little more meal is necessary. One-sixtli corn meal is an improve¬
ment, in which case it needs a heaping measure of meal to the water.
Oat Meal and Graham Gems.—Mix equal parts of fine Irish oat
meal and Graham flour into a thick batter with milk and water equal
parts, iill hot gem irons and bake with a brisk heat. Very sweet and
tender.
Wheat Meal Dolls.—Pour boiling water on unbolted wheat
meal, stirring rapidly with a strong spoon or stick. The; dough
should be scarcely still enough to retain its shape. Of this take por¬
tions about the size of a hen's egg, and roll it into a round form three
or four inches in length ; a plenty of dry flour to prevent sticking.
Bake at once. The coating of flour also prevents the escape of air
RECIPES.
59
f rom the dough, as the sudden heat of baking expands it, thus making
the rolls much lighter. Let bake in a very hot oven.
Snoav Cakes ok Bread.—First cool a wooden bowl, in this put
the desired quantity of corn or unbolted wheat meal, mix with this
twice or three times as much snow. It now appears like dry meal.
Put some on a hot griddle ; if too dry to turn well add more snow; if
too wet to be light add more meal ; when just rigid bake the same as
batter cakes, or put it in a pan, about two inches deep—rounding it
from the edge—and bake in a quick oven twenty minutes.
Corn Cakes.—Pour hot water on to corn meal to make a stiff bat¬
ter; let it stand over night. In the morning add milk to thin it, then
stir in Graham flour, in which is a little baking powder, until it is the
right consistence for baking. Bake in gem pans, and they will be
light and nice, with a very small proportion of yeast powder.
Corn Meal Breakfast Cake.—For two baking tins take one and
a half pints of coarsely ground corn meal. Add water nearly boiling,
but not enough to wet quite all of the corn meal ; add cold water, a
little at a time, stirring thoroughly between whiles, until you have it
so thin that it has a tendency to settle as you pour it into your pie
tins. It should not be more than half an inch deep in the tins, and it
should bake quickly in a hot oven.
Corn Cake, with Fruit.—Pour one quart boiling water on one
quart corn meal, and stir quickly. Wet the hands, and form the
dough into small round cakes one-half an inch thick. Bake in a hot
oven. The addition of a few raspberries, huckleberries, or any other
sub-acid fruit, is a decided improvement. Sweet apples, chopped
line, are also excellent.
Corn and Rye Biscuits.—Pour boiling water on coarse yellow
corn meal, and stir to the consistency of a thick batter. Immediately
add coarse rye meal to make into a very soft dough ; form into small,
flat biscuits (fifteen to a baking pan) with the hands frequently wet in
cold water, and bake immediately in a hot oven. They are very nice
for variety, and are best made of equal parts of corn and rye. Bake
thirty minutes or more.
Wheat Meal Ciusrs —Wet unbolted wheat meal with boiling
water, and form a stiff dough. Grease, or sprinkle flour on a nice
sheet of iron—the bottom of a smooth sheet-iron pan would answer—•
on this roll out, the dough as thin as possible, mark into convenient
squares, and bake in a slow oven. When rightly baked they will not
curl or blister. Invalids with the poorest teeth, whose state of health
may require dry food, can eat them.
Wheat Meal Biscutts.—Pour boiling soft water upon coarse
white-wheat meal, stir with a spoon to a dough as soft- as it can bo
managed, by the exercise of skill, upon a molding board. Roll to an
inch in thickness, cut with a biscuit cutter, prick and bake immedi¬
ately in an oven hotter than is necessary for the two preceding. It
60
RECIPES.
will take lialf an liour to bake. If made of red wheat it must be
stiffer and baited longer.,
Good Unleavened Bread.—Take half the flour yon intend using,
and pour on boiling milk (be sure it boils); have it about the consist¬
ency of batter that you would have for making pancakes ; let this
stand till cool enough to work ; then knead in the rest of your flour,
just sufficiently stilt' to mold on a board. One hour in a middling hot
oven is sufficient for baking.
Dr. Jenkins's Graham Crackers.—Procure the whitest and
cleanest wheat (Canada wheat is best), have the crackers made by a
baker. Mix with nothing but pure, soft water, and thoroughly re¬
duce the mass in a baker's break, as for making other crackers, llave
them rolled very thin, no more than half as thick as soda crackers, cut
in the form and the size of soda crackers, and bake quickly until a pale
yellow. These will keep six months if placed in a dry, cool, swtet
store room. They are fresher and more tender to place them iu hot
oven a few moments before bringing tliem to the table.
Gratiam Crackers.—Wet the best of Graham flour witli cold
milk, adding about a liftli proportion of thick cream, or a little butter
if cream is not to be had. Mix as soft as can be handled ; knead very
thoroughly, say fifteen or twenty minutes ; roll thin ; cut in three-
inch-square cards; lay, so they will not touch each other, on a hot
sheet-iron pan, and bake quickly, say ten to fifteen or twenty minutes,
according to thickness. Handle carefully while hot, and pack away,
when cold, in tin cans or stone jars in a cool, dry place.
Apple-Corn Pone.—Pare and chop fine a quart of sweet apples.
Scald a quart of corn meal with a pint of boiling water ; add new
milk enough to make a still' batter, then stir in the apples. Bake
slowly in a close vessel three hours. Butter the dish well. This is
very nice1, boiled the same length of time in a pudding-mold or bag.
But it is never so good as when baked in an old-fashioned kettle with
a close-fitting lid, with live coals from the fire heaped on top and
under the kettle. The thick brown crusts are delicious, with cream or
milk.
Steamed Brown Bread.—One quart of rye meal, one pint of Indian
meal, one cup of molasses, one teaspoonful of sifted cream yeast stirred
in the molasses, a little salt. Stir soft with cold water, steam three
hours, and dry oil in the oven fifteen minutes.
Brown Bread.—The sweetest bread ever made.—Take three
pints of coarse yellow corn meal, scald it with three pints and a half
of boiling water, add two pints of coarse rye meal after tlie corn has
cooled. Knead thoroughly with the hands. Take it out into a stone¬
ware crock, or pot, which is a little larger at the top. The quantity here
given will take a vessel which holds five or six quarts. Place it imme¬
diately in the oven after smoothing over the top with a spoon fre¬
quently dipped in cold water. Cover with a stone or iron plate, and
have but little heat in the oven. It should take three hours to begin
to bake, then bake slowly four hours. Leave the loaf in until tlK>
RECIPES.
61
oven cools off, if it is several liours longer. It sliould be dark-colored,
light and firm, with a good soft crust. A round-bottomed iron kettle
will do to bake in. Try it.
Yankee Brown Bread.—Take equal quantities of rye and corn
meal, and mix with water, making a dough that can be kneaded.
Work with the hands until it loses its stickiness, and will readily
cleave from the fingers. Let it stand several hours, or over night, and
bake in loaves, in covered dishes, in a moderate oven, from three to
live hours. Or, it may be steamed three hours, and baked one.
Coarseiy ground meal is better than fine for this kind of bread.
Apple Brown Bread.—Work equal parts of corn and rye meal
into stewed apples until the entire mass is thoroughly mixed, and bake
as above. Or, thin with water to a batter, and bake on the griddle.
How to Make Oat Meal Cakes.—The Rural Cyclopedia, pub¬
lished at Edinburgh, Scotland, gives the following receipt for making
oat meal cakes. Well made they are delicious.
" As much meal as will make a sheet 24 or 80 inches in diameter
and one-eighth of an inch in thickness, is put into a wooden basin,
with a sufficiency of water for working the meal into a light paste.
The meal and water are mixed by the lingers of the right hand,
while the basin is turned constantly round by the left hand, till the
paste is made ; the paste is then turned out on a clean board, or
table, and alternately kneaded with the knuckles of both hands,
sprinkled with meal, gathered up, kneaded and sprinkled, and
kneaded again and again, till it becomes a well kneaded and homo¬
geneous dough; the dough is then flattened out with the knuckles
into a circular cake of half an inch, or less, in thickness, and imme¬
diately afterward distended with a roller into a sheet of about one-
eighth of an inch in thickness ; and the sheet is then pared round the
edges and cut into three or four parts from the centre with a knife.
The parts of the cut sheet of dough are fired, or half baked, first on
the one side and then on the other, upon a thin circular plate of iron,
called a griddle or girdle; and then they are toasted, or whole
baked, by being placed on their edge on a toaster close before the
fire, with first the one side and then the other exposed to the heat,
Some butter is sometimes mixed with the paste, to render the cakes
' fresh' and highly relisliable, and occasionally a few caraway seeds
also are added, but in the estimation of racy, unsophisticated cake-
eaters, al] such admixtures are an abomination."
A Scotchman writing to the New York Observer in reference to these
cakes and oat meal generally, says :
"The favorite accompaniment to this is sweet milk, dipped with
the spoon (which has previously taken up and contains a portion of
the porridge) out of a separate dish from the porridge."
Oat Meal Breakfast Cakes.—This is made of No. 2 oat meal,
with water enough to saturate it, and little or no salt. Pour it into
a baking tin half an inch or three-quarters deep, shake it down level,
and when this is done it should be so wet that two or three spoonsful
of water should run freely on the surface. Put it in a quick oven
G2
RECIPES.
and bake twenty minutes. Eat warm. It will be as light and tender
as the best " Johnny cake," or else you have wet it too much 01
baked it too long. This is one of the most accommodating baked
dishes that can be made. It will do very nicely with a little longer
time if the oven is not quite hot. If it will not bake there at all,
pour it into a frying pan, cover it close and set it on the top of the
stove, where it will even bake in fifteen minutes.
For a hurried breakfast and a slow coal fire it is invaluable. Scarcely
any wholesome thing in the whole bread line can be prepared more
readily. It can be made still thinner and baked quicker. It is good
either crisp or moist. For emergencies alone every housekeeper will
find it convenient to be able to make the breakfast cake. Many use
oat meal mixed with buckwheat, wheat or corn, for griddle cakes.
For this use I prefer it cooked first. Take, say one-half pint of the
porridge or the mush, diffuse it in one quart of water, and add the
wheat meal, sifting it in and stirring slowly.
Oat Meal Cake.—Take one pint of oatmeal, and just warm water
enough to stir up a batter like griddle cakes.' Pour it into a shallow
baking pan, and bake for twenty minutes in a hot oven. Or, if pref¬
erable, bake it in small cakes on the griddle, first putting in a hand¬
ful of wheat flour and a little more water. The cold porridge will
also make delicious griddle cakes.
Cream Toast.—Boil a pint and a half of cream or new milk and
thicken with a tablespoon!'ul of flour or corn starch, add a little salt-
Toast slices of stale bread quickly, of an even brown on both sides,
lay them in the toast dish and dip over them a plentiful supply of
the hot thickened cream ; add another layer of toast and then more
cream.
Another Way.—Cut smooth slices of stale bread less than half an
inch thick, toast a delicate brown, put the plate into the oven and
heat it quite warm, lay the toast into the plate and pour over it cold,
sweet cream, and the toast is ready to be eaten. For invalids and
children with dainty appetites, this is very nice and easily digested.
Some light fruit jelly will add to the relish and still be wholesome.
Norwegian Oat Meat, Porridge—Take two or three handfuls
of meal, mixed, coarse and line, in proportion of one-third latter to two
of the former. Mix in a basin of cold water and pour into a pan con¬
taining about a quart of boiling water, adding a small portion of salt.
Si*t 011 the lire, and keep stirring, adding from time to time small
doses of meal until it boils and has acquired a proper consistency;
which may be known by its glutinous state, as it drops from the
spoon. Let it simmer ten minutes, then pour into common dinner
plates. Spoon out portions and float in new milk, adding sugar to
taste.
Oat Meal Cracknels.—Take the finest quality of oatmeal, and
stir in barley water enough to wet it through ; let it stand twenty
minutes to .swell, then roll it out to a quarter of an inch in thickness,
first flouring the board and rolling pin with wheat flour. Cut it with
a biscuit cutter and bake in a moderately hot oven, as these cakes
EECIPES.
63
will burn quickly, and only require to be of the slightest brown.
Tliey will snap easily between the fingers, and are delicious, requir¬
ing 110 butter to make them palatable. If put into a close jar they
will keep, for several months. In the Highlands of Scotland they
preserve their cracknels, or bannocks, as they call them, in the barrels
of oatmeal for a year or so.
Another way to'make cracknels, is to mix oatmeal to a stiff batter
with cold water, and let it stand several hours. Or mix with sweet
milk and let it stand until it swells (do not let it sour), then pour it
into bake pans and bake twenty minutes. They should be one-
foarth of an inch thick and a light brown color when done.
Oat Meal and Cocoanut Cracknels.—Oatmeal mixed with
grated cocoanut produces a very attractive cake to both old and
young. Take three heaping tablespoonfuls of grated cocoanut, or
two of the prepared "dessicated" cocoanut; add to it half a pint
of the finest oatmeal and two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar; stir
it into one gill of boiling water, and mix it thoroughly together;
turn out on the rolling board, well floured, and roll it as thin and
cat out as for common cracknels, put a bit of citron and half a dozen
currants into each cake, sticking them into the dough. Bake in a
slow oven and watch carefully lest they brown a shade too deep.
To make them crispy let them stand a day in an uncovered dish. A
very palatable pie crust can be made from the dough of oatmeal
cracknels by wetting it a little thinner; or in preparing it, add just
half the measure of meal in hot water. Add no batter or lard, sim¬
ply a little salt; roll out thin, and make the pie of cooked fruits, as
this kind of paste bakes very quickly, and if the fruit requires cook¬
ing it would become too hard and brown. Most persons who eschew
all kinds of pies can eat those made of oatmeal without fear or
trembling, and they will soon learn to consider oatmeal an invalu¬
able addition to their tables.
Onion Toast.—Boil some onions of moderate size ; change the
water twice in boiling ; salt in the last water. When nicely done take
out with a skimmer. Make a gravy such as you make for cream toast-
Toast slices of bread, lay them in a dish, put the onions on the slices,
one on a slice, and pour the gravy over both.
Note.—The onions will cook in half the time if you cut them into three or four
slices before yon put them into the water.
Ego Toast.—Break the eggs carefully into water boiling hot, but
not really boiling. Let them simmer till they are delicately cooked or
till the yolks are covered with a white film, then take up with a skim¬
mer and lay on slices of buttered or cream toast. Salt the water in
which the eggs are boiled, and see that it covers the eggs. Butter and
pepper may be added on the table.
TO COOK EGGS.
Botled Eggs.—Boil three minutes by the watch, and you have tha
central or yellow part soft boiled, while the white is hard, unpalatable,
and difficult of digestion.
64
RECIPES.
Place the eggs in water " milk warm," or a little warmer. In four
or five minutes pour off tlie water, and immediately pour on boiling
water to cover tlie eggs, and in five minutes tliey will be cooked.
If boiling water is poured on cold eggs in a cold dish, it will be so
suddenly cooled that the eggs will not be cooked, but treat them as
above directed, and you will find them thoroughly cooked, yet soft
and palatable.
Tjie Queen's Omelet.—Place in the frying pan about one ounce
of butter. Break three eggs, separately, to see they are fresh; beat
them up with a little chopped parsley and a pinch of pepper and salt.
The eggs should not be beaten too much, or the white of them sepa¬
rates, and you produce a watery mixture which destroys the flavor and
appearance of the omelet. Now the butter is melted, pour in the fry¬
ing pan the omelet mixture and stir till it begins to set or thicken,
shake the pan occasionally, and fold over the omelet neatly into an
oval shape, and when it is of a golden color turn quickly into a dish.
To be able to prepare a plain omelet is to be able to prepare every
kind of omelet. If you require a cheese omelet, introduce into the
omelet mixture about a dessert spoonful of grated cheese, with a little
pepper and salt, and sometimes a few grains of cayenne pepper. In a
sweet omelet no pepper or salt, but a little grated sugar; and just be¬
fore the omelet is folded in the pan distribute evenly over a little jam.
In preparing an omelet, remember five things—a clean pan; the mix¬
ture must not be too much beaten ; the omelet must not be too
large,; three eggs are better than six eggs, which make two omelets ;
they should not be too much cooked ; they should be eaten immedi¬
ately, or they become tough, and more like a pancake.
PnorrED Eggs.—Have ready a saucepan of lolling water. Prop
fresh eggs carefully into the water so as not to break the yolks. Let
them stand where they will keep hot, but not boil, until the white
sets. Toast slices of bread and lay in a dish, and pour over it a gill
of hot cream with a little salt; then take out the eggs with an egg-
slice or tablespoon, and put on to the bread with parsley, if you
like.
Baked Omelet.—Boil half a pint of cream, or rich milk ; beat
six eggs thoroughly—they will be nicer if the whites ami yolks are
beaten separately ; have a deep dish hot and buttered ; stir tlie beaten
eggs, with a little salt, into the cream ; put all quickly into the dish,
and bake from five to ten minutes, depending upon tlie condition of
the oven. It should be lightly browned, and taken directly to the
table in the dish.
Scrambled Eggs.—Have a spider hot and buttered. Break as
many eggs as you wish to cook into a dish, being careful not to break
the yolks. Slip the eggs into the spider, sprinkle over a very little
salt, and add a lump of butter the size of a nutmeg for half a dozen
eggs, or three tablespoonfuls of rich cream. When the eggs begin to
whiten, stir them carefully from the bottom, until cooked to suit. The
yolks and whites should separate, though stirred together. Care
should be taken not to have the spider too hot.
RECIPES.
65
Baked Eggs.—Take a common white dish with a smooth bottom,
and large enough to hold the eggs you wish to cook ; do not crowd
them. ISet. the dish into the oven till quite hot, then butter it; liavo
the eggs broken, and slip them carefully into the dish ; sprinkle a
little salt over them, and put directly into a quick oven and bake
three or live minutes. Butter and pepper may be added, if desired,
when they are cooked. A tablespoonful of cream to two eggs, when
they are first set to bake, is nice.
PREPARATIONS OF CHEESE.
Cheese and Bread Toast.—Grate half a cup of good cheese—
use your crumbs and dry pieces—mix with it one cap of grated bread
and the yolk of one egg, half a spoonful of butter, and three spoonfuls
of rich cream. Add a salt spoonful of salt, and a sprinkle of cayenne
and mustard if desired. Toast two or three slices of bread, spread the
cheese mixture on quite thick, put into the oven a minute or two, and
send to the table hot. Or lay on a top slice, and make a sandwich.
Take a sharp knife and cut into four pieces.
Cottage Cheese.—This is a farmer's dish, but should and would
be eaten and appreciated by all classes if they knew how wholesome
and digestible it is. Those who have plenty of milk and make butter,
have an abundance of sour or clabbered milk daily, clean and fresh.
Skim the cream off for the churn, and set a gallon or two of the milk
011 the stove in a milk pan, and let it gradually warm till it is luke¬
warm all through. Stir it occasionally to prevent its hardening at the
bottom, and when it is a little warmer than new milk, and the whey
begins to show clear around the curd, pour it all into a coarse thin
bag, tie close, and hang up to strain. Let it bang two or three hours
in a cool, shady place, then take from the bag and put in a covered
dish. When preparing the rest of a meal, mix with the curd rich
sweet cream, sugar, and nutmeg. Some prefer salt- and pepper, but
the sugar gives it the place of fruits or acids. This preparation of
milk will often be found most salutary and wholesome for dyspeptics
and weak inflamed stomachs. The clabber is also very nutritious and
easily digested.
SANDWICHES.
Sandwiches are very useful to put in your bag or your pocket
when you are not likely to be able to procure your usual meal.
Cheese Sandwiches.—Take two-tliirds of good cheese, grated,
and one-third of butter ; add a little cream; pound all together 111
a mortar ; then spread it on slices of brown bread or gems ; lay
another slice over each ; press them gently together, and cut in sms.ll
square pieces.
Egg S vr^wtcnes.—Boil fresh eggs five minutes ; put them in
cold water, and when quite cold peel them, and after taking a lit01 a
of the white off each end of the eggs, cut the remainder in four slices.
Lay them between bread aud butter.
3*
G6
KECIPES.
Fried Egg Sandwiches.—Beat some eggs -well; fry tliem in but¬
ter as a pancake. When cold, cut in small square pieces, and lay
them between brown bread and butter.
Omelet Sandwiches.—Take four eggs, two tablespoonfuls of
bread crumbs, and one lialf ounce of chopped parsley. After beating
the eggs well, add the bread crumbs, then the parsley, and two table-
spoonfuls of water. Season, and fry it in small fritters, and when
cold put them between brown bread and butter.
VEGETABLES.
All green vegetables should be as fresh as possible. Put them into
cold water with some salt in it, for about ten minutes, to clear from
soil or insects. If not quite fresh, let them remain in the water some
time longer; drain in a colander, and put them into a pan with plenty
of boiling water, adding salt, and a small piece of soda ; cover the pan
till boiling, but not afterward ; then boil quickly, and carefully remove
any scum which may rise. Do not allow them to remain in the water
after they are done, but immediately drain them in a colander, and
finish each kind, as directed in recipes. Peas and spinach do not re¬
quire so much water as most other green vegetables, but only just suf¬
ficient to cover them. Cauliflowers and brocoli require especial care in
boiling, as the flower is easily broken and their appearance spoiled;
boil them quickly for a few minutes, and then moderately till tender,
which may be easily ascertained by trying tli^ stem with a fork. All
vessels used in cooking vegetables should be particularly clean. Soft
is preferable to hard water in cooking all kinds of vegetables. Pota¬
toes are in universal use, and yet how few know how to cook them
well ! " A well-boiled potato is a thing purely ideal—it has never
come out of the pot, in the experience of living man." This is too
strong; but there is very much room for, and need of, improvement in
the science of cooking a potato. To do it well, the matter must be studied,
and not performed by routine. They differ very much, even those
grown in the same field and from the same seed. A good potato, well
cooked and served up, is a luxury, which, unfortunately, few people
know how to accomplish, or will not give themselves the trouble to do.
Potatoes.—Those grown on virgin soil, of a middle size, and
floury, are to be preferred. They should be as nearly as possible of
one size, well washed, but not pared. They should be put into a ves¬
sel of cold water for an hour, then put into fresh water, and boiled in
a kettle or saucepan, closely covered, in the most expeditious manner
possible ; or they should be steamed, which would be still better. If
boiled, no more water should be used than merely to cover them, as
they produce a considerable quantity of fluid. When they are done,
the water should be instantly poured off, and the kettle containing the
cooked potatoes be placed on the side of the fire with a cover on, and
a cloth over them, until the steam is absorbed, and rendered quite dry
and mealy before they are sent to the table.
Baked Potatoes.—Have a hot baking oven, select and wash pota¬
toes of uniform size, and put them moist into a clean oven. Do not
RECIPES.
67
open the oven if you can avoid it for lialf an hour ; try if they are done
in a towel. Eat them hot.
Potato Balls.-(For Breakfast).—Boil and mash a double quan¬
tity of potatoes for dinner, season with sweet cream and a little salt:
work in two fresh eggs to a quart. Mold into little balls, prick the
tops, and lay away in the cold on a plate. In the morning put on bak¬
ing pan and set into the oven until done to a delicate brown, which re¬
quires fifteen or twenty minutes.
Potatoes are a standard article of food on most tables, but they
are often so badly cooked that they are neither palatable nor whole¬
some. As a breakfast dish they are excellent. We like them pre¬
pared thus : Select the smaller ones—leaving the larger ones for din¬
ner—scrape oil the skins of new potatoes, put them into cold water
for ten minutes, have water boiling, and cook them twenty minutes ;
pour oil the water and add a cup of milk or cream, and thicken it with
a little Hour and butter rubbed together. Butter never floats on the
surface when mixed with flour thus, nor does the flour trouble you
with lumps. It is just as well, however, to leave out the butter, mix¬
ing the flour with a little cream.
Potatoes should always be put into boiling water to cook, boil
quickly and pour off the water, letting them dry a few minutes over
the fire before dishing up. Steaming is the best manner of cooking
them.
Masiied Potatoes should be left in the kettle after draining and
drying as above, and mashed thoroughly over the lire ; add a little
milk or cream, and they will be light as a sponge and white as flour.
Never put butter into them.
Steam Squasii.—Squash cooked in a steamer over a little water
is much nicer than when boiled. I never boil squash. It may be cut
in large pieces and cooked in a kettle with a small steamer in the bot¬
tom and half a pint of water; fill the kettle with squash and keep
closely covered till well cook'ed, taking care not to let it burn. A very
hot fire is not so good for cooking as a slow, moderate heat. May be
placed on the table warm or cold, mashed or not, as preferred.
Many kinds of squash, especially late and winter squashes, are
better baited than any other way—they are quite equal to sweet pota¬
toes when baked in a close kettle so as to partly steam them. Cut in
slices three quarters of an inch thick.
Paw Tomatoes.—The simplest and one of the most wholesome
modes of preparing tomatoes is to remove the skins by scalding, cut
them in slices and season to the taste. To our taste powdered loaf
sugar makes the best seasoning. The tomatoes should be solid, liko
the Trophy, and perfectly ripe. As a substitute for fruit, they an¬
swer a good purpose, especially the yellow and white varieties.
Stewed Tomatoes.—Let the tomatoes be well ripened, scald them
and remove the skins, cut into small pieces, put into a saucepan, with
a little salt and butter, and cook till Avell done, but no longer. Pepper
may be added if agreeable. As a substitute for fruit, omit the pep-
08
RECIPES.
per and sweeten to tlie taste with white sugar. In this case Dixie and
White Apple tomatoes are best, as they have a decidedly fruity flavor.
Beoiled Tomatoes.—First raise your tomato. If not quite ripe,
no matter; cut in two flat-wise ; put it skin down, on a hot iron and in
a few minutes (seasoned to your taste) you have a dish that is pretty,
wholesome and delicious—tomatoes on the half shell.
We have tried it. Those who have not, do not yet know how ex¬
quisite a morsel the tomato is capable of being made. With a little
pepper and salt, or, better still, with butter and sugar, broiled toma¬
toes furnish a dish lit for the gods.
Note.—This manner of preparing tomatoes is indeed excellent. We toast slices
of bread nice and brown, butter them a little, and lay on to them the broiled
tomatoes ; put hall' a teaeupful of cream into the dish around the toast, and set it
into the oven a few minutes before taking to the table.
Tomatoes should be sliced and boiled in their own juice without
water. They should boil briskly. Twenty minutes suffices for a
quart. If boiled much longer it injures their peculiar flavor. Sea¬
son when ready to take up.
Baked Tomatoes.—One quart of fresh round tomatoes. Scald
and peel carefully, so as not to break the tomato ; put into a deep dish,
and season with a little salt and cayenne. Poll a teaeupful of crackers
and spread over tlie top ; cover lightly, and bake in a quick oven half
or three quarters of an hour. Two or three lumps of butter, the size
of a Lima bean, may be dropped into the dish just before dishing up.
Slip them out carefully, the brown side up, or leave them in tlie bak¬
ing dish.
Scalloped Tomatoes.—Peel as many large ripe tomatoes as you
tvisli to prepare ; cut tliem into slices a quarter of an inch thick. Pack
in a pudding dish flrst a layer of tomatoes, then a thick layer of bread
crumbs, salt, and a little white sugar and butter, then a layer of to¬
matoes, then bread crumbs, etc., till the dish is nearly full, having
tomatoes last. Now dust over pepper, a little sugar and butter, strew
the top with bread crumbs, and bake {covered) half an hour ; then re¬
move tlie cover and bake brown, but be careful not to scorch.
Corn Oysters.—One quart of grated corn, three eggs well beaten,
half a teaspoonful of salt, with flour enough to make them stick to¬
gether. Drop from a spoon into a hot buttered frying pan, making
cakes the size of an oyster. A cup of sour milk, with half a teaspoon¬
ful of soda, will answer if eggs are not plenty.
Green Corn ox tiie Cob.—Remove the husks and silk from full-
grown ears of corn in which the milk is well developed. Put them
into sufficient boiling water to cover. Boil gently in a covered kettle
from twenty to thirty minutes, according to the age of the corn. It is
better cooked by steam for half an hour. Corn which requires more
than half an hour to cook is not good.
Corn when Cut from tiie Cob.—Split the kernels of corn before
removing from the cob, and in cutting off cut them several times
through, leaving a large part on the cob to be scraped off, so as to
KECIFES.
69
make a fine mass of tlie wliole. Take a pint of milk or cream, bring
it to a boil, and put tlie corn in and boil slowly in a closed porcelain,
or tin vessel for fifteen or twenty minutes with a very little salt ; or,
which is better, steam it for half an hour. It will then be very rich
and savory.
Succotash.—For succotash, Lima beans are the best ; the Agricul¬
tural stand second on the list. But any good variety of bush beans,
which come earlier than these, makes an article by no means inferior.
Shell the green beans, and boil them slowly in an abundance of water
for one or two hours, being careful to keep them covered with water
while boiling. Cut well-grown corn from the cob, as in the previous
directions ; place it in a pan or basin to steam, over the beans—if not
provided with suitable steam apparatus. Add a little water to tho
corn, and stir it occasionally. Steam from twenty to thirty minutes,
then add the coin to the beans, and simmer for half an hour. Stir
often, and watch carefully that it does not burn. Season to suit tho
taste.
Dried Sweet Corn.—Wash the quantity you wish to cook. Add
two or three times as much water, and soak over night. In the morn¬
ing place on the range or stove in a closed tin or porcelain vessel,
where it will keep at the scalding point for four or live hours. Do
not let it boil a moment. He equally careful to keep it hot. Add
water, if necessary, but do not make it too thick. Season as you like
with salt.
AVinter Succotash.—Take equal quantities of dried sweet corn
and of dried green beans. Wash and soak them separately, over
night, in warm water. Add more water, if necessary, in the morning,
lioil the beans slowly for four or live hours, adding boiling water oc¬
casional!)'. Cook the corn as you would without the beans. Then
add the corn to the beans, and cook slowly, only long enough to com¬
bine them well. This is an excellent article of food, if carefully pre¬
pared, although not equal to succotash in the summer. Season with
cream and salt.
