Method 1, The best method, for new potatoes. Select those of uniform size. When scrubbed, place them in a shallow 118 FOODS AND HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT pan, or upon the rack of the oven. The oven should be hot, about 450° F. or even a higher temperature. (See oven tests. Chapter IX.) The length of time required depends upon the size of the potato, forty-five minutes being the average time. A potato is largely water. What, is the temperature of the interior of the potato during the baking process ? Test by pressing firmly, protecting the fingers by a soft cloth ; or insert a fork. When the potato is done, it yields to the pressure of the fingejrs. If the potatoes cannot be served at once, break the skin that the steam may escape, cover with a cloth, and keep them hot. For convenience at the table, cut the potatoes in two length- wise, loosen the content of each half with a fork, sprinkle with salt, and add a bit of butter, as much as one would add at the table. Potato on the half shell carries serving one step farther. Cut the baked potatoes in two lengthwise, remove the con- tents, mash lightly, add butter or butterine, milk, and salt, al- lowing a teaspoonful of butter, a tablespoonful of milk and a shake or two of salt✪ Baked Potatoes to each potato. These measurements can- not be given with exactness, because potatoes vary in size. Beat this mixture well, replace lightly in each half shell, and brown the tops slightly. This is nothing more than mashed baked potato, prettily served. Invent other variations of this dish, adding ingredients that are agreeable when mixed with the potato. The beaten white of an egg added, gives greater lightness to the mixture in the potato shell. Method 2. The same as Method 1, except that the potatoes are pared before baking. A good method when the skins are not fair. A brown crust is formed on the potato, which is crisp and pleasant to eat. Large potatoes may be cut in two before baking, or even sliced. What difference in length of baking will there be between Methods 1 and 2 ? 2. Boiled potatoes. The only way to prevent the loss of nutrients in using this process is to boil the potatoes with the " jackets " on. This is the best way with new potatoes. This method with ripe and old potatoes gives a yellowish color to the surface and VEGETABLES AND VEGETABLE COOKERY 119 indeed throughout. It is a labor-saving method for the busy housewife, as the skin cracks and loosens at the end of the boiling process, and is easily removed. If you choose to have a snow-white potato, it must be pared before boiling, and thus you deliberately waste the valuable mineral matter provided by nature. If your income permits this aesthetic pleasure, the mineral matter can of course be supplied in other vegetables. The woman who can spend but twenty to thirty cents per capita for food per day should boil the potatoes with the skins on and gratify her artistic sense in some other way. The method of boiling is the same in either case, whether the potato is pared or not.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Method 1, The best method, for new potatoes. Select those of uniform size. When scrubbed, place them in a shallow pan, or upon the rack of the oven. The oven should be hot, about 450° F. or even a higher temperature. (See oven tests. Chapter IX.) The length of time required depends upon the size of the potato, forty-five minutes being the average time. A potato is largely water. What, is the temperature of the interior of the potato during the baking process ? Test by pressing firmly, protecting the fingers by a soft cloth ; or insert a fork. When the potato is done, it yields to the pressure of the fingers. If the potatoes cannot be served at once, break the skin that the steam may escape, cover with a cloth, and keep them hot. For convenience at the table, cut the potatoes in two lengthwise, loosen the content of each half with a fork, sprinkle with salt, and add a bit of butter, as much as one would add at the table. Potato on the half shell carries serving one step farther. Cut the baked potatoes in two lengthwise, remove the contents, mash lightly, add butter or butterine, milk, and salt, allowing a teaspoonful of butter, a tablespoonful of milk and a shake or two of salt to each potato. These measurements cannot be given with exactness, because potatoes vary in size. Beat this mixture well, replace lightly in each half shell, and brown the tops slightly. This is nothing more than mashed baked potato, prettily served. Invent other variations of this dish, adding ingredients that are agreeable when mixed with the potato. The beaten white of an egg added, gives greater lightness to the mixture in the potato shell. Method 2. The same as Method 1, except that the potatoes are pared before baking. A good method when the skins are not fair. A brown crust is formed on the potato, which is crisp and pleasant to eat. Large potatoes may be cut in two before baking, or even sliced. What difference in length of baking will there be between Methods 1 and 2 ? 2. Boiled potatoes. The only way to prevent the loss of nutrients in using this process is to boil the potatoes with the " jackets " on. This is the best way with new potatoes. This method with ripe and old potatoes gives a yellowish color to the surface and indeed throughout. It is a labor-saving method for the busy housewife, as the skin cracks and loosens at the end of the boiling process, and is easily removed. If you choose to have a snow-white potato, it must be pared before boiling, and thus you deliberately waste the valuable mineral matter provided by nature. If your income permits this aesthetic pleasure, the mineral matter can of course be supplied in other vegetables. The woman who can spend but twenty to thirty cents per capita for food per day should boil the potatoes with the skins on and gratify her artistic sense in some other way. The method of boiling is the same in either case, whether the potato is pared or not.

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