Foods and household management

(a) Mold in small cups with dates or other fruit, and serve with sugar and cream for luncheon. (b) Cool com meal mush in a flat dish, cut it in slices when cold, and brown the slices in a frying pan, with beef fat, or a butter substitute. Serve with sugar, molasses, or sirup for breakfast or luncheon. (c) Rice or hominy may be mixed with a beaten egg, molded into small cakes, and browned either in the frying pan, or in the oven. (d) A small remaining portion of any cereal may be used to thicken soup. (c) Any cooked cereal may be used in muffins or even yeast bread. (See those chapters.) 3. Com meal "mush." — This is cooked by the same method as the other cereals, except that the amount of water is larger and the first boiling should continue longer. The meal must be scattered slowly into the boiling water, or else be mixed first with cold water, as it lumps very easily. The second stage of the process should continue several hours. Rice, — Rice varies very much in quality and in the shape of the grain. Louisiana and Chinese rice are among those that have a firm and large grain keeping its shape well when cooked. Inferior varieties become too soft, and the finished product is pasty and poor in color and flavor. Much is said at present about the harmful effect of the polishing process upon the quality of the rice. An unpolished rice may sometimes be found on the market, brownish in color, and with a good flavor. 4. Boiled rice. — Rice may be cooked in the double boiler by the same method as other cereals, allowing 1 part of rice to 3 of water. The rice should be well washed in cold water. The second stage need not be continued so long, from three quarters of an hour to an hour being sufficient. The flavor is improved by the use of milk in place of half of the water. By this method the nutritive value is much increased. Another method used by the Chinese continues the boiling throughout the whole process. A very large amount of water is used, several quarts for one cup of rice, and when the water is boiling violently the rice is scattered in very slowly. The boiling continues from twenty minutes to half an hour, or until the grains are tender, and then the water is drained off, through a colander. The rice in the colander should then be placed where the remaining moisture wiU steam off. By this method nutrients are lost, but the grains of the rice stand out distinctly and are Ught and dry. It is a difficult method for the novice, because its success depends upon the removal of the rice from the water just at the moment it is tender, but not too soft. The grains should be tested in twenty minutes. Corn products, — Com being our most abundant grain, it is the cheapest, and we should promote its use. Hominy and samp and Indian meal, when well cooked, are all most palatable. There is a difference between old and new process com meal, to be noticed in the flavor and in the behavior of the two kinds in cooking. The new process meal now more largely on the market has been deprived of the germ, which contains a large amount of oil, and although the meal does not deteriorate so soon, there is some loss of flavor. More-