To Bake Beans.—Prepare them as for stewing, and place them
with a large quantity of water in a stone-ware pot in a hot oven. Let
the. oven cool somewhat after they begin to cook, and bake them from
four to six hours rather slowly. Leave out meat and butter, and trim
with cream and salt.
Dried Green Peas.—Wash the peas, pour boiling soft water over
them, sufficient to cover. Let them stand over night. Stew them for
several hours, or until they are soft and pulpy. Add boiling water
occasionally, and keep them covered closely while cooking. Add half
a cup of cream and a little salt, and boil ten minutes ; then dish up.
Stewed Carrots.—One pound and a half of carrots ; one ounce of
butter; quarter of an ounce of parsley ; one teaspoonful of flour, and
four tablespoonfuls of cream. About lialf-boil tlie carrots, then scrape
and slice them; put them into a pan with half a teacupful of vege¬
table broth, or water; let them simmer tiB Quite tender, but not
70
RECIPES.
broken ; add tlie chopped parsley, and stir in the flour and butter,
previously mixed; simmer them ten minutes longer, and serve im¬
mediately.
Green Peas.—The most important part is to get the peas fresh
from the vines. They lose their delicious flavor in a very short time
after picking. Wash before shelling, not after. Shell the peas, then
select the tenderest pods, and put into just water enough to cover
them, and after boiling them ten or fifteen minutes, skim out the
pods and put in the peas. Boil them slowly twenty minutes, trim
with a little rich cream, and salt. They should be boiled in so little
water that there will not be more than a half teacupful around them
when they are cooked, and this should be seasoned and dished with
the peas. Those who must depend upon the markets for peas often
find them very insipid and tasteless, notwithstanding their care in
selecting and cooking. Sometimes a spoonful of sugar will add to
the flavor. Boiling the pods adds much to the richness and sweetness
of the peas.
Asparagus.—Select green asparagus. If you have the privilege
of cutting it from the bed, break or cut as close to the ground as it is
tender. If you must buy from the markets, try several stalks and see
that they are not woody and tough. The white ends are usually so,
and are not eatable, being very bitter besides. After breaking oil the
hardest part, the asparagus may be improved by taking a thin sharp
knife and stripping off the outside skin, beginning at the cut end and
drawing the skin upward as far as it will go. The bitter lies next to
the outside. Now cut the stalks into pieces an inch long, put into a
saucepan, sprinkle over a little salt, and just cover with boiling
water. Cook twenty minutes ; add half a teacupful of sweet cream ;
rub together a teaspoonful of butter and a teaspoonful of flour and
stir in; boil up a minute or two ; toast a thin slice of bread a light
brown ; cut into several pieces ; lay into the bottom of a dish, and
pour the asparagus over. Or leave the asparagus without cutting up,
lay it all one way in the saucepan, and otherwise prepare the same.
Shelled Beans.—Of the shelling beans the Lima, Horticultural,
and Saba are the best. They require a full hour to boil, and a large
quantity of water, as there appears to be a more rapid evaporation
when beans are boiling than with most vegetables. When ready to
dish, season as other vegetables. Much seasoning destroys or covers
up the delicious taste of the bean. A little rich cream and salt is
sufficient.
String Beans should be strung, broken in pieces, and boiled an
hour or two, and seasoned the same as shelled beans.
Boiled Cabbage.—Take off the outside leaves—all that are green
or imperfect—from a head of white cabbage; cut into quarters, and
lay it for a few minutes into a panful of cold salted water. This will
at once remove slugs or insects. Open the leaves, but do not break
them from the stem, Shake them in the water and examine carefully,
then put into a kettle containing at least three quarts of fast boiling
water. Cover the kettle and boil fast for three quarters of an hour.
RECIPES.
71
Boil a tea-cupful of rich milk or cream, tliickcn with a spoonful of
flour, and pour over the cabbage, which lias been taken up into a vege¬
table dish and all the water drained off. Add a little salt and a
sprinkle of cayenne.
Cabbage with Milk.—Cut half of a solid head of cabbage fine as
for slaw. Have a deep spider on the lire and hot. Put in your cab¬
bage, pour quickly over it a pint of boiling water, cover close, and
cook for ten minutes ; then pour oif the water that remains, and add
half a pint of rich milk. When the milk boils up stir in a tea-spoon¬
ful of hour moistened with a little cream or milk, a sprinkle of salt,
and cook the hour a minute, then dish up.
Those who usually find cabbage an unpleasantly indigestible
article of food will be gratified with the result of this mode of cooking
it. It is quite like cauliflower, and is much cheaper.
Dk. Evekett's Ctioice.—Cut fine as much clean nice cabbage as
will fill a spider. Place it in this utensil, cover with a plate, and let
it cook till done in the steam from its own juices.
Onions.—The unpleasant breath which eating this vegetable pro¬
duces is perhaps the greatest objection to its use, but still it is a very
wholesome and desirable article of food for many, and hence should
be brought on the table in the most attractive form. White onions,
and those grown in the South, are least odorous and pungent. Take
olf the outside skin, cut off both ends close, and let them stand in cold
water an hour, then drop them into a saucepan with two quarts of
boiling water. Cover, and boil fifteen minutes. Have a kettle of boil¬
ing water 011 the fire ready for use, pour off the water from the
onions, and add as much more—be sure the water is boiling—and boil
half an hour longer. Scald a cupful of rich milk, pour off the second
water from the onions, add the milk and a little Graham flour to
thicken it. Salt and otherwise season to taste. Boil up a few minutes
and serve the onions whole ; or they may be cut in halves before
cooking.
Cold Slaw.—Take half a head of white cabbage, cut it into fine
shreds, and put into a bowl or deep dish. Add the juice of a largo
lemon and two spoonfuls of cold water, and stir together ; then sift
evenly over the cabbage three or four table-spoonfuls of granulated
sugar ; shake the dish so that the sugar may be diffused, but do not
stir it again. Let it stand ten or fifteen minutes and then serve.
(irape or currant vinegar is very nice instead of lemon, and a pref¬
erable acid with many.
Potato Salad.—Cut six or eight cold potatoes into even, thin
slices, and put into a salad dish. Cut fine, and sprinkle over the
potatoes a tea-spoonful of parsley, and a little salt and cayenne. Stir
half a tea-cupful of good cream until it is very smooth and foamy;
pour over the potatoes, and mix carefully, so as not to break the
slices. A little prepared mustard, and a few stalks of white celery
chopped fine, is an addition. This is a good dish for a hearty lunch.
72
RECIPES.
Sweet Potatoes may be peeled, cut in thin slices or strips, and
fried, heating and buttering the skillet in the same Avay. They will
not bear quite so hot a fire, nor take so long to cook. Use as little
butter as possible. Fried food is not .considered so wholesome as
boiled or steamed, but is sometimes more convenient to prepare.
Egg Plant.—Pare and cut into slices, half an inch thick, two or
three egg plants, according to the size of your family, and put to soak
in cold salted water for two hours. This removes a black, bitter
juice, said to be uuliealthful, certainly very disagreeable. Then press
the slices between two plates, and wipe them on a clean cloth, then
boil till soft enough to mash like turnips. Mash them smooth, add a
few bread crumbs soaked in sweet cream, a little chopped parsley and
salt, and a sprinkle of cayenne. Mix all thoroughly, pour into a but¬
tered baking dish, cover the top with bread crumbs, and bake half an
hour.
Cauliflower.—Soak the head two hours in cold salted water, and
boil till tender in plenty of water. Have the water boiling when you
put in the liower. Pour oil' the water, and add a ci>p of cream or
milk. Hub together a tea-spoonful of butter and a large spoonful of
flour. Stir into the milk, season as you like, and let all boil up to¬
gether for five minutes and serve.
Spinach.—Wash carefully in plenty of cold salt and water, put it
into a saucepan that will just hold it, put in some salt, and pour over
it a pint of boiling water. Cover close, and let it cook slowly twenty
minutes. Drain off all the water, and pour over it a gill of scalded
cream or a little butter, and it is ready for the table.
PIES.
Pies are wholesome or not as they are well or badly made. An
apple pie can be so prepared as to be nearly or quite as simple as
bread, butter, and apple sauce. A whole meal may be made of it with¬
out injury to the health. On the other hand, it maybe so prepared
as to be unfit for the stomach of even a rhinoceros. The model pie is
in our opinion the apple pie. Peach pies are highly relished by many ;
but the peach loses its finest flavor by cooking, whereas the apple is
improved by this process. Most of the berries in their season make
good pies. So does rice and eggs, and the custard pie is not only deli
cious but wholesome. Meat mince pies are not to be tolerated by deli¬
cate people ; though they may be eaten by men of strong digestion,
who live much in the open air and do muscular work. The first-
point to be secured in a pie is good'erust. In general terms, this
should be tliin and, when well baked, tender. It should not be short¬
en 3d with lard, but the best of cream—or in the absence of this, good
butter. Delicate fruits are soon tainted with the shortening of the
crust. Many in baking pies, use too much crust. The less that can
be used the better the pie will be. The crust should be thin, the fruit
good pie-apples, and plenty of them, put between the crust. Where
the two crusts meet on the edge of the dish, care should be taken to
EECIPES.
73
have tlie apples pressed out, so that there shall not he a wide strip of
thick crust with 110 apples near them. An apple pie should be eat<>n
just after it is cool. If eaten while hot, it is apt to go down only half
masticated, and the effect of the heat on the tongue tends to destroy
the finer sense of taste. After an apple pie is one day old it begins to
grow stale, unless it is kept with great care. Soyer, the famous Lon¬
don pie-maker, thinks that if all the spoilt pies made in London on
one single Sunday were placed in a row beside a railway, it would
take an express-train an hour to pass them in review. Whoever will
induce bakers to improve their methods of making them, will be a
public benefactor. The usual price for a piece of pie in a New York
restaurant is ten cents. They could be afforded for half that price, at
a profit, too, if there were no spoiled pies.
The following receipts for pie pastry will be found excellent. They
may be varied somewhat to suit individual tastes, provided only the
general rules be kept in view. We commend the cream shortening as
better than any other.
Good Pie Crust.—A quart of flour will make two large pies. Sift
the flour. Take a large, strong spoon, and stir into the flour one quar¬
ter of a pound of butter and a tea-spoonful of yeast powder ; then
moisten with cold water—ice water if you have it—using just as little
as will make the flour stick together. Sprinkle some of the shortened
flour on the pie-board, and roli the crust large enough for the pie-pan;
do not try to make smooth edges until you have put in the flliing,
and the upper crust; then press the edges firmly together and cut off
the rough edges with a knife. The secret of good, tender, plain pas¬
try is speedy work—110 working with the warm hands.
Cream and Potato Pastry.—Six good-sized potatoes, boiled and
mashed, mealy, and white, 011c tea-cup of sweet cream, half tea-spoon¬
ful of salt, and flour enough to make it stay together, and roll out.
Work and handle as little as possible, and roll thicker than for com¬
mon pastry.
This is Mrs. Beectier's receipt for "pastry for meat pies," and is
exactly what a wholesome fruit pie needs. Light tart apples, cut in
thin slices, and filled into such a crust with a table-spoonful of water
and 1 wo of sugar added, and a top-crust, baked half an hour, will bo
good enough for an epicure.
Mrs. Cox's Method.—Pour sufficient boiling water upon wheat
meal to make a stiff dough ; roll, without kneading, to any desired
thickness, from an eighth to a half inch.
Note.—This make? a very tender crust, quite a? imich po as can lie made in tlie
ordinary wyy. It may be made ol' siiperline llour, or rye meal, or a mixture of dif¬
ferent kinds.
To have the crust tender, it must not be kneaded, but rolled out
with plenty of meal 011 the board.
Mattie Jones' Cream Pie Crust. — Take equal quantities of
Graham flour, white flour, and Indian meal ; rub evenly together, and
74
RECIPES.
wet witli very tliin sweet cream. It should be rolled tliin and "baked
in an oven as liot as for common pie crust.
Note.—This makes excellent pastry if properly baked. Many patients have paid
to us they did not see how they could ever again relish the pastry in common use
(this is so much sweeter and more palatable, to say nothing of its wholesomeness).
Apple Pies. — Take nice, tart apples — spitzenbergs are "best-, al¬
though pippins, greenings, russets, etc., are excellent. Slice them ;
fill the under crust an inch thick ; sprinkle sugar over them; add a
spoonful or two of water ; cover with a tliin crust, and bake three-
fourths of an hour in a moderate oven.
Another.—Peel and cut about two pounds of apples—sharp ones
being the best for the purpose; cut each into four pieces, removing
the cores ; then cut each quarter into two or three pieces, according to
the size. Put half of them into a pie-disli, slightly press tliem down ;
put over them two ounces of brown sugar ; put in the remaining ap¬
ples ; then add another two ounces of sugar, making the apples form
a kind of dome, the center being two inches higher than tlie sides;
add a small wine-glass of water; cover the top with paste, and bake
in a moderate oven from half to three-quarters of ail hour.
Mock Apple Pie.—For a large pie-plate, two crackers (milk or
soda), one egg, one cup of sugar, one of water, and the juice of one
lemon ; add a pinch of salt, and spice with nutmeg or tlie rind of the
lemon. This is quite a tolerable counterfeit.
Apple Puffs.—Peel and core six tart apples, cook quickly with
very little water; cover close so as to make tliem white and free from
lumps ; when done to a pull, sprinkle over them two heaping spoon¬
fuls of sugar, and stir smooth. Set to cool. Prepare your pastry.
Beat tlie whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, stir into the apples and
fill the crust ; grate a little nutmeg or cinnamon over the top. No top
crust. Bake in a quick oven, only long enough to cook the pastry.
Apple Float.—A pint of stewed, well mashed apples ; whites of
three eggs, four large spoonfuls of sugar, beaten until stiif ; then add
the apples and beat all together until stiif enough to standalone. Fill
a deep dish with rich cream, boiled soft custard, and pile the float on
top. This is excellent with other fruits in place of apples.
Fr>Excn Apple Turnovers.—Eight large apples ; eight ounces of
sugar ; two ounces of butter, and the rind of a lemon.
Prepare the apples as for a pie; put them into a saucepan with the
sugar, butter, the rind of a lemon rubbed on a piece of sugar, and two
table-spoonfuls of water; cover the pan, and set it over a slow lire,
turning it occasionally till the apples are about half done, and pour
them into a basin to cool. Poll out a piece of paste in a circular form,
the eighth of an inch thick, and about the size of a dinner-plate ; wet
it round, and fasten a rolled cord of paste within an inch of the edge ;
put in the prepared apples, raising them in the center in the form of a
dome ; spread some apricot or orange marmalade over the surface,
and cover the whole with another circular piece of paste, and press
the edges together, or fold them over in the form of a cord. Spread
RECIPES.
75
Borne beaten wliite of egg all over tlie top with a soft paste-brush; then
strew coarsely pounded or rough granite sugar over the entire sur¬
face, and bake lightly in a moderately hot oven.
. Jam Turnovers.—Roll out some short paste about one-eiglitli of an
inch thick ; cut it in pieces about four inches in length, and between
two and three inches in breadth ; lay on each a little apple jam, or any
other preserved fruit, without syrup ; turn the edges over, wetting
them, as little as possible, with water; press them lightly together,
and also the ends ; lay them on tins, and bake in a moderately hot
oven. Ice them very perfectly, and return them to the oven for a
few minutes, or set them in a Dutch or American oven before the
fire.
Arn.e Pie Cake.—Mix: unbolted wheat with cold water, making
a batter soft enough to nearly level itself. If shortening is desired,
use sweet, cream or butter. Fill a rather deep pie-plate about a third
full of the batter, and sprinkle over a little sugar. Wash, quarter,
and core tart apples, and place as many in the batter (skin side
up) as it will hold. They may be pressed down and leveled with a
still' spoon. Over the top sprinkle some sugar, and bake till nicely
brown.
This cake is both wholesome, nutritious, and delicious. Children
and grown folks can eat of it freely without injury.
Cocoa-Nut Pies.— Open the eyes of a cocoa-nut with a pointed
knife or a gimlet, and pour out the milk into a cup; then break the
shell and take out the meat and grate it line. Take the same weight
of sugar and the grated nut and stir together ; beat four eggs, the
whites and yolks separately, to a stiff foam ; mix one cup of cream, and
the milk of the cocoa-nut with the sugar and nut, then add the eggs
and a few drops of orange or lemon extract. Line deep pie-tins with
a nice crust, fill them with the custard and bake carefully half an hour.
Le.mon Pie.—For each peeled and grated lemon add one tea-cup of
sugar, and one table-spoonful of corn-starcli dissolved in cold water.
Over this pour a tea-cup of boiling water.
Crust. One part white flour, one part Graham flour, one part corn-
meal. Shorten it with butter or condensed milk, reduced one-tliird.
Use two crusts.
The above recipe for lemon pie is used in our Institution, and lias
given perfect satisfaction.
Another Recipe.—Take two lemons, two eggs, one cup of sugar,
one cup of water, and one large table-spoonful of flour. After grating
the peel, take off and throw away the white rind, and cut the lemon
in small pieces, carefully picking out the seeds. After the under
crust is laid iu, sugar it well. Bake with two crusts. Lemon pie is
not quite so easily managed by the stomach, and should be eaten more
sparingly than apple pie.
Pumpkin oh Squash Pie.—Cut the pumpkin into small pieces;
take out the seeds and inside, but do not pare it. It must be a well-
grown and thoroughly ripened pumpkin, and not watery. Put the
76
RECIPES.
pieces into a sauce-pail with only a few spoonfuls of water, not more
than four; cover close and let it cook gently so as not to scorch, until
the water has all evaporated, and the pumpkin has cooked quite dry
and of a rich, dark, orange color. While hot, sift it through a coarse
sieve. Season only as much as you are needing for the day. For one
large pie, one egg, one table-spoonful of molasses, four table-spoonfuls
of condensed milk, or enough of new milk to make it as thin as you
wish; or, if you have it, half milk and half cream, instead of con¬
densed milk. Sugar to suit the taste.
ax other. — Select a pumpkin which has a deep, rich color, and
firm, close texture. Stew and sift in the ordinary manner; add as
much boiling milk as will make it about one-third thicker than for
common pumpkin pie. Sweeten with equal quantities of sugar and
molasses, and bake about one hour in a hot oven.
Note.—Those who will try this method will be surprised to find how delicious a
pie can be made without eggs, ginger, or spices of any kind. The milk being turned
boiling hot upon the pumpkin, causes it to swell in baking, so that it is as light and
nice as though eggs had been used.
Squasii Pie.—This is even superior to pumpkin, as it possesses a
richer, sweeter flavor, and is far preferable. It is made in precisely
the same manner as pumpkin pie.
Sweet Potato Pie.—Boil and sift through a colander, nice, ripe,
sweet potatoes, add boiling milk, and make the same as pumpkin pie.
Sweet Apple Pie.—Pare mellow, sweet apples, and grate them
upon a grater. A very large grater is necessary for this purpose.
Then proceed as for pumpkin pie.
Note. — The four receipts last mentioned, are from Mrs. Jones' CooTc-booka
work of which thousands have been sold, and which has been republished in Eng-
laud.
Rice Pie.—Take cold rice, cooked in milk ; add sufficient cream to
make quite thin; mash it with a wooden or silver spoon till free from
lumps. Beat up four eggs very light—yolks and whites separately ;
sweeten to suit your taste, and pour in the eggs—the whites last; stir
well; cover a deep custard or pumpkin pie-plate with pastry, pour in
the rice, and bake, but not long enough to make the custard watery.
Pice pie should be made thick, and eaten when fresh, but not till
after it is cold. Children are fond of it, and may be allowed as much
as they wish.
Cranberry Pie.—Stew a few good, ripe, sweet apples, and add an
equal quantity of cranberries. Cover a deep plate with a crust, and
till even full ; roll the upper crust, and cut in strips half an inch wide
and lay across the pie, leaving the spaces diamond-shaped, and bake.
Strawberry Pie. — Place the under crust upon a deep plate, and
the upper one—cut just the right size—on a flat tin or sheet-iron ;
prick to prevent blistering, and biike. Fill the deep dish while hot
with strawberries, and cover with the flat crust. If the fruit is rather
hard, replace in the oven till heated; if quite ripe, the crust will steam
them sufficiently.
RECIPES.
r
Raspberry and blackberry pie may be made in the same manner.
The flavor of these delicious berries, when quite ripe, is greatly in¬
jured by cooking; and they are also changed to a mass of little else
than seeds and juice.
Ripe- fieri')/ Pics, generally, may be prepared as above, and baked
till the fruit is cooked, which takes only a few minutes. This method
is much better than baking the fruit with the crust, as the greater part
of the juice is often lost before the crust is cooked.
Berry Tarts. — Cover gem-pans with crust, as for little pies, and
bake ; when nearly done, fill up with berries and replace in the oveu
a few minutes.
Note. — The four receipts mentioned above, are from Mrs. Cox's Hygiene Cook
book, a radical, but thoughtful little book of one hundred pages, which will repaj
a careful reading.
Pie for Dyspeptics.—Four table-spoonfuls of oatmeal, one pint of
water; let stand a few hours, or till the meal is well swelled. Then
add two large apples, pared and sliced, a little salt, one cup of sugar,
one table-spoonful of flour. Mix all well together and bake in a but¬
tered pie-dish ; and you have a most delicious pie, which may be eaten
with safety by the sick or well.
We might go on giving other receipts for pies ; but trust to the in¬
genuity of the reader to get up her own methods, bearing in mind al¬
ways the rule that they be healthfully made.
CUSTARDS.
Almond Custards.—One pint of milk ; half a pint of cream ; one
ounce and a half of sweet almonds ; live yolks and two whites of
eggs, and four ounces of white sugar. Boil the milk and cream with
a small stick of cinnamon ; pour into a basin, and when cool, take out
cinnamon ; set the milk on a slow fire, adding the sugar, the eggs,
well beaten, and the almonds, blanched and chopped fine ; stir on the
fire till thick, but do not allow it to boil; pour it into a jug or bowl,
stirring it frequently till cold, and serve in custard glasses.
Arrowroot Custards.—One ounce of arrowroot; three-quarters
of a pint of milk, three ounces of sugar, and four eggs. Mix the
arrowroot with a quarter of a pint of cold milk, adding the eggs, well
beaten, the sugar, and a little almond-flavor; add half a pint of boil¬
ing milk, stirring constantly, and when cold, serve in custard glasses.
Milk Custard.—One pint of new milk ; one table-spoonful of flour;
one table-spoonful of thick cream ; cinnamon ; almond-flavor, and sugar.
Set the milk over the fire with a little cinnamon, stirring it till quite
hot, but not allowing it to boil. Mix the cream and flour together ;
pour 011 the hot milk ; stir well, adding the almond-flavor, and sugar.
Bake lightly, without crust, in a moderate oven.
Another.—One quart of new milk ; sugar, and one stick of cinna¬
mon. Boil the cinnamon in a pan with the new milk ; take the pan,
oif tin; lire, and stir in the sugar. Bake in pie or pudding dishes,
78
RECIPES.
lined with custard paste. The paste should he pricked with a fork,
hnt not through to the dish, and partly baked before the custard is
put in. Egg custard may be made in the same way, allowing five or
six eggs, according to size, to a quart of new milk.
Baked Custards.—One pint of cream ; four eggs ; cinnamon; al¬
mond-flavor, and three ounces of sugar. Boil the cream with a piece
of cinnamon ; pour it into a basin, and when cold, add the eggs, well
beaten and strained, the sugar powdered, and a few drops of almond-
fiavor. Bake in small cups, in a cool oven. . ,
Plain Custards.—The same, without any condiments. One quart
of new milk ; the yolks of eight and the whites of four eggs ; five
ounces of sugar ; quarter of a pint of cream ; the rind of a lemon, and
a small stick of cinnamon. Boil the milk with the cinnamon, sugar,
and the rind of the lemon, pared very thin; when the milk has boil¬
ed a few minutes, pour it into a bowl; beat the eggs, adding the
cream, and mix well in the milk ; then strain the whole into the pan,
and set it on a slow fire, stirring constantly till near boiling; pour it
into a jug, stirring it till nearly cold, and serve in custard glasses.
Gooseberry Custards.—Three pints of green gooseberries; quar¬
ter of a pound of sugar ; four eggs, and two table-spoonfuls of orange-
flower water. Set the gooseberries in cold water over a slow fire, and
simmer till soft ; then drain the water away, and rub them through a
sieve ; to a pint of pulp add the eggs, the sugar, and orange-flower
water; set it over the fire, stirring constantly till it becomes thick,
and when cold, serve in custard glasses.
Lemon Custards.—Eight eggs ; six ounces of sugar; two lemons ;
a tea-cupful of cream ; one pint of boiling water, ana two table-spoon¬
fuls of orange-flower water. Beat the yolks of the eggs till quite
frothy ; pour on them the boiling water, stirring quickly all the time;
add the sugar, and the rind of the lemons, grated ; stir it over a slow
fire, till thick, adding the cream, and orange-flower water; when
hot, stir in the lemon-juice ; pour it into a basin ; stir till nearly
cold, and serve in custard glasses.
Lemon Custards.—One large lemon ; one quart of new milk ;
quarter of a pound of white sugar, and seven eggs. Grate off the
rind of the lemon ; put it with the sugar in the milk, and boil quarter
of an hour ; strain, and let it remain till cool; then stir in the eggs,
well beaten and strained, leaving out three whites; pour it into cups
with half a tea-spoonful of fresh butter, melted, in each cup ; set them
in water, and bake in a moderate oven; color them when done, by
holding a hot salamander over, and serve cold, with sugar sifted on the
top.
Raspberry Custards.—One pint of cream; three quarters of a
pint of raspberry j uice, and half a pound of white sugar. Boil the
cream, dissolve the sugar in the raspberry juice; mix it with the
soiling cream, stirring it till quite thick, and serve in custard glasses.
E rcE Custards.—One ounce and a half of ground rice ; three ounces
of loaf sugar, and one pint of new milk. Boil the rice in the milk,
RECIPES.
79
adding tlie sugar, and a piece of cinnamon ; pour it into custard cups, in
wliich a little fresh butter has been melted, and bake in a slow oven.
Vanilla Custards.—One stick of vanilla ; one pint and a half of
new milk ; half a pint of cream ; quarter of a pound of white sugar,
and seven yolks and four whites of eggs. Cut the vanilla into slips ;
boil in the milk and cream quarter of an hour, adding the sugar;
strain, and let it remain till cool; then stir in the eggs, well beaten ;
pour it into cups*with half a tea-spoonful of fresh butter, melted, in
each cup ; set them in water ; bake in a moderate oven ; color them
when done by holding a hot salamander over, and serve cold, with
sugar sifted 011 the top.
White Custards.—One pint of cream ; three ounces of sugar ; tho
whites of four eggs, and one table-spoonful of orange-flower water.
Boil the cream with a blade of mace; let it simmer for about five
minutes ; then take it off the fire, and add the sugar ; beat the whites
of the eggs to a complete froth ; put them into the cream ; set it 011
the lire again, and let it boil gently, stirring constantly, till it becomes
thick; take it off the fire; add the orange-flower water, or a few drops
of almond-flavor, and serve in custard glasses.
Notk.—Custards arc both wholesome and nutritious, especially for delicate stom¬
ach*, and for those recovering from sickness, especially if used in moderation, they
supply the waste of nerve-tissue better than meats or breads. The custard pie is
made by baking the custard in an appropriate crust.
PUDDINGS.
Rice Pudding.—One cup of fresh whole rice ; nine cupfuls of new
milk, and one cup of sugar. Put into a stone or earthen pan, and
bake in a moderate oven three hours. Stir it two or three times during
the first hour ; do not increase the heat of the oven after the milk be¬
gins to simmer : be careful not to scorch or blister ; a light cover to¬
ward the last will be better. Set to cool undisturbed. It is best eaten
cold, Raisins may be added, if desired.
Another.—Five tea-cupfuls of rice picked and washed ; fifteen
quarts of new milk ; one and a half pound of white sugar ; one pound
of raisins. Bake three hours in a moderate oven ; stir it occasionally
for two hours; then leave it to brown over. This makes a delicious
pudding, plain and simple.
Bread Pudding.—To one loaf of bread, well grated, pour two quarts
of boiled milk or cream ; four eggs ; a quarter of a pound of white
sugar; flavor to the taste (mace is a very good flavor), and bake an
hour. If the boiled milk is poured upon pieces of stale bread and left
standing two hours, tliey can be maslied and freed from lumps with
the hand before putting in tho eggs. Dried currants, that have been
well washed and swelled in lukewarm water, or raisins, will be a good
addition to this pudding. If made with crackers it will be still more
delicate. Cold sauce may be eaten with it or fruit sauce, if no fruit is
put into the puddipg.
80
RECIPES.
Apple-and Tapioca Pudding.—Put a tea-cupful of tapioca into a
quart of warm water before breakfast ; set it where it will keep warm
for three hours ; stir it from the bottom once or twice and keep covered.
Pare and cut in thin slices live or six nice tart apples, and lay them
in the bottom of the pudding-dish ; add a heaped cupful of sugar,
dissolved in hot water, to the tapioca ; stir well together, and pour
over the apples ; bake slowly for two hours. To be eaten with whipped
cream flavored with a little lemon or orange. Good either hot or cold.
Graham Gem Pudding.—Take six cold gems—yesterday's baking;
break them into small pieces, and pour over them one pint of cold
water; cover and let them soften for an hour ; then add a pint and a
half of new milk ; a handful of seeded raisins or currants ; one beaten
egg, and one tea-spoonful of cream-yeast. Mix half a cup of sugar and
the cream-veast thoroughly together, before putting them with the
other ingredients. Stir together well and quickly ; butter the pud-
ding-disli with cold, sweet butter, and bake in a quick oven three-
fourths of an hour.
