Foods, their selection and preparation

The use of soda in tomato soup is objec¬ tionable and unnecessary. Tomatoes vary so much in acidity that it is difficult to add just enough soda. Any excess soda contributes an undesirable flavor; a small amount of soda neutralizes the acid of the tomato, and modi¬ fies the desirable tart flavor of the soup. Cottage Cheese. In the preparation of cot¬ tage cheese the influence of both acid and heat on casein is demonstrated. Milk (usu¬ ally skimmed) is allowed to sour naturally. The curd which forms is separated by strain¬ ing through cheesecloth. When the curdled milk is drained without heating, a soft cheese is obtained. If the curdled milk is heated to about 104° F., the casein is separated from the whey more completely and the curd is less soft. Heating to too high a temperature should be avoided since the casein becomes tough and rubbery at high temperature. Rennet Custard. The enzyme rennet is used to clot milk in the preparation of the dessert known as rennet custard or junket. Rennet or junket tablets are prepared from an extract of the mucous lining of the calf’s stomach. In preparing rennet custard, the milk is sweetened and flavored before the addition of the rennet, since the action of the enzyme commences immediately and the milk must not be stirred after it has been added. The flavored milk is heated just to body tempera¬ ture (98.6° F, the temperature at which the enzyme acts best), and the enzyme is added in the proportion indicated on the package. Caramel, maple, almond, and vanilla are good flavorings for junket. Crushed fresh fruits, fruit syrups, or crushed peanut brittle may be served with it for variety. SOUR CREAM Sour cream is available in some markets. Because of its usefulness in food preparation, at least one dairy in most large cities spe¬ cializes in its production. It can easily be prepared at home.1 lSour Cream ; Leaflet No. 213, United States De¬ partment of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. [124] Its acidity makes it specially desirable for use in certain sauces, salad dressings, and characteristic desserts. When used in un¬ cooked salad dressings and desserts, it is whipped before being combined with the other ingredients. The air incorporated thickens the cream and increases its volume. It should be kept cold (below 50° F.) during whipping to prevent the formation of butter. Overwhipping should be avoided. In baked goods sour cream furnishes liquid and all or part of the fat; with the addition of soda, it may be used to leaven mixtures for baking. WHIPPED CREAM Air may be incorporated in cream, produc¬ ing a foam or whipped cream. The whipping quality of a cream and the stiffness and degree of permanence of the resulting foam depend upon several factors. Among these are the amount of fat in the cream, its viscosity, and the temperature of the cream when whipped. To form a stiff, stable foam, cream should have from 30-35 per cent fat. Less fat gives a fluffy foam of low stability; more gives a foam of low volume with a tendency to form butter. The viscosity of the cream is influenced not only by the fat content but by the age of the cream. Raw cream should be aged at least 4 hours at 45°-50° F.