FoodNet

A manual of home-making

1919

Page 252

Presented as published in 1919. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
The proper storing of food is very impoj-tant, liecause only by having good storage conditions can there be profit in bti^ang in large quantities. It is dej^iirable to have cool, dry, and well- ventilated store-rooms (page 583), Fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and dried vegetables and fruits should Ix^ kept in such a stomroora, and should be so packed as to allow free circulation of air. The exceptions to this rule are sweet potatoes, which should l>e stored in a dry, warm place, and banana.H, which should never be allowed to chill since this causes them to blacken. Staples, such as cereals, flours, sugars, and other dry products should be kept in diy% moderately cool, well-ventilat«d storage. Meat, fish, butter, and milk may be kept at a lower temperature, 36° F., or lower. Low temperature and lack of moisture lx)th tend to retard the growth of micro-organisms that cause spoilage. Most storage foods should be well matured before being stored and should Ix^ looketl over at certain intervals for the removal of any decayed or spoiled portions* BUYING CANNED FOODS* Grading fruiis and vegetablen for cannuig. Before one can distinguiah the relative values of market grades of canned goods, it is iiecess-ary to know how these are determinetl by the packer. For fruits and vegetables the lines of quality tletermination are much the same and as follows: * The ffilluwinj? diseussiijn of canned fcxxls is comien-spd from Catine<! Foods, Fruits and Ve|?etebi**s, l>y Florence R. Corbiftt, Todi. Education Bull. 18, Teachers College, Caiambia University. I I I I MANUAL OF HOME-MAKISQ IjocalUy in which the fruit or tegHatle m grtntn, — ^Naturmtly the fniiU and veis^UiUei prodtaeed in seciioos iriiere isxpeft tfirdemng or fmit^rawiiK prevaib and which natnniOy favor fluch cropn, will lie superior in quality. Of the most commoa and widely med^ those growD in the northern states are superior in Usxture and flavor to thoHe grown in the Souths and becauae of tlic firmer texture ** stand up" better in packing. Siu of the fruit or vegetable, — The larger the fniit, provided it in iinifonn and go<xi in other re*^pect.s, the higher it will be graded* The Hmalier vegetabfe are graded highest^ since they are gen- erally younger and t^^nderer, juicier, and sweeter. Flavor w an irnp^jrtiint factor to the consumer, but does not take prf*cc»clence of hizc, texture, and color in grading either fruiu or vegctabkvH, becaOKc the buyer Ls generally influenced by the handsome appearance of fruits or the delicate appear- ance of immature vegetables which may be quite la<"king in flavor The public \h preference l^ taken into coa^ideration, and fine-flavonxl prfxlucts, not notable for nzQ or color, may be grafled lower than thowe of pleasing appearance and infer- ior flavor, A striking illastralion of thi« is found in the pref- erence for very small pean which consist principally of skins, water, and a little sugar. Because of pubUc prefcrtrnce, these are grafted higher than the larger peas of rich flavor and nutritive value. Trxlun. -Viw^ texture is a characterLstic of high-grade fmi ufid vegetahlcH. Tough peas and Ix^ans, tibrous okra and as^ f)anigu?< arc gntd(*ci lc»\v%