Steamed Graiiam Pudding.—Sour milk or fresh buttermilk, five
cupfuls; brown sugar, two cups; butter, half a cup; two tea-spoon¬
fuls of soda ; two eggs ; half a pound of seeded dates. Graham flour
enough to make a thin batter. The dates should be chopped fine and
rolled in flour before they are put into the batter. Steam for three
hours. Make a sauce of milk and cornstarch, or eat with good cream.
AprLE and Bread Pudding.—Break and rub bread fine ; peel and
chop good, sweetish apples—sweet apples keep their place, and take
a little longer to cook ; butter a pudding-dish, then put a layer of
apples an inch deep, then a layer of bread-crumbs not quite so thick,
then another layer of apples, alternating, till the dish is full; bread
being last. A little butter may be added to each layer of bread, or a
table-spoonful of cream sprinkled over each. Bake an hour, or till the
apples are thoroughly cooked. Serve with sweet sauce, or cream.
Ciierry Pudding. —One quart of scalded milk; one pint of corn-
meal ; half a pint of Graham flour, or a little less of fine flour ; four
eggs well beaten ; a tea-spoonful of yeast-powder, and a pint of ripe
cherries ; wash, and pick out the imperfect cherries; leave the seeds
in ; drain off all the water, and roll the cherries, while damp, in
some of the flour. Stir all together ; put into a pudding-mould or bag,
and boil two hours. To be eaten with sugar and cream. The late
black cherries are the best for this pudding. They are not so juicy,
retain their shape, and diffuse a rich purple tint around them, which
makes the pudding handsome for the table.
Poor Man's Pudding.—One cup of flour ; one cup of cornmeal ; one
table-spoonful of cream-yeast powder mixed well with the meal and
flqur ; two cups of rich milk; one cup of molasses; one cup of cur¬
rants washed and rolled in flour; one table-spoonful of butter rubbed
evenly and cold into the pudding-mould. Mix the ingredients well
together; put into the mould, and boil three hours. Be careful to
keep the pudding-mould upright in the boiling kettle. Do not allow
the water to stop boiling at any time, or to boil over the top of tho^
RECIPES.
81
mould, as it is almost impossible to have tlie lid so close tliat water
-will not get in and quite spoil the pudding. When done turn the pud¬
ding out of the mould into a broad platter and serve hot with cream
sauce.
Notk —The poor man'? pudding may suggest the possibility of not having a would
to boil it in. a small, high tin pail willi a lid which can be tied down tight will do
quireu-< well, though it. may have to boil ail hour longer, to cook the center of the
pudding. a pudding-bag dipped in cold water and floured inside is just ay good.
The pudding-mould is a great convenience, not an essential.
Cottage Pudding.—One-lialf cup of sugar ; one egg ; one cupful
of cream ; one pint of flour; one heaping tea-spoonful of Taylor's
cream-yeast. Bake in a cake-pan. To be eaten with a hot, sweet
sauce, or with cold cream.
Graham Birdsnest Pudding—Is made by laying in a deep dish
nice quartered apples, and pouring over them a thin batter made of
Hour ; one tea-cup of sour milk, and about one-third of a tea-spoonful
ot' soda. Bake in a moderate oven till the apples are thoroughly
cooked.
Tapioca Custard Pudding.—Soak two table-spoons tapioca over
night in cold water ; when ready to make custard, boil one quart milk;
while boiling add beaten yolks of three eggs, three-fourths cup sugar,
and the tapioca; turn in the dish you wish to serve it in ; have the
beaten whites ready, sweetened a little and spread over top ; put in
oven and just brown a little. Eat cold.
Delmonico Pudding. — Three table-spoonfuls cornstarch; one
quart boiling milk ; three eggs, whites and yolks separated. Mix
yolks with cornstarch and add milk gradually. Let it boil. Beat
whites to still froth, sweeten. Put cornstarch in pudding-dish, cover
with frosting and set in oven to brown. To be eaten cold.
Nice Cheap Pudding.—One quart of milk; four table-spoonfuls of
flour ; four eggs ; six table-spoonfuls of sugar ; nutmeg. Steam three-
fourths of an hour.
Sago Pudding.—One dozen tart apples ; one and a half cups of
sago ; soak the sago till soft; peel and core the apples, and place in a
dish ; All the apples with sugar ; pour the sago over, and bake till tlio
apples are cooked.
Sago Birdsnest Pudding—Is made by laying quartered fresh
apples, or stewed dried ones, in a pan about half full, and pouring
over them the sago, prepared as for a thin musli ; then bake in a
moderate oven till the apples are cooked ; say an hour or more, accord¬
ing to the size of the pudding.
Indian Pudding. — Extra good.—Two tea-cups of cornmeal ; half a
cup of superfine flour; one cup of syrup; half a tea-spoonful of salt.
Scald three quarts of milk, and stir into the above. Let it stand half
an hour—stir it again. Bake quickly until it boils, then slowly about
two hours.
82
RECIPES.
A Simple Cornmeal Pudding.—Stir into a quart of boiling milk
tlie yolks of two eggs, three heaping spoonfuls of meal and a half a
cup of sugar, well beaten together. 'Cook live minutes, stirring con¬
stantly ; remove from the fire, and add the whites, beaten to a still
froth. Pour into a pudding-disli, and bake one hour in a moderate
oven. Serve with cream and sugar.
Batter Pudding.—Take a half pound of flour; one pint of milk;
two eggs, and one tea-spoonful of baking powder. Hub the baking-
powder quite smooth ; mix it well with the flour, then stir in nearly
half of the milk, and beat it perfectly smooth ; add the remainder of
the milk and the eggs, well beaten ; boil the pudding one and a half
hours, in a buttered basin, and serve with sweet sauce ; or put it into
a buttered dish, and bake it in a quick oven.
Baked Batter Pudding with Fkuit.—Take a half-pound of
flour; one pint of milk ; the yolks of four, and whites of two eggs,
and half a tea-spoonful of baking-powder. Rub the powder till smooth,
mixing it well with the flour, and as much milk as will make it a still
batter ; beat it till quite smooth, then add the remainder of the milk,
and the eggs, well beaten. Put some apples, cut as for a pie, into a
buttered dish ; pour the batter over, and bake in a moderately hot
oven. Damsons, currants, gooseberries, or rhubarb, may be used in
the same way.
CAKES.
Cake is good and wholesome when it is plain and simple. It
is bad when it is too rich and compounded of too many ingredients.
It may be eaten freely like bread in the former case. In the latter it
had better not be eaten at all. Children are generally fond of cake.
It ought always to be so made that they can eat of it without injuring
the vigor of the stomach, which should always be preserved. We would
always have the family cake made of the best of coarse flour. It is
sweeter and more wholesome. Most of the following receipts are such
as have been used in our Institution for years ; a few are favorites at
other institutions. All may be varied to suit individual wants, always
keeping in mind the two words, simplicity and healthfulness.
Cookies for Forty or Fifty.—Four cups of sugar; one cup of
butter ; two cups of sour milk ; two tea-spoonfuls of cream-yeast,
brown or white; flour sufficient to roll them out. Work them but
little ; make them thin, and bake in a quick oven.
Cup Caice for Seventy-five or Eighty.—Four cups sugar
(white) ; one of butter ; four eggs ; rub these together ; then add three
lea-cups of sweet milk ; ten tea-spoonfuls Taylor's cream-yeast, mixed
with the flour of which you use a sufficient quantity to make the whole
into a still batter.
Graham Cup Cake.—Unbolted wheat meal, two cupf uls ; buttermilk,
one cup ; molasses, lialf-cup ; butter, quarter of a cup; eggs, two;
soda, half a tea-spoonful. Bake half an hour.
EECIPES.
83
Drop Cakes.—Pat six well-beaten eggs into a pint of thick cream
add a little salt, and make it into a thick batter with Hour. Bake it
in rings or in small cups fifteen or twenty minutes. The same may
be made with Graham flour.
Delicious Corn Gem Cake.—One quart of cornmeal; two quarts
of sweet milk ; two heaped teaspoonfuls of cream-yeast; two eggs.
, Bake in a quick oven.
Strawberry Shortcake.—To a quart of flour (enough for two
cakes) put three heaping spoonfuls of baking-powder (Taylor's). Sift
together thoroughly and rub in one ounce of butter. Wet with a pint
of sweet milk, using a spoon. The mixture will be somewhat softer
than common pie-crust. Do not try to mould or roll out the dough.
Spread it on tin pie-plates by patting with the hand. It should be
about an inch in thickness. Bake slowly at first till the cakes have
had time to rise ; then increase the heat, and expect them to be done
within twenty-five minutes. Split the cakes hot from the oven;
spread the halves with butter (liberally if good), and cover them with
the fruit previously sweetened. Place one on the other (the upper
half is reversed of course), or each on a plate by itself. It is a good
rule to sugar your strawberries before you begin to make your cake,
and if they arc; large, or not very ripe, it is best to cut them in two, or
mash them a little. Don't calculate for these cakes standing on the
stove hearth a minute. They should be served like griddle-cakes—no
time lost between the oven and the table. Observe these rules and
you will have a dish as dainty as Izaak Walton's Baked Fish, of which
he said, " It is too good for any bat verylionesl people." When straw¬
berries are gone, red raspberries (Clark's or Philadelphia) are very nice
in their place. White currants are also very much liked as a substi¬
tute, and peach shortcake is hardly surpassed by the strawberry itself,
if the peaches are first-rate. All these fruits should be prepared by
sweetening an hour or two before wanted.
Shakespeare Cake.—Six cups of flour; one of sugar ; one of rich
cream; eight eggs.
Orange Cake.—Two cups of sugar ; yolk of five eggs and white of
four ; half a cup of water ; two cups of flour ; one teaspoonful of bak¬
ing-powder, juice and grated rind of one orange. Spread and bake on
tin pie-plates. This quantity should cover six plates. Make a jelly
by beating the white of one egg to a froth, and adding to it three
quarters of' a pound of powdered sugar, and the grated rind and juice
of another orange. Spread the jelly on the cakes and lay one above
another in three tiers.
Silver Cake.—Two and a half cups of flour ; half a cup of butter;
two cups of sugar; three-fourths of a cup of sweet milk; white of
eight eggs ; two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder.
Gold Cake.—Two cups of flour; three-fourths of a cup of butter ;
oik; cup of sugar ; one egg, and the yolk of eight eggs ; two spoonfuls
of baking-powder.
84
RECIPES.
Italian Cream.—One quart of cream reduced by one pint of milk,
and set on ice to cool. Beat the cream and milk with a good egg-
beater fifteen minutes thoroughly. Dissolve two ounces of gelatine in
a gill of water, and strain it through a flannel bag into the cream. Add
two cups of sugar and flavor, if desired, with lemon or vanilla. Stir
briskly for three or four minutes ; pour into serving-dishes and set on
ice to cool.
Cookies.—One cup of butter ; two of sugar ; half a cup of milk ;
four eggs ; two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder ; half a nutmeg. As
little flour as possible, and roll out.
Sponge Cake.—Six eggs ; the weight of six eggs in sugar, and the
weight of four in flour, with lemon extract, or a little grated lemon-
peel ; a little salt, and a spoonful of baking-powder.
Delicate Cake.—When making cocoanut-custard use the whites
of the eggs as follows : One cup of white sugar ; five table-spoonfuls of
butter ; whites of six eggs ; one teacup of sweet milk ; three cups of
prepared flour, or to the same quantity of common flour add one tea-
spoonful of soda, and two of cream-of-tartar sifted in the flour. Flavor
with orange, lemon, or vanilla.
Note.—So says Mrs. Beecher : "We would substitute a teacupful of sweet, rich,
cream, instead of the milk and butter. Also, cream-yeast instead of prepared flour,
or soda and cream-of-tartar." We give in this connection a recipe for cocoanut-
custard, as the two can be more economically made at the same baking.
Cocoanut Custard.—One pound of grated cocoanut ; one pint of
rich milk, and six ounces of sugar. Beat the yolks of six eggs and
stir them into the milk with tlie nut and sugar. Put into a farina-
kettle, or into a small pail which you can set into a kettle of boiling
water. Stir all the time till very smooth and thick; as soon as it
comes to a boil take off and pour into cups.
Ground IIick Cake.—Break five eggs into a stewpan, which place
in another, containing hot water; whip the eggs for ten minutes till
very light ; then mix in by degrees half a pound of ground rice ; six
ounces of powdered sugar; beat it well ; any flavor may be introduced ;
pour into a buttered pan and bake half an hour.
MOLDED FA KIN ACE A.
Arrowroot.—Take four ounces of arrowroot, one quart of new
milk, and four ounces of white sugar. Set a pint and a half of milk
on the fire, adding the sutrar ; when boiling, put in the arrowroot,
previously mixed till perfectly smooth with half a pint of cold milk,
and stir constantly till it lias boiled three minutes ; and pour it into a
mold previously dipped in cold water.
Barley.—Six ounces of Scotch barley ; three pints and a half of
water, and six ounces of sugar. Steep the barley twelve hours ;
drain it, and pour the water, boiling, upon it ; stew quickly in the
oven in an earthenware jar, covered, till perfectly soft, and all the
water is absorbed ; when about half boiled enough, add the sugar, and
KECIPES.
So
ft few drops of pure lemon juice ; pour it into a mold, and let it stand
to set. When boiled quickly, the above quantity requires two hours
and a half, and is a much better color than when it is longer in prep¬
aration.
Molded Rice.—Take eight ounces of rice and one and a half pints
of milk. Wash, and swell the rice in the milk, till the whole of
the milk is absorbed and the rice thoroughly softened; then pressing
it into a mold or basin for half an hour, with a weight upon it,
serve it, turned out, with preserved or stewed fruit.
Molded Sago.—Take five tablespoonfuls of sago; one-fourth
pound of sugar, and a little pure lemon juice. Steep the sago a quar¬
ter of an hour in half a pint of cold water. Pour on it one and a
half pints of boiling water, and boil the whole in an earthen vessel in
the oven about one hour, occasionally stirring it. Pour into molds or
basins, and let it stand. When cold, turn it out, and serve with
stewed fruit.
Sago with Fruit.—Take four ounces of sago ; half a pint of
raspberry and currant juice (strained), and six ounces of loaf sugar.
Wash the sago and steep it one hour in cold water; strain off the water ;
add the juice and boil gently a short time, stirring it occasionally, and
adding the sugar; when clear, pour it into a mold; let it stand
twelve hours, and pour it on a fiat dish.
Tapioca.—Take three ounces of tapioca, two ounces of ground
rice, one pint and a half of milk, and eight drops of almond-flavor.
Wash the tapioca in water two or three times ; mix with the ground
rice; add half a pint of cold milk, and let it remain thirty minutes;
then add the remainder of the milk, and simmer it half an hour,
stirring well the whole time ; add the almond-flavor, and pour it into
a mold previously dipped in cold water.
Cracked Wheat.—For a quart of the cracked grain have two
quarts of water boiling in a smooth iron pot over a quick fire ; stir in
the wheat slowly ; boil fast and stir constantly for the first half hour
of cooking, or until it begins to thicken and " pop up ;" then lift from
the quick fire and place the pot where the wheat will cook slowly
for an hour longer. Keep it covered closely, stir now and then, and
be careful not to let it burn at the bottom.
Wheat cooked thus is much sweeter and richer than when left to-
soak and simmer for hours, as many think necessary. White wheat
cooks the easiest. When ready to dish out, have your molds moistened
with cold water, cover lightly, and set in a cool place. A handful
cf raisins added with the wheat is an addition. Eat warm or cold,
with milk and sugar, or fruit.
MISCELLANEOUS DISHES.
A story is told of an old doctor who always emptied the odds and
ends of every medicine lie used into a large bottle, and when he had a
patient that he was in doubt about as to what medicine he needed, ho
always gave liim a do.-je from this bottle. " Some one of the many
86
RECIPES.
drugs will meet the case," said lie : so in tliis list of miscellaneous
dishes, which were not properly classified, or were received after the
foregoing portion of this work was in type, something will be found to
meet the wants of the table when the good house-wife don't know
what else to get. We shall commence the list with a recipe for
making Dr. lleahl's favorite bread. It was, so far as we know,
invented by the Doctor and his good wife, and is much used in his
Institution." We also add a few other bread recipes recently sent in
by our correspondents :—
Dr. Heald's Favorite Bread.—Stir the best white wheat meal
into cold water, until the batter so formed can no longer be worked
with the spoon. Then sprinkle meal upon your bread-board, and
knead the dough thoroughly for ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes, as you
have time, and desire the bread softer or harder. Work in all the
meal you can while kneading. The more you knead it and incorporate
air with it the lighter and better it will be. When sufficiently kneaded,
roll out with the hands oil the board into a cylindrical form two inches
in diameter ; cut into pieces three inches long, and roll these into rolls
a little shorter than your oven grate, and one inch in diameter ; place
tliem on the hot grate, just from the range or stove, and bake in an
oven, not quite so hot as for "Gems," twelve to twenty minutes.
Break, into pieces three inches long for table. We think this the best
and sweetest bread that can be made.
Coarse or Gratiam Bread.—No. 1, or fine Graham flour, makes
the best bread. The sponge is made at the same time, and in like
manner to wheat bread, except the water used, which is ten degrees
colder, as coarse flour rises quicker than fine. The same proportions
of milk and water used. It is generally sweetened a little with sugar.
When the sponge is added, make as stiff a batter as can be stirred
conveniently. "When light, mold into soft loaves. For this reason,
it wants the hottest place in the oven.
IIye Bread is made like wheat, with one exceptirjsi—the loaves
are made quite soft. As little flour as possible is used in molding.
Corn or Brown Bread.—The sponge is made of unbolted rye or
wheat. In the morning take four quarts of Indian meal, make a thin
batter, using hot water. Let it stand half an hour to swell; then
pour in the sponge and one quart of molasses, three quarts of rye
meal, or enough to make a stiff batter; then put into covered dishes
to rise. Bake three hours.
Boiled WnEAT.—Take good plump wheat ; pick it carefully, and
wash clean ; soak over night in soft water, and boil in same water till
goftened through, which will require several hours, llye or barley
may be cooked in the same way. Serve with cream, sugar, and ripe
fruit.
Brown Bread.—Mrs. Susan Everett, M. D., sends the following
from a lady who attended one of her courses of lectures. The author
states that twenty-five years ago she attended a course of lectures on
hygiene and the lessons she then learned have enabled her to keep in
RECIPES.
87
good health ever since. She sent this recipe with a loaf of delicious
brown bread to Mrs. Everett during her course of lectures at Perth
Amboy, N. J. We regret that we are not permitted to give the lady's
name :—" We make our own yeast from hops of our own raising. The
vine makes a delightful shade for the south end of our back porch,
and from that vine we gather, the last of August, hops enough for our
own use during the year, and also for some of our friends. To three
pints of water put a handful of hops, and boil them half an hour; put
into your yeast pot or jar six tablespoonfuls of hour and one teaspoon-
ful of salt; set your jar near the kettle, and dip the hop tea into the
jar through a sieve or colander. When you have strained enough to
wet all the fiour, stir it well, and then strain upon it the rest of the
hop water. The mixture should be about the consistency of batter
for griddle cakes. When it is cool, not cold, stir in a gill of good
yeast ; set it in a warm place ; do not cover it close. When fermented,
put it in a cool place, and cover close. This is the yeast from which
we set our white bread at evening. The next morning we take a good
handful of the dough; put it in a large yellow bowl, and add a tea-
spoonful of salt, a half cup of molasses, a pint of lukewarm water,
and enough Graham flour, making a dough softer than for white
bread ; set it to rise and bake. We do not knead this bread. This
makes two loaves. Brown bread is not improved by sugar."
Anger's Method op Making Gems.—" To the Editor.—By your
special request I will here state my experience in regard to the method
of making the Graham gems. The flour is the principal ingredient,
and on it depends cliieily the success of the baker ; it must necessarily
be of the very best kind, made of the best winter wheat, and be pos¬
sessed of the qualities commonly known as " dry and strong." The
treatment varies according to the qualities of the flour. If the flour is
of the kind -described above, the dough can be baked immediately ;
but if the flour be moist the dough must be allowed to stand in a warm
place for at least four hours, in order to obtain a palatable article. The
German liygienists allow the dough for their unleavened bread to
stand six hours, in every case ; this is, however, unnecessary, provided
the flour is of good quality. The next in order is a good baking oven,
one that is capable of baking equally as well from the top as from the
bottom; it is difficult to state the exact amount of heating required, as
some ovens are more easily heated than others ; suffice it to say that
a quick oven is necessary, and that the glaring heat, which always ac¬
companies a freslily-lieated oven, be allowed to pass away before bak¬
ing the gems, as they are very apt to blister on the top, especially the
water gems. In mixing the doug'h take blood-warm milk or water,
adding the flour and beating thoroughly for at least five minutes. It is
better to retain some of the milk or water one intends to use, making
the dough slightly thicker, beat it well, and then add the remaining
millc. By this method the dough becomes more thoroughly mixed,
and is entirely freed of the small lumps that are so difficult to get rid
of. If milk is used, make the dough thick enough, so that it can be
spooned out comfortably ; but for water gems it must be made some¬
what thicker.
" The pans used in baking the gems are of oval shape, measuring two
88
EECIPES.
and a half by one and a lialf inches ; eight of these unite in making
one pan ; there are also some pans made of tin, but as the cast iron
pan retains the heat longer it is the best.
" If the dough is ready and the oven heated, then put some of the pans
in the oven and allow them to become quite hot ; take one out, grease
it with a clean rag dipped in butter, and drop the dough in the pan
with a large spoon ; return the pan quickly to the oven. If the pan
is too hot, so that when greased the butter is burned, allow it to cool
before using it, us the gems will be apt to stick to the pan and be
burned. After eight or ten minutes they must be looked after, and if
they are getting too brown must be put in a cooler place and allowed
to bake for another ten or fifteen minutes more. They ought not to
be taken out before they are thoroughly baked, as they will become wet
and doughy if taken out too soon, and no amount of after baking can undo
this. They may be eaten hot with impunity, a quality not possessed
by any other form of bread.
"L. F. J. Anger."
[We can testify from personal knowledge that Mr. Anger's gems
are unsurpassed in delicacy and perfection by any we have ever
tasted.—Ed.]
Busk.—Beat three eggs thoroughly, then beat in a cupful of sugar,
and a little flavoring to the taste of lemon or nutmeg. Add a tumbler
and a-half of rich cream which has first been mixed with a little flour ;
use no more flour than will give it consistency enough to be molded.
Let. it rise all night or all day, and when very light put it upon tins to
rise again before baking. Bake in a quick oven fifteen or twenty
minutes.
Tomato Custard.—This is said to be a beneficial diet for consump¬
tives. It is made by straining finely stewed tomatoes through a coarse
sieve, and adding two pints of milk which has been scalded and cooled,
and one pint of tomatoes, for four eggs, and one teaspoonful of sugar.
Bake in small cups quickly.
Cooking Raisins.—It is well to cook before putting them into pies,
cakes, or puddings. Soaking is not sufficient. Steaming them by
pouring a small quantity of boiling water among them in a tightly
closing dish, and allowing them plenty of time to cook before opening,
is a good plan. 'When raisins are rightly cooked before using, they
are plumper and more palatable, and can be eaten without injury by
most dyspeptics.
Tomato Pie.—Peel and slice ripe tomatoes and lay them on dishes
as for apple pie. Sprinkle on a little flour ; and sugar to suit the
taste. Bake with two crusts, in a moderate oven. This as well as
green apple pie can be made with one crust only, by stewing the to¬
matoes or apples before putting into pies.
Barley Pudding.—Prepare a half pound of pearl barley, one
quart of new milk, and six ounces of sugar. Put the barley in fresh
water, and let it steep twelve hours ; pour the water from it, add the
milk, sugar, and a small salt-spoonful of salt, and bake it in a slow
oven. If a richer pudding be required, take it out of the oven when
EECIPES.
89
nearly done, stir in two ounces of butter, four well beaten eggs, a
little flavoring, or any suitable seasoning; return it to t.lie oven in a
buttered dish, and bake it one hour.
Asparagus and Toast.—Asparagus, the best of the greens. Wash,
pin up in a cloth, and boil gently in a little pure water about twenty
minutes. It goes well with samp and potatoes, without condiments,
but some people will not be content without dressing. The least ob¬
jectionable dressing is the white sauce—milk thickened with wlieat-
meal and slightly salted. " Asparagus toast" is made by cutting wheat-
meal biscuit into thin slices, dipping in hot milk, spreading on a plat¬
ter, laying the boiled asparagus on it, and pouring over it the white
sauce. "Asparagus peas" are prepared by just cutting into bits the
tender part of "the raw asparagus, boiling in just water enough to
cover it until done, skimming out, dishing, and pouring over it the
white sauce.
Gravy for Ciiildrex.—For a pint of gravy you want a large
spoonful of flour, stirred smoothly into half a teacup of the cold milk.
Let the milk be boiling when this is added, and kept constantly stir¬
ring, or the gravy will be lumpy. If cream is used instead of milk
no butter is necessary. The milk should be stirred while coming to
the boil to keep it from burning. It is less likely to burn if a little
butter is melted in the spider before pouring in the milk. Add a little
salt. For bread and potatoes it is better by far than meat gravy, and
not only palatable and wholesome, but nutritious.
Oatmeal Jelly.—A very delicate breakfast-dish can be made of
" oatmeal jelly." Soak half a pint of good oatmeal over night in one
and a half pints of water. In the morning drain off the water through
a sieve, adding to it one and a half pints hot water, and put it to boil
over a quick tire. Stir till it boils, then set it back and let it simmer
ten minutes. Turn it into molds, and in fifteen minutes it will be
set sufficiently to turn out into saucers, and will be warm enough to eat.
Serve at once, without trimming, or with a little milk or sweet¬
ened fruit-juice. The soaked meal that is left can be utilized in
batter-biscuit, or corn-meal mush, or made into a porridge by itself.
In the latter shape it. is bland, and peculiarly suitable for invalids who
have not yet learned to like oatmeal. These preparations are in 110
way better than the whole oatmeal, excepting for variety.
Tomato Soup.—To make one gallon, take three quarts of good beef
stock ; one medium-sized carrot ; one medium-sized turnip : one beet;
one small onion. Peel and cut these up in small pieces ; then add
three quarts of best fresh tomatoes, and boil for an hour. Strain
through a sieve ; then put five ounces of butter in a saucer ; heat it
to a light brown ; now, take it off the fire, and add, while hot, three
table-spoonfuls of flour. Put in the boiled tomatoes, and season to
your taste. Add one dessert-spoonful of sugar. Put it on the fire and
stir it till it boils. Let it boil for five minutes, skimming it the
while. It is now ready for the table. More sugar and flour can be
added, if necessary.
Use for Cold Musii.—A good way to use cold mush of any kind,
either oatmeal, Graham, or Indian. After taking off the skin which
90
RECIPES.
forms, or any part which may be dry, mix a little milk with
the mush to soften it ; then work in Graham or middlings till you can
make the dough up into balls as large as a black walnut, and bake on
the grate in a moderately quick oven.
Boiled Rice.—Wash and drain off one pint of good new rice ; put
into a covered saucepan with one quart of boiling water. Boil briskly
for five or ten minutes, or until the water is mostly absorbed ; then
set on one side of the stove, and let it steam steadily fifteen or twenty
minutes. Keep closely covered all the time, and do not stir it at all
after it begins to boil. The Southern people, who know both how to
cook and to eat rice, never allow the lid to be removed while the steam¬
ing is going 011 ; perhaps just lifting one side of the cover to peep in,
and see that it docs not burn. When done just right, every grain will
be swelled to its utmost, and bursted open. To be eaten as a veget¬
able, or with cream or maple syrup.
Oatmeal Mush.—Julia Colman, who has charge of the cooking of
the Hygienic Hotel, No. 13 & 15 Laiglit Street, New York, hands us
the following method :
"To three quarts of boiling water add one level teaspoonful of
salt and one quart of good oatmeal, stirring while the latter is poured
in slowly. Let it stand where it will boil gently, and stir it occasion¬
ally for ten minutes, or until the meal is evenly diffused through the
water. Then cover close, and place where it will barely simmer for
one hour. Do not stir it during that time. Serve warm, messing it
as little as possible.
Hygienic Plum Pudding.—This is from the Dietetic Reformer:
"Put together in a basin some currants and sultana raisins that have
been well washed and dried; add wheat-meal flour in proportions pre¬
ferred, whether for a plain pudding or more fruit; stir in gradually
cold filtered rain-water, beating the mixture well; make it the usual
consistency of plum-pudding ; bake in a well-buttered dish, or boil
several hours in a cloth. To suit some tastes, add a little sugar,
candied peel, and grated lemon peel."
A Delicious Cracker.—A delicious and wholesome cracker.—Take
equal parts "middlings" and Graham flour. Wet with new or sweet
milk, and knead rather stiff. Work it a good deal on the board ; then
roll out to one quarter of an inch in thickness, and cut out in dia¬
monds or squares ; prick them, and bake in a quick oven. Bake best
right on the grates.
Mixed Gems.—Take a half-pint of corn-meal, pour boiling water
upon it, enough to wet it; then cool with skim-milk to the consistency
ot' pancake batter ; and thicken with equal parts of "middlings" and
Graham flour ; to be baked the same as gems, only not so quickly.
Quaker Mince Pies.—Chop fine a half-dozen of large bell-flowers
or greenings ; add one cup of raisins, well cooked ; one cup of canned
cherries, wliortle-berries, or other fruit to suit the taste ; then a pinch
of salt, and sugar or syrup enough to sweeten to the taste ; lastly, add
a cup of sweet cream when ready to use. Bake with cream crust.
recipes.
