Foods, their selection and preparation

When for any reason milk is not used as a beverage in the diet, care must be taken to use it wherever possible in the preparation of food so as to insure a desirable amount in the diet. Skimmed milk, containing the val¬ uable milk solids, not fat, with its high min¬ eral and vitamin content, is especially useful in cookery. In either fluid or dried form it can be used in many milk dishes, and the fat requirement met by the addition of butter or margarine. Dried skim milk (nonfat dried milk solids) keeps well. When a supply is on hand, it is surprising to how many uses it can be put. It is easily added to any batter or dough mixture, increases the nutritive value of ready-to-cook cereals, and improves the flavor and nutritive value of mashed potatoes. To these and to many other dishes it can be added in dry form. Dried milk is easily changed back to fluid form. To reconstitute dried milk to the composition of fluid skim milk, place J cup dried milk in a quart bottle or jar that can be tightly closed, and add 1 pint of luke¬ warm water. Shake well to combine without lumps. Larger amounts may be prepared with a suitable container, using the same basic proportions. For large quantities, a small household churn is specially useful. Buttermilk can be prepared from recon¬ stituted skim milk. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons [122] of a good buttermilk as a starter to each quart of fluid skim milk, prepare as directed above, and hold at room temperature until it has fermented, then chill. MILK COOKERY Milk is used as the liquid ingredient of many prepared dishes. Among the dishes in which milk is an important component are cream soups, chowders, cream sauces, pud¬ dings, and custards. These are all discussed in other chapters. Special Precautions. When milk is the main component of any dish there are certain precautions which must be observed. Scorching. Milk tends to stick to the bottom of the pan in which it is heated. This is due to the coagulation of the proteins other than casein in the milk. Though pres¬ ent in small amounts, these coagulate when heated and tend to settle and stick to the bottom of the pan. Sometimes this protein scorches and gives a bad flavor to the mix¬ ture. This scorching can be prevented by an occasional stir when cooking over direct heat or, better still, by heating the milk in a double boiler. Scum. A scum forms on heated milk. This scum is objectionable and can be pre¬ vented. It results from a drying out of the top of the milk when heated in an uncovered container. It is tough and holds in the steam and may cause the milk to foam and boil over unless carefully watched. Scum formation can be avoided by covering to prevent evap¬ oration while heating in a double boiler, or by careful stirring to prevent the drying out of the surface layer of milk cooked over direct heat. When hot beverages containing milk must stand uncovered for a time, beat¬ ing forms a foamy layer over the top, which retards evaporation and scum formation. Curdling. Acid curdles milk. When materials containing even a very little acid added to hot milk, the milk tends to curdle. This sometimes happens in making fudge (see page 41) but can be prevented by adding the chocolate after the sirup has been concentrated. The thickened sirup prevents the separation of the casein.