Cookery for every household

Macaroni and the other forms of Italian paste are all made from a special variety of wheat flour formed into a paste with boiling water and then worked up by machinery into various shapes and forms. Its origin is Italian, but it is now made in almost every country in Europe, although our supplies come chiefly from Italy and France, and the finest macaroni is still the Neapolitan. There are many different forms of macaroni, as for instance, the long straight pipes in various sizes, a small pipe sometimes twisted into little coils ; a still finer make known as spaghetti, which is very light and easily digested ; and vermicelli, often looking like little twisted threads, Then there are also flat ribbons going under different names, and many small fancy varieties, such as stars, crosses. Macaroni (Fancy Shapes) discs, rings, letters, and other designs, the pates d’ltalie or pastincs so much used for garnishing soup. The mode of treatment is practically the same for all, some requiring longer to cook than others. Macaroni should only be cooked until tender, but not soft and pulpy. Care must be taken to choose macaroni of good quality, the inferior makes are not economical and not satisfactory. The best macaroni has a translucent appearance and is of a light yellowish colour. It is rough and firm in texture, and swells to about double its original size when boiled. It will keep well when stored. The inferior makes are either of a dull greyish colour or they are coloured up with saffron to give them a yellow appearance. They do not swell much in boiling, and become mouldy if kept for any length of time. As a food macaroni is very valuable on account of its high nutritive value, wholesomeness, and cheapness, and it is to be regretted that it is not more used in this country than it is at present. Speaking about macaroni and rice. Sir Henry Thompson, in his book Food and Feeding, says : “ It is to be lamented that so little use is made in our country of the Italian pastes, especially of macaroni in all its forms, and that rice, largely used as it is, is not so well cooked, and therefore not so highly appreciated among the upper and middle classes as it deserves to be. The mention of macaroni conveys to nineteen out of twenty Englishmen, as it does also to our cooks, the idea of an indigestible mess, containing much toasted cheese and butter, well peppered and over-baked, which, is sometimes served at the end of dinner as a savoury to complete the repast. In this form it ought rarely if ever to appear. Macaroni is, in fact, an aliment containing much nutritious matter, when made from selected growths of wheat containing more gluten than the average grain used for bread. Most people, especially in summer, will find it a good substitute for the tough fibres of meat, particularly at lunch or midday meals, when their employments demand continuous attention during the whole of a long afternoon. If properly cooked, it sustains the power without taxing too much the digestion, or rendering the individual heavy, sleepy, and incompetent afterwards.” Macaroni can be used for various purposes, i.e. as a garnish for soup, as an accompaniment to meat or fish, as a sweet pudding or savoury, and