91
Baked or Steamed Indian Pudding.—For one quart of sweet
milk take a lialf-dozen large spoonfuls of best corn-meal ; wet it with
syrup, and pour the milk over boiling hot—stirring it meanwhile.
Chop fine three or four large sub-acid apples, and stir in; steam or
bake three-quarters of an hour ; then beat an egg with a spoonful of
sugar, and add a little milk, and stir in.
New Way to Serve Egg Plant.—The vegetable egg we think
has been undervalued, more on account of its improper preparation
than for its demerit—the saturating it in butter and lard being the
greatest objection.
Wife has this season prepared as follows : Peel and then cut egg in
slices or pieces ; add water enough to boil soft, and salt to suit
taste. When soft pour off Avater and mash it; make a batter of flour
and eggs (chicken); mix the whole together, and bake like griddle-
cake. When the proper quantities are mixed it will make a nice
brown cake, with no grease (except to keep free from pan), and
free from the strong wild taste which is generally disliked. We think
the egg is destined to become a more general article of food, especially
among hygienists. So says H. M. Engle.
Maple Syrup.—This is the most delicious of the sweets. Every
family should have some. If given to children on oatmeal or cracked
wheat for breakfast every morning they would thrive like calves well
fed with milk. To make a good maple syrup, melt with one pound of
maple sugar two pounds of best white sugar. It will not do to use
the brown, as this is not clean enough.
Tomato Gravy.—Scald, peel, and cut very fine, a pint of good,
ripe tomatoes ; put into a stewpan, with a pint of boiling water, and
stew them one hour; stir frequently to keep them free from the
bottom, and to make them very smooth and fine. When they are
stewed down to a pint, rub a large spoonful of flour with a lump of
butter the size of a walnut, and stir into the tomatoes ; stir thoroughly
till they are cooked, then pour a pint of rich, sweet cream into the
middle of the thickened tomatoes, and let them become boiling hot be¬
fore you stir them ; then stir well together, and boil five minutes. Salt
to taste. Cut a slice of brown bread, or split gems into four pieces, lay
into a vegetable dish, and pour the tomatoes over them. This is very
nice when, well cooked, and all the ingredients are sweet and fresh.
Children who are fond of tomatoes like this modification of cream and
gravy.
Apple Pan Doody.—For a family of six persons use a two-quart
tin or earthen pan. Use the best pie apples. Pare and slice the apples
nicely. 1st. Place a layer of apples about an inch thick, season with
a speck of salt and sugar. 2d. Put a layer of cracker crumbs half
inch thick. Alternate a layer of apples and cracker crumbs until the
pan is full. Bake one hour, and serve with cream or rich milk.—
11. I. Greenings are the apples for pies and puddings.
Baked Apples.—Select sound apples of one size—pippins or some
other well-flavored apple—peel and core ; use a small knife with a
narrow blade, and take out the core of the apple from the blossom
92
RECIPES.
end—the core lies nearest to that part—do not go through, but make
a cup, into which put a teaspoonfal of sugar ; set the apples close to¬
gether in a deep dish, add a teacupful of water, put into the oven and
bake. Sweet apples prepared in the same manner arc very nice. A
lemon cut in very thin slices, and a slice laid on each apple may be a
desirable flavoring.
Boiled Pears.—Take hard pears, wash, and remove specks ; be
sure that they are sound at the core ; put them into a fruit-kettle,
cover them with water—at least a quart—and boil them slowly an
hour ; then add a sufficient quantity of sugar to make a lively syrup;
boil half or three-quarters of an hour, and serve cold.
Crushed Wheat.—This preparation of wheat is not yet generally
in use by those who are in favor of farinaceous food. The whole grain
is "crushed" in such a manner as to retain all its particles quite
together. Nothing is lost or sifted out. It is made from good white
wheat, and is very clean, and well put up in packages. It cooks
more readily than the cracked grain, has more gluten, and has all the
sweetness and flavor of the wheat. 1 cook it just as 1 do oatmeal ; hav¬
ing a quart or two of boiling water on the fire, stir in two liandfuls of
the grain—all I can grasp—for each quart of water ; boil rapidly for
twenty minutes, stirring frequently to prevent its adhering to the bot¬
tom of the kettle ; then let it simmer over a slow fire for ten minutes,
covered tightly. I like it better when cool; the gluten forms a jelly,
and when molded makes a handsome dish for the table. To be eaten
warm a little more grain must be added when you make it. It is de¬
licious and wholesome with cream, light fruits, and sugar.
French Honey.—Break one pound of lump sugar into pieces, put it
into a pan, and add the yolks of six eggs, and the whites of four, the
juice of four lemons, and the grated rind of two, and three ounces of
butter. Stir this mixture over a slow fire, until it becomes thick like
honey. It- will keep a year, put into a dry, cool place. This is nice for
a variety of tarts or shells.
Jellies.—Currants and grapes make the best and cheapest jelly for
home use. Select large, ripe currants, fresh from the bushes as possi¬
ble, pick out all the leaves or old currants, let the clusters remain on
the stems ; weigh six pounds of the fruit thus cleaned, put into a stone
or earthen vessel, add a pint of fresh water, then take a wooden
masher and crush the berries thoroughly. I have a strong, thin linen
towel sewed firmly into a poke, into which I put a pint or so of the
crushed berries, wring and squeeze tliem completely ; emptying and
filling until all the juice is secured, of which there will be about five
pints. To this juice add five pounds of best brown sugar, putting the
whole into a porcelain kettle over a good fire, stir slowly with a silver
or wooden spoon, and let it boil fifteen or twenty minutes. By this
time, if the fruit is fresh, there is no failure of the jelly. Then I put
it up in pint size, self-sealing glass jars for common use. It is, I really
think, as cheap, and far more delicious for meats,than cranberries, and
as a relish of fruit. It costs about twenty-five cents a pint, or pound.
The best brown sugar makes the richest jelly, and with more uniform
success. If you want a delicate color, and more acid jelly, use white
RECIPES.
93
sugar. Black currant jelly is considered very beneficial in diarrhoea,
and other diseases of like nature.
Grape Jam.—Slip the skins oft" from the pulps and put them into
an earthen dish ; put the pulps into a porcelain kettle over the lire,
cover them, and bring them to a boil", being careful not to burn them ;
boil and stir them till the pulps are broken and the seeds are separated ;
remove from the lire, and let the seeds settle to the bottom of the ket¬
tle ; then pour off the juice or strain it through a colander, and put
back into the kettle ; add the pulps and their weight in best brown
sugar ; simmer slowly, stirring frequently for an hour ; put up as you
would fruit in glass cans. If you cook it long enough to keep without
being air-tight, the flavor of +he grape will be spoiled.
l'htmx and late Cht rricn are excellent fruits for jams, light preserv¬
ing, and canning. Both of these fruits retain their own delicious flavor
better if the seeds are left in. They are particularly rulishable with
farinaceous food.
Jam and Jelly.--The fruit that comes from the vines or canes latest
in the season makes the poorest jelly. If currants hang long upon the
bushes, they lose most of their jelly-making property. Thev need to
be used as soon as possible after gathering. One who desires clear,
fine-flavored jelly will not squeeze the jelly-bag if it be of loose
material. Fine flannel is best for this purpose, and when this is used
some pressure is allowable ; but we wish to strain the juice not only
free from stems, skins, and seeds, but free from all fine particles.
liASPUEiniT J Air.— One pound of sugar to each pound of berries,
and nearly a pint of currant juice. Put the sugar and berries together
in a pan over the lire, and with potato-masher, or wooden spoon, keep
mashing and stirring them constantly to prevent burning. When they
are well maslied, add the currant-juice, and boil briskly, still stirring
it carefully. Just before it actually boils skim it well. Let it boil
about three-quarters of an hour to bring it to the right consistency. It
is best to put it up in cups, bowls, or fruit-jars, as it does not keep so
well after being disturbed. Cover the cups with firm paper varnished
with white of egg, and pressed closely around over the edges of the
cups. Jam should be kept in a cool, dry place.
Gr.vpe Jelly.—Put the grapes in a jelly-pan with a very little
water; simmer on the lire till quite soft; then strain through a col¬
ander or flannel bag; when the juice is all run out, measure, and allow
fully one pound of loaf sugar to every pint of juice : boil till it
jellies ; when it has boiled twenty minutes, try a little in a saucer. It
should be watched for fear of boiling over. Common sugar may be
used, but the jelly will not keep so long.
Barjserry Jelly.—Scald the berries on the stems, and squeeze
them through a thin cloth or flannel. Take one pound of sugar to
one pound of juice. Boil together half an hour. Try a spoonful of
the juice in a teacup of ice-water ; if it sinks to the bottom in a solid
form, the jelly has come—if not, boil a while longer.
Barberry Jem is excellent if made by cooking and stirring with the
berries a quantity of good sweet apples. Boil till the apples are
thoroughly cooked and mixed, then can in glass cans.
94
RECIPES.
Baked Irish Potatoes.—Boil soft eight good-sized Irish potatoes;
masli them, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and a pint of milk : salt
to taste. Put into a dish and bake half an hour.
To Dress Sweet Potatoes.—Put two or three platefuls in tlio
oven, bake till quite soft; peel and put them on a tin sheet, and bake
again for half an hour.
Another Way.—Another mode of dressing sweet potatoes. Boil
the potatoes until quite soft ; peel and rub smooth with a spoonful of
butter and salt. Bake in a pan, and turn into a vegetable dish.
Rice Cakes.—One pint of soft-boiled rice, a teaspoonful of butter,
an egg, half a pint of milk, and half a pint of rice hour: salt to the
taste. Beat all well together, and bake in patties.
Corn Muffins.—To three pints of corn meal add a pint of tepid
water, a teacupful of bakers' yeast, a tablespoonful of sugar, and a
teaspoonful of salt; mix all well together and bake in rings. To be
mixed at night, for use the next morning, etc.
Corn Dodgers.—One quart of corn meal, a little salt, and water
enough to make the batter just stiff enough to make into cakes with
the hands. Bake in a Dutch oven, on tin sheets.
North Carolina Dabs.—One pint milk, two eggs, a tablespoonful
of butter, wine glass of milk : scald the meal, and while hot rub in
the butter ; beat the eggs very light, and add to the meal, stir in the
milk and a little salt. Drop the mixture from a spoon upon a tin sheet,
and bake in a moderate oven.
Muffins.—One pint of milk, one dessert spoonful of butter, two
eggs, half gill of yeast, a little salt, and as much flour as will make it
thick enough for a spoon to stand. To be baked in rings.
Graham Muffins.—One pint of Graham flour, a pint of milk, one
egg, a little salt.
Loaf Rice Bread.—One pint of rice flour, three eggs, a spoonful
butter, salt,spoonful of salt ; beat the eggs quite light; stir in butter,
flour, and salt. Dissolve a yeast powder in a little warm water ; mix
well with the other ingredients ; pour into the pan and place it imme¬
diately in the oven. Bake nearly an hour in a moderate oven.
Pan Journey Cake.—Half pint rice, dessert spoonful of butter,
two tablespoonfuls of milk, two tablespoonfuls of fine rice flour ; boil
the rice quite soft, and stir the butter in while hot. If the bread is
wanted for breakfast, the rice must be boiled the night before ; and if
wanted for tea it must be prepared in time for it to become cold before
the other ingredients are mixed in. When ready to bake, stir in the
milk and rice flour ; spread the mixture about half an inch thick, in a
shallow pan well greased. Bake half an hour in a moderate oven.
Okra Soup.—Cut up in fine slices two soup plates of okra, and put
into a digester with five quarts of water and a little salt —at nine
o'clock. At ten o'clock, add your meat; at eleven, peel a soup plate and
RECIPES.
95
a half of tomatoes, and after straining add to tlie soup, through the
colander ; then season with pepper and salt ; allow all tlie ingredients
to boil until two o'clock, when it is fit to be served up.
" Every-Day " Pudding.—Half a loaf of stale brown home-made
bread soaked in a quart of milk ; four eggs, four tablespoonfuls of
flour ; a little fruit, dried or fresh, is a great addition. Steam or boil
three-fourths of an hour. Serve with the following sauce :
Butter, sugar, and water, thickened with a little cornstarch, and
flavored with lemon juice and rind.
Fancy Disn.—Take half a dozen eggs, make a hole.at one end
and empty the shells; fill them with blanc mange; when stiff and
cold take off the shells; pare lemon rind very tliin, boil in water till
tender, then cut in thin strips to resemble straw, and preserve in su¬
gar; fill a deep dish half full of jelly or nice cold custard, put the
eggs in and lay the straws, nest-like, around them.
A nice Strawberry Dessert.—A nice dessert is made by filling
coffee-cups loosely with strawberries, and pouring over them Graliam-
fiour mush; or instead, thicken sweet boiling milk to a consistency
which is thin enough to fill the interstices between the berries, and
yet thick enough to be firm when cool. Turn out and serve up with
cream and sugar.
Eggs without Boiling.—Drop eggs into a sauce-pan of boiling
water, which remove immediately from the fire. Let them remain in
the hot water five minutes.
Beans without Pork.—Some families seem not to know that
baked beans are delicious without pork, if properly cooked and sea¬
soned. Boil a pot of beans until they are cooked thoroughly soft, take
half for one day's bean-soup, and use the other half a few days later
for baked beans. If the beans are old drop in a small lump or lialf-
teaspoonful of soda. When this water boils, turn it off, and supply
its place with clean boiling water. After the beans have boiled in
this an hour, we change the water again-—sometimes three times, but
never after the beans have begun to come to pieces. Set them where
they will not boil too hard, and cook them four or five hours, when
they are well softened and separated. Then we stir into this soup
salt, and a cup of cream if we have it ; if not, a tablespoonful or two
of '-good butter. We take out half of the beans (if we have cooked
enough for two meals) before seasoning the day's portion, and some¬
times thin what is left for soup with hot water, and then put in the
cream and salt, and boil and stir it all together. When we bake the
reserved portion, we pour it into a large baking-disli or dripping-pan,
stir in a spoonful of salt and a cup of cream, or creamy milk, and bit
of butter, and bake an hour. I cannot believe that any one who tries
it would prefer "pork and beans " to this. The most common mis¬
take in cooking beans is to cook them too little. This is the cause of
their flatulent tendency, and such result may be prevented by thor¬
ough cooking. The frequent changing of the water takes away the
strong flavor which is disagreeable to many.
96
RECIPES.
Sptnacii "with Eo;gs.—Wash the spinacli leaves in several waters,
and keep in cold water until time to cook it. Then put in boiling
water enough to cover it, and add a little salt. Cover the pan, and
boil the spinach briskly until the leaves are tender ; they will sink
when done. Then press the water out, cut the spinach line, put it in
the pan, season with butter, and serve hot. Ilave the eggs ready
poached, lay them 011 the spinach, and mix well with it. This is a
delicious dish, and seasonable in the spring of the year.
Gem and Ciieese Sandwiches.—Toast good cheese lightly ; split,
wheatmeal gems in halves, and spread between two halves, so as to
come to the edges all round, a sliee of the toasted cheese. It makes a
wholesome and palatable lunch ; children are fond of it. Some ob¬
ject to toasted cheese. The principal objection to it is that it is gen¬
erally toasted too much. If toasted dry, it is as hard to digest as a
very hard-boiled egg. Another objection is, that it is too often eaten
as a dessert with rich pie and cake, instead of with the principal part
of the meal.
PART ILL
LIQUID FOODS
Liquid Foods.—All wholesome drinks may be very ap¬
propriately called liquid foods, whether taken to quench
thirst, or to convey nourishment to the blood.
Water is the chief natural beverage of mankind, and most
important of any liquid or solid food. Eighty-seven per cent,
of our bodies is water. It wastes with every breath and
motion, and this waste must be restored with a new supply
of several pints every day. It serves many purposes in the
animal economy.
1. It softens and helps to dissolve the solid elements of
our foods, rendering them capable of being masticated, dis¬
solved, and fluid enough to flow in the veins and arteries.
2. It maintains a proper bulk to both blood and tissues,
rendering them mobile and round instead of dry and stiff.
3. It holds in solution the solid parts of our food, while
being moved to the places where they are needed.
4. It dissolves the waste matter of the system, and trans¬
ports it out of the body.
5. It takes up the superfluous heat of the system, and car¬
ries it away through the pores of the skin.
G. It slakes our thirst, and cools the blood in warm
weather.
7. It may be the means—taken hot—of carrying heat into
the system after exposure to cold.
Indeed, there is no apparent end to the uses of water, and
100
LIQUID FOODS.
it is a great wonder tliat it lias not always been used as the
only drink ; and a greater wonder, that such substitutes as
alcoholic beverages ever should have become popular with
even a small minority of people.
The Purity oe Water.—The purity of water is a question
of great importance. Such an article does not exist in nature.
The nearest approach to pure water is made by distillation ;
but even this is not absolutely pure. Even the best natural
waters contain some salts of lime, magnesia, ammonia, atmos¬
pheric air, carbonic acid, and other substances, and many
contain in solution, organic and inorganic matter enough to
render their use objectionable. Water that contains much
lime and magnesia is called hard water, and conveys to the
blood substances not wanted there. Water containing or¬
ganic matter dissolved from vegetable and animal substances,
or poisonous gases dissolved from the air, is a very dangerous
drink, and should be avoided. Water contaminated with
miasma causes fever and ague, and it is a question if this
disease is not caused more by drinking water than by breath¬
ing the air of malarious districts. Water contaminated by
ellluvia from cesspools, privies, and barn-yards, is a sure
source of that dangerous malady, typhoid fever. There is
no doubt but the unclean water about many farms and
dairies spreads this disease in otherwise healthy towns, and
causes many deaths.
Distilled Water.—In many states of health distilled
v,r;iter is an important aid to recovery. It can only be made
by the use of apparatus, which is very troublesome and in¬
convenient. Druggists generally keep it for preparing medi¬
cines. Every household can prepare water which is almost
as good, by boiling it briskly for a few minutes, and after
cooling, straining it through a pan of charcoal, and keeping
in a well-corked bottle in a cool, dark place.
Water prepared in this way is comparatively pure and free
SIMPLE BEVERAGES PR Oil FRUITS.
101
from insects, and will often be of great service to invalids,
especially in sections of country where the natural water is
impure.
Filtered Water.—A vessel to purify water by filtration,
is one of the most valuable and necessary articles of house¬
hold economy, and no one who has a fine appreciation of the
connection between that great blessing, good health and pure
water, if he lives in a region where the latter is not usually
good, will consider his domestic establishment perfect with¬
out some form of filter. There are many forms of them,
and their expense is slight compared with the good they ac¬
complish.
SIMPLE BEYERAGE8 FROM FRUITS.
The juices of various fruits may be used with water and sugar for
making most delicious and wholesome beverages.
Put a gallon of water on to boil, cut up one pound of tart apples,
each one into quarters, put them in the water, and boil them until
they can be pulped ; pass the liquor through a cullender, boil it up
again with half a pound of sugar, scum, and bottle for use, taking
care not to cork the bottle, and keep it in a cool place: the apples may
be eaten with sugar as a sauce.
Another way.—Bake the apples first, then put them in a gallon
pan, add the sugar, and pour boiling water over, let it get cold, pass
the liquor as above, and bottle.
Apple Toast and Water.—A piece of bread, slowly toasted till it
gets quite black, and added to the above, makes a very nice and re¬
freshing drink for invalids.
Apple Barley Water.—A quarter of a pound of pearl barley
instead of toast added to the above, and boil for one hour, is also a
very nice drink.
Apple Btce Water.—Half a pound of rice, boiled in the above
until in pulp, passed through a cullender, and drunk when cold.
All kinds of fruits may be done the same way.
Figs and French plums are excellent; also raisins.
A little ginger, where desired, may be used.
For Sprtno Drink.—Rhubarb, in the same quantities, and done in
the same way as apples, adding more sugar, is very cooling.
102
SIMPLE BEVERAGES FROM FRUITS.
LEMONADES.
Lemonade from Preserved Lemon Juice.—Preserve your juice
when lemons are plenty and cheap, by adding one pound of refined
sugar to each pint of juice, stirring the mixture till dissolved, when
it (should be bottled. Put a teaspoonful of salad-oil on the top to keep
nut the air, then cork closely. When wanted for use, apply a bit of
cotton to the oil to absorb it. To a goblet of water add sufficient of
this juice to suit the taste. Every family should preserve lemon juice
in this way for times of need. If hot lemonade is desired, use hot
instead of cold water.
Tea Lemonade.—To a cup of very weak cold tea add the juice of
half a lemon. It makes a pleasant beverage for old people who use
tea. It is not desirable for the young.
Pineapple Lemonade. —Peel twelve fresh lemons very thinly,
squeeze the juice from them ; strain out the seeds ; pour on the peel
a little hot water ; let it stand a little while to infuse, covering closely.
When cool, strain this water into the lemon-juice, adding a pound of
loaf sugar. Put the whole into a decanter to be kept cool for present
use. Use two tablespoonfuls for a glass of lemonade. To add to the
delicacy of the beverage, add a slice of pineapple to each glass. To
add to the appearance, add a thin slice of lemon. Cool, delicious,
wholesome.
Orange and Lemonade.—Peel one large fresli lemon and six fresh
oranges. Cover the peel with boiling water, and let it infuse in a
closely-covered dish. Boil one pound of sugar in a pint of water, till
a syrup is formed, skimming off any impurities, strain the peel-water,
add it to the syrup when cold, and add the juice strained, stir well,
and add cold water till it makes a pleasant drink. These methods of
making drinks are more troublesome than the common way, but the
result in the end is more satisfactory.
Common Lemonade.—Cut three large fresh lemons in. very fine
slices, taking out the pips. Add half a pound of white sugar and
about two quarts of water. Bruise well together and stir, and it is
ready for use.
IIot Lemonade.—Hot lemonade is often desirable in winter, when
the body lias been exposed to cold and is chilly. It is made the same
as cold lemonade, except by using hot instead of cold water.
English Lemonade.—Pare a number of lemons, according to the
quantity of drink you wish to make. Pour boiling water on one
quarter" of the peel, and let it infuse. Boil your sugar to the con¬
sistency of a rich syrup, adding the white of an egg whipt in. When
it boils"pour in a little cold water to stop it, then let it boil again,
when the pan should be taken off to cool and settle, skimming off any
scum that comes to the top. When settled, pour off the syrup into
the peel water, now add the juice and as much water as is necessary
to make a rich drink. Strain through a fine jelly bag.
simple beverages from fruits.
103
Lemon Wiiey.—Boil as mucli milk as you require, squeeze a lemon,
and add as mucli of the juice to the milk as will make it clear. Mis
with hot water, and sweeten to taste.
Lemon Water.—Cut a fresh lemon into very thin slices, put them
in a pitcher, and pour on one pint of boiling water. Let it stand till
cold, sweeten to taste, and use.
Milk Lemonade to keep a day or two.—Pare twenty-four large
fresh lemons as thin as possible ; put eight of the rinds into three
quarts of hot but not boiling water, and let it stand three hours. Rub
fine sugar on the rind of the others, to absorb the essence. Put it in a
china bowl, and squeeze the juice from the lemons over it, after which
add a pound and a half of fine sugar. Now put the water to the
above, and add three quarts of boiling milk. Mix and pour through
a jelly bag. Use the day after made.
SIMPLE DRINKS FROM VARIOUS SUBSTANCES.
American Temperance Beverage.—Twelve lemons, one quart
of ripe raspberries, one ripe pineapple, two pounds best refined sugar,
three quarts of pure soft cold, but not iced, water. Peel the lemons
very thin, squeeze the juice of all over the peel, let it stand a few
hours, add tin; two pounds of refined sugar, mash the raspberries with
half a pound of same sugar, cut the pineapple, after paring it, in
very thin slices, and cover them with sugar. Strain the lemon-juice,
crush the raspberries, press the pineapple, put the lemon-juice in a
bowl, add the three quarts of water, add the crushed berries and pine¬
apple, stir all together till the sugar is dissolved and it is ready to
serve. This makes a delicious beverage.
Cranberry Drink.—Mash a tea-cupful of clean fresh cranberries
in a cup of cold water. Boil a large spoonful of oatmeal and a slice
of a lemon in two quarts of water ; add the cranberries and as much
sugar as will sweeten to the taste. Boil for half an hour and strain.
Ego Tea.—It is a common but injurious practice for women to take
a cup of hot tea on an empty stomach when tired and exhausted. An
egg broken into a weak cup of tea, well beaten and mixed with a
glass of cold sweet milk, is much less injurious, and really nourish¬
ing.
Tamarind Water.—Boil an ounce of tamarinds, three ounces of
currants, and two ounces of stoned raisins in three quarts of water,
until nearly a third has evaporated.
Pure tamarind water is much used in fevers, and is considered a
cool and refreshing beverage. It is made by dissolving the pulp in
boiling water, straining and cooling, or it may be prepared with
barley water and treated in the same way.
Strawberry Drink. —Boil a pound of sugar in a pint of water till
it makes a syrup. Add a pint of strawberry juice, and boil gently for
an hour. Cool, and bottle in well corked bottles for use. Add water
to taste. It is a delicious spring drink.
104
SIMPLE BEVERAGES FROM ERUITS.
A very delicious drink may be made from canned strawberries,
water, and sugar, for early spring use. This fruit is rarely canned,
but is tlie 1110,st wholesome of any for early spring use before other
new fruit can be had. The acid acts favorably in clearing out the
system, acting on liver and bowels.
Blackrerry Drink.—A delicious drink is made by stewing a pound
of ripe blackberries in a quart of water, adding sufficient sugar to
make the drink palatable, and pouring off the fluid. The berries
may be eaten separately. An equally pleasant drink may be made by
stewing dried blackberries, adding sugar to make it sufficiently sweet.
The amount of water and sugar may be decided by the taste.
Raspberry Drink.—Take fine red, ripe raspberries, crush them in
a sieve, and press out the juice, to each pint of which add a pint of
syrup made by boiling a pound of sugar in a pint of water, the scum
being removed. When the syrup and juice are mixed, boil slowly for
an hour, cool, bottle, cork, and seal. When wanted, dilute with water
to the right consistency. A delicious drink is quickly and cheaply
made by stewing dried raspberries in water, adding sugar to make the
drink palatable. It can be made of fresh berries by crushing them in
a bowl and adding water and sugar to taste. Children £re generally
fond of drinks made in this way, and the variety is almost endless.
Cherry Diunk.—Mash twelve or fifteen large sour cherries, stones
and all, in a goblet, pour on water till the glass is two-thirds full ;
add loaf-sugar sufficient to suit the taste. This is a cooling summer-
beverage, and an excellent diuretic. Persons suffering with gravel in
the bladder are often greatly relieved by this beverage, only it should
be made very strong of cherry-juice for them.
Plum: Water.—Pour over half a pound of plums a quarter of an
ounce of ginger (if approved), two quarts of water ; boil till pulped,
strain, boil again, skim well, and bottle for use. Keep cool.
Gooseberry Water.—Green gooseberries, served in the same
way, make a good drink. The proportions are : gooseberries one
pound ; water, one gallon; ginger, one-half ounce ; sugar, three-
fourths of a pound.
Mixed Currantade.—Masli one pound of ripe red currants with
half a pound of ripe red raspberries ; add a half pound of sugar and a
gallon of cold water. Let it settle, and it is ready for use. If it is
desirable to bottle it, strain. Dried currants and dried raspberries
may be used, and so may currant jelly, if more convenient.
PuitE Currantade.—Press the juice from ripe currants, strain,
add to each pint a pound of best white sugar ; add cold water to taste.
It makes a delicious beverage. Dried currants may be used, and thus
the drink made at any season of the year.
A Cool Ginoer Drink.—Ginger is used almost universally as an
addition to many drinks. There are those who would not allow it m
the stomach still, as the root contains 110 essential oil, and is slightly
waniiino- and carminative, it is not particularly objectionable. Gen-
simple beverages from eruits.
105
erally it agrees well with most stomaclis. The following receipt for
a mild ginger beer will not be amiss.
To nix gallons of pure soft water put eight pounds of loaf-sugar,
the whites of three eggs, well beaten, and three ounces best ginger.
Powder the ginger finely, and mix with a little water before adding it
to the mass. Boil gently for three-fourths of an hour, removing mean¬
time the scum that rises to the surface. Let it cool, add the juice of
three large lemons and a table-spoonful of yeast. Now put it in a
cask and bung it very tightly, and let it stand for about ten days,
when it will be fit to use.
Rhubarb Tea.—Boil two pounds of rhubarb stalks well sliced, for
an hour in a quart of water, strain into a pitcher, add the juice of one
lemon, and sugar to taste after it is cold. This makes a refreshing
drink in the spring of the year.
Apple Tea.—Peel, core, and quarter two pounds of apples, boil for
half an hour in a quart of water, strain the liquor into a pitcher, add
the juice of one lemon and loaf-sugar to taste.
Diiied Apple Babley Water.—Boil one pound of clean dried
apples in one gallon of water for an hour. Boil a quarter of a pound
fit' pearl barley one hour. Strain off the juice of the apples, add the
barley water, put it into uncorked bottles, and keep for use in a cool
place.
Apple Water.—Cut some very tart apples fine, pour over them
boiling water, and let them simmer gently for half an hour. Strain
oil' the liquor and sweeten to taste.
Fra WateTi.—Boil a quarter of a pound of best preserved figs with
a half ounce of ginger in two quarts of water. When reduced to a
pulp strain off and bottle for use.
Barley Water.—Boil half a tea-cupful of the very best pearl
barley in a quart of water till it is smooth, then strain it off into a
mug, add the juice of a large lemon and loaf-sugar to the taste.' The
barley water should be strained through muslin before adding the
lemon juice.
Toast and Water.—Fill a quart-pitcher with boiling water. Drop
into it a slice of bread toasted very brown. Let it stand till cold.
Remember, drop the bread in instead of pouring the water over it,
otherwise it will be cloudy instead of clear and beautiful.
