Why? The entire outside is then scared over, so it will not take up more of the fat. Why does food take up more fat when put in a small quantity of it? Because the air passing over the food keeps it at such a low temperature that it soaks up the grease all along the edges where it is exposed to the air. Why is it that food browns quicker in fat not used before? Because fat that has water in it can never be heated to as high a temperature, and having used it to fry in before, it has absorbed some water and that water must be cooked out of it or evaporated before it can be heated as hot; then it is just as good to fry in again. Is butter good to fry in ? No ; it can never be heated as hot as snowdrift or lard without burning. It is the most unhealthful fat there is to fry in, because the food will soak up so much of it. Is there any other reason why butter is unhealthful to fry in? Yes, uncooked butter is easily digested, but when it is allowed to reach a high temperature, as in frying, its First Aid to Good Cooking 9i nature is entirely changed and it becomes very irritating to the stomach. Is frying a good way to cook food? No; but food properly fried in deep snowdrift or crisco is not nearly so indigestible as when fried in a small amount of butter or fat of any kind. How can you tell when fat is hot enough for frying? Drop in a soft piece of bread, about an inch square, and if it turns a golden brown in 40 seconds, it will be right for frying croquettes, fish balls, etc.; but for uncooked mixtures like fritters and doughnuts, it must not be quite so hot, or they will burn before they are cooked through. When the bread browns in one minute, the fat will be the right heat for them. CEREALS. In cooking cereals how can you prevent them from being lumpy? If the water is actually boiling, and the cereal is dropped in so slowly that the water does not stop boiling, it will never be lumpy. Does it make any difference whether the salt is put in before the cereal? It does; the salt should always be put in the water first, and the cereal should never be stirred after the first few minutes. Why should it not be stirred? It will make it sticky and pasty. After cooking it on the stove five minutes what should be done with it? It should be put either in the bottom of the double boiler filled with boiling water or on an asbestos mat, where it will cook more slowly; forty-five minutes if it is cream of wheat, or two or three hours if Pettijohn's or rolled oats. Would it injure rolled oats or cracked wheat to cook longer? No, one can hardly cook those cereals too long. Cook them the day before and heat them very hot the next morning without stirring. It is better to use a fire- less cooker. 92 First Aid to Good Cooking Why should cereals be so thoroughly cooked ? Because they are made so largely of starch, and this is most indi- gestible unless thoroughly cooked ; the best digestion would be ruined in time by eating constantly under- cooked starchy foods. BREAD-MAKING. What is needed in making good bread? Perfectly clean hands and finger nails, clean dishes, the best flour, fresh yeast, shortening, a little salt, sugar, water or milk, and a hot oven. What is yeast? It is a very small plant that needs nourishment, water, air. and warmth to make it grow.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Why? The entire outside is then scared over, so it will not take up more of the fat. Why does food take up more fat when put in a small quantity of it? Because the air passing over the food keeps it at such a low temperature that it soaks up the grease all along the edges where it is exposed to the air. Why is it that food browns quicker in fat not used before? Because fat that has water in it can never be heated to as high a temperature, and having used it to fry in before, it has absorbed some water and that water must be cooked out of it or evaporated before it can be heated as hot; then it is just as good to fry in again. Is butter good to fry in ? No ; it can never be heated as hot as snowdrift or lard without burning. It is the most unhealthful fat there is to fry in, because the food will soak up so much of it. Is there any other reason why butter is unhealthful to fry in? Yes, uncooked butter is easily digested, but when it is allowed to reach a high temperature, as in frying, its First Aid to Good Cooking nature is entirely changed and it becomes very irritating to the stomach. Is frying a good way to cook food? No; but food properly fried in deep snowdrift or crisco is not nearly so indigestible as when fried in a small amount of butter or fat of any kind. How can you tell when fat is hot enough for frying? Drop in a soft piece of bread, about an inch square, and if it turns a golden brown in 40 seconds, it will be right for frying croquettes, fish balls, etc.; but for uncooked mixtures like fritters and doughnuts, it must not be quite so hot, or they will burn before they are cooked through. When the bread browns in one minute, the fat will be the right heat for them. CEREALS. In cooking cereals how can you prevent them from being lumpy? If the water is actually boiling, and the cereal is dropped in so slowly that the water does not stop boiling, it will never be lumpy. Does it make any difference whether the salt is put in before the cereal? It does; the salt should always be put in the water first, and the cereal should never be stirred after the first few minutes. Why should it not be stirred? It will make it sticky and pasty. After cooking it on the stove five minutes what should be done with it? It should be put either in the bottom of the double boiler filled with boiling water or on an asbestos mat, where it will cook more slowly; forty-five minutes if it is cream of wheat, or two or three hours if Pettijohn's or rolled oats. Would it injure rolled oats or cracked wheat to cook longer? No, one can hardly cook those cereals too long. Cook them the day before and heat them very hot the next morning without stirring. It is better to use a tireless cooker. 92 First Aid to Good Cooking Why should cereals be so thoroughly cooked ? Because they are made so largely of starch, and this is most indigestible unless thoroughly cooked ; the best digestion would be ruined in time by eating constantly undercooked starchy foods. BREAD-MAKING. What is needed in making good bread? Perfectly clean hands and finger nails, clean dishes, the best flour, fresh yeast, shortening, a little salt, sugar, water or milk, and a hot oven. What is yeast? It is a very small plant that needs nourishment, water, air. and warmth to make it grow.

Efficiency in home-making and first-aid to good cooking