Student's manual in household arts

The ready cooked cereals such as puffed rice and wheat, toasted corn flakes, shredded wheat biscuits, etc., are very palatable and appetizing and are welcome changes from the cooked porridge, especially in summer. They should not be eaten exclusively, however. Those in which the starch has been partly digested by the process of manufacture will tend to weaken the digestion and those that contain raw starch will overtax the digestion. In the preparation of the rolled cereals the grain has been steamed and then passed through hot steel rollers. The heat partly cooks the starch and the great pressure to which the grains are subjected in passing between the rollers bursts open some of the cell walls and crushes some of the starch grains, so that the rolled cereals do not require as long cooking nor as much water as the granular cereals. They will absorb two times their bulk of water and should be cooked from three-quarters of an hour to two hours. The granular cereals have not been cooked in the process of manufacture. They require four times their bulk of water and should be cooked from one to three hours. One-third teaspoonful salt should be added to each cup of water for all cereals. Cooking and Digestion of Starch. Uncooked starch is not readily digested by the human digestive system. Three conditions are necessary to the thorough cooking of starch : 1. There must be a large amount of water present. 2. There must be a temperature of not less than 212° (boiling temperature) for at least part of the time. 3. It must cook for a long time. If it is kept at boiling temperature only part of the time, the length of time for cooking must be increased. All starchy foods should be thoroughly chewed and mixed with the saliva in the mouth, as the saliva is a very important aid in the digestion of starch. Use of the Double Boiler. A double boiler consists of two parts; the lower part, which should be kept one-third full of boiling water, when in use, and the upper part in which the food is to be cooked. As long as the lower boiler is supplied with water the food in the upper part cannot burn nor become quite as hot as the temperature of boiling water. A home-made double boiler can be made by placing one saucepan inside of another with a Mason jar cover, or support of some kind, to keep the upper saucepan from resting on the bottom of the lower one. Home-made Double Boiler Manufactured Double Boiler General Rules for Cooking. 1. Put water and salt in upper part of double boiler and place over fire. 2. When water is boiling, add cereal slowly so as not to stop the boiling of the water. 3. Boil until just too thick to pour, occasionally lift the mixture lightly with a fork to keep it from sticking. (If it is stirred vigorously with a spoon it will become sticky and pasty.) 4. When it is thick enough, place it over hot water and cook from one to four hours. Note. — Cereals should always be cooked twice as long as required by the directions given on the package. Rolled Oats with Bananas. 1 C. oats I t. salt 2 C. water 3 bananas 1. Follow general rules for cooking and cook one hour. 2. Wet individual cups in cold water, pack cerealin cups, let stand five minutes, then turn into individual cereal bowls. 3. Surround with sliced bananas and serve with cream. Note. — Sliced peaches, stewed apples or stewed prunes may be used instead of bananas. Some prefer a cereal too soft to be molded. In that case place fruit on top of cereal. Cream of Wheat with Raisins. i C. Cream of Wheat § t. salt 2 C. water i C. Sultana raisins 1. Follow general directions for cooking and cook one hour. 2. Stir in the raisins ten minutes before removing the cereal from the stove. 3. Serve with cream and sugar.