a while after this flour was put on the market, much was to be heard about the superior nutritive value of whole wheat bread, compared with bread made from white flour. Later work has shown that the cells containing the protein in the aleurone layer are so tough that few of them are broken in the grinding, and so the protein present is not digested easily. Moreover, the whole mass passes so much more rapidly through the digestive tract that ex- periment shows that rather less nutriment is actually absorbed from bread made from the coarser varieties of flour. These breads may have their place in the diet, however, because they contain more salts, and it is prob- ably due to these that they possess their laxative effect. Rye is the only flour besides wheat flour which contains sufficient gluten to make risen bread, and rye bread is much more moist and dense than white bread. Nearly all recipes, even for graham and whole wheat breads, call for the addition of some bread flour. In making corn- meal muffins, for example, from one-third to two-thirds of the flour as given in an ordinary recipe for muffins may be substituted with an equal weight of corn meal. The more flour used in proportion to the corn meal, the lighter the muffins, but, of course, there is also less and less flavor of corn meal. Corn meal is made from different varieties of corn giving a white or a yellow meal. Southerners generally use white corn meal, and northerners yellow, each claiming a superi- ority for their product. There is an undoubted difference in flavor, but which is better is a matter of taste each individual must settle for himself. QUESTIONS 1. Describe the wheat kernel. 2. How many pounds are there in a barrel of flour ? CAKE 233 3. What does flour cost per pound ? Per barrel ? 4. Is there any advantage in buying a barrel of flour instead of a quarter-barrel sack? 5. What care should be taken in storing flour ? 6. How does the nutritive value of a pound of flour compare with that of a pound of cornstarch? Of corn meal? Of beef (the round) ? Compare the cost of a hundred-calorie portion of each, as well as the cost per pound. 7. How many muffins of average size can you make from two cups of flour ? XLIX CAKE A. MAKE A PLAIN CAKE. Use one-eighth of the following proportions LIQUID (Milk or water) FLOUR (Pastry) FAT (Butter) SUGAR EGGS BAKING POWDER 1 C. 3c. Jo. l|c. 4 3 tsp. Add a few grains of salt and a few drops of flavoring. Half the class mix as in (1), the other half as in (2). Compare the appearance of batters before baking and of cakes after baking. Which method of mixing takes less time? Bake cake at 385° F, in greased pans only two- thirds full, until it shrinks away from the sides of the pan and springs back into place when gently pressed on top with the finger. 1. Cream the butter, adding the sugar gradually, until the two are as well mixed as possible. Add the beaten yolks of eggs, and then alternately liquid and 234 FOOD STUDY flour sifted with the baking powder. Finally, fold in the stiffly beaten whites. 2. Put the sugar in a bowl and pour in the liquid. Stir and let stand, while you separate and beat the eggs. Add the beaten yolks and the butter melted. Gradu- ally stir in the flour sifted with the baking powder and finally fold in the stiffly beaten whites as before.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

a while after this flour was put on the market, much was to be heard about the superior nutritive value of whole wheat bread, compared with bread made from white flour. Later work has shown that the cells containing the protein in the aleurone layer are so tough that few of them are broken in the grinding, and so the protein present is not digested easily. Moreover, the whole mass passes so much more rapidly through the digestive tract that experiment shows that rather less nutriment is actually absorbed from bread made from the coarser varieties of flour. These breads may have their place in the diet, however, because they contain more salts, and it is probably due to these that they possess their laxative effect. Rye is the only flour besides wheat flour which contains sufficient gluten to make risen bread, and rye bread is much more moist and dense than white bread. Nearly all recipes, even for graham and whole wheat breads, call for the addition of some bread flour. In making cornmeal muffins, for example, from one-third to two-thirds of the flour as given in an ordinary recipe for muffins may be substituted with an equal weight of corn meal. The more flour used in proportion to the corn meal, the lighter the muffins, but, of course, there is also less and less flavor of corn meal. Corn meal is made from different varieties of corn giving a white or a yellow meal. Southerners generally use white corn meal, and northerners yellow, each claiming a superiority for their product. There is an undoubted difference in flavor, but which is better is a matter of taste each individual must settle for himself. 1. Describe the wheat kernel. 2. How many pounds are there in a barrel of flour ? CAKE 3. What does flour cost per pound ? Per barrel ? 4. Is there any advantage in buying a barrel of flour instead of a quarter-barrel sack? 5. What care should be taken in storing flour ? 6. How does the nutritive value of a pound of flour compare with that of a pound of cornstarch? Of corn meal? Of beef (the round) ? Compare the cost of a hundred-calorie portion of each, as well as the cost per pound. 7. How many muffins of average size can you make from two cups of flour ? CAKE A. MAKE A PLAIN CAKE. Use one-eighth of the following proportions (Milk or water) (Pastry) FAT (Butter) BAKING POWDER 1 C. Jo. l|c. 3 tsp. Add a few grains of salt and a few drops of flavoring. Half the class mix as in (1), the other half as in (2). Compare the appearance of batters before baking and of cakes after baking. Which method of mixing takes less time? Bake cake at 385° F, in greased pans only twothirds full, until it shrinks away from the sides of the pan and springs back into place when gently pressed on top with the finger. 1. Cream the butter, adding the sugar gradually, until the two are as well mixed as possible. Add the beaten yolks of eggs, and then alternately liquid and flour sifted with the baking powder. Finally, fold in the stiffly beaten whites. 2. Put the sugar in a bowl and pour in the liquid. Stir and let stand, while you separate and beat the eggs. Add the beaten yolks and the butter melted. Gradually stir in the flour sifted with the baking powder and finally fold in the stiffly beaten whites as before.

Food study