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Domestic science (1914 text-book)

1914

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Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
3. Prepare two pans of water, one with hot, soapy water and the other with hotter clear water for rinsing. In order to save the hands use the dish washer as much as possible instead of a cloth. Much hotter water can be used if this is done. 4. Wash the dishes in the following order: (a) glass (c) china (e) granite or tin (b) silver (d) crockery (f) kitchen utensils The dishes should be thoroughly dried and carefully put away in their proper places. What has been learned: 1. Apples are composed of a sugar-like substance, cellulose, and water. 2. Moist heat will break up the cellulose and thus soften the apple. 3. Baking thus makes an apple easier to digest. 4. Baking also changes the flavor of an apple. Digitized by Google VEGETABLES Lesson m Mashed Potato Materials used: 1 teaspoon, tp, = 64 drops. 1 potato 2 tb milk 1 tp butter i tp salt Mashed Potato Utensils needed: ^ Granite pan with ^^ potato masher or cover ^ ^w ^A ricer (Figure 7) paring knife ^ ^^^ fork dish for parings ^^^^S-^ teaspoon bowl ^^ ^^ tablespoon Work to be done: Fig. 7 1. Wash the potato in the bowl and pare, taking the parings off lengthwise. Be careful to pare thin. 2. Remove the eyes and wash the potato. 3. If the potato is large, cut in two lengthwise. 4. Have enough boiling water in the granite pan to cover the potato. 5. Put the salt in the water and then put in the potato. Cover. 6. Boil until the potato can be easily pierced with a fork, then drain off the water at once so that the potato will not be soggy. 7. Mash thoroughly or put the potato through the ricer. 8. Add the milk and butter and beat with the fork until light. Principles: Potatoes are made up very largely of starch, cellulose, and water. Cellulose, it will be remembered, is a woody fiber which is present in all plants. The cellulose is built up around the little grains of starch. Raw potatoes are of but little use to 18 Digitized by Google VEGETABLES 19 human beings because the starch is surrounded by the cellulose and the digestive organs are not able to break down this wall to get all the starch. When the starch comes in contact with Fig. 8 Fig. 9 Fig. 10 the boiUng water, the little starch grains swell so that they burst their skins. Then the digestive juices easily act upon the starch. The chief advantage, then, in cooking potatoes is that cooked starch is more easily digested than raw starch. Mashed potatoes, properly made, have a great deal of air beaten into them. This air makes them very light, gives them a whiter color, and makes them taste better. Serving: Put the potato into an oblong vegetable dish, leaving it fluffy and light, and serve. If desired, make a little hollow in the center and place in it a small piece of butter. A little garnishing of parsley, that is, tiny pieces of parsley scattered over the top or arranged around the edge of the dish, adds to the attractiveness of the dish. Whenmashed potatoes are served at dinner, it is usual to serve them from a large dish which may also be garnished with parsley. Table manners: Mashed potatoes are eaten with a fork. Rule: Only forks and spoons are used to carry food to the mouth. Setting the table: The table cloth, which should be ironed and folded with great care, with as few folds as practicable, should be carefully Digitized by Google 20 DOMESTIC SCIENCE unfolded. It is much easier to keep from mussing it if two girls unfold and lay the cloth. Lay it lengthwise of the table with the long crease exactly in the center and the same length of cloth, about nine inches, hanging over each end. Carefully smooth out the creases by standing at either end and passing the hands, palms downward, lightly over the cloth from the center to the outsides, the full length of the table. Repeat the same operation standing at the middle of the sides. What has been learned: