Domestic science (Clark, Cornell home economics)

It first blooms when 10 to 15 years old. The produce of a tree averages 750 lbs. A large quantity of sago flour is annually sent from Borneo, Sumatra, and Siam, to Singapore, the leading market, where it is purified and fitted for use as starch in manufactures. Sago comes from the soft inside parts of the trunk of sago. Starch is drawn out, powdered, mixed with water and rubbed through a sieve with small holes. Pictures of the tree would aid greatly in giving the lesson, and different samples may be SAGO AND TAPIOCA CREAM 249 secured from the store so that pupils will be able to recognize them. Home Recipe. 2 tbsp. tapioca, 1 pt. milk, 2 yolks of eggs, J c. sugar, ^ s.s. salt, whites of 2 eggs and ^ tsp. vanilla. Method. Soak tapioca in hot water enough to cover it, in top part of double boiler, placed on back of stove. When the water is absorbed, add milk, and cook until tapioca is soft and transparent. Beat yolks of eggs. Add sugar and salt. Pour the boiling mixture on the eggs and cook 2 or 3 m., or until it thickens like boiled custard. Remove from the fire, add whites of the eggs, beaten to a foam. Stir well and when cool, flavor. Do not try to mould it, as it is more delicate when soft. In this the tapioca is soaked in the milk of the custard, and the whites of the eggs are mixed with the custard, instead of added as for a meringue as directed in the method proposed for the individual recipes. Thus it has a different consistency and is more foamy. School Recipe. 1 tsp. tapioca, boiled custard, i c milk, I yolk, 2 I. tsp. sugar, s.s. salt, and i s.s. vanilla. For meringue: 1 h. tsp. stiff white of egg, to 2 s.s. powdered sugar. Brown in oven, if there is time. Method. Cook tapioca in enough boiling water to cover. Stir until clear and dissolved. Add more boiling water, if necessary. Place in the moulds. Make a custard thus: scald milk, beat yolks slightly and add sugar and salt. Pour hot milk on the mixture. Stir and return to double boiler to cook until slightly thick. Add flavoring. Pour custard over tapioca in mould and add meringue. Brown in oven. Notes Notice that yolks of eggs are used. Whole eggs may be used but they do not make so smooth a custard. When eggs are high, two yolks may be used instead of three, half a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of cold milk being stirred into the rest of the milk and scalded with it. This lesson will give a review of the use of eggs as a thickening agent and the making of plain boiled custard or " floating island," and also a review of the cooking of starchy foods. See Lesson in First-year Course on Custard. The work may be apportioned as in the earher lesson, each pupil making the small recipe. The only change is in the addition of the sago or tapioca. Most kinds of sago or tapioca now in the market need to be soaked all night or several hours. Tapioca is a nourishing food, and supplies all the food elements. It is also digestible and economical. High temperature upon the custard wotdd curdle it or make the egg harden in pieces. For that reason the custard should be cooked in a double boiler and not directly over the flame. The milk should not become too hot and the ciistard should be stirred to prevent curdling. If the custard does curdle, put the dish in cold water and beat the mixture thoroughly. A Dover egg-beater may be used to beat the custard. If the custard cooks a moment too long, it will curdle. It is safer to take it from the fire before you think it is quite done, as the heat of the boiler cooks it a little while it is being turned out. SANDWICHES 251 Order of Lesson 1. Cooking of starchy foods. 2. Test for starchy foods. 3. Value of tapioca and custard as foods. 4. Discussion of recipe. 5. What fats must be considered in cooking the custard? 6. Practice work. 7. Dish-washing. SANDWICHES Lesson XXIV