Fruit Jftces.—The juice of the apple and pear, says Mr. Knight,
may be used to great advantage in preparing a beverage. He has fre¬
quently, he says, reduced it by boiling to the consistence of a weak
jelly, in which state it has remained several years without the slightest
apparent change, though intentionally exposed to variation of temper¬
ature. A large quantity of the inspissated juice would take up but
little space, and the addition of a few spoonfuls to a quart of water
would at any time form a delicious, wholesome, refreshing drink, free
from all intoxicating properties. Its cheapness would be greatly in
its favor. On sea voyages it, would be a great luxury. We suggest
experiments with it in the field of domestic economy
106
ICES.
Summer Beverages.—Take the genuine jelly of any fruit you like,
dissolve it in water, sweeten to taste, and keep in a cool place ; or if
you have the fresh fruit, currants, raspberries, strawberries, cherries,
grapes, bruise them in water, strain and sweeten. Keep in a cool
place, and use as needed. Such drinks on ice will keep for several
days.
c.vi'ilIiAire.—Take fourteen pounds of sugar, break into it six eggs
with the shells. Stir into it gradually three quarts of water. Bet
it over the tire and boil it, taking off the scum until only a light froth
rises. Add one gill of orange-flower water, and two or three drops
of vanilla ; strain through a jelly-bag, and when cold bottle it, cork¬
ing tightly. A wine glass in a tumbler of water is very refreshing.
You may add to it slices of lemon, pineapple, crushed currants, or
strawberries, as suits the taste and season.
E.vu Sucre.—"Water, with sufficient sugar to make it sweet, is a
common beverage in France, and there, considered very wholesome
and refreshing. Ladies generally take it before bedtime. It may be
useful in some cases, but-should not be used too freely.
(tRArE Drink.—This is one of the most delicious and refreshing
drinks ever devised by thirsty mortals. It is made of nearly ripe
grapes pounded, loaf-sugar, and water. It is strained until it becomes
of the palest straw-colored amber, and then frozen. Delicious drinks
may be made from grapes by stewing with sugar and water. We
h ave the reader to use his or her own ingenuity in devising them.
The fermented juice of the grape bears no comparison with these
]iure, simple, delicious beverages.
ICES.
Cream Sherbet.—Put the yolk of six eggs and a dessert-spoonful
of orange-flower water into two quarts of cream. Boil it up once in a
covered" stew-pan, then strain it. Add three-fourths of a pound of
fine loaf-sugar, and stir till dissolved. When cold set it in ice, or
freeze same as ice cream.
Lemon Siierbet.—Dissolve a pound and a half of loaf-sugar in a
quart of water, take nine large lemons, wipe them clean, cut each in
halves, squeeze them so as to get out both juice and some of the es¬
sence of the peel, stir into it the sugared water, strain and freeze
same as ice cream.
Strawberry Sherbet.—Take one pound of best ripe strawberries,
crush them to a smooth mass, then add three pints of water, the juice
pt' one lemon, and a tablespoonful of orange-flower water. Let this
stand three or four hours. Then put into another basin a pound of
best refined sugar, stretch over it a cloth or napkin, and strain on the
Su'rar the berries, squeezing out the juice as much as possible. Stir
until the sugar is dissolved, then strain again, and set in ice an hour
before serving, in small tumblers.
MILK.
107
M I L K.
Milk is a liquid food in a mucli higher sense tlian water. A pound
of new cow's milk contains:
1. Six draclims or three-fourths of an ounce of sugar.
2. Four drachms or half an ounce of butter.
8. Six drachms or three-quarters of an ounce of cheese
4. Two drachms or one quarter of an ounce of mineral salts.
5. Thirteen and three-quarter ounces of water.
Milk makes a most perfect food and drink for the infant. It is also a
very important food for other than children, It is of great service to
invalids and the convalescent. It is true there are some constitutions
with which it does not agree. Where this is the case, the objection
may generally be obviated by skimming off the cream before using it.
Even skim milk is very nutritious ; it contains nearly all the valuable
nourishment of new milk except the butter.
A Milk Diet.—Within a few years a milk diet has become a very
popular prescription among physicians, they ordering patients to sub¬
sist on it for days or weeks at a time. In cases where the patient
needs a good sustaining food without the risk of inflammatory action or
excitement succeeding its use, a milk diet is perhaps the best regimen
that can be cbosen. This is especially true in all diseases affecting
the respiratory organs, inflammations of the stomach, bowels, kidneys,
and bladder. It is of benefit in cases of hemorrhage, and gout, and
diarrhoea. In fevers it is much used. In convalescence from small¬
pox, scarlet fever, measles, typhoid fever, milk is often very service¬
able. I have found gems and milk very excellent after scarlet fever.
Indeed, good home-made brown bread and milk is almost a perfect
food, especially for feeble children suffering with scrofulous habit of
body, mesenteric diseases, spinal affections, tits, taint of the blood. I
even go so far as to say that all children would be the better for tak¬
ing one meal of brown bread and milk daily, and feeble ones should
use it three times a day.
In ulceration of the stomach or bowels, milk is very serviceable.
The case reported in the Herald of Health for August, 1873, of Mrs.
Sara 13. Clase, is in point. After nearly two years' suffering of untold
agony from ulceration of the stomach, she was cured by a milk diet.
She began by taking a teaspoonful every hour, and adhering to it
alone for nearly a year, except the amount was increased us the
strength returned. The greatest fear is in taking more than the
stomach in its weakened condition can manage. I commend a study
of this case to all suffering from ulceration or cancer of the stomach.
In diabetes an exclusive milk diet has been found to work wonders.
It must be persevered in methodically and exclusively until conva¬
lescence is established. It is well known that in this ugly disease the
great danger is that the starch of the food is converted into sugar,
and as such passes out of the system without yielding any of its force
to the body. Dr. Arthur Scott Duncan, of England, says, " the ra¬
pidity with which milk acts is truly surprising. Twenty-four hours
108 ^
milk.
being sufficient to produce a marked change, tlie quantity and density
of the urine suddenly falling, thirst and appetite disappearing, the
skin becoming' moist and perspiring,- sleep improving." Dr. Karell
reports two hundred cases treated by milk alone, among which were
many remarkable cures.
For the aged, milk, or bread and milk, offers advantages worthy of
their serious attention. The great Professor Black adopted it for
many years before his death, because he thought it ought to be the
natural food of an aged man in his second childhood, lie died with a
bowl of milk in his hand, so quietly that not a drop was spilled.
Dr. George W. Balfour has found an exclusive milk diet to be very
beneficial in asthma after it had resisted other means of cure for
years.
Boiled milk is digested in two hours; raw milk in two hours and a
quarter.
Choice of Milk.—Cow's milk differs greatly in quality, some being
rich and other thin and watery. In choosing a family cow it is well
to bear this in mind, and to select only those that are healthy and
give the very best milk. They should also be fed on the best of food,
and allowed pure soft water to drink. The practice of feeding cows
on garbage, swill slops, distillery feed, and of keeping them confined
in close, filthy, unventilated stables, is one which seriously deterio¬
rates the milk, and should ever be avoided.
Those who live in cities cannot of course keep cows, and so they
must depend on the market for their supply of milk. In large cities
such cannot do better than to use condensed milk, if they can get it.
It has been used in our institution for many years with very satis¬
factory results. In preparing it the animal odor is evaporated, and it
can be made as rich as is desired. It may be diluted for babes if
necessary. Of course we do not speak of the condensed milk put up
in cans, but that prepared for supplying the market for immediate
use.
If condensed milk cannot be obtained, and you cannot keep your
own cow, then insist on having the best article, and refuse to use that
from distillery-fed cows, or that diluted with water. A little atten¬
tion to this subject will enable any one to secure a good article. It is
the laxity of purchasers of food in not demanding the best that, makes it
so easy for the dealer to palm off adulterated and inferior articles upon
thoughtless people. If the poor would do this, it would improve their
own and their children's health wonderfully. The milk supply of a
city has a great deal of influence for good or evil on the health of the
children. In England, this question is getting to be a very important
one. The Food Journal says that " perhaps the most serious and
destructive, change in the nul ritiou of the poor is their almost total
privation of milk. Infantile sickness and mortality depend largely on
this want." There the occupation of mothers in factories and work¬
shops deprives many thousands of infants of their natural food—
breaht milk.
Prkpahixg- Cow's Milk ron Bales.—In this connection I wish to
give explicit directions for preparing artificial human milk for babes.
MILK.
109
It is well known tliat cow's milk is far richer than human milk. It
contains more curd, more cream, more mineral matter, and less water.
Compare the following table with the one at the beginning of this
paper. One pound of human milk contains :
Sugar 4 drachms and 40 grains.
Butter 3 " " 30 "
Curd 8 " " 30 "
Mineral salts 41 "
Water 14 ounces and 41 "
It may not be well known why cow's milk so often disagrees with
babes. A principal reason is that in the stomach the curd forms in
harder lumps and is not easily acted on by the gastric juice, whereas
human milk forms a flocculent soft curd which readily absorbs the
gastric juice, and is acted on by it with great ease.
The question is how to modify cow's milk to make it suitable for a
new-born infant; it having been found to disagree in its pure state.
There is in the first place too much casein, or cheese, in cow's milk,
and the child cannot digest it; to reduce it to the true proportion,
nearly twice as much water as milk is necessary ; to be exact, it must
be eighteen parts of water to ten parts of milk ; but this would reduce
the quantity of butter also, without which the child would not thrive.
The milk to be diluted must therefore contain more butter than ordi¬
nary milk, which must be obtained by setting aside, say, three quarts
of milk, and at the end of four or live hours remove the upper quart;
the upper third of any quantity of milk containing fifty per cent, more
butter than the ordinary milk of the cow. The same result can be
obtained by taking the " strippings," or latter part of the cow's milk¬
ing. This milk, when diluted with one and a half parts water, and
properly sweetened, resembles ordinary human milk.
Various Dilutions for various Aoes.—Mother's milk for new¬
born babes is so peculiar as to have got a special name, colostrum. It
gradually loses these peculiarities. For colostrum, or milk prepared
for the first two weeks of a child's life, must contain more butter—the
upper eighth, instead of the upper third, must be used. From two
quarts of milk, which has stood four or live hours, skim off carefully
half a pint; or the last tenth of milk just stripped from a cow. For
example, if a cow gives five quarts, the last pint may be used. This
milk must be largely diluted with water, according to the following
schedule.
SCHEDULE.
Whot.k
Age. Milk. Water. Quantity-.
Gills. Gills. Gills.
2 to 10 days 1-Jr 3^ 4}
10 to 20 days 1J 4^ ,. (i
20 to 30 days 2./ (> 8}
1 to 1£ months 3 (if- 1)|
1 to 2 months 3^- 7 10.V
2 to 2} months 4 7^- 11 jr
110
MILK.
Whole
Age. Milk. Watee. Quantity.
Gills. GUIs. Gills•
2£ to 3 months 7^ 12
3 to 3i montlis 5 do 12£
3J- to 4 months 5 do 13
4 to 4} months 6 do 13£
4i to 5 montlis GJ- do 14
5 to 6 months..... 7 7 14
G to 7 months 7 7 14
7 to 8 montlis 8 G 14
8 to 9 months 84 6 14^
9 to 10 months 8-z 6 14^
10 to 11 months 8t G^ 14£
11 to 12 months 9 14|
Eight large spoonfuls are about a gill.
Regulations op tiie Quality op tde Milk.—If the milk be too
strong, indigestion will follow, and the child will lose instead of gain¬
ing strength. When particles of casein, or curd, pass through his
bowels unaltered, a milder quality or lower grade should be substitu¬
ted. A feeble child of six months may require the food suited to a
vigorous child of six months. For constipation, increase the richness
of the milk, put in more cream. In cold weather, or if milk is kept
on ice, it may stand an hour or two longer before the upper third is
removed ; or the upper fourth maybe taken; or set five quarts instead
of three to get one quart.
The water used in diluting milk should not be hard ; nor should it
be boiled. Add it to the milk, and lieat it by putting the bottle in
warm water.
Sweetening.—Use loaf sugar enough to make it as sweet as un¬
diluted new milk, a teaspoonful to a quart. If too sweet, it will cloy
the appetite, and not enough food will be taken.
Temperature.—The milk should be heated to one hundred de¬
grees Fahrenheit; test it once, and try it on the clieek ; which should
regulate it subsequently.
Quantity.—For the first ten days, about one to one and a half
pints a day should be given ; before the end of the first month the
child will take more than a quart daily ; at the age of three months
he may require two quarts daily. After that time the quality will
change more than the quantity. The child will need half a pint at
a time every three or four hours, which should be sucked in about
ten minutes, and he will pass six or eight hours at night without
feeding.
The bottles should lie annealed by being put into cold water and
boiled three or four hours, and the most scrupulous care observed in
cleaning them.
We have made out a scale of dilutions for one year, but the mother
may, after the child is six months old, find it necessary to use more
MILK.
Ill
milk and less water, in wliicli ease she will dilute less. If the child
manifests symptoms of malnutrition on this food, it is evident that its
food should be rendered more nourishing. We are indebted to Dr.
Corson for the demonstration of the practical utility of beginning our
trials with pure cow's milk, since the principal inconvenience which is
found to occur is the regurgitation of a part of it; while, on the other
hand, the infant runs the risk of starvation, or at least of numerous
diseases, before any notice is taken of the deficiently nutritious
quality of milk and water. If he succeeds in his object " of directing
attention to the fact that many thousands of children annually die
prematurely from want of food," he will have accomplished a great
work ; but if he proposes to give all children pure cow's milk, with¬
out reference to its agreement or disagreement with their stomachs,
he will have fallen into the same error with those who confide ex¬
clusively in milk and water.
Oatmeal Milk.—I cannot help in this connection printing the fol¬
lowing letter from one of my correspondents, regarding oatmeal milk
for young children; which I am sure will help some mother to rear
to health a child when she might otherwise fail. I may add, however,
that it should not be used before the babe is three or four months
old, and then a gradual substitute for the breast. She says:
" When my baby was five months old, for the sake of my own
health, I weaned him from the breast. I gave him cream and water,
with a little sugar. In two weeks' time his bowels were so consti¬
pated that I fully realized that some change must be made in the
food. I, therefore, made oatmeal gruel by boiling oatmeal in about
twice the usual quantity of water for an hour and a half or two
hours. When properly cooked, I poured it through a fine sieve. The
part which passed through was, when cold, of the consistency of jelly.
Then, in a quart cup, I mixed one half pint of thin cream and oatmeal
gruel—about one gill of each—added one teaspoonful of white sugar,
and filled the measure nearly full of boiling water. This food he
relished, and in every way it agreed with him ; and if there ever was
a child that grew any faster than mine did when fed with oatmeal and
milk, I think it would be a wonder. People would say : ' llow your
baby grows/ and in the same breath (when I told what his food was),
would say : ' Why, you'll starve him !' But by putting in less water
1 found it was too hearty, causing him to vomit; and once in possession
of the key to my child's health nothing turned me aside.
" My child is now a year and a half old, his food is three parts milk
and one part gruel. He is very large, strong and active, has twelve
teeth, weighs thirty pounds, and in all the time has not lost an ounce
of flesh, even at the most trying time—warm weather.
"That I am enthusiastic in regard to oatmeal milk should not seem
strange, and I wish that, of the many mothers throughout the land,
those who find it necessary to provide other than the natural food for
their children would try my recipe. They would find doctors' visits
few and far between."
Recipe for Guitel.—One teacup oatmeal, two quarts of hot water.
Boil two and a half hours. Strain through a fine sieve.
112
MILK.
I prefer this way to the plan of soaking the oatmeal in cold water,
which I have tried, but find that the taste is not so pleasant.
Skimmed Milk.—Skimmed milk, according to analysis, is not
greatly inferior to new milk, except in the amount of butter it con¬
tains ; as will be seen from the following :
100 parts new milk—water, 80 ; nitrogenous, 5.5 ; sugar, 3.8 ; fat,
3.0; salts, 0.00. 100 parts skimmed milk—water, 88; nitrogenous,
4.0 ; sugar, 3.8 ; fat, 1.8 ; salts, 0.8.
The effect on Dr. Smith of eating one pint of new milk Avas to
increase the exhalation of carbonic acid 2.26 grains per minute. It
also gave an increase of air inhaled of 90 cubic inches in one min¬
ute ; skimmed milk, on the other hand, gave an increase to carbonic
acid exhaled of 84 grains per minute and 21 cubic inches in the in¬
spired air. Much is said in these days regarding the food qualities
of alcoholic drinks, but Dr. Edward Smith, in his experiments on the
best brandy as food, found that instead of an increase of vital ac¬
tion by the exhalation of more carbonic acid and the inhalation of
more air, that there was a diminution of both. In other words, vital
action was diminished instead of increased, and this was the result
with nearly all the alcoholic drinks tested. And in those cases where
vital action seemed increased, it was in a very slight degree, not
one-fifth so much as shown above in the use of milk. Ten grains
of milk consumed in the body produces heat sufficient to raise 1.7 lb.
of water 1' F., and this is equal to raising 1.240 lb. one foot high.
Can alcohol consumed in the body do this?
Cautions Regarding tiie Use op Milk.—While good milk is
an excellent article of food for the young, the aged, and many in¬
valids, it may be the means of spreading dangerous diseases. That
which is sent to cities may have received infection from the air of the
dairy-house, and in this way scarlet and typhoid fevers sometimes
be propagated. But a greater source of danger is in the water that
the dairyman mixes with it. If the water is pure, of course the in¬
jury lies only in the less amount of nourishment it contains ; but if
water is used from wells or springs not pure, then the danger is very
great. In England numerous instances have come to light where a
large number of families supplied by the same milkman have had
typhoid fever, and on careful investigation it was found that the
dairyman had in these cases watered his milk from a well-pump in the
yard, into which there was a slight leakage from a drain. Through
this leak had oozed the poisonous germs that poisoned the milk, and
carried that most dangerous malady into forty-seven families, destroying
one hundred and sixty-five persons. Thanks to the spirit of investiga¬
tion which sought and found the source of the contagion. Slill an¬
other source of danger in the use of milk is where the child is nursed
by a diseased mother, or one subject to fits of passion, or where the
mother has been poisoned by food or medicine. We mention these
things that all may be on their guard, and be able to avoid causes of
disease that lurk in unsuspected and hidden places.
Cream.—Cream is a liquid food of great richness, especially in fat,
ftnd pure would be too hearty to be used as a food to any great'extent ;
TEA.
113
but mixed with milk it forms a very agreeable, even delicious drink,
and for persons thin in flesli and run down in health it may often
serve important uses, especially if it agrees with the stomach. Pure
cream contains,
Water G6.00 parts I Sugar 2.8 parts
Nitrogenous 2.7 " | Fat 2(5.7 "
A mixture of cream and milk and oatmeal forms a very nourishing
diet for consumptives, and those with little animal heat, also for those
who use little or no animal food.
Buttermilk.—This liquid food is not much used by Americans, but
the Germans regard it with great favor. It contains about as much
nourishment as skim milk. It is poor in heat-giving qualities, but
there is considerable nitrogenous matter in it. Here is the analysis :
Water 88.0 I Sugar 8.6
Nitrogenous 4.1 | Fat 0.7
Salts G.8
It also contains lactic acid, which is believed to favor digestion. In
some forms of disease a buttermilk diet is found to be serviceable.
It is better adapted to the fat than the lean, and to those who have a
superabundance of animal heat than to those who suffer with cold feet
and hands and languid circulation.
TEA.
So much has been written on the use of tea, pro and con, that
little new can be said. Nevertheless there are some points concern¬
ing this question not yet well understood. They are as follows:
1. Tea is not nutritious. The milk and sugar put into the cup to
give it flavor has a real value as a food.
2. Nearly all teas, whatever their price or name, are about of equal
value so far as their physiological effects are concerned. The higher
priced sorts have, however, a much more delicate flavor, and for this
reason will always be preferred.
0. That tea should, when used, be weighed rather than measured,
as some kinds weigh more to the teaspoonful than others. Oolong,
for instance, weighs 40 grains to the teaspoonful, Congou weighs 87,
and gunpowder tea weighs 125 grains to the teaspoonful.
Then, too, the effects of tea are not well understood.
1. Tea increases the amount of carbonic acid expired from the
lungs.
2. It increases the volume of air inspired, but not the rapidity of
respiration, consequently it must increase the depth of inflation of
the lungs.
;». Tea tends to induce perspiration, especially if taken hot.
4. Tea excites to increased action the muscular system.
5. Tea powerfully excites the nervous system.
The points last enumerated accord with the experience of a ma¬
jority of tea-drinkers, and if the subject were dropped here, the im¬
pression would be very favorable to the use of this beverage. " There
is, however, another side to be considered. It has been found that
114
TEA.
tea is not nutritious, and that it actually increases the waste of the
system. From this it may be inferred that tea is not a good drink for
those who are dyspeptic and nervous, or those in which the waste of
tissue is already more rapid than the supply. Dr. Edward Smith puts
it in this Avay : " Tea increases waste, since it promotes the transfor¬
mation of food without supplying any nutriment, and increases the
loss of heat without supplying fuel. It is, therefore, specially adapted
to those who eat too much, when the process of assimilation should be
quickened, but is less adapted to the poor, the ill-fed, and during
fasting."
Dr. Smith also gives the following as the generally admitted effects
of tea :
1. A sense of wakefulness.
2. Clearness of mind and activity of thought and imagination.
3. Increased disposition to make exertion.
4. Reaction, with a sense of exhaustion following the preceding
effects and in proportion to them.
Analysis of Tea.—The active
theine. One hundred parts of tea
Theine 2.00
Casein 15.00
Gum 18.00
Sugar 3.00
Tannin 2G.25
principle of tea is a substance called
contain :
Starch 0.75
Fat 4.00
Vegetable fiber. 20.00
Mineral substances.... 5.00
Water 5.00
The amount of theine, varies from two to six per cent. The chemical
formula for theine is C18. H10. N4. 0.2 + H20.
Practical Hints Concerning- the Use op Tea.—The following
hints concerning the use of tea may prove useful :
1. Whoever uses tea should do so in great moderation.
2. It should form a part of the meal, but never be taken before eat¬
ing, or between meals, or on an empty stomach, as is too frequently
done.
3. The best time to take tea is after a hearty meal.
4. Those who suffer with weak nerves should never take it at all.
5. Those who are troubled with inability to sleep nights should not
use tea, or if they do, take it only in the morning.
G. Brain-workers should never goad on their brains to overwork
on the stimulus of tea.
7. Children and the young should not use tea.
8. The overworked and under-fed should not use tea.
!). Tea should never be drunk very strong.
10. It is better with considerable milk and sugar.
11. Its use should at once be abandoned when harm comes from it.
12. Multitudes of diseases come from the excessive use of tea, and
for this reason those who cannot use it without going to excess should
not use it at all.
Tea and Sick Headache.—The following, from the Medical Inves¬
tigator, lias an important bearing on the use of tea : " Dr. Gregg pub¬
lished an article in the Homoeopathic Quarterly on tea, as a cause of
TEA.
115
pick headache, worthy of the attention of those who suffer with this
common malady. The doctor there alleges that this beverage is the
cause of more cases of this disease than any other, if not than all other
causes put together, and gives a number of instances where, after
leaving off its use, persons who had previously been afflicted were
exempt from further attacks. One evidence the doctor gives of the
injurious effects of this agent is the fact that tea-drinkers are liable
to have headache if they omit its use at the regular times of taking it,
and the cessation of the pain on again resuming their cups. This
latter, with many other facts contained in the article, have often been
observed, not only on myself, but on others, for I had inherited the
disease from my mother. It had been the plague of her life, as well
as my own. We had both been not excessive but regular tea-drinkers ;
and though she lived to be over eighty years of age, she was never
exempt from an attack, of greater or less severity, for more than a
few weeks at a time, for a period of nearly or quite half a century.
Knowing this fact, and that from my earliest recollection I had been
similarly afflicted, I was content, when the pain returned, to relieve it
with the appropriate remedies, with little thought or hope of ever being
able to eradicate it. Some twenty years ago I had abandoned the use of
coffee and green teas, using only the black and Japan. Pork, pastry,
spices, acids, and most kinds of raw fruits were sure, if indulged in,
to bring on an attack of my old trouble; and this weakness of the
stomach seemed to be gradually on the increase, besides a train of
nervous symptoms, such as sleeplessness, palpitation of the heart, un¬
steadiness of the hand when writing, etc., gave me no little annoyance.
After reading the article referred to, I concluded, some three months
ago, to use 110 more tea, substituting in its stead hot water with a little
milk. The result, for the first, week or ten days, was much as I
had anticipated, being, during the whole of that time, scarcely ever
free from headache. At length the pain became lighter, and when it
did return was of short duration. My nervous symptoms grew less,
palpitation left entirely, my stomach became much stronger. I can
now eat with impunity many things which for years had been sure to
disagree. The headache now very rarely returns, and never with
severity ; besides, within the past two months my weight has increased
sixteen pounds."
Tea and Dyspepsia.—Where there is any tendency to dyspepsia,
tea aggravates it, and many cases are cured by disusing it. Dr. Corfe
mentions a cure of supposed cancer of the stomach, cured by the disuse
of tea. Dr. Milligan mentions a person who could never use tea with¬
out experiencing a disposition to commit suicide.
Tea-Dpunkapds.—In closing what is to be said about tea, one word
seems necessary in regard to tea-drunkards. Their number is legion ;
they are of both sexes, but more of women than of men. Instead of
using tea in moderation, or as an occasional beverage, they swill it
down three or more times a day, in quantities that are incompatible
with health. They are as much slaves to the teapot as tiie drunkard
is to his bottle. They are tea-drunkards. Tea, in anything but great
moderation, is a poison capable of ruining the stomach, enfeebling and
110
COCOA A\D CnOCOLATE.
disordering tlie heart's action, shattering the nerves, and ruining tlie
health and happiness of the victim. In few words, without holding
that the use of tea is as bad as the use of alcoholic liquors, one may
well believe that the total abstinence reformers have, in their red-liot
zeal against rum, encouraged an indulgence in tea-drinking which will
one day have to be fought against with might and main, to prevent
the wholesale ruin of multitudes. A tea-drunkard may be defined as
one who drinks strong tea several times a day, who depends on it
instead of food and rest for strength, and who cannot go without it
without bringing on distressing symptoms.
COFFEE.
The active principal of coffee is called caffeine. An analysis of one
hundred parts of raw coffee shows the following to be its composition :
Caffeine 1.00 Mineral matter G.07
Casein 1:3.00 Acids 5.00
(Jum and sugar 55.05 Wood fiber 34.00
Fat 13.00 Water 12.00
Caffeine is analogous to tlieine in composition and effects.
Coffee produces effects very similar to tea, and the same general
rules are applicable for its use. It, like tea, powerfully affects the
respiration, increasing the quantity of carbonic acid expired and air
inspired. Coffee differs from tea in its effects by increasing the rate
of respiration and not its depth, in increasing the rate of pulsation,
and in diminishing the action of the skin. Those who suffer with dry
skin, or palpitation of the heart, or heart disease, are particularly
liable to harm from the continued use of coffee in large quantities. It
is more suited to the wants of the poor and debilitated than tea, and
is more appropriate for the breakfast meal than afterwards.
COCOA AND CHOCOLATE
Cocoa and chocolate have, for their active principle, the obromine, a
substance very similar to caffeine and tlieine. The formula for theo¬
bromine is C.' IIs. ISt4. O".
The analysis of the cacao bean gives in 100 parts :
Theobromine 0.5G
Cacao 6.01
Cacao butter 36 97
Gluten 3.20
Starch 0.55
Gum 0.69
Extractive matter 4.14
Humic acid 7.25
Woody Matter 30.00
Salts 3.00
Water 6.01
I)r. Edward Smith, to whose work we are largely indebted for our
knowledge of tea, colfee, and cocoa, says of the latter substance : " Its
action is less exciting to the nervous system than tea or coffee, and at
the same time it contains a much larger portion of nutritive material.
Boiled in milk, it may produce a most agreeable and nutritious food,
and for very many persons is greatly to be preferred to tea or coffee."
cocoa and ciiocolate.
117
Methods of Preparing Tea, Coffee, and Cocoa.
Tea.—The tlieine of tea is without flavor. This depends on tlio
aroma, which should all be extracted from the leaf. The dried juices
of the leaf, on the other hand, should not be extracted further
than to give body to the drink, otherwise it will he bitter and the
aroma will be covered up or hidden. The best rule to secure the aroma
and not too much of the body is to put the tea into hot water, and
keep it at or near the boiling point for live minutes. If cooked longer
than this the aroma will be dissipated, more tlieine will be extracted
and the tannin, which makes tea bitter, will be in excess. The best
water for tea is pure spring-water. It should be fresh and used im¬
mediately aftei*boiling. After the tea is cooked it should be strained
and kept hot till used.
Coffee.—Soyer's mode of making coffee was to warm the powder
over the tire iirst, then to pour the boiling water over it; cover it closely
for live minutes, strain it, and boil again for use. French coffee is
made by adding a pint of made coffee to a pint of boiling milk and
warming them both together, but not letting them boil too long.
Chocolate.—Cut a cake of chocolate in very small pieces, boil a
pint of water, when it is at the boiling point add the chocolate ; mill
it off the lire till quite melted, then place it on a gentle fire till it
boils. Pour into a basin and it will keep for ten days. When required,
put a spoonful or two into fresh milk, bjil :t with sugar and mix well.
Mill to a fine froth and serve*.
Cocoa.—It made from the ribs, boil a quarter of a poxind of them
in three quarts of water to two quarts and a half. The ribs to be
strained after live hours' boiling. If made from paste or powder, use
one and a half teaspoonful of cocoa to a cup of boiling milk. Sugar
to taste. Or one and a half teaspoonful of cocoa, three quarters of
a cupful of boiling water. Sugar to taste and fill the cup with
milk.
Conclusion.
