The rapid technological developments in ice-cream making in recent years have im¬ proved the commercial product and so in¬ creased its availability that ice-cream making has been almost completely taken over from the home by industry. Still some home¬ makers prefer to make their own, especially in farm areas where they have "the mak¬ ings,” and lack ready access to the commer¬ cial product. QUALITY IN ICE CREAMS An understanding of the factors that give quality to frozen desserts is important in the selection of the commercial product, and use¬ ful in understanding the basic proportions and methods used in the home preparation of Arthur D. Holmes, "Ice Cream as a Source of Riboflavin, Carotene and Ascorbic Acid,” New Eng¬ land Medical Journal , Vol. 234, p. 47, 1946. these desserts. Flavor, body, and texture are important elements in the quality of ice cream. Flavor. The flavor of the ice cream de¬ pends first of all on the cream which forms the basis of the mixture. It should be free from any unpleasant flavors and not too acid. There should be enough fat to give the ex¬ pected body and texture, for these are factors in flavor; but too much fat makes a mixture too rich to be palatable. It has a buttery texture that detracts from flavor. Other materials added, such as eggs, dried or evaporated milk, gelatin, and flavorings, must be selected with the same care as the cream. Inferior flavor in any of these will de¬ tract from the flavor of the mixture. The addition of a small amount of salt brings out the flavor of the combined ingredients. Slightly more sugar and flavoring are re¬ quired in frozen desserts than in similar mix¬ tures used unfrozen, since at low tempera¬ tures the taste bulbs do not respond to the taste stimulae at the same concentration. About 14 to 16 per cent of added sugar by weight is the amount preferred. An excess of sugar is to be avoided since it not only is objectionable to the taste, but may lower the freezing point of the mixture too much. Sugar in the right amount adds to flavor and improves the body and texture of the frozen cream. Granulated sugar (sucrose) is the form most frequently used. The less sweet glucose and cerelose may be used to replace some of the sugar. These must be used in larger amounts than granulated sugar to give comparable sweetness. Both lower the [150] freezing point more than sucrose, and a lower temperature for hardening and service may be required. Honey may be used for both sugar and flavor but it also lowers the freezing and melting points more than sucrose. Various flavorings are used in ice creams. Vanilla is by far the most popular. Just enough should be added to kill any flatness of the cream-sugar mixture, but not enough to cover the natural flavor of the cream. Chocolate is second in popularity. It should be cooked smooth in a portion of the mixture and added to the remainder. Cocoa gives better results than chocolate. Not more than two and one-half per cent by weight should be used. Semisweet chocolate in the form of "chips” or coarsely grated is added to some creams. This carries the chocolate flavor and gives a special texture to the mix¬ ture. Coffee, caramel, and maple are among the other flavors used. The latter two are frequently combined with nuts.

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The rapid technological developments in ice-cream making in recent years have im¬ proved the commercial product and so in¬ creased its availability that ice-cream making has been almost completely taken over from the home by industry. Still some home¬ makers prefer to make their own, especially in farm areas where they have "the mak¬ ings,” and lack ready access to the commer¬ cial product. QUALITY IN ICE CREAMS An understanding of the factors that give quality to frozen desserts is important in the selection of the commercial product, and use¬ ful in understanding the basic proportions and methods used in the home preparation of Arthur D. Holmes, "Ice Cream as a Source of Riboflavin, Carotene and Ascorbic Acid,” New Eng¬ land Medical Journal , Vol. 234, p. 47, 1946. these desserts. Flavor, body, and texture are important elements in the quality of ice cream. Flavor. The flavor of the ice cream de¬ pends first of all on the cream which forms the basis of the mixture. It should be free from any unpleasant flavors and not too acid. There should be enough fat to give the ex¬ pected body and texture, for these are factors in flavor; but too much fat makes a mixture too rich to be palatable. It has a buttery texture that detracts from flavor. Other materials added, such as eggs, dried or evaporated milk, gelatin, and flavorings, must be selected with the same care as the cream. Inferior flavor in any of these will de¬ tract from the flavor of the mixture. The addition of a small amount of salt brings out the flavor of the combined ingredients. Slightly more sugar and flavoring are re¬ quired in frozen desserts than in similar mix¬ tures used unfrozen, since at low tempera¬ tures the taste bulbs do not respond to the taste stimuli at the same concentration. About 14 to 16 per cent of added sugar by weight is the amount preferred. An excess of sugar is to be avoided since it not only is objectionable to the taste, but may lower the freezing point of the mixture too much. Sugar in the right amount adds to flavor and improves the body and texture of the frozen cream. Granulated sugar (sucrose) is the form most frequently used. The less sweet glucose and cerelose may be used to replace some of the sugar. These must be used in larger amounts than granulated sugar to give comparable sweetness. Both lower the [150] freezing point more than sucrose, and a lower temperature for hardening and service may be required. Honey may be used for both sugar and flavor but it also lowers the freezing and melting points more than sucrose. Various flavorings are used in ice creams. Vanilla is by far the most popular. Just enough should be added to kill any flatness of the cream-sugar mixture, but not enough to cover the natural flavor of the cream. Chocolate is second in popularity. It should be cooked smooth in a portion of the mixture and added to the remainder. Cocoa gives better results than chocolate. Not more than two and one-half per cent by weight should be used. Semisweet chocolate in the form of "chips” or coarsely grated is added to some creams. This carries the chocolate flavor and gives a special texture to the mix¬ ture. Coffee, caramel, and maple are among the other flavors used. The latter two are frequently combined with nuts.

Foods, their selection and preparation