Standard grades for fresh vegetables have
been set up by the U. S. Department of
Agriculture. Among the points considered
in establishing grades are these: degree of
ripeness, uniformity of size and shape, color,
and freedom from mold, decay, freezing,
cuts, bruises, worms, insects, and any in¬
dications of plant disease. U. S. Fancy is the
highest grade. This is applied only to the
choicest products. U. S. No. 1 is the second
grade, and U. S. No. 2 the third grade. These
grades are not often used in retail displays.
Price measures not food value or quality
but supply and demand. Vegetables are at
their best and lowest in price when in season.
Out-of-season vegetables are usually grown in
distant places and are more expensive because
of the cost of handling and transportation.
Amounts to Buy. Adaptability of a vege¬
table to storage, available storage space, nu¬
tritional needs of the family, and the number
of persons to be served should determine
the quantity to buy. By judicious buying
and storing, the housewife or dietitian can
provide a variety of vegetables for each day,
without buying too many kinds at one time.
HOME CARE AND STORAGE
The fresh and green vegetables should be
given attention as soon as they come into the
kitchen. They should be examined carefully
and any bruised leaves or imperfect portions
discarded. Then they should be thoroughly
washed, to remove all sand or soil. If vege¬
tables must be held for later use they should
be kept at low temperatures, always above
freezing.
Salad vegetables keep best if placed in a
tightly covered salad pan with just the water
which clings to them in washing. Many re¬
frigerators come equipped with these con¬
tainers or they can be purchased separately.
Other green vegetables may be put into the
[73]
Grades of Potatoes
Forsythe from U.S.D.A.
m
■■■I - '-. fwBm
> -
, -v^v;
Washing Leafy Vegetables • In washing lift leafy
vegetables out of the water; any soil or sand
settles to the bottom. Repeat until the last water
shows no sand
refrigerator in the pan in which they are to
be cooked, or in any covered container, a
waterproof bag, or wax paper. Peas or lima
beans should be left in the pods. They may
be stored in the bags in which purchased.
French cooks parboil any vegetable which
is not to be prepared immediately, to stop
enzymatic changes, then reheat it later for
serving. This pre-cooking is referred to as
"blanching.” It conserves the flavor and
nutritive content of vegetables not to be
cooked immediately. If done quickly, as in a
pressure sauce pan with a minimum amount
of water, blanching is not especially destruc¬
tive to vitamin content.
Most of the root vegetables can be stored
in a cool place without refrigeration. The
regulation of both temperature and humidity
is important when root vegetables and tubers
are stored for long periods.
The temperature at which some root
vegetables are stored is important. When
potatoes are stored at temperatures below
50° F., so much of the starch present is
changed to sugar that they are unsatisfactory
for use in making potato chips and French
Page 66
Presented as published in 1935. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Standard grades for fresh vegetables have been set up by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Among the points considered in establishing grades are these: degree of ripeness, uniformity of size and shape, color, and freedom from mold, decay, freezing, cuts, bruises, worms, insects, and any in¬ dications of plant disease. U. S. Fancy is the highest grade. This is applied only to the choicest products. U. S. No. 1 is the second grade, and U. S. No. 2 the third grade. These grades are not often used in retail displays.
Price measures not food value or quality but supply and demand. Vegetables are at their best and lowest in price when in season. Out-of-season vegetables are usually grown in
distant places and are more expensive because of the cost of handling and transportation.
Amounts to Buy. Adaptability of a vege¬ table to storage, available storage space, nu¬ tritional needs of the family, and the number of persons to be served should determine the quantity to buy. By judicious buying and storing, the housewife or dietitian can provide a variety of vegetables for each day, without buying too many kinds at one time.
The fresh and green vegetables should be given attention as soon as they come into the kitchen. They should be examined carefully and any bruised leaves or imperfect portions discarded. Then they should be thoroughly washed, to remove all sand or soil. If vege¬ tables must be held for later use they should be kept at low temperatures, always above freezing.
Salad vegetables keep best if placed in a tightly covered salad pan with just the water which clings to them in washing. Many re¬ frigerators come equipped with these con¬ tainers or they can be purchased separately. Other green vegetables may be put into the
[73]
Grades of Potatoes
Forsythe from U.S.D.A.
m
■■■I - '-. fwBm > -
, -v^v;
Washing Leafy Vegetables • In washing lift leafy vegetables out of the water; any soil or sand settles to the bottom. Repeat until the last water
shows no sand
refrigerator in the pan in which they are to be cooked, or in any covered container, a waterproof bag, or wax paper. Peas or lima beans should be left in the pods. They may be stored in the bags in which purchased.
French cooks parboil any vegetable which is not to be prepared immediately, to stop enzymatic changes, then reheat it later for serving. This pre-cooking is referred to as "blanching.” It conserves the flavor and nutritive content of vegetables not to be cooked immediately. If done quickly, as in a pressure sauce pan with a minimum amount of water, blanching is not especially destruc¬ tive to vitamin content.
Most of the root vegetables can be stored in a cool place without refrigeration. The regulation of both temperature and humidity is important when root vegetables and tubers are stored for long periods.
The temperature at which some root vegetables are stored is important. When potatoes are stored at temperatures below 50° F., so much of the starch present is changed to sugar that they are unsatisfactory for use in making potato chips and French