Some liygienists will find much fault that we have not condemned
entirely the use of tea and coffee, but though we never use them our¬
selves, we have thought best to give the results of late scientific stud¬
ies on the subject, and such cautions regarding their use as will enable
those who do use them to do so with as little harm as possible. If
asked what is the proper amount of these drinks for each day, we
should say, do not exceed one cup of tea or coffee, and at farthest two
of cocoa or chocolate.
PAKT IV
PBACTIOAL DIETETICS
and
ANSWERS TO EVER-RECURRING- QUESTIONS.
FOOD FOR DIFFERENT SEASONS OF THE YEAR.
What changes sliould be made in our food at different seasons of'
the year 1
Ans.—Our food should vary with the season of the year. As winter
gradually gives way to spring, our health, comfort, and happiness are
greatly augmented by diminishing the quantity of our heat and forco
producing foods, and substituting in their place, to a considerable ex¬
tent, green vegetables and early mild acid fruits. Even before early
vegetables and fruits can be had, canned fruits and vegetables should
take the place of the rich foods required in winter. Many people
think they must be " physicked out" in the spring, but this is a vile
practice wholly unnecessary. Good brown bread, milk, cream, fruits,
and oatmeal as the staple articles of spring diet, with no salted meats,
and little or no meat of any kind, will keep the bowels in perfectly
healthy condition at this season of the year ; whereas if ham and eggs,
hot bread, superfine hot biscuits, stale potatoes, are the principal arti¬
cles of diet, there is no end to the suffering that may be entailed ; then
as summer comes on, early fruits and vegetables should be still more
largely partaken of. Strawberries should be used in abundance all
through June—raspberries, blackberries, and cherries in July. In
August apples, and soon after tomatoes, peaches, grapes, melons, etc.,
make up a list of fruits rich in fluids, opening, cooling, appetizing, de¬
licious, health-giving; these with good brown bread, and gems with
milk cream, oatmeal and fresh butter should, to a great extent, take the
place of fats and highly carbonized foods and meats. In very hot
weather the fats should be almost discontinued. One will suffer less
from the heat if this is done. Then as cool weather comes on, if neces¬
sary, there may be a gradual return to a more highly carbonized diet,
arid during winter it may be partaken of quite freely, especially in
cold latitudes, and when much work is to be done. Much sickness
will be prevented by proper attention to the subject of wisely adapting
our food to the season of the year and climate.
122
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
FORCE-GIVING FOOD IN SUMMER.
But sliall we cut no heat and force-giving foods in summer?
Ans.—Yes. Brown bread, oatmeal, and fruits are all force-giving,
but to a less extent than fats, yet sufficiently so for the requirements
of the season, and those persons who have very much muscular work
to do may use more freely force-giving foods in hot weather than those
whose labor is sedentary and light. From experiments which we have
seen tried over and over again, however, we are satisfied that even
farmers in the hottest days of summer who are obliged to work in the
harvest field can do more work, suffer less with heat, and incur less
risk of sunstroke by following the rules we have laid down, than by
using a highly carbonized diet of oils and fats.
HAM AND EGGS.
Do you think ham and eggs are objectionable in spring?
Ans.—Eggs are allowable. Indeed, lightly poached and dressed on
toast they make an excellent food, but ham is not a good article of diet
for any except the lowest of human beings, and even for these it is
not so good as eggs, bread, oatmeal, and milk. Eggs, however, do not
seem to be relished with every meal for days in succession, and hence
should be taken at intervals as the appetite tolerates them.
DAILY VARIATION OF DIET.
Should the diet be varied from day to day, or remain unchanged ?
Ans.—The diet should be varied, in kind and form quite frequently,
though not necessarily every day. Even in health, the best viands
when continued from day to day become unpalatable, and even nause¬
ous. An occasional change of diet, in short, is indispensable to a proper
relish for food, and the maintenance of the appetite and good health.
AMOUNT OF FOOD REQUIRED DAILY.
How much food is needed daily by a healthy person ?
Ans.—The amount varies greatly, for the following reasons :
1. Great vigor, activity of the circulation of the blood, and the elimi¬
nation of worn-out particles increase the amount necessary.
2. Great physical exertion increases the required amount, and inac¬
tivity diminishes it.
3. Cold increases the amount of food needful, while heat decreases
it,but increases the amount of water needful.
4. Rapid growth, as in childhood, increases the amount of food de¬
manded by the body, while ill health diminishes it for the time being.
5. The amount of food required varies greatly Avith the assimilative
power. As some steam-engines are constructed so that the same
amount of fuel generates more steam than it would in other engines,
so some persons can get more out of a pound of food than others, be¬
cause they more perfectly digest it.
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
123
OVER-EATING.
Do not people generally eat too much food ?
Ans.—Many do ; but eating too much is not so common as improper
eating. If the food is wisely chosen there is not much danger of over¬
eating. Dr. Beard says, It is a fallacy to suppose that people, as a rule,
tat too much, and that most of the diseases of the world come from over¬
feeding. Tlie truth is that among all decent or civilized people, the
tendency is directly the reverse. In our country, and especially in
our large cities, far more are underfed than overfed. Throughout our
land, thousands and thousands die every year from actual starvation.
Some of these unfortunates are little children whose parents are too
ignorant, or too poor, to give them what is necessary to sustain life.
But many of them are adults, whom hard poverty, or sad ignorance,
has forced into a habit of systematic though undesigned starvation.
Day after day their stomach receives less nutriment than the system
demands. Day after day the vital powers slowly fade, the strength
grows less, the spirit becomes morbid, and the face wan and dejected.
Disease now steps in, attacks and carries by force some important cita¬
del of the body, and death follows. The process is a slow one—some¬
times very slow—extending, perhaps, over many years, but it is often¬
times j ust as sure as it is slow.
The latter remarks apply with great force to the poor of all largo
cities. With abundance all around them, they overwork and slowly
starve to death.
GUIDE TO PROPER QUANTITY OF FOOD.
What is the best guide to the amount of food required ?
Ans.—The natural appetite is the only guide. This should be aided
by common, sense and reason. In cases of disease our judgment may
be called on to aid the appetite, to say, eat more 01* less as the case
may require.
VARIETY AT MEALS.
Do you think it better to eat one or two articles at a meal, or from a
number of dishes ?
Ans. A wholesome variety is better than to eat only from one or two
dishes, except in some kinds of morbid condition, when confinement to
one kind of food may be necessary.
BRAIN WORKERS AND THEIR FOOD.
Do brain workers require as much food as those who work with their
muscles only ?
Ans.—We do not know as this question has ever been decided by ex¬
periment, but we think from some observations we have made that
they do require as much food, provided they take sufficient exercise for
health. They should choose their food with care, so it may not oppress
the stomach, and arrange their hours of eating so as not to let vigorous
brain work come during the time of digesting a hearty meal. The
changes of tissue in the brain during protracted thought are rapid and
124
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
extensive, and the loss must be made good by an abundant supply of
food.
AMOUNT OF FOOD FOR MEN vs. WOMEN.
Which eat the most food, men or women ?
A xs.—Men eat more than women, when their work is of the same
kind. It does not follow, however, that because men eat more that
they get more strength from their food, for generally women have bet¬
ter digestive organs, and abstract more nutriment from the same
amount of food.
So, too, while men and women eat at the same table, it is observable
that they do not eat the same quantities of the same dishes. Men
eat more heartily of the force-giving foods than women do, probably
because there is more demand for them. This is perhaps the only dif¬
ference. At a restaurant largely patronized by ladies, I have noticed
that biscuit, tea, cake, ice cream, and delicacies were more in demand
by women, and meats and hearty food by men.
BOARDING-SCHOOL TABLES, STUDENTS' DIET.
Do you think the students at boarding-schools are sufficiently well
fed 1
Ans.—Generally they are not Avell fed. Boarding-schools, the world
over, we believe, are generally thought to feed the youth who attend
them on rather meaner fare, though there are many notable excep¬
tions. Proprietors of these schools seem to have the matter of econo¬
my more at heart than the health of their pupils. They do not seem
to know that growing boys and girls need to be fed as well as growing
calves and colts, or pigs, but can get on with a small amount of food.
We once knew a school that boarded pupils and threw in their tuition,
for twelve to fifteen dollars a quarter of twelve weeks. How did they
do it? By half starving the boys and girls that lived in the house.
White bread, hashed potatoes, or tough steak, with a trifle of sauce,
was the daily bill of fare, with little variation. The proprietor, a
strong, hearty man, used to sit at the head ot' the table, say grace,and
eat as fast as he could himself; when through, rest his knife 011 the
table as a notice to return thanks, and send all away. The result was,
hearty, growing boys were half starved, and foraging 011 orchards and
cornfields was always going on.
We are so impressed with the importance of this subject, that Ave
copy from the London Food Journal the substance of an article show¬
ing how the boys are fed in a certain English school. We should
modify it materially for this country. For instance, we should leave
out the tea and coffee, and substitute milk or water or cocoa. For
boys and girls, in this excitable climate, tea and coffee are much
worse than in England. Wine and ale also should be left out, and
less meat eaten. If a lunch be taken, it should be of fruit. Oatmeal
and maple 01 other good syrup, or wheat and corn-meal mush should
be added daily, and so should good home-made brown bread, and light,
unleavened cakes or gems. No boy or girl should be under-fed. AH
desserts should be plain and nutritious. Ilicli cakes and pies, and hot
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
125
bread and biscuits should be omitted. With tliese hints, we commend
the article, not as furnishing an absolute guide, but as affording
abundant hints for an improved system of feeding boys and girls at
school. We also advise parents who send their children from home to
school, to refuse to patronize any school that does not furnish a good
table for the students.
The notion so long prevailing, that students should eat but little, is
utterly false, and lias done harm. They should not stuff themselves
at all hours with all sorts of bad food, but should eat abundance of the
very best.
The following is the article referred to :
Ox School Dietaries.—In the neighborhood of one of our Midland
cities is a school of some fifty boys. During some recent visits to this
school, the singular healthiness and heartiness of the boys made me
curious to learn exactly how they were fed. The following I ascer¬
tained to be the dietary :
Breakfast (in summer at 8, in winter at 8-80) consists of abundance
of milk, bread and butter, and cold meat. By way of a change now
and then, eggs for a few days together take the place of meat. Before
the foregoing, boys who like it have a small basin of bread and milk,
or of Scotch porridge made with milk. The milk is new, and comes
straight from a farm adjoining the school-grounds.
Lunch at 11—Each boy has a small fresh roll of bread, or a bun, or
a captain's biscuit, if weakly, a tumbler of milk ; but, as a rule, noth¬
ing is drunk at lunch, dinner, or supper but pure water.
Dinner at 1.80, always consists of two courses. 1. Two kinds of
meats, viz., beef and mutton, with not less than two kinds of veget¬
ables, and of these a liberal supply. 2. Pudding, usually of fruit,
fresh or preserved according to season, and always well sweetened.
On four days of the week the meat is hot roast ; on one day it is hot
boiled ; on one day steaks, cutlets, or made dishes are substituted for
joints; while the Sunday dinner always consists of cold beef, mashed
potatoes or salad, and plum pudding. After dinner, some ripe fruit,
as an orange or some kind of garden fruit, according to the season.
Tea at G p. m.—Tea, bread and butter, varied almost daily either with
home-made plum-cake, or marmalade, or honey. Whenever procur¬
able, some salad herb, such as lettuce, radish, etc., is given at tliig
meal, and always eaten with much relish.
Supper at 8 P. -m. (for senior boys only).—Bread and butter, or bread
and cheese, or biscuit, or, where it seems needed, a tumbler of milk
and a sandwich.
No hampers of eatables are allowed to be sent to the boys from their
friends, and no shops for the sale of sweets, etc., are allowed or acces¬
sible to the boys.
This dietary seems to me so nearly what growing boys or girls
ought to have, and so often what they do not get, even at their own
homes, that it may appropriately serve as the text for a few remarks
on the usual dietaries of public and private schools. I will begin by
at once stating my belief—as one who was himself at a private and a
public school, and who still sees a good deal of schoolboys—that either
126
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
in quality, quantity, and variety tlie dietary of nearly every school I
have known is more or less defective.
The usually unvaried breakfast of tea or coffee (and these fluids too
often of a miserably tliin description), with bread and butter, is a
meagre meal for a boy who has to break a twelve hours' fast. It is not
enough for the robust, nor varied enough for the delicate. A good
basin of bread and milk, or milk porridge, should always be allowed
an a substitute for tea or coffee ; and the latter, when preferred, should
always be accompanied with some little extra, such as a bit of cold
meat, or an egg—sometimes the one, sometimes the other, so as to
secure the utmost possible variety.
The fault of most school dinners is roughness in the cooking and
serving, insufficient variety in the form and kind of meat and veget¬
ables, and the too frequent absence of puddings. It will be seen by
the above dietary that with very little strain of culinary arrangements
meat may be served up in half a dozen different forms each week, and
if two kinds of it always come to table, ample variety will have been
attained. Variety in food is no mere luxury or pampering of appetite.
In all cases desirable, in the case of growing boys it is highly so ; while
in the case of boys with delicate or capricious appetites, it becomes an
absolute necessity. A certain percentage of such boys will be found
in every school—boys who, if denied considerable range of choice in
their food, will at least fail to thrive in the midst of plenty.
Many boys, being small meat-eaters, should at least have the chance
of " making up " with something further, and good reason can be
given why this something should be a well-sweetened pudding or tart;
if containing fresh or preserved fruit, so much the better. All boys,
as a rule, dislike meat fat, and leave it on their plates, and it is a bar¬
barous practice to try to make them eat it. And yet the same fat, in
a different guise, embodied with flour in a well-cooked pudding, they as
universally like. All boys, again, love sugar and the juices of fresh
vegetables or fruits, and it is a grave mistake not to secure a fair pro¬
portion of these elements in their daily food. Now a well-made fruit
pudding or tart combines these several elements in happy proportion
and palatable form, and boys' universal liking for this article of diet
is simply the practical expression of the physiological truth, that fat
and its chemical allies, starch and sugar, together with certain organic
acids and salts, are indispensable to the healthy constitution of the
blood—in other words, to the due building up and maintenance of the
fabric of the body.
A boy who has dined at 1 or 1.30 is ready by G o'clock for something
more than the eternal tea and bread and butter. He keenly relishes
at this meal some little variety or addition, such as plain home-made
cake, or some fruit, or a bit of whatever salad herb may be in season.
In the dietary above quoted, it will excite surprise* that no beer or
other stimulant is allowed either at dinner or at any other meal or
time in the day. If proof were needed that boys may grow up in the
perfection of health and strength without any stimulants whatever,
provided they-are liberally fed, I might point to the splendid physique
♦Remember this is written of England, not America.
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
127
of the little inmates of tliis particular school, and invite any one to
see how they work and how they play. Where the food is amply suf¬
ficient and varied, a boy does not want beer, nay, is better without it;
where the food is not so, beer or wine will but imperfectly supplement
its shortcomings.
Another noteworthy point in the arrangements of this school is the
veto on all "hampers from home," and the absence of any " shop" for
the sale of sweets, etc. These are far from harmless institutions ;
they are time-honored abominations which cannot be too strongly con¬
demned. The evil tendencies, at any rate of the latter, are so glaring
that its authorized existence is, in my opinion, a blot upon any school.
Setting aside the trash eaten, the sickness caused, the morbid ap¬
petite and habit of selfish gluttony acquired, and the facilities afforded
for the introduction of contraband goods—the money boys often spend
at these places is grievous to think of. I can vouch for many a
boy, whose parents were weak enough to supply him with almost
unlimited pocket-money, having often spent at his school " shop " a
weekly sum quite sufficient to feed a poor family. Now, where school
meals are abundant enough, varied enough (especially in respect of
sugar and vegetable juices), and frequent enough, there the inmates
will have no further craving for cakes, sweets, fruits, etc. But if
there be a shortcoming in one or other of these respects, then instinct
drives the boys to seek elsewhere those elements of food in which
their regular diet is deficient. An authorized "tuck shop," therefore,
in connection with a school is prima facie evidence to an outsider, and
not uncommonly a tacit admission on the part of the school proprietor
that the diet of the inmates by no means satisfies all their legitimate
cravings.
That a scale of diet such as I have here advocated is just about
what boys ought to have, if they are to develop into strong healthy
men, I am satisfied from' personal experience and observation. That
it is at all likely to meet with the acceptance of schoolmasters gen¬
erally, I am not simple enough to suppose. It is too violent an inno¬
vation on old routine. Nay, even paterfamilias himself will probably
pooh-pooh such new-fangled notions of feeding boys like grown men
(especially when he finds they cost more money), forgetting that boys
need more and more varied food than men. So-and-so was good
enough for his (pater's) boyhood, why won't it do for his son's ? But
paterfamilias should speak only for himself. The diet of his school¬
days sufficed for him, thanks probably to his sound constitution, but
Avas it enough for many of his less robust schoolmates 't Did any of
these in after years fail to grow up strong and healthy men ? and if
so, is paterfamilias sure that their " simple," i. e., monotonous and
meagre mode of feeding during their years of most active growth had
nought to do with their failure ?
Just as any system of teaching is a real success in proportion as it
adapts itself to the peculiar needs—not of those who are quick and
willing, but of those who are slow or averse to learn—so any scale of
diet approaches perfection in exact proportion to the provision made,
not merely for the average standard of taste and appetite, but for all
reasonable deviations therefrom. The daily meals of a school may ba
128
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
abundant and of good quality, still if they're not more varied tlian
t.° nay certain knowledge tliey often are, many a boy and girl must
fail day after day to get those particular elements of nutrition which
they specially require. The result with such boys and girls is that
even in the midst of plenty they remain under-fed and imperfectly
nourished, thus retarding if not arresting the due growth and develop¬
ment of their bodies, and strongly favoring the development of any
inherited or any other constitutional unsoundness lurking within
them.
BRAIN FOOD.
Does the man who labors with his brain require the same kinds of
food as he who labors with his body ?
Ans.—Dr. J. M. Winn, an eminent English physician, says : " If we
keep in view the difference between the structure of the nervous and
muscular tissues, it becomes evident that a somewhat different kind of
diet is required for the nutrition of the former from that of the latter.
In order to develop and support the muscular organization, a large
proportion of nitrogenous food is requisite ; not so when the object is
to supply the waste of the more delicate and subtle tissue of the nerv¬
ous system. Fatty matter and phosphorus enter largely into the
composition of the brain. It has been estimated that the former (brain
wax, or brain fat, as it has been called), amounts to about one-third,
and the latter (phosphorus) to one-twentieth or one-thirtieth of its
solid substance. It is now generally believed that exertion of the will
and reasoning powers cause an expenditure of the brain material, and
a corresponding exhaustion of the nervous force. However, it must
not be forgotten that prolonged bodily exercise exhausts the nervous
force, as muscular contractions are commonly brought into action by
nervous influence, hence the importance of a student avoiding exces¬
sive bodily efforts, which expend that nervous energy so essential for
brain work.
" Large quantities of animal food and malt liquor conduce rather to
somnolency than to mental activity. There is a common saying that
' fish feeds the brain,' which may depend. on the phosphorus it
contains. Certainly there can be 110 doubt that some sorts of fish,
such as soles, whiting, plaice, etc., are peculiarly suitable to a weak
digestion. I may incidentally observe that I have found a fish diet
especially serviceable for those predisposed to consumption.
" The London correspondent of the Birmingham Morning News
alludes to a new book that lias recently appeared, containing remarks
about the diet of certain literary men ; and he states that he is ac¬
quainted with a well-known writer who cleaves to oatmeal porridge
when he is in working trim. In this respect the said writer imitates
Gerald Massey, who swears by oatmeal porridge as a brain-inspiring
compound. * There is a deal of phosphorus in oatmeal,' Mr. Massey
says, 'and phosphorus is brain. There is also a large amount of
phosphorus in fish. Consequently I never miss having a fish dinner at
least once a week, and take a plate of good, thick, coarse, well-boiled
Scotch oatmeal every morning iu my lifV "
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
129
To tliis it may be added that the best diet for brain workers who
take a proper care of their health is brown bread, cream, fresh batter,
oatmeal, eggs, fresh cheese (if it agrees), fish, and a moderate amount
of meat. Oysters may be used freely in their season, and fruits
should not be omitted. There should be variety and change as the
Beason and health require.
APPLES AS FOOD.
Do you recommend apples as a portion of the regular diet ?
Ans.—Yes, quite as much as potatoes. Many persons do not value
apples sufficiently as an important article of diet. Besides containing
a large amount of sugar, mucilage, and other nutritive matter, this fruit
contains vegetable acids, aromatic qualities, etc., which act powerfully
in the capacity of refrigerants, tonics,and antiseptics, and when freely
used at the season of mellow ripeness prevent debility, indigestion,
and avert, without doubt, many of the " ills which flesh is heir to."
The operators of Cornwall, England, consider ripe apples nearly as
nourishing as bread, and far more so than potatoes. In 1810, which
was a year of much scarcity, apples, instead of being converted into
cider, were sold to the poor ; and the laborers asserted that they
could " stand their work" on baked apples without meat; whereas a
potato diet required either meat or some other substantial nutriment.
The French and Germans use apples extensively, as do the inhabit¬
ants of all European nations. The laborers depend upon them as an
article of food, and frequently make a dinner of sliced apples and
bread. There is no fruit cooked in as many different ways in our
country, nor is there any fruit whose value, as an article of nutriment,
is so great.
An old gentleman recently stated to us that every fall he used to
have a severe sickness, but since he bought, during the season, a
barrel of good apples, for himself alone, and ate the whole barrel in
two or three months, he had every year saved himself from this sick¬
ness without wanting a doctor.
Two good apples eaten before or soon after breakfast are an almost
sure cure for constipation.
OIL OF ALMONDS.
Is oil of bitter almonds injurious if used to flavor foods ?
Ans.—Nearly all the oil of bitter almonds used in this country con¬
tains a very small amount of prussic acid, and for this reason it is in¬
jurious, as this is a powerful poison. Taylor, in his Medical Juris¬
prudence, says it is a disgrace that such substances are allowed to be
sold as flavors to foods. Confectioners use it in the preparation of
food, and it is largely used in domestic cookery. So powerful is it
that a single drop will flavor a large amount of cake. The artificial
almond oil is made from nitre-benzole, a product of the distillation of
coal tar.
130
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
FRUIT ESSENCE.
Wliat if! the composition of the various fruit flavors in common use
for cooking?
Ans.—The genuine are made from the fruits themselves, and are
wholesome and palatable. Most of them in use are artificial; for in¬
stance, quince essence is made of aqua fortis, oil of rue, etc. ; pear
flavor from fusil oil, acetate of potash and sulphuric acid ; apple
essence from fusil oil, sulphuric acid and valerian acid ; strawberry,
raspberry, and other essences are made from various compounds of
ethers. Taken in any quantity they are believed to be injurious to
health ; and no doubt children, who are most likely to indulge in them
to excess, are often made sick by them; indeed, such cases are common.
The fruit syrups used at the soda fountains are largely artificial, and
few can tell the difference, except in the after effect. The genuine is
wholesome, the latter injurious.
FRUIT JELLIES.
Is the fruit jelly seen so often on the hotel table, used so frequently
for dessert, and sold so abundantly by the grocer, healthful ?
Ans.—Genuine fruit jelly is a wholesome dessert, and makes a
pleasant drink when diluted with water, but most of the so-called
fruit jelly put up so neatly in glass jars, so prettily colored, is not
jelly at all, but a preparation from the feet and legs and bones of
dead animals, that should find their way to the bone-boiler or the
manufacturer of bone dust for the farmer. It is very cheap when
compared with the true fruit jelly, and is made to resemble it by the
color so easily given by the chemist. Chemistry is an art which has
done much for civilization, but it has also done a great deal for dis¬
honest dealers, and a great deal to destroy the health of the people.
Yet strange to say, most of them are too thoughtless to use their
brains to protect themselves. When will people demand and have
only genuine articles instead of cheap, worthless, fraudulent stuff,
bearing only the name ?
TARTARIC ACID.
T* tt proper to use tartaric acid in cookery ?
Ans.—Tartaric acid is put up under the false name of fruitina, and
is largely used to make tarts, pies, etc. It is not a rank poison but
cannot be used very extensively without harm, and is no substitute
for fruit. We advise you not to use it.
MELONS.
Are water and musk melons wholesome ?
Ans.—There are many persons who think the melon very unwhole¬
some, but there really is no more wholesome fruit. If eaten fresh
and fully ripe, it makes a most agreeable addition to tlie breakfast
and dinner table.
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
131
OATMEAL AND MILK DIET.
Why are the Scotch people, who drink a great deal of whisky, the
best developed, physically, of any of the English race?
Ans.—According to Dr. Edward Smith, who carefully investigated
this subject, their line bodies are in great part the result of their
diet of oatmeal and milk. The Scotch women and children do less
factory work, and live more out of doors.
When the writer was in Edinburgh, the celebrated Dr. Guthrie
called his attention to the size, of Scotch people, and to the fact that
the average size of their heads was greater than that of any other
nation in tlie world, not excepting even the English ; and when asked
how he accounted for this, he replied that he thought it was owing
largely to their universal devotion to oatmeal.
Indeed, the writer observed that the national dish was found upon
the table at almost every meal, in the houses of the rich as well as
the poor. In the morning came the mush, and in the evening the
traditional cake, about the size of the crown of a hat, and a little
harder than a sun-dried brick.
For further confirmation on this important question, let the writer
add that he has found a great advantage to follow the daily use of
(honest) brown bread and oatmeal in liis family. A child whose first
teeth came through in a starved condition, so that they began to decay
at once and cause much suffering, is now blessed with as fine a set of
second cutters as any one could ask, while the general health of all
has improved. In fact, we all vote that we must daily have our
brown bread and its twin-sister dish of oatmeal.
HONEY.
Is honey wholesome ?
Ans.—Yes, used in moderation it is. Very old honey, however,
should be eschewed.
WORKING ON RICE AND MILK.
Can a man do hard work on rice and milk ?
Ans.—Yes, especially in hot weather, as the following case shows :
A health reformer was told that he could not keep up with the crew
of men through haying on his "sick folks' baby diet." He replied
that he could go through the two weeks of haying on rice and milk,
and endure the labor as well as any man in the crew. The whole
company ridiculed him.
" They laughed, 'twas well; but the rule applied
Soon made them laugh on the other side."
He went through the entire haying season with only rice and milk
for nourishment, and, to the astonishment of all, did more work and
endured it better than any other man in the company. They had sup¬
posed that rice contained but little nourishment, was suitable only for
g'ck people, students, etc., but were surprised to learn that there is ou
earth but one other article of food (oatmeal) containing more nourish¬
ment to the pound than rice.
132
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
A HYGIENIC MEAL.
Will you please give us a bill of fare for a simple, wholesome
breakfast without moat?
Ans.—liaised Graham bread, gems, baked potatoes, baked apples,
cream, butter, boiled eggs. If you liave cold musli, whether made of
corn-meal, oatmeal, or Graliam Hour, you may cut it in slices, place
upon slightly buttered pans, and warm in the oven. Bake the potatoes
in a hot oven, and take them out the moment they are done, or they
will be heavy, waxy, and sodden. Kenioved at just the right time,
they will be white and mealy, and such are better cold than over-
baked ones, though steaming hot.
Then for a simple drink mix equal parts of corn-meal or Graham
flour, or corn-meal and oatmeal, stir a cupful of this in two quarts of
boiling water, boil for twenty minutes, then add a quart of milk, pour
into a pitcher, and send to the table. A cupful is an indefinite
quantity ; we purposely leave it so, for some will prefer for that
. quantity of gruel a very small cupful, and some will prefer it thicker.
Puddings or cracked wheat, cooked the day before, may be placed on
the breakfast table cold or slightly warmed, to be eaten with sugar
and hot milk or stewed berries.
To be added to the bill, if the family is large, or substituted for
some of the articles if the family be small, consider the following:
Baked squash, Graham bread toast, with boiling milk thickened with
corn-starcli poured over it, or add to boiling milk, Woken stale bread ;
boil for one minute and send to the table hot. Graham mush, oatmeal
musli, or cracked wheat, sent to the table in saucers, hot, to be eaten
with sugar and cream or stewed fruit; corn bread or corn-meal gems ;
cabbage, cut fine, boiled in a small quantity of water, add cream
dressing or lemon juice; boil together freshly pared turnips and
potatoes (the turnips must boil awhile before the potatoes are added);
as soon as done pour off the water, dry for a moment, mash finely, add
a little milk or cream, then stir well with a fork, dish and send to the
table hot.
TO MAKE OATMEAL RELISH-
How can oatmeal be made to relish ?
Ans.—Fill a saucer nearly full of well-cooked oatmeal. Now fill
the oatmeal full of strawberries (pressing them in), ripe peaches, ripe
pears, or some such fruit. Add a little sugar and cream. It is a rich
and delicate dish.
BREAD MADE WITH SEA WATER.
Can a wholesome bread be made with sea water?
Ans.—M. Rabuteau calls attention to the importance of this article.
In the first place it is very pleasant eating, also increasing the appe¬
tite and stimulating digestion. On board ship, bread so prepared has
been found very conducive to the preservation of health during long
voyages. It also exerts important medicinal effects, especially in
dyspepsia. In phthisis and in scrofula it, is said to be a powerful ad¬
juvant. Of this, however, we have little positive knowledge.
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
133
FASHIONABLE DINNERS.
Are late fashionable dinners objectionable ?
Aiss.—There can be little doubt that the very late dinner hour pat¬
ronized by modern society is highly unnatural, undesirable, and per¬
nicious. The fatigues undergone by fashionable folks during the day
do not tend to whet appetite—rather they serve to blunt its cravings
—besides, the stomach of such is unfitted from properly fulfilling its
functions. Of course tempting viands are presented on the dining-
table, prepared by practised and skillful cooks, while the pleasures of
love, friendship, and social converse become added as incentives. All
the more dangerous, we should say. It is possible to cloy the stomach,
and yet derive 110 benefit therefrom, but contrariwise. Better be in
the condition of the Cambridge students of yore, and " diet upon fast¬
ing every day" than cause the human system to receive more than it
can digest. " I restrained myself," observes Bacon, "to so regular a
diet as to eat flesh but once a day, and a little at a time, without salt
or vinegar."
