Easy dishes for small incomes, or, The housewife's guide to practical cookery

Beef Tea is valuable for its stimulating properties, but it contains very little nourishment. The meat must be shredded finely to expose as much of the surface as possible to the water, in order that the soluble parts may be extracted. The beef tea must not be allowed to reach a temperature above 150° F. If it does, the albumeu becomes hard and the juices are retained in the meat. Fresh beef tea should be made daily because it is cooked at such a low temperature, and therefore will not keep good. Raw Meat Juice should be used in cases of extreme weakness, when it is needed in its most stimulating and concentrated form. To Prepare Raw Meat Juice. — To every oimce of shredded rump steak add two teaspoonfuls of cold water and a pinch ‘of salt. Place in a jar, cover with paper, and stand in a warm place for one hour. Strain through a piece of muslin, which must be twisted round the meat to extract the juices. Pour a tablespoonful into a red glass and give to the patient as often as required. Mutton Broth. Mutton broth is more digestible, but not so stimulating as beef tea. Fish may be divided into three classes, first (1) oily; (2) white; (3) shell fish. Only white fish should be given to invalids. The fat being confined to the liver, the fish is not so rich, and therefore more easily digested. A white sauce is served with the fish to supply the deficiency in heat-giving or carbonaceous food. Preference should be given to sole, whiting and plaice because the flesh is finer and more digestible. Steam, if possible, because more nutriment is retained in the fish. Baking is more savoury, but not so digestible. Jellies are valuable as a means of conveying nourishment and stimulant. If made solely from gelatine, sugar, water and flavoured, it has hardly any food value. The jelly must contain either wine, milk or eggs. Egg jelly is a good method of preparing eggs. The albumen in the white does not become hardened or indigestible because hardly any heat is used in the cooking. Peptonized Milk is used when the digestive organs are MARKETING unable to perform their functions. The milk is practically disgested before it is given to the patient, and is therefore more easily retained. To Peptonize Milk, warm half a pint of milk to 140°F., and stir in half a tube of Fairchild’s Peptonizer. Stand in a warm place for two hours, then boil for one or two minutes to stop the peptonizing. Peptonizing Agents should not be used for a longer time than is really necessary. If they are, the digestive organs lose their power because they have not sufficient work to perform. Milk Puddings containing cereals must be thoroughly boiled to cook the starch before the eggs are added ; after which the temperature must be lowered to prevent the eggs curdling. The usual quantity allowed is two ounces of grain to a pint of milk and one or two eggs. Custards, if properly cooked and not allowed to boil, are extremely nourishing as they are prepared from two perfect foods, milk and eggs. Green Vegetables are important as blood purifiers, but they should not be given in cases of weak digestion. They stimulate the movement of the intestine, and are therefore good in cases of constipation. Potatoes. If potatoes are given to invalids they should be pressed through a masher, because they are more easily digested if finely divided.