FoodNet

Cookery for busy lives and small incomes

1890

Page 35

Presented as published in 1890. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
God has given us an infinite variety of animals and vegetables for our use, and He has given us reason to enable us to make the best use of those gifts, and you must use your reason in the choice and preparation of food when that important concern is by - and - by entrusted to you ; and that is why all the Managers of the 13 School are anxious that each one of you should have the opportunity of learning how to select the most suitable foods, and how to cook them. The first, you will be able to do by studying the table farther on, and the rest of this little book ; and the second by paying careful attention to your cookery teacher — And that you may the better understand what she tells and shows you, and so that her instruc- tion may be of the greatest use to you through life, you should impress her teaching on your mind by frequent reference to, and study of this and other good cookery books. (^otes on the Composition and Relative Value of different kinds of Food. “ The human body is always undergoing some change ; every thought and act causes waste. Every movement of the muscles, every beat of the heart, every breath we draw wears away ” some of the materials of which the body is composed, and it is therefore evident that if life is to be maintained some means must be adopted to meet this wear and tear. For this purpose we take food which supplies the materials required to meet this daily wear and tear of all kinds, and provides also for the growth and development of the body. Food is also necessary for maintaining the heat of the body, and supplying it with the force neces- sary to enable it to perform its various duties. It is thus both a constructing and repairing material, and also a source of heat and force, and we must have in our food substances which are capable 14 of performing those duties. Our food must there- fore consist of varied materials, as no one substance contains all that is required for proper nourish- ment. We therefore obtain our supplies from both the animal and vegetable kingdom, as neither alone would be sufficient for our purpose. From the animal kingdom we obtain : Beef, mutton, pork, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, &c. From the vegetable kingdom : Wheat, flour, rice, peas, beans, lentils, potatoes, fruits, vegetable, &c. These foods for convenience are divided into four classes, viz. : 1st. — Strength-forming (nitrogenous) substances. 2nd. — ^ Heat and energy producing (carbonaceous) substances. 3rd. — Salts. 4tb. — Water. 1st. — Slrength-furmiiKj ( Niiroyenons) Substances. — These are called nitrogenous, because they always contain a considerable amount of nitrogen, and serve for the formation of a number of nitrogenous substances which are found in most parts of the body ; and “ strength-forming,” because they are essential for the building up and repair of the body and supplying it with strength. They are also “heat and energy producers,” and so are most important foods. They are abundant in the lean of meat — wheat, bread, oatmeal, cheese, white of egg, peas, beans, &c. 15 2nd. — Heat and Energy producing ( Ca7-honaceous) Substances are so called because they supply the necessary warmth to the body, and provide the force or energy required for the performance of the bodily duties. They are supplied both by animals and vegetables, and consist of fats, oils, starches and sugars.