FOOD FOR GOUT.
What is the best food for gout ?
Aks.—Temperance at the table. Dr. Clieyene said, nearly two
hundred years ago :
" Three pints of milk and six ounces of bread, daily, are the only
certain remedies for gout. Let two people be chosen, as like as pos¬
sible, both suffering from the same cause. Give the most promising
patient the most approved nostrums, etc., and let the other have only
the simplest attention, but placed under a strict diet, the lightest and
least, milk and seed diet, and I will venture reputation and life that
my method cures soonest,"
CHESTNUTS.
Are chestnuts wholesome ?
Aks.—Yes. In New York they are mainly eaten roasted or boiled,
but where the teeth are sound, so they can be masticated thoroughly,
they may be eaten raw, if preferred, by the young and those who
have good stomachs.
POTATOES.
Are potatoes a good article of food for sedentary people?
Ans.—Potatoes are more important than any other root used for
food, and, on the score of their economy, are advantageously used in
large quantities by those who work hard out of doors, though their
nutritrive value is not great except the starch they contain. They arc,
however, easily cultivated, easily kept, easily cooked, and easily
digested ; but being wanting in fat and nitrogenous matter, they re¬
quire to be eaten in conjunction with those kinds of food which will
supply the deficiency. They should be white and mealy. Sedentary
people who have weak digestion had better not eat very largely of
potatoes, especially new ones, or those that are very old. During the
134
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
winter and .spring potatoes begin to grow old and decay, wlien they
become particularly unwholesome. Never eat one of these. If there
is any taint about them, any bad taste or smell, never put them in
your stomach. In the city they are exposed so much to cold, and
lieat and light, and get so bruised, that they are never so good as
when they come from the farmer's cellar. While on this subject we
will give our readers a receipt for raising wholesome and delicious
potatoes. Choose a soil that is a dry and sandy loam if possible ; but
any soil will do except where it is positively wet. With a plough
mark out your furrows three and a half feet apart, and eight or ten
inches deep. Now fill this furrow four inches deep with thoroughly
rotten oak tan bark, or chip manure, on which is a good sprinkling of
salt. Over this spread the soil half an inch thick, and plant the best
varieties of potatoes. Strictly follow this rule, and nutritious and
delicious potatoes will be the result.
MID-DAY HEARTY MEALS.
Is a hearty meal in the middle of the day a good thing for a literary
person who expects to write in the afternoon V
Ans.—No. The dinner should be light, or delayed till the work is
done. Intense brain work cannot go on at the same time the stomach
is strongly taxed in digesting food.
EATING GRAPE SEEDS, Etc.
In eating grapes, apples, cherries, and other fruits, may one safely
swallow the stones or seeds ?
Ans.—It is best not to do it. No good comes from it, and some¬
times great danger. A person, for instance, who eats a pound of
Catawba grapes and swallows the seeds, takes into the stomach four
large hard stones to each grape. Now count the grapes to a pound
and see how many there are. Now collect the stones, or seeds, to¬
gether, and see what a pile it makes ! These go rasping through the
bowels like so many gravel stones, causing piles, ulceration, obstruc¬
tions, etc
MOULDY BREAD.
Is there any danger in eating mouldy bread ?
Ans.—Yes, several cases of poisoning have been observed by the
use of mouldy bread. Jollier has signalized the poisoning of three
animals which had eaten mouldy bread. Westerhofi has made known
the case of two children who had taken rye bread containing the
mucor mucedo, the most common species of mould. The mould com¬
monly found in bread is the Ascophora mucedo, a species of minute
fungi closely allied to the mucor mucedo named above. This last is
the "kind that is often found plentifully on ripe fruit, preserves, etc.,
and when observed should be removed at once, not only because of its
deleterious nature, but also for the reason that it materially hastens
the progress of decay.
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
135
MEAT.
Is not a large quantity of flesli meat necessary to the highest
health ?
Ans.—No doubt a large quantity of flesh meat is demanded by
persons who eat mainly of fine bread, and the ordinary fare of the
majority of people ; but much less will be found necessary with the
diet commended in this work, and in many cases persons will find it a
positive delight to avoid meat entirely. Still we do not advise this
unless they choose wisely and well their food from among the very
best articles used. Meat is generally considered necessary to maintain
health and strength ; but this is largely the result of the false teach¬
ing of writers and the false education of the people. People eat too
much meat. This taxes the excretory organs, renders the blood liable
to be filled with impurities, which, if not eliminated, cause gout and
other diseases.
SUBSTITUTES FOR FLESH.
Are there any substitutes for flesh food which are equally healthful
and nourishing ?
Ans.—Yes. Eggs, cheese, and cream are good substitutes for flesh.
They should not be eaten so constantly, but occasionally. The con¬
stant and daily use of eggs and cheese would overload the blood with
nitrogenous matter and do harm. About one-tliird of the weight of
an egg is solid nutriment. This is more than can be said of meat.
There are no bones and tough pieces that must be laid aside. A
good egg is made up of ten parts shell, sixty parts white, and thirty
parts yolk. The white of an egg contains eighty-six per cent, of
water, the yolk fifty-two per cent. The average weight of an egg is
about two ounces. Practically, an egg is animal food, and yet there is
none of the disagreeable work of the butcher necessary to obtain it.
The vegetarians of England use eggs freely, and many of these men
are eighty and ninety years old, and have been remarkably free from
illness. A good egg is alive. The shell is porous, and the oxygen of
the air goes through the shell and keeps up a sort of respiration.
Eggs may be dried and made to retain their goodness for a long time,
or the shell may be varnished, which excludes the air, when, if kept
at a proper temperature, they may be kept good for years.
Good cheese is even more nutritious than eggs. Cheese varies much
in its composition, but when properly made it contains about one-tliird
water, one-third albuminous material, one-fourth fat, and about five
per cent, of mineral matter. One-half of a pound of good cheese con¬
tains as much nitrogenous matter as a pound of the best meat, and
one-third of a pound as much fat as a pound of average meat. Old
cheese, however, is not wholesome, and should not be eaten. Very
new cheese, on the other hand, is less easy of digestion. Cheese is
difficult to keep in warm climates, and easily decays in all places un¬
less properly cared for. Mouldy and decayed cheese is unwholesome,
but this can always be known by the taste. American cheese is not
bo good as English and Swiss, still the best American cheese is very
good. The English working classes use bread and cheese largely as
136
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
an article of diet. The Americans use it as a relish and luxury, but
rarely as an article of nourishment, We "believe Americans use too
much meat. Those who wish for a substitute will find it in good eggs
and cheese. With these foods, used properly, and fish, we need
rarely use meat.
MEAT AND THE EXCRETIONS.
Does meat tax the excretory organs severely?
Ans.—Very much meat severely taxes the kidneys to carry off any
surplus of effete nitrogenous matter.
ANIMAL FOOD AND BRAVERY.
Docs not animal food make people braver and bolder than vegetable
food ?
Ans.—Such may be true, but we do not believe it. Good food, and
plenty of it, and good health may help to make people brave, and to
a great extent this depends on food ; bat that bravery is the result of
eating either animal or vegetable food we very much doubt.
EXCITING AN APPETITE.
When a person has a poor appetite, is it wise to sharpen it by arti¬
ficial devices?
Ans.—Such a practice is wrong, and may lead to baneful results.
FAT AND SCROFULA.
Does fat food produce scrofula?
Ans.—It. is believed that fat pork does produce scrofula, but we do
not think that other fats produce it. Indeed, fat in some forms is
essential to health.
EATING PORK.
A country friend writes : " It is now about liog-killing time ; every¬
body round here, men, women and children, will almost live on pork
for weeks to come—pork soups, pork mince pies, pork cake, and pork
everything. Do you think pork is a nutritious article of food, and
ever suitable as an article of durt for children ? Many here think it
ridiculous to say that pork is not healthy. Will you please give us
your ideas on this question ?
Axs.—1. It is the source of nearly all the tape-worms found in the
human body. Now and then one comes from eating beef or mutton ;
but this is a very rare occurrence.
2. It is the source of all the trichina, that so dreadfully affects
human beings at times, these never coming from other meat.
8. Hogs are almost always fattened so as to be actually diseased
before killing.
4. It is generally believed that pork-eating is a common source of
scrofula.
5. For sedentary people and for women it furnishes far too much
of the fats for the best nutrition of the body.
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
137
6. " And tlie swine, though he divide the hoof and be cloven-footed,
yet he clieweth not the cud ; he is unclean to you. Of their flesh
fsliall ye not eat, and their carcass shall ye not touch."—Leviticus xi.
7 and 8.
" And the swine, because it dividetli the hoof yet clieweth not the
cud, it is unclean unto you. Ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch
their dead carcass."—Dcut. xiv. 8.
" I have spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people
which worketli in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts,
which remain among the graves and lodge in the mountains, which
eat swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels."
•—Isaiah Ixv. 2 and 4.
" They that sanctify themselves, etc., eating swine's flesh, and the
abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith tlio
Lord."—Isaiah lxvi. 17.
EGGS SOFT OR HARD BOILED.
I have two friends who sit near me at table, and they often dispute'
about eggs, one says soft boiled eggs are most Avliolesome, and the
other says hard boiled eggs are the healthiest. Please tell us if hard
boiled eggs are ever healthy.
Ans.—Hard boiled eggs have always been considered more difficult!
of digestion than soft boiled ones. The reason is this : the white ofj
an egg is almost pure albumen. Now albumen coagulates with lieat,
and is not so readily acted on by the gastric juice ; so that much of it
passes from the stomach undigested. Persons with vigorous diges¬
tion may manage a hard-boiled egg so as to extract most of the
nourishment from it, if it be well masticated and mixed with other
food. The yolk of the egg, however, is not rendered worse by hard
boiling. Eggs boiled just four minutes leave the white part in a
partly flocculent condition, more easily digested, and not so soft as to
be offensive to any one. An egg may be cooked in water at a tem¬
perature of about 165° P. for fifteen minutes and leave the yolk well
cooked, but the white will not be rendered tough and hard to digest.
Though more troublesome, this is a good way to cook an egg to render
it easy of digestion as well as palatable. Persons whose palates will
not tolerate a soft-boiled egg should have them poached and dropped
on toast.
WINE FOR CHILDREN.
Do you think a weakly child would be injured by a glass or two of
wine after dinner?
Ans. —The child's blood must not be inflamed by such means. If
ardent spirits are used by any it should be by the aged, and not by the
young.
ADULTERATED MILK.
Do you think it morally wrong to adulterate milk; nearly every
milkman does it, and an honest one can hardly live?
Ans.—We should like to see every dishonest milkman nailed by the
138
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
ears to liis pump till lie would promise to do better. Adulterated milk
kills children by inches.
NOTIONAL PEOPLE.
Do you think it well for people to be notional and squeamish, about
their food ?
Ans.— No. It is well to be wise in the choice of food, but not no¬
tional. It is generally best to train the appetite to take what is con¬
venient. providing it is wholesome. Custom will make it pleasant to
you. This rule will perhaps have exceptions, as when there are idio¬
syncrasies.
VALUE OF DIFFERENT PARTS OF MEAT.
Why is there so much difference in the nutritive value of the flesh
of animals in different parts of the body ?
Ans.—Flesh is composed of numerous bundles of minute tubes ad¬
hering together in a mass. These tubes are filled with the juices of
the flesh. Now the quality of the flesh depends much on the juices,
while the tenderness or toughness depends largely on these tubes, and
these vary with the age and condition of the animal. In old or ill-fed
animals the tubes are more tliau the juices, and the meat is tough. In
young animals it is the reverse. There is more nutriment in the flesli
of animals not too young or too old, and neither too fat nor too lean.
SALTED vs. FRESH MEAT.
Why is not salted meat as wholesome as fresh ?
Ans.—1. Salt extracts a considerable portion of the juices of flesh.
It also hardens it.
2. The flavor is far inferior.
3. It carries far too much salt into the system. Much of the im¬
paired health farmers have in spring comes from this source. This
excess of salt with the meat begets tliirgt, loss of appetite, impaired
digestion and skin disease. It would be far better for them to eat no
meat in winter, but substitute oatmeal, molass-cs, cream and fruit for
salted flesh, than to eat so much of the latter. With this diet they would
rarely have the debility in spring now so common.
EXTRACT OF MEAT.
Is Liebig's extract of meat as good as is claimed- by the manufac¬
turers ?
Ans. No, not half nor a quarter so good. To make, for instance, one
pound of this extract requires thirty pounds of flesh, but is all the
nutriment of the flesh condensed to this amount? By no means, but
only the juices of the flesh and those parts soluble and the least nutri¬
tious. For very feeble persons, who can take but little food, it may
be useful; but as a staff for the sick generally, who need good nour¬
ishment, it is a broken reed.
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
139
BUTTER.
Is butter a food—that is, does it nourish and strengthen the body?
Ans.—Butter is a food quite as much as meat. Indeed, tliere is more
strength stored up in an ounce of butter than two ounces of the best
lean meat; but butter will not furnish material to build up the tissues
of the body as bread and meat do. A man would starve on a butter
diet in a very short time. Butter is a fat useful in the body to support
animal heat and generate force, as coal and wood do under the boiler,
and of some use in building muscular and nervous tissues.
EATING TO PLEASE.
When dining with friends, should we eat of all the dishes set before
us to please our host, who good-naturedly urges us to take more than
we want ?
Ans.—
" 'Tis better, sir, I should you now displease,
Than, by complying, next day lose my ease."
An ingenious and dextrously made excuse is always as acceptable as
compliance^
HYGIENIC COFFEE.
How can hygienic coffee be made ?
Ans.—What is called hygienic coffee may be made from rye, corn,
sweet potatoes, peas, beans, etc., etc. It may be made by roasting
these articles and treating them in about the same way that coffee is
treated. As an occasional drink they are wholesome, and if well made,
an agreeable beverage.
BE AGREEABLE AT MEALS.
You tell us to make ourselves agreeable and entertaining during our
meals. Some of us have not the faculty of ready speech. What's to
be done in such a case ?
Ans.—Every one can do something to add to the social life at the
table. If one cannot talk, he can listen, or ask questions, and draw
out others who can talk. Good listeners are as necessary as good
talkers. Never argue at the table ; but tell pleasant stories, relate or
read anecdotes, and look out for the good of all. Sometimes a single
anecdote from a paper starts a conversation that lasts during the meal
time.
A family table ought to be bright and cheerful, a sort of domestic
altar, before which every one casts down his or her offering, great or
small, of pleasantness and peace ; where, for at least a brief space in
the day, all annoyances are laid aside, all stormy tempers hushed, all
quarrels healed ; every one being glad and content to sit down at the
(same board, and eat the same bread and salt, making it, whether it
v/ere a rich repast or a dinner of herbs, equally a joyful, almost a
sacramental meal.
140
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
EATING WHEN TIRED.
Is it injurious to eat a liearty meal while very tired ?
Ans.—Yes, it is very injurious. Always arrange your labor so as to
have a short resting-spell both before and after every hearty meal,
especially if old or feeble.
OATMEAL DRINKS.
How is oatmeal drink made?
Ans.—This is highly recommended by those who have tested it. A
writer says : " Last year we attended a field trial of plows, and for a
drink in the field we had buckets of cold water with oatmeal stirred
in, which we found to be both victuals and drink, and mighty refresh¬
ing." A Scottish medical journal also says of oatmeal, that, in its raw
state, when mixed with water, it is becoming a favorite drink. The
brose of "Auld Scotland" is becoming a favorite dish—and we are
glad to note this, because we believe it to be a healthy and muscle-
forming nourishment. The liuntfers and trappers of the West, are
substituting oatmeal in this form for parched Indian corn. The
same brawny fellows, whose powers of endurance are proverbial,
whose scorn of fatigue is known to all readers of natural history, have
found out tliat a very acceptable drink is made by putting about two
teaspoonfuls of oatmeal to a tumbler of water. This they—the hun¬
ters and trappers—aver to be the best drink they can use ; and it is at
once nourishing, unstimulating, and satisfying.
It is a good substitute for tea, coffee, or any form of intoxicating
liquors, which produce so much harm.
FOOD AND PROLIFICNESS.
What food causes people to be most prolific ?
Ans. It is said that the families of fishermen are largest and very
healthy, but we think this may arise from the fact that they live
largely out of doors and take a great deal of exercise, as well as eat
fish. It was once thought that the reason why the Irish are so
prolific, was because thy live so largely on potatoes, but in our
opinion this is not true. Prolificness is an inheritance. Some races
and families are so by nature, and others are the reverse. It depends
partly on the health and vigor of the generative apparatus, partly on
habit, partly 011 food, and, strange to say, too much food, especially
when coupled with indolence, interferes with bearing children. Un¬
fortunately the poor are more prolific than the rich. This subject is
more fully discussed in our little work, " Parturition without Pain."
LARGE STOMACHS.
Is it well for a child to have a- large abdomen ?
Ans.—It should not be abnormally large, but it should be much
larger than many people think. Only a good-sized stomach is capable
of digesting abundance of food to keep up a large supply of blood.
Small stomachs and small lungs are incompatible with high health
and great powers. When children are kept on very concentrated food
*
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
141
and too mucli sugar, tlie stomach is apt to be too small. On tlie other
hand, if kept only on coarse vegetables it may be too large. Never
reduce tlie size of tlie stomach by tight lacing. Corsets injure this
organ and the liver more than they injure the lungs.
CODFISII.
Is codfish easy of digestion ?
Ans.—Dr. Pavy declares codfish to be " a more trying article of food
to the stomach than is generally credited."
BEST SEASON FOE FISII.
When are fish best for food ?
Ans.—Their quality is best just before tlie spawning season, when
they are in good health and condition. Just after spawning they are
least valuable as food. Fish that have not attained the spawning age
are always in season.
SHELL FISII.
Are shell fish nutritive and easy of digestion ?
Ans.—They are less nutritive and more difficult of digestion than
other forms of animal food, and are apt to upset delicate stomachs.
Oysters are, however, an exception.
OYSTERS.
Has an oyster stomach, heart, and liver?
Ans.—An oyster lias a stomach, but no heart. It has gills like a
fish, which answer for lungs. It has a very large liver, indeed, about
two-thirds of an oyster is liver.
RAW OYSTERS.
Are raw oysters digestible?
Ans. They are more digestible than cooked ones. It is believed by-
some that there is a true gastric juice in an oyster's stomach, which
assists in digesting them.
This, however, is not known with certainty.
COMPOSITION OF OYSTERS.
What is the chemical composition of an oyster?
Ans. — It varies somewhat; but Paven gives the following
analysis :
Nitrogenous matter 14.010
Fatty matter 1.515
Saline matter 2.
Non-nitrogenous matter and loss 1 oil."*
Water 80.883
100.000
142
*
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
OYSTERS IN SUMMER.
Why are not ojsters eatable in months with an "r" in them?
Ans.—The oysters cast their spawn in May, lose their good condi¬
tion, become poor and sickly, and are reckoned " out of season." In
J une, July, and August they regain their good condition and become
eatable once more.
RICE.
Is rice nutritious?
Ans.—Rice is very rich in starch, yielding from seventy-five to
ninety per cent, of this caibo-hydrate. It is very poor in nitrogenous
matter, yielding only six or seven per cent. It is very poor also in
saline matter and in fat. The starch of rice is very easily digested,
and it forms a valuable food for delicate stomachs.
The composition of rice is :
Nitrogenous matter 6.3
Carbo-hydrates 79.5
Fatty matter .7
Saline matter .5
Water 13.0
100.0
NUTS.
Are nuts Avholesome?
Ans.—Nuts are a very rich food, containing much oil, in such a
state that it is not easily acted on by the gastric juice unless minutely
divided before being passed to the stomach. Thoroughly chewed,
however, they are wholesome for persons with good stomachs.
Children may eat nuts freely to advantage, but care should be
taken to choose fresh ones. Stale, old, overdried nuts are very indi¬
gestible and injurious.
TURNIPS, Etc.
Is there much nutriment in the turnip, carrot, etc.?
Ans.—-Very little. They contain about ninety per cent, of water.
Their chief value is as a divisor of more nutritious food, to allow the
gastric j uice to act on it more readily, and as a relish.
FRUITS.
Should fruits constitute a very large share of our food?
Ans.—Fruits are a very important article of food. They are agree¬
able, refreshing, wholesome. They counteract the injurious effects of
too much nitrogenous, fatty, and salty matter. They are not highly
nutritious, and should not be eaten in such quantities as to overtax the
stomach, as they easily undergo decomposition and produce flatulence.
THE BEST FRUIT.
Which is the best of all the fruits ?
Ans.—The apple. It is, when cooked, very easily digested and lax-
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
143
ative, overcoming'constipation and furnishing a valuable acid for the
stomach. The following is the composition of an apple :
Sugar 7.58
Malic acid 1.04
Nitrogenous matter 0.23
Pectous substances 2.73
Ash 0 44
Water 88.00
100.00
This does not include seeds or stem.
THE ORANGE.
Do you think an orange, is wholesome, if taken before breakfast 1
Ans.—The orange is very easily digested, admissible in health and
disease, and one before breakfast will often prepare the delicate stom¬
ach for a good meal better than anything else.
GRAPES.
Are not grapes very nutritious and a healthy food ?
Ans.—They are. Well ripened, sweet grapes may be taken to great
advantage in cases of dyspepsia, liver complaiirt, constipation, and by
nearly all invalids. The skin and seeds should be rejected. The " grape
cure" is very popular in France, Spain, and Germany; but European
grapes are better than American. The composition of grapes is:
Sugar 13.780
Malic acid 1.020
Nitrogenous matter 833
Pectous matter 498
Ash 340
Seeds and Skin 3.593
Pectose 941
Water 79.997
BEST TIME TO EAT FRUIT.
When is the best time to eat fruit?
Ans.—Most writers advise that fruit should always be eaten as a
part of the regular meal ; but- we believe that from an hour before to
an hour after quite as good a time as any. Fruits do not need much
digestion and need not interfere with the digestive process. I)o not
mix fruits with roots—such as potatoes, for instance. In good health
they may be eaten moderately at any time when they are demanded.
Fruits are more of a drink than food. Children in health may have
l'ruit most freely, but should not eat it just before going to bed. If it
causes flatulence, eat less of it.
For a full statement of the analysis of nil fruits, and their virtues,
Bee " Pavy on Food." Our space will not allow of a full discussion
of this subject.
144
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
HONEY.
Is honey a true food, and may it bo eaten with, safety ?
Ans.—iloney is a vegetable product, secreted by tlxe nectariferous
glands of flowers, sucked up by bees, passed to the honey-bag, possibly
slightly changed before disgorged, and deposited in the cell of comb.
I'll re fresh honey is slightly laxative and wholesome. The comb is
not easily digested. A German teacher has lately written a work on
the subject of honey and its healing properties. While he may over¬
estimate its value, what he says is interesting. lie says :
" A strong influence for publishing this book was the fact that I, a
sufferer from hemorrhages, already given up to despair, and at the
verge of the grave, was saved by the wonderful curative powers of
honey ; and now, thank God, I am freed, not only from weakness of
my lungs, but rejoice in the possession of perfect health.
" At niv first attack, upward of thirty years ago, powders and tea
were ordered for me, which benefited me but little. I then placed
little confidence in honey, which I used occasionally, and in small
quantities. Judging from my present knowledge, I believe that the
honey was the only remedy that was doing me any good, and it is this
that I have to thank for the gradual, the sure restoration of my
health.
" As my disease increased, I began to use cod-liver oil, which weak¬
ened and injured my stomach, so that I could hardly digest anything
more, and my condition became worse and worse. Again I returned to
lione}*, when my suffering immediately began to decrease and disap¬
pear. Besides the use of honey, I took pains to preserve my breast
and lungs from injury which, in my trying situation as public teacher,
was almost impossible. My disease being caused by my constant
teaching during so many years, I gave up my profession, and honey
was my only medicine, whereby I, by the simplest, safest, quickest,
and pleasantest manner (for I was fond of honey), relieved the disease
in my throat; and, out of thankfulness, I now write this book for Hie
use and benefit of many, especially for the use of those suffering
from diseases of the throat and lungs."
THE TEETH.
As our teeth have a great deal to do with our food, what are the best
methods of preserving them ?
Ass.- - As soon as the teeth make, their appearance it should be the
duty of the mother or the nurse to clean them, morning and evening,
with a small brush and tepid water, and, as they increase in number, floss
silk, well waxed, should be passed between them, moving it up and
down a little under the gums, for the purpose of removing accumula¬
tions, remembering that food, fruit,etc., left in the mouth and between
the teeth during sleep, are the principal causes of their decay. Early
and careful attention to the teeth, cleanliness of mouth, temperance i&
living, and abstinence from acids, are some of the best maxims for the
preservation and beauty of the teeth. When children are thus famil¬
iarized with the healthy and necessary custom of brushing the teeth,
it becomes a fixed habit, and they will find it ever afterward abso-
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
145
lately essential to their comfort. As soon as the child is old enough
give it a tooth-brush and give instructions for use, and see that it is
done often and thoroughly. The brushes to be used should be adapted
to each case, neither too soft nor too hard, and so formed as to clean
the teeth without injuriously irritating the surrounding tissues,
brushes for children should not be quite as stiff as for older persons,
the gums, not having been subjected to as much friction, are not so
dense. Procure brushes of a medium width and narrow at their
extremity, so as easily to penetrate to the last molars without wound¬
ing the cheeks; they should have three rows of bristles, with the
handle slightly bent, so as to allow of an easy and graceful motion.
ICE.
How can ice be kept in small quantities, in a sick room, without its
immediately melting'!
Ans.—Make a double pocket of strong woolen cloth, no matter how
coarse and faded it is. Have a space, about two inches or so, between
the inner and outer pockets, and pack this space as full as possible
with feathers. You have no need to use geese feathers ; hen feathers
are just as good. With a pocket thus constructed, and kept closely
tied at the mouth, a few pounds of ice may be kept several days.
STARCHY MATTER FOR BABES.
Can an infant be fed on preparations containing much starch when
the mother has not sufficient milk for it?
Ans.—No. The starchy preparations so common in the nursery are
very deleterious, and starve the little one. There is no starch in milk.
Never feed a baby on arrow-root, unless you desire to kill it.
BAKING-POWDERS.
What are baking-powders made of, and are they proper things to be
introduced into the stomach V
Ans.—The modern baking-powders, as a rule, consist of tartaric
acid and carbonate of soda, which evolve the necessary gas, when in
contact with water, to make the bread light, leaving behind a residue
of tartrate of soda. In practice, they are made by mixing together
these two substances (tirst thoroughly dried and pounded) in nearly
equal proportion, and then diluting the mixture thus made with any
cheap material—such as flour of rice—so as to add to the bulk, and
enable an apparently greater quantity of baking-powder to be sold for
a given sum. Many excellent food authorities have objected to the
use of baking-powders thus made, on the ground that it behooves us
to be careful how we add to the already sufficiently large amount of
mineral matter which we naturally consume daily. We should hesi¬
tate before we. advised the whole bread of a family to be thus pre¬
pared, though for some of the minor articles of food only occasionally
used, they may do little harm. Unfortunately, some of the manufac¬
turers of baking-powders are guilty of the addition of alum in con¬
siderable quantities.
146
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
«
HUMILIATION IN EATING AND DRINKING.
Are not eating and drinking humiliating acts, rather than an en¬
nobling, elevating one?
Ans. — No. There are those who pretend tliat it is humiliating to be
afflicted by purely animal needs ; others, on the contrary, are of opinion
that as feeding is a delectable operation, we ought to be very thankful
that we can perform it so frequently ; a third class thinks nothing about
it either way, while doctors, economists, and historians regard eating as
a grave question, as one of the keys to health, and as a serious element
in the progress of civilization. And there is another point of view,
more interesting still. We meet to eat; our repasts are made in com
pany, they bring families and friends together, they exercise a unify¬
ing effect of enormous force. Our dinners may, however, be a source
of gluttony and dissipation, if we will make them so. Should not each
one determine that they shall minister to good, and not to evil? We
should always go to the table with a cheerful spirit and keep cheerful
as long as we sit there, and try to make others so.
ENERGY AND FOOD.
Can all the energy in food be extracted during digestion ?
Axs.—As a general rule, all the energy of food cannot be extracted
from it by the body. If it could be, then an ounce of lean beef would
give strength sufficient to lift fifty-five tons one foot high ; an ounce
of veal, forty-five tons one foot high ; an ounce of bread, eighty-three
tons ; an ounce of rice, one hundred and forty-five tons ; an ounce of
oatmeal, one hundred and fifty-two tons; an ounce of pea-meal, one
hundred and forty-six tons ; an "ounce of potatoes, thirty-eight tons ;
an ounce of carrots, twenty tons ; an ounce of cabbage, sixteen tons ;
an ounce of butter, two hundred and eighty tons ; an ounce of the
white of an egg, twenty-two tons ; an ounce of the yolk of an egg, one
hundred and twenty-seven tons ; an ounce of good cheese, one hundred
and sixty-eight tons ; an ounce ot' milk, twenty-four tons ; and an ounce
of sugar, one hundred and thirty tons, one foot high. In order, how¬
ever, to get all this strength out of food it must be well digested, anc
used to advantage. There must be no waste. It is calculated that tlu
strength developed from food in the average body is equal daily to ar
amount that will lift five thousand tons one foot high. But by far tli<
larger part of this is used up in keeping the body warm, circulating
the blood, digesting food, etc., so that the available force of the bod/
is only a small portion of this.
