A practical cook and text book for general use

Much of the above information concerning nuts and nut culture was gathered from a book entitled "Nut Culture in the United States," published by the Agricultural Department in Washington. The Brazil Nut, which is often called cream nut, is a native of South America. The trees are very large, rising to the height of 130 feet or more. The nuts are encased in hard shells as large as a child's head, and contain from fifteen to twenty or more nuts or seeds. They are very nutritious and oily, the oil being used for various purposes, and it is also a fine table oil. Peanuts, like beans, peas and lentils, belong to the legume family. They are a highly valuable food and are made into oil and flour for domestic use. The oil is largely exported to foreign countries and doubtless returns in company with its tropical cousin, cotton-seed oil, under -the name of " Pure Olive Oil." New uses will in the near future be made of this most common of all nuts, and renewed attention will be devoted to its extended culture as it is capable of becoming one of the most valuable productions for culinary use. Virginia raises annually three millions of bushels. Norfolk is the greatest peanut market in the United States and the nuts are of superior quality. The nuts when gathered are taken to the factory, cleaned and sorted by machinery. The cheaper grades are used in making ^* burnt almonds," peanut candy and the low grade chocolates. It is said that America uses 4,000,000 bushels of peanuts yearly at a cost to the consumers of $10,000,000. Very rarely do we find these nuts on the table as an article of food, but they are consumed between meals by everybody, from the shoeless and hatless street waif to the gray-haired millionaire. The limits of this book will not permit the mention of many other valuable nuts. Unbelievers tell us that a vegetable diet lacks proteids. or tissue building elements, and hence that vegetarians - are not properly nourished. Science has demonstrated that proteids are abundant in the grains, so that non-flesh eaters can be assured of necessary nutrition, but the addition of nuts, with fruits and vegetables, leaves nothing to be desired even by the carper, and on this perfect diet the rising generation can safely depend for a strong foundation, firm muscle, glossy hair, good teeth and fine complexions. NUTS AS FOOD. Nuts are not only superior to flesh as an article of diet, but may be used in many forms of cookery, either whole^. chopped, grated, crushed or ground into a paste or meal. The softer or very oily nuts may be crushed with a rolling pin on a small board or in a mortar. Dust the rolling pin and board with flour and crush a few at a time. To insure the best results they should be reduced to as fine a paste or meal as possible. If nuts are purchased already shelled, be sure and givethem a very thorough washing and rinsing, and wash all hard-shelled nuts before cracking. Do not wash peanuts, but remove the dust from the shells by putting them in a soft cloth bag and shake or rub them ; or put them in a shallow pan and with a brush remove the dust. There seems to be nothing lacking in nuts to produce the finest results in cooking. Gems, crackers, rolls, biscuit, etc., are made after the recipes given in the chapters on unleavened bread. From one to one and a half or two heaping table-spoonfuls of nut meal being required in each recipe given in place of other shortening. The pine nut, sold under the name of pegnolia, is an excellent nut for cooking. It is very fat, has an agreeable flavor, equal to cream for shortening and should come 'into general use. Nut Loaf. Two teacups of stale bread crumbs, one