Comparison of Fat and Carbohydrates. — Fat and oil form another great class of energy-giving or fuel foods. In the body, these foods, like carbohydrates, give energy ; in fact they furnish more than twice as much energy as carbo- hydrates. In comparing their energy-giving power, fat and carbohydrates have been likened to coal and wood. If a lump of coal and a block of wood of exactly the same size are burned, one knows that the wood will burn up quickly while the coal will burn for a much longer time, and, in so doing, will give off more heat. There is about as much fat in one pound of butter as there are carbohydrates in one pound of tapioca. By measurement it has been found that one pound of butter gives to the body almost two and one fourth times as much energy as does one pound of tapioca. Carbohydrates (like wood) burn quickly but give off less heat. Fat and oil are very similar, oil being fat that is liquid at ordinary temperature. Lard and its Substitutes. — The fat of pork is commonly " tried out " or " rendered " to free it from connective tissue. That obtained from trying out the fat from around the kidneys is called leaf lard; ordinary lard is obtained from 76 FAT AS A FRYING MEDIUM 77 the fats of other parts of the animal. The former is con- sidered of superior quality. Beef suet or the fat from around the kidneys and loin of beef is also tried out and used for cooking. All scraps of fat — cooked or uncooked — as well as any drippings from beef, veal, pork, and chicken, should be saved and used in cooking. The fat from mutton has a peculiar flavor and so cannot be used in food, but it may be saved for soap-mak- ing. Fat from soup and drippings need only be clarified before using for cooking ; suet and other uncooked fat of meat must be first tried out. Butter and its Substitutes. — Butter is one of the most ex- pensive foods of a household. Its use, therefore, should be carefully considered. In flavor, it is perhaps the most pleasing of all the solid fats. For some purposes, nothing is as desirable as butter ; yet in foods of pronounced flavor, i.e. foods whose flavor is strong enough to cover up other food flavors, other fats may be substituted with satisfactory results. Oleomargarine and some of the butter and % lard substitutes may be used. Every thrifty housekeeper should have butter and several other fats in her larder, and should use all with discretion. Fats may be combined for certain purposes. Many times in making pastry or in saute'ing and frying, it is desirable to use a firm and a soft fat together, such as butter and lard, suet and lard, or suet and chicken fat. To try out Fat. — Remove the tough outside skin and lean parts from fat and cut it into small pieces. Put the fat into an iron kettle, and cover it with cold water. Place it uncovered on the stove and heat. When the water has nearly all evaporated, set the kettle back, or lessen the heat, or place in a " cool " oven, and let the fat slowly try out. When the fat is still, and pieces of tissue are shriveled at 78 THE COOKING OP FOODS the bottom of the kettle, cool, strain through a cloth or a very fine strainer, and set aside to become firm. To clarify Fat. — Add a few slices of raw potato to fat and heat slowly until it ceases to bubble. Cool, strain through a cloth, and let stand until solid. To clean Utensils that have contained Fat. — An alkaline substance such as washing soda is effective in cleaning utensils that have held fat. To show the action of washing soda on fats try the following :

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Comparison of Fat and Carbohydrates. — Fat and oil form another great class of energy-giving or fuel foods. In the body, these foods, like carbohydrates, give energy ; in fact they furnish more than twice as much energy as carbohydrates. In comparing their energy-giving power, fat and carbohydrates have been likened to coal and wood. If a lump of coal and a block of wood of exactly the same size are burned, one knows that the wood will burn up quickly while the coal will burn for a much longer time, and, in so doing, will give off more heat. There is about as much fat in one pound of butter as there are carbohydrates in one pound of tapioca. By measurement it has been found that one pound of butter gives to the body almost two and one fourth times as much energy as does one pound of tapioca. Carbohydrates (like wood) burn quickly but give off less heat. Fat and oil are very similar, oil being fat that is liquid at ordinary temperature. Lard and its Substitutes. — The fat of pork is commonly " tried out " or " rendered " to free it from connective tissue. That obtained from trying out the fat from around the kidneys is called leaf lard; ordinary lard is obtained from FAT AS A FRYING MEDIUM 77 the fats of other parts of the animal. The former is considered of superior quality. Beef suet or the fat from around the kidneys and loin of beef is also tried out and used for cooking. All scraps of fat — cooked or uncooked — as well as any drippings from beef, veal, pork, and chicken, should be saved and used in cooking. The fat from mutton has a peculiar flavor and so cannot be used in food, but it may be saved for soap-making. Fat from soup and drippings need only be clarified before using for cooking ; suet and other uncooked fat of meat must be first tried out. Butter and its Substitutes. — Butter is one of the most expensive foods of a household. Its use, therefore, should be carefully considered. In flavor, it is perhaps the most pleasing of all the solid fats. For some purposes, nothing is as desirable as butter ; yet in foods of pronounced flavor, i.e. foods whose flavor is strong enough to cover up other food flavors, other fats may be substituted with satisfactory results. Oleomargarine and some of the butter and % lard substitutes may be used. Every thrifty housekeeper should have butter and several other fats in her larder, and should use all with discretion. Fats may be combined for certain purposes. Many times in making pastry or in saute'ing and frying, it is desirable to use a firm and a soft fat together, such as butter and lard, suet and lard, or suet and chicken fat. To try out Fat. — Remove the tough outside skin and lean parts from fat and cut it into small pieces. Put the fat into an iron kettle, and cover it with cold water. Place it uncovered on the stove and heat. When the water has nearly all evaporated, set the kettle back, or lessen the heat, or place in a " cool " oven, and let the fat slowly try out. When the fat is still, and pieces of tissue are shriveled at the bottom of the kettle, cool, strain through a cloth or a very fine strainer, and set aside to become firm. To clarify Fat. — Add a few slices of raw potato to fat and heat slowly until it ceases to bubble. Cool, strain through a cloth, and let stand until solid. To clean Utensils that have contained Fat. — An alkaline substance such as washing soda is effective in cleaning utensils that have held fat. To show the action of washing soda on fats try the following :

A text-book of cooking