DIETETIC REFORMERS.
Do you think those dietetic reformers, who, like Sylvester Graham
advise the disuse of salt, butter, milk, sugar, eggs, cheese, condiments
and all forms of fat as well as flesh, have a correct notion of diet?
Axs.—No. True dietetics must be founded on science and commo-
sense, and not on conceptions of the brain or fancies of tlieorizers. W
do not doubt but science will yet show us how to live without flesh
but it will never show us how to live without nourishing, wliolesom<
food, containing the fats, salts, and all the elements of complete nutri
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
147
lion. Tlie dietetic reformers, in their zeal, liave, some of them, over¬
shot the mark, but they meant well, and, while they have done much
harm, have also done much good by calling attention to a neglected
subject and to many abuses of diet. The good they have done will
live after them; the harm will soon be forgotten.
RYE BREAD.
Is rye bread wholesome ?
Ans.— Yes. It is a laxative, cures constipation, but sometimes the
disease to which this grain is subject will render the whole population
where it is used dangerously ill, and be productive of most aillicting
diseases. This however, is a rare circumstance easily avoided.
DIET FOR A FEEBLE CHILD.
What diet would you prescribe for children from two to ten years
of age, of strong mental temperament and slender bodies V I am
anxious to know how 1 can best develop their bodies. My boy of
seven years of age takes a number seven hat and weighs but a little over
thirty pounds. His general health is much better than it was one year
ago. Is there any particular objection to Indian-meal bread or rye
bread? I do not like to trouble you, but I am anxious to learn. We
do not send him to school now, and keep liim out of doors as much as
possible in pleasant weather. Why I ask so particularly about corn-
meal is this : a phrenologist that lectured here last spring said I ought
not to give him corn bread because it is so heating, lie is very fond
of it.
" An Anxious Motiiek."
Ans.—Give your children plenty of the best brown bread and milk.
Well made corn-meal bread, rye bread, and oatmeal wafers, are good.
The phrenologist who objected to corn-meal bread did not know very
much about it. Corn-meal pudding and good syrup or milk, will bo
excellent. Now and then an egg on toast will not come amiss. Chil¬
dren need abundance of wholesome food. If they cannot have it they
will be dwarfed and stunted. Good fruit is appropriate.
DIET FOR CONSUMPTIVES.
What are the best foods for consumptives ?
Ans.—Consumptives must see that their bodies are properly fed.
They should not take food as a medicine, but as nourishment. They
should have the very best things to eat that they can get, and, fortu¬
nately, the best things are not always the most expensive or dilficult
to obtain. If it agrees, a cup of cream may very appropriately be takeu
every day by those who are inclined to consumption. Brown bread, and
milk and cream, oatmeal and cream, eggs, with the moderate use of
beef and mutton, good butter and mealy potatoes, will, of themselves,
constitute a perfect diet. They should avoid nicknacks and fancy
foods, and live on things substantial and nourishing. Fruits should be
used in their season moderately. Consumption is a constitutional dis¬
ease showing poverty of blood and poverty of healthy tissue, and this
148
PEACTICAL DIETETICS.
poverty must be eradicated. It can be done partially by sucli foods as
are needed to build up a strong liealtliy body and carry on all its func¬
tions. Many physicians think that the disuse of fat is a cause of con¬
sumption, and they prescribe cod-liver oil, not as a medicine, but as a
food, and, in many cases, it has proved useful. Y\Te think, however,
that it is the sedentary and unnatural life people lead that has most to
do in causing so much consumption, and that with this sedentary life
conies a feeble condition of body and brain favorable to .the disease.
A wise physical education and abundant wholesome nourishment
would dissipate half the consumption in the world, and the other half
"would soon be banished by some other means. Consumption is a dis¬
ease to be avoided, not cured.
INSUFFICIENT NOURISHMENT.
What are the effects of insufficient nourishment?
Axs.—Insufficient nutriment weakens the mind as well as the body.
Many writers place poor diet at the head of the causes that weaken
attention and debilitate all the faculties of the mind. Thus we often
see that disease which wastes the body enfeebles the mind also; though
this is not always the case, for sometimes the brain does not diminish
as the other parts of the body do.
APPETITE AND WORK.
Can a person with a poor appetite do much hard work ?
Axs.—Pavy says that a falling off of the appetite indicates a dimin¬
ished capacity to labor. A farmer was once asked why he paid his hands
so much, replied, it was economy to pay them well, so they could buy
sufficient food. One might as reasonably expect much labor from a
meagre diet as much fire from a little wood. A good appetite is gen¬
erally synonymous with health and ability to do much labor. Great
workers, whether with body or brain, or both, are usually liberal eat¬
ers. Lawyers and ministers are apt to be good eaters. They should
eat wisely as well as liberally, otherwise, dyspepsia will be the result.
The old notion that great thinkers are small eaters is incorrect, except
in the case of those who otherwise live very quiet and inactive lives.
GREEN PEAS.
Are green peas digestible and wholesome?
Axs.—Peas, when eaten green, are more digestible, but less nour¬
ishing than when in the mature state. In the latter case they need
slow and prolonged cooking before they are fit for the table. When
old they should be soaked for some hours previous to boiling. From
the large amount of nitrogenous matter and starch in their composi¬
tion, they form a valuable and cheap article of diet.
TIIE SWEET POTATO.
Is the sweet potato very nutritious and wholesome ?
Axs.—The esculent properties of this tuber depend very much upon
the conditions under which it was grown. Perhaps no vegetable is so
greatly modified in its character by variations of soil and climate. To
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
149
grow good swept potatoes requires a liglit, warm, porous soil, and a
proper degree and continuance of summer heat. Planted in ground of
a compact, retentive nature, they become watery, insipid, heavy, and
quite unlit for human food. Their line qualities are often impaired
likewise by rough, careless handling, and by exposure to cold. They
should be gathered when fully ripe, and only on a clear day. Allow
them to lie exposed to the sun for a few hours to .become dry; then
place them in clean barrels or boxes, handling them carefully as if
they were eggs; store them in a dry place where the temperature will
be pretty uniform, never lower than 45°, and they will keep fresh and
good all the year round. Owing to the large amount of starch and sugar
in their composition, they may be regarded as constituting a rich and
valuable food. When properly grown and cooked they are delicious,
wholesome, and satisfying. If eaten iu an unripe state they are apt
to produce flatulence.
ANALYSES OF FOODS.
Is there any table of analyses of foods, showing the amount of each
proximate principle'!
Axs.—The subjoined table,compiled from Letlieby's Analyses, may
serve to determine the relative values of the substances named as
articles of diet:
WHEAT
FLO UU.
OAT-
SI KAL¬
BARLEY,
RYE.
MAIZE.
RICE.
Nitrogenous matter
10.8
IS. 6
0.3
8.0
11.1
0.3
Carbo-livdrates
70.5
m s
74.3
73.2
65.1
79.5
Fatty matter
S.O
5.0
2.4
2.0
8.1
0.7
Mineral matter
1.7
8.0
2.0
1.8
1.7
0.5.
Water
15.0
15.0
15.0
15.0
14.0
13.0
100.
100.
100.
100.
100.
100.
The following table is from the analyses of Payen. The substances
analyzed were previously dried.
Nitrogenous matter
Starch, etc
Fatty matter
Cellulose
Mineral matter
Water
BUCK¬
WHEAT.
T.EANS.
TEAS.
13.10
30.8
23.8
64.1)0
48.3
58.7
3.00
1.9
2.1
3.50
3.0
3.5
2.50
3.5
2.1
13.00
12.5
8.3
100.
100.
98.5
150 PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
The following is also from Payen :
Nitrogenous matter
Si arch
Cellulose
Sugar and gummy matter
Fatty matter
Other organic matter
Mineral salts
Water
2.50
1.50
20.00
16.05
1.04
0.45
1.09
10.20
0.11
0.30
1.10
1.26
2.60
74.00
67.50
100.
FROM LETIIEBY'S TABLE.
Nitrogenous matter
Starch, etc.. -
Sugar
Fat
Mineral salts
Water
CARROTS.
rAKSNirs.
TURXirS.
1.3
1.1
1.2
8.4
9.6
5.1
6.1
5.8
2.1
0.2
0.5
1.0
1.0
0.6
83.0
82.0
91.0
100.
100.
100.
FATS.
Do you advise people to eat sparingly of fat ?
Ans.—Fats are very important elements of our food, still goose oil,
lard, tallow, train oil, fisli oil, and such articles of diet, are wisely es
chewed by all except lumbermen, and those whose physical labor is
very great, and who are almost constantly exposed to cold. While,
therefore, the student and civilized worker wisely eschews the coarser
forms of fat, he should not ignore it in some more refined and delicate
form. He should instead use such as are most suitable to his taste
and needs. The brain is a great consumer of fat, combined with
phosphorus. No phosphorus—no thought, is a modern phrase, ex¬
pressing the importance of phosphorus in mental action. As yet we
are in the infancy of knowledge on this subject, but it may be pre¬
dicted that when we know the whole truth, the phrase will be some¬
thing like this: " No pliospliorized fat, 110 thought." There is always
(some fat in most of our foods. The special forms best to make up any
deficiency that may be in them are 110 doubt to be found in good butter
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
151
And cream. Tliere are, of course, instances in which tliey will not be
tolerated, but these are exceptions. Fat is not digested in tlie
stomach, but by the pancreatic juice in the intestines, nature having
provided a special juice to form it into an emulsion so it may be ab¬
sorbed. In this state every atom of fat is so small that it requires a
microscope to detect it, and in this state it may easily be passed
thr< mgli the walls of the intestines and carried into the circulation.
We need 110 better evidence of the need of fat than this careful provi¬
sion for its digestion in the system. The symptoms which attend a
non-use of fats in some form are coldness of the extremities, a ten¬
dency to indigestion, lack of nervous energy and power to think.
Emaciation, diminished muscular power, and a tendency to consump¬
tion.
It may be true that many persons suffer from an inability to digest
fats, and that sometimes they obstruct the liver and make much
trouble. In all such cases it will be advisable to use them wisely and
judiciously, but rarely to avoid them altogether, except, perhaps, in
corpulence, where they are best used in great moderation. Lean peo¬
ple should use fats rather more freely than fat ones. The amount of
fat necessary for a healthy working person is about three ounces
daily. Persons with extraordinary working power require more than
this. The starch in our food is to a certain extent a substitute for fat,
and may be converted into it. •
SUGAR.
Is not sugar an objectionable article of food?
Ans.—No. Sugar is a carbo-hydrate, and bears a close relationship
to fat, only the latter contains about two and a half times as much
force-giving quality. It is objected to sugar that it deranges digestion,
obstructs the liver, spoils the teeth, and in many ways does harm—
no doubt of it. Taken 011 an empty stomach, and in great quantities,
sugar is injurious ; but as a part of our food, and used in moderation,
sugar is not only harmless, but very beneficial. Children should be
allowed a reasonable amount of sugar as a part of their meals, but
candies, as generally sold, made partly of sugar or glucose, and many
poisonous ingredients, should never find their way into the stomachs of
our little ones. So, too, the syrups made by the action of sulphuric
acid 011 corn-starcli, or the refuse in corn-starcli factories, making a
beautiful golden-drip syrup, is a very dangerous article, spoiling both
stomach and teeth. In using sugar or syrups, choose only the purest
and best sorts, otherwise much harm will come from them. As you
value teeth, stomach, and health, never use those articles of food
manufactured in the chemist's shop ; if you do, you must expect to
suffer the consequences. Half the ills of life would be avoided by
careful attention to the wise choice and adaptation of food to daily
needs.
CONCLUSION.
This little work is here brought to an end. It does not pretend to bo
an elaborate and exhaustive treatise; but it is believed that its pre-
152
PRACTICAL DIETETICS.
cepts are wise and judicious, and its hints and receipts valuable. In
conclusion, let the writer urge on the reader the necessity for his mak¬
ing the subject of which this work treats a study. Do not trust to
find out all you need to know from your doctor, your parents, or your
friends, or even the ordinary cook-books, but delve into the science of
dietetics. On it hangs, to a greater extent than is believed, the future
of our race—well fed, they will reach a higher civilization—better
health, greater beauty, and more happiness, than illy fed. Guard
ever against excess, and avoid the extremes—either great abstemious¬
ness or gluttony. With these words the author bids the reader an
affectionate farewell.
NOTE TO THE FIFTH EDIT-IOX.
In sending the Fifth Edition of this work to press, we would like
to speak of the efforts of our friends of the Health Food
Company to furnish pure articles of food for those who may
wish them. Their card may be seen on another page, and we
advise our readers to apply to them for circulars. We may add that
they are especially interested in furnishing flour made of wheat from
which the outside cuticle has been removed—but the most important
elements of the wheat are not removed with it, as when the bran is
taken off. It will be evident to most that this is a "Teat improve¬
ment, and it is to be hoped that flour manufacturers will adopt the
practice of doing it as soon as possible. Meanwhile we commend
them as most honorable dealers, whom our readers will thank us for
introducing to them, and who will gladly send free by mail consider¬
able information about pure foods such as they provide.
IJST D E X.
PAGE
Acid, tartaric 130
Aid;1 to digestion 40
Aliment?, classilication of 10
Almond custard 77
Almonds, oil of 1-9
Amyloids, the 14
Analysis' of food Ill)
Animal food and bravery 130
Appetite and work 148
" exciting 130
Apple barley water 101
" cake pie 75
" fig water 105
" lioat pie 74
" puff " 71
" tea 105
" water 105
Apples ;is food 1-9
'• baked 91
Arrotvroot custard 77
" inoiaed 8-t
Asparagus 70
" toast.. 89
Baked custird 7S
Baking powders 145
Baroerry jam 93
" jelly 93
Barley molded 84
soup 48
" water, plain 105
Be agreeable at meals 139
Beau soup 48
Beans, shelled 70
" string 70
" without pork 95
Beef and tomato soup 49
Beverage, American temperance 103
Beverages from fnlit juices 101
'• other, (See d.inks)
Biscuits, corn and rye 59
" delicious 59
" wheat meal.... 00
Blackberry drink 104
Blood, minerals tn 18
Boarding-school tables 124
Body, daily wants of 32
" minerals not stored in 19
Brain, food for 128
Bram-workers and food 123
1
PAG 3
Bread, apple fit
•' " brown 01
" Boston brown 57
" brown 86
" brown and sweet 00
" buttermilk 51
" coarse SO
" corn 80
" general remarks on 53
" Graham yea-t 53
" Heakl's favorite 80
" made with sea water 132
" mouldy 134
" oatmeal 50
" rye 80
" rye, wholesome 134
'' scalded sponge 53
" with potatoes 53
" Yankee brown 01
Breakfast, hygienic 132
Broth, barley 50
Buns, sweet potato 54
Butter 139
Buttermilk 113
Cabbage and milk 71
" boiled 70
11 cold slaw 71
" Dr. Everett's choice 71
Cakes, buckwheat 55
" cocoanut custard 84
" corn 56,59
" cornmeal breakfast 59
" corn, with fruit 59
" cup 82
" cui>, Graham 82
" delicate 84;
" general remarks on 82
" gold 83
" gold medal corn :56
" ground rice 81
" hygienic breaklast 55
" ice cream 84
" Indian griddle 5S
" oatmeal 02
" " (Scotch way) 01
" " breakfast 61
" orange ... 83
" pan, journey 94
" rice 94
154
INDEX.
Cakes, Shakspeare.
" silver
PAGE
83
83
" sponge 84
" squash 50
" strawberry short 83
" Yankee strawberry 50
Cap ill aire 10j>
Carrots stewed 09
Caalitlower 72
Cherry drink 10*
Cheese and bread toast 05
" cottage C5
" sandwiches 05
Chestnuts 133
Chlorine and phosphoric acid 17
Chocolate and cocoa HO
to prepare.
117
Cocoa and chocolate 110
" to prepare 117
Codtish
Collee . lib
•' hygienic 139
" to prepare 117
Conclusion lp'-
Co nd i merits 22
Consumptives, food for 147
Contents °
Cookies 82, 84
Com, green 08
'• " cut from the cob 08
" dried sweet CI)
" miifliiis i(4
Cottage cheese 05
Cracked wtieat molded 85
Crackers, delicious SO
Graham CO
Cracknels, oatmeal 02
" " and cocoanut C3
Cranberry drink 103
Cream sherbet 10C
Crisps, wheat meal 59
Cunautade, mixed 104
" pure 10t
Custards 77
Custard, almond 77
" arr nvroot 77
" baked 78
" gooseberry 78
" lemon 78
" plain 78
" raspberry 78
" rice 78
" tomato 88
" vanilla 70
Welsh 77
white 79
Dublin, North Carolina 04
Dessert, strawberry 05
Diet and work 33
" daily variation of l"-~
" of farm laborers iu England 32
" of students 124
Dietaries, school 125
Dietetic habits 34
Digestion 88
pag:,
Digestion, aids to f
Dinners, fashionable 13,;
Directions, general f-
Distribution of meals 8t
Dodgers, corn 94
Drink, a cool ginger 104
" American temperance bever¬
age . 19S
" apple barley water 101
" '• tea 105
" " toast tea 101
" " water 101,105
" barley 105
" blackberry 104
" capillaire 106
" cherry 104
" cranberry 103
" cream sherbet 106
" currantade, mixed 104
" " pure 104
" cream sherbet 106
" dried apple barley 105
" eau sucre 106'
" egg tea 103
" English 102
" fig water 105
" for Spring 101
" from fruits, etc 101
" gooseberry water 104
" grape 10C
" lemonade, common 102
" '* English 102
" " hot 102
" " milk 103
" '• orange..." 102
" " pineapple 102
tea 102
" " whey 103
" lemon juice preserved 102
" " sherbet 106
" " water 103
" pltim water 104
" raspberry 104
" rhubarb tea 105
" sherbet, cream 10C
" " lemon 100
" " strawberry 100
" strawberry 103
" " canned 104
" " sherbet 106
'( sugar li)6
" summer beverages 100
" tamarind water 103
" toast water 100
Eating, simplicity in 44
" grape seeds 134
" to please lo9
" when tired 140
Egg plant 72
new way to cook 91
Egg sandwiches 65
Eggs baked 03
" boiled 03
" dropped 03
" scrambled C3
INDEX.
155
PAGE
Eggs soft or hard boiled 137
" tea 103
" without boiling 95
" wiih spinach %
Energy and food 14H
Engine, man compared with 20
Experiments of Fick and Wislicenus.. 29
Extract ot meat 138
Farm laborers, diet of 32
Fashionable dinners 133
Fat and scrofula 180
Feeble children, food for. 147
Fats, right use of. 12, 151)
F/sh, best season for 141
" cod 141
" shell 141
Flesh and the excretions 136
" substitutes for 135
Food, amount of, required daily 122
"■ and animal heat 8
" " energy 140
" " physical strength 8
" " proliticness 140
" " thought, and feeling 9
" ar.imal and bravery 130
" apples as 129
" brainworkers and 123
" choice and treatment of........ 45
'* force giving for summer 122
" for consumptives 147
" '* different seasons 121
" " feeble children 117
" " gout 133
" '• men vs. women 124
" " the brain 128
" functions of 7
" guide to quantity of .. 123
" insufficient 148
" iron in 17
" liquid 99
" mineral 10
" relations of to growth 7
" " " repair 7
" " " waste 8
" starchy, for babes 145
" uses of different elements in.... 17
" value of 25
" work stored in 25
Foods, analysis of l i t
" calorific power of various 25
" effect on the faculties 19
Fried egg sandwich 00
Fruit, best time to eat 143
" essence 130
" jellies 130
" juices 105
Fruits 142
" the best 142
Gems, Anger's 87
" corn 50
" delicious corn 83
" Graham 58
" mixed 90
" oatmeal and Graham. 58
TAGE
Gems, wheat meal 58
Ginger drink, a cool !04
Gout, food lor 133
Gooseberry water 104
Graham crackers 60
'• cup cake 83
" muffins 55, 94
" puffs 57
Grape drink 106
" seeds, eating of 134
" jam 93
" jelly 93
Grapes, nutrition in 143
'• wholesomeness of. 143
Gravy, buckwheat 55
" for children 55, 89
" tomato 91
Green pea soup 49
Ground rice cake 84
Growth, relation of food to 7
Gruel, arrowroot 51
'• groat 51
" milk, for children Ill
" sago 51
" tapioca 51
Ilam and eggs 122
Hygienic breakfast 132
Honey 131
" for sore throat .... Ill
" French 92
Ices 106
Ice to keep 145
Iron in food 17
Jam, barberry 93
" grape 93
" and jelly 93
Jellies 92
Jelly and jam 93
" barberry 93
" grapy
" oatmeal 89
Kitchen, the 43
Lemonades 102
Lemonade common 1"2
Eimlir-h 102
" liom preserved lemon
juice 102
" hot 102
" milk 103
" orange 102
" pineapple 102
tea 102
" whey 103
Lemon sherbet 106
Liquid food 99
Maple syrup, how to make 91
Man compared to an engine 26
Meals, di>tribution of. 34
" mid-day, hearty 134
" variety of 123
15G
INDEX.
PAGE
Meat, extract of 188
" Kilted vs. fresh 188
" value of different parts if 138
Mid-day hearty meals 184
Milk 107
" adulterated 187
" cautious in the use of 112
" choice of ....... 108
" diet, a 107
" gruel for children Ill
" oatmeal Ill
" preparing cow's for babes Ill
" quantity 110
" skimmed 112
u sweetening 110
'• temperature of 110
" various dilutions for various
ages 109
Minerals, amount of in tlie blond 18
'• not stored in the body 1!)
Molded arrowroot 84
barley M
" cracked wheat 85
" farinacea 84
" sago 8."i
" sago anil fruit 85
" tapioca 85
Muffins '■'!
"■ bread 55
" corn 94
" Graham 55, 94
Muscular power, source of 28
Mush, cold, use for 89
" oatmeal 'JO
Notional people 138
Nuts, wholesomeness of 142
Oatmeal and oocoannt cracknels 03
" and milk diet 131
" breakfast cakes (il
" cakes 02
" " (Scotch way) 01
" cracknels 02
" drinks 140
" jelly 89
milk Ill
" mush 90
'• pull's 57
" to make relish 132
Omelet, baked <13
" the queen's 03
" sandwich 00
Oranges before breakfast 143
Order 44
Over-eating 123
Oysters HI
" composition of Ill
" corn 08
" in summer 142
" raw 141
Pan Dowdv, apple 91
Peas, boiled 92
" dried green 09
" green 70
Peas, green, wholesomeness of — 1-18
" sweet ,5
Phosphoric acid and chlorine 1'
Phosphorus and sulphur 17
Pies, general remarks '*
Pie, apple 2;
" '! cake ^
" " float 74
" " puff 7^
" 75
" cranberry 70
" crust, cream and potato 73
" » good 73
" " Sirs. Cox's 73
" " " Jones' 73
" for dyspeptics 77
" French 74
" lemon 75
" mock apple 74
" pumpkin and squash 75
" (Quaker mince 90
" raspberry 7ti
" rice 70
" squash 70
" strawberry 4 70
" sweet apple 70
" sweet potato 70
" tomato 88
" turnover jam 75
Plum water 101
Pone, apple corn 00
Pork eating I'iO
Porridge, arrowroot 50
" boiled wheat 50
" Indian farina 50
" Indian meal 50
milk 51
" Norwegian 52
" sago 51
" wheat meal 50
Potassa and soda 17
Potatoes 00
baked 00
" balls 07
" for the sedentary 133
lri*h, baked 94
" mashed 07
" salad 71
" soup 48
" sweet 72
" " dressing for 94
" " wholesomeness of.... 148
Practical dietetics 121
Preface 3
Proteids, the 11
Pudding, apple and bread 80
*' apple and tapioca 80
" baked, with fruit 82
" barley 88
" batter 82
" bread 79
" cherry 80
" cottage. 81
" Deltnonico SI
" every-day 95
" fancy dish 95
INDEX.
157
PARE
Pudding, Graham bird's nest 81
" " gem SO
" hygienic plum 90
" jiidiati extra SI
" nice cheap 81
" poor mail's SO
rice 1'.)
" sago SO
•' '■ bird's nest SI
" simple corn meal S3
" steamed Graham SO
•' tapioca custard SI
Puffs, Graham 57
" oatmeal 57
Raisins, to cook 88
Raspberry drink 104
Raw material.. .._ 43
Reformers, dietetic 149
Repair, relations of food to T
Rice and milk diet 131
" boiled 90
" cakes 94
" molded 85
Rolls, wheat meal 58
Rusk 88
Sago and fruit molded 85
'• molded 85
Salad, potato T1
Salt, use of 20
Sandwich, cheese 65
" egg 65
" fried egg 66
" gem and cheese 96
" omelet 60
School dietaries 1 -5
Scrofula and fat.... 136
Seasons, food for different 121
Shellfish 141
Silica IT
Simplicity in eating 44
Soda and potassa 1"?
Soup 47
" barley 48
" barley and bread 48
" bean 48
" beef and tomato 49
" brown 48
" green pea 4!>
" ochra 94
" potato 48
" split pea 47
" tomato 49, 89
" vermicelli 50
Spinach T2
Spring drink 101
Squash, steamed 67
Starchy food for babes 145
PAG "J
Statistics, general :>5
Stomachs, lame 140
Strawberry drink 101
" sherbet 106
" shortcake 83
Succotash 69
" winter 69
Sugar not objectionable l-'l
Sulphur and phosphorus IT
" •' soda IT
Summer beverages 1J^6
Sweet potatoes T3
Syrup, maple, how to make 91
Tamarind water 103
Tapioca, molded 85
Tea l';l
'• analysis of. 1 ''1
" and dyspepsia 115
" and sick headache 114
" drunkards 115
" practical hints l-'4
" rhubarb 105
" to prepare HT
Teeth, the 144
Toast and cheese 65
" " water 105
" cream 62
" onin:::::::::::::::::::::::::: i
" water, apple 101
Tomato custard 88
" pie 88
" soup 49,89
Tomatoes, boiled 6T
" raw 6T
" scolloped 68
" stewed 67
Turnips, nutriment in 14*2
Turnover jam pie T5
Variation of diet, daily 122
Vegetables, general remarks 66
Vermicelli soup 50
Waste, relations of food to 7
Water, distilled 100
'• filtered 101
" purity of. 100
Wheat, boiled 86
u crushed •
Wheat-meal crisps 59
Why children eat so much 7
" do we eat T
" great thinkers eat heartily 7
Wine for children 1ST
Work and appetite 143
» " diet 83
List of VjlLlljibLt toot)? Prepared by
THE
Sealt 1} 3?ood Co.,
137 EIGHTH STREET,
Betiveen Broadway and ith Ave.,
NEW YORK CITY.
Cold-Blast Whole Wheat Flour, ^w'ml'afacfnred!
The Wheat is pulverized by the explosive force of compressed air, instead of by be¬
ing ground between hoL and gritty stones. A fine tlour is secured, without bolt¬
ing, and thus all the nutriment of the Wheat is saved for use. There is no bran
and therefore 110 loss.
Granulated Wheat, Pine
Being free from branny or hully particles, tuough a coarsish meal, it is entirely sol-
nable in water, and will not distress the weakest stomach. Mr. F. B. Moore, a
veiy capable baker at No. 2!>5 Bridge Street, Brooklyn, is nsisg these flours with
great success, and says : "They are, by far, the choicest Whole Wheat products I
have ever seen, and the bread from tliem is just, about perfection." The price of
the above-mentioned articles is $10 per barrel, $5.25 per half-barrel, and G
cents per pound, in bags.
Granulated Wheat, Coarse."of -c™ScwheS!,»'"in
this, as in all our cereal foods, the coating of silos and woody fibre covering the
grain is removed by our patent process, leaving the entire nutriment of the Wheat.
It is considered delicious by all who have used it. $11 per barrel, $5.75 per
half-barrel, and 7 cents per pound.
White Wheat Gluten • the innutritions and woody fibres' of
the grain, as well as most of the starch, are excluded. A concentrated food, rich
in phosphates, proving itself a powerful supporter of robust life, and a wonderful
bnilder-up of the feeble. It. is declared, by IfttlTs Journal of Health, to be unques¬
tionably the best single article of food in the world. For mothers and infants, no
food has yet been found to compare with it. It is tiiis tkue food roit pat
people. Price 10 cents per pound.
Attrition Pearled Wheat, Cracked"or Crushed Wheats.
In 2 and 5 pound boxes, 2 5 and 5 5 cenls.
"Pn n ill arl Arto —raost easily cooked, and most delicately flavored
rrcMlou. Udi'oi oat food yet offered. $11 per barrel, $5.75 per
half-barrel, and 8 cents per pound, in bags.
Granulated Wheat Biscuit 1 Very ^grateful to persons of
weak digestion. In boxes; 6 pounds for $1 ; 10 pounds, $1.60, and in bar¬
rels containing about 80 pounds, 1 5 cents per pound.
Pnm a vin C! — delicious fruit-pro luct, without sugar or gelatine. Keeps
1 OiLM 1 Illo. anywhere, without change or fermentation. In 3 sizes—
50 cents, $1.75, and $3.50.
Ainple directions lor the preparation and use of our NEW FOODS accom¬
pany all packages. Circulars mailed free to all applicants. Samples mailed on
receipt of currency or stamps. Goods sent C. O. '[>., by Express, or by Freight,
011 receipt of remittance. A charge of from 10 to 30 cents is made for boxing
and 25 cents cartage is charged on each heavy article delivered by us at any
place in the city.
U4-1 I WW
Salem Pu/blic Library,
SALEM, MASS.
A fine of two cents a day must be paid on each volume kept over
time.
Borrowers finding this book mutilated or unwarrantably defaced,
are expected to report it.
The intentional injury of books or other property of a Public
Library incurs, by statute, a liability of a fine of $50.
THE RECORD BELOW MUST NOT BE MADE OR ALTERED BY
THE BORROWER.