The preliminary digestive work done by cook- ing varies in degree with the method employed. The cooking in water of boiling temperature for a short period only, simply carries the starch through the first step of the digestive process by changing the raw starch, which is insoluble, into soluble starch, or amylodextrin. To secure a further con- version into erythrodextrin requires a prolonged cooking at or near the boiling temperature, or the application of a higher degree of heat, as by baking in an oven. The third stage of starch digestion is attained only in articles from which the moisture is already evaporated, by exposing such to the ac- tion of heat at a temperature of at least 320°, as in the browning of foods by toasting or rebaking. Measuring and Combining Ingredients Good cooking can not be done in a haphazard way. The combination of materials for the pro- duction of dishes to serve the purposes of nutri- ment in body-building and health-preservation de- mands the utmost painstaking and care. A most important principle underlying success in cookery is accuracy of measurements. Many an excellent recipe proves a failure simply from carelessness in this respect. Measures, although not quite so accurate as weights, are generally more convenient, and are more commonly used. The ordinary kitchen cup, holding one-half pint, is usually taken as the stand- ard. If any other size is used, the ingredients for the entire recipe should be measured by the same utensil or another of equal size. The tin or glass measuring-cups with divisions indicating the half, third, and fourth parts of a cupful are in every way preferable, and are now very generally used. The teaspoons and tablespoons used in meas- uring are the standard size silver table-ware. A *3 14 Healthful Cookery very convenient utensil with which a half and a fourth of a teaspoonful may be measured, is obtain- able. Unless otherwise stated, a cupful, tablespoonful, or teaspoonful of either liquid or dry material means the utensil filled to the brim, level over the top. In the measuring of flour, sugar, or other dry materials, the exact amount is obtained by leveling the top with a knife. Any material like flour, sugar, salt, that has been packed, should first either be sifted or stirred up lightly, and should not be packed down in meas- uring. A rounded spoonful is one which above the edge of the spoon presents the same convex ap- pearance that the level spoonful would if turned bottom upward ; in short, when fully rounded it is twice the proportion of a level spoonful. A heap- ing spoonful is all that can be lifted on the spoon without falling off. Such measurements are likely to be less accurate than the level measure, and are less commonly used. With liquids, it is always desirable to hold a cup in a saucer and a spoon over a dish while measuring, to prevent spilling the liquid upon the floor or table. Combining Ingredients i5 COMPARATIVE TABLE OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Liquids Four full tablespoonfuls are one-half gill. Eight full tablespoonfuls are one gill. Sixteen full tablespoonfuls are one-half pint. Three teaspoonfuls make one tablespoonful. One pint of liquid weighs one pound. One full tablespoonful weighs one-half ounce. Dry Materials One heaping tablespoonful of sugar weighs one ounce. Four tablespoonfuls of flour weigh one ounce. Two tablespoonfuls of butter weigh one ounce.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The preliminary digestive work done by cooking varies in degree with the method employed. The cooking in water of boiling temperature for a short period only, simply carries the starch through the first step of the digestive process by changing the raw starch, which is insoluble, into soluble starch, or amylodextrin. To secure a further conversion into erythrodextrin requires a prolonged cooking at or near the boiling temperature, or the application of a higher degree of heat, as by baking in an oven. The third stage of starch digestion is attained only in articles from which the moisture is already evaporated, by exposing such to the action of heat at a temperature of at least 320°, as in the browning of foods by toasting or rebaking. Measuring and Combining Ingredients Good cooking can not be done in a haphazard way. The combination of materials for the production of dishes to serve the purposes of nutriment in body-building and health-preservation demands the utmost painstaking and care. A most important principle underlying success in cookery is accuracy of measurements. Many an excellent recipe proves a failure simply from carelessness in this respect. Measures, although not quite so accurate as weights, are generally more convenient, and are more commonly used. The ordinary kitchen cup, holding one-half pint, is usually taken as the standard. If any other size is used, the ingredients for the entire recipe should be measured by the same utensil or another of equal size. The tin or glass measuring-cups with divisions indicating the half, third, and fourth parts of a cupful are in every way preferable, and are now very generally used. The teaspoons and tablespoons used in measuring are the standard size silver table-ware. A *3 Healthful Cookery very convenient utensil with which a half and a fourth of a teaspoonful may be measured, is obtainable. Unless otherwise stated, a cupful, tablespoonful, or teaspoonful of either liquid or dry material means the utensil filled to the brim, level over the top. In the measuring of flour, sugar, or other dry materials, the exact amount is obtained by leveling the top with a knife. Any material like flour, sugar, salt, that has been packed, should first either be sifted or stirred up lightly, and should not be packed down in measuring. A rounded spoonful is one which above the edge of the spoon presents the same convex appearance that the level spoonful would if turned bottom upward ; in short, when fully rounded it is twice the proportion of a level spoonful. A heaping spoonful is all that can be lifted on the spoon without falling off. Such measurements are likely to be less accurate than the level measure, and are less commonly used. With liquids, it is always desirable to hold a cup in a saucer and a spoon over a dish while measuring, to prevent spilling the liquid upon the floor or table. Combining Ingredients COMPARATIVE TABLE OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES Liquids Four full tablespoonfuls are one-half gill. Eight full tablespoonfuls are one gill. Sixteen full tablespoonfuls are one-half pint. Three teaspoonfuls make one tablespoonful. One pint of liquid weighs one pound. One full tablespoonful weighs one-half ounce. Dry Materials One heaping tablespoonful of sugar weighs one ounce. Four tablespoonfuls of flour weigh one ounce. Two tablespoonfuls of butter weigh one ounce.

Healthful cookery