Quantity cookery

In discussing the limitations in menu making the element of cost has come up again and again. It becomes a definite restriction in institutions that work on a budget, or where the group to be served demands good wholesome food at the lowest price. As examples of such institutions there are the factory cafeteria, the school lunch and the college cafeteria. Though menus must be made out in advance of the day when they are to be used, they should be sufficiently elastic to allow for proper utilization of left-overs. Using left-overs may mean very little change and substitution, or may require complete revision of the day's meals. Left-overs must be used, for it is only by constant care that the food cost can be kept down to a minimum. That this is true of all institutions, whether great or small, is shown by the extreme care exercised in the largest hotels to the end that no food shall be wasted. Where there is family service, rather than plate service from the kitchen, there will probably be a large amount of left-over food. It requires a good deal of ingenuity to use these left-overs in some other form so as to maintain variety and that element of surprise which is so essential. In the cafeteria or other institution using a la carte service the left-over problem is not so serious. It is very nicely taken care of in tea MENUS FOR LARGE NUMBERS 7 rooms and hotels which serve a club luncheon, the menu for which may be chiefly made up from the left-overs. It is obvious that the form of service may influence the kind and extent of the menu. That is, the cafe- teria can serve a large variety of dishes because the patrons wait on themselves. A similar choice or variety is impracticable where there is table service, except in hotels, restaurants and tea rooms where cost is not so great a factor. CHAPTER II STANDARDS FOR JUDGING MEALS Provided the principles of good nutrition have not been violated, the main basis for judging any meal is palatability. Palatability depends upon appearance and quality. Appearance in turn depends upon quan- tity, color, form and service upon the plate. Qual- ity is determined by odor, flavor, temperature, texture and consistency. Reduced to outline form, the ele- ments of palatability are : Palatability appearance quality quantity color form neatness arrangement odor temperature flavor texture consistency Commercially and aesthetically it is unwise to make servings too large. Every one has had the experience of being served with more food than can be eaten with relish and without waste. The eff"ect is to surfeit the appetite and to limit the variety which a patron may have, unless he is able financially to order the variety ; in which case he is obliged to leave some food uneaten. In any institution which serves a la carte, it is better to adjust portions and prices to the end that the patron STANDARDS FOR JUDGING MEALS 9 may have some variety in his meal without prohibitive expense. Color is important in inducing appetite. The caf- eteria counter displaying a bufF-colored pie, snow pud- ding, rice custard and yellow cake does not tempt patrons to buy. A basket of fruit, a bright-colored gelatin dessert or attractive garnishes may transform a drab meal into a most interesting one. Particularly in all kinds of plate service, attention must be paid to color, for while clashing color combinations must be avoided, some color must be used to give the food an appetizing appearance. A great deal of our food is very neutral in color and admits of a liberal use of garnishes of one kind or another. As a rule articles of food served together should be of diverse shapes. One may enjoy a croquette, a stuffed baked potato, peas in timbales and a roll in the same meal, but it is usually unwise to serve them on the same plate.