FoodNet

Foods, their selection and preparation

1935

Page 331

Presented as published in 1935. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
A certain food item or flavor should not be repeated too often and never in the same meal. If tomato soup or tomato juice makes the first course, then select another vegetable for the salad. Likewise, similar flavors, such as those of cauliflower, cabbage, and brussels sprouts, should not occur in the same meal. There also should be variety in texture in each meal. Serve a crisp vegetable with a soft one and use only one creamed dish at a time. For interest it is best to vary the method of cooking a meal. This does not mean that one cannot have an attractive meal if the meat and all the vegetables are cooked together, as in a stew or in the so- called "boiled dinner.” This type of meal is economical of fuel; and variety in color, flavor, and texture may be obtained by the choice of vegetables. Color. A well-balanced meal, perfectly prepared, may be lacking in appetite appeal because of a lack of color. People eat with their eyes. A plate of roast pork, mashed potatoes, milk gravy, and cauliflower is un¬ interesting to look at, no matter how well it [358] ^ee pages 23 to 27. may taste. If the mashed potato is changed to a baked one and a bright green or yellow vegetable replaces the cauliflower, the plate takes on eye appeal. Some colors just don’t go well together, on a plate any more than in a costume. Beets and tomatoes are a good example. Flavor. A plate of food may be attrac¬ tive to look at, yet lacking in flavor. This may be due to a poor selection, that is, all the foods may be bland in flavor; or it may be caused by methods of cooking which de¬ stroy or cause a loss of the natural flavors; or, it may be due merely to lack of proper seasoning. Satiety Value. Each meal not only should satisfy the appetite at the time it is eaten, but also should stay hunger between meals. Well-balanced meals will include foods which have that stick-to-the-ribs quality. Foods which take longer to digest than others, because of their fat and protein content, have this advantage. Meal Patterns. Meal patterns vary with areas and with families within areas. Meals are adjusted in time and content to work, school, and living arrangements, and to the food requirements of the family. In the United States the general pattern conforms to three meals a day. Breakfast. As the name indicates, break¬ fast ends the longest period of the day with¬ out food. It should supply a ready source of energy to carry through the morning hours, as well as provide its share of "must” foods. The time for breakfast is determined usually by the work schedule of the family wage- earner. Fresh fruit in season or fruit juice, cereal, and toast with butter and jelly, jam, or marmalade, and a hot beverage for adults and milk for children form a standard break¬ fast pattern, of which there are many varia¬ tions, subtractions, and additions. Such a breakfast can well be planned to carry its