Domestic science (1914 text-book)

The young woman who learns to play by ear a few simple tunes is in no sense a musician; neither is the young woman a cook who learns a few simple ways to cook meat and potatoes. Something more is required. The principles of cookery are more than the practice. Without belittling the deftness and mechanical perfection that come only through long experience, the cook who does not know the whys and wherefores of the processes she follows, is no more to be regarded as an educated cook than the man who rotates his crops without knowing why, is to be regarded as an educated farmer. A blind following of any rule or even custom is sure to result sooner or later in fatal mistakes, and nowhere is this truer than in the kitchen. This does not mean that the elaborate and expensive "made" dish is at all necessary to any nourishing and palatable fare. Other things being equal, economical cooking is apt to be the best cooking. For this reason, economy has been constantly in mind in the preparation of these lessons. The authors have attempted to be clear-cut and concise in the presentation of the lessons, and have at the same time tried to make the work attractive and easy to understand by illustrating freely with up-to-date appliances and ideas. While proceeding from the simple to the more complex and from the easy to the more difficult problems, they have also kept in mind the seasons of the year when required supplies can most readily be procured. There are two reasons for this; first, economy, and second, the value to the student of being taught to use materials in season. Another purpose kept in view has been to make the work practical for ordinary, everyday people, for they constitute the great majority in this and every other nation. By this it is M 202 Digitized by Google \ \ 4 PREFACE not meant that all daintiness and attractiveness have been excluded. These qualities have received consideration in as far as they are obtainaMe without the sacrifice of economy and nutritive value. To this end each lesson has been supplemented with some information as to the most attractive and palatable serving of the dish taught. The complete series comprises three books. The first two books are designed for use in the first and second years of the course, and the third in the third and fourth years. The work has been so planned that pupils who must leave school before taking the last book will have gained a knowledge of the fundamentals and acquired the practical ability to cook meats, vegetables, and desserts in their simpler forms. They will also have learned how to buy meats and vegetables and have a knowledge of nutritive values that will enable them to practice the art of cookery with intelligence. If there be any claim to originality in these books, it is in the reading lessons, in which the attempt has been made to treat the subject of cookery in an intimate personal manner and to touch upon the history and literature of cooking. This has been done briefly and yet with the hope of adding color and genuine value to a subject that might otherwise prove monotonous. The main purpose throughout has been to inspire girls with respect for cooking and a love of cooking as an art and as a science, for it is both. The equipment for teaching Domestic Science in schools of various kinds is not treated in this work, inasmuch as this subject is of interest only to teachers and supervisors. A monograph by Helen Kinne, entitled Equipment for Teaching Domestic Science, which gives a very thorough exposition of the subject, may be obtained from Teachers' College, Columbia University, New York City. Digitized by Google CONTENTS LESSON PAGE I Cooking 9 Arrangement and Care of the Laboratory ... 11 II Baked Apple 14 III Mashed Potato 18 IV Baked Potato 20 V Potatoes (Reading) 22-24 VI Sauteed Onions 24 VII White Sauce (One) 27