The international cook book

The buying of canned fruits and vegetables for the family can be so arranged that it will be necessary to place orders for these only occasionally. A well-stocked storeroom should have in it a carefully chosen assortment of vegetables and fruit which may be used in either hot or cold combinations the whole year round. The home which has in it a storeroom full of canned foods need never worry about the unexpected. The Emergency Meal may be quickly prepared after carefully choosing foods from the shelves. It is possible to buy sandwich fillings and cheese in cans, and these too should be stocked so as to be on hand for emergency use. A rehable grocer will gladly arrange with you to sell these caimed goods in quantity lots. Cases with an assortment of fruits and vegetables may be obtained at a reasonable price. The clever homemaker will be sure to keep her storeroom well filled, buying more of any food which needs re-stocking. WTien new foods are added to the storeroom, it is of \-ital im- portance that the new lot be put back of the old so that the food which has been on hand longest wiU be used first. Tongue, ham, and other assorted meats may be purchased in cans to have on hand when the unexpected guest arrives. 357 358 THE INTERNATIONAL COOK BOOK We do not want to live on canned food alone. No matter how well stocked the storeroom in any home is, there is always a place for fresh vegetables in planning menus. With our markets today, we find it possible to feed our families fresh vegetables the year round. It is the skillful cook who will so combine her fresh foods and her canned that the family is well fed. When purchasing foods it is advisable to buy suppUes for more than one day at a time. The practical cook will plan meals for several days instead of just one. She can then easily buy all of the fresh foods that she wants on hand for these meals. It may be disastrous to buy too much perishable food at one time, unless the storage facihties in the home are excellent. Potatoes and winter vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, onions, and par- snips may be purchased in large quantities if you like, if the storage facilities for keeping these vegetables in the home are good. Spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, cauliflower, and other fresh vegetables should be purchased as needed. However, they may be kept for several days without deterioration. Fruits should be given the same consideration as vegetables. It is possible to buy and keep apples, grape fruit, and oranges in a large quantity to have on hand when needed, but it is difl&cult to keep bananas and most fresh fruits and berries for longer than a few days. Ordering groceries over the telephone may be the easiest way of doing it, but the careful cook and good homemaker does her own shopping. Markets today are so alluring that most every woman enjoys going to them to do the buying. It is this per- sonal shopping that is of greatest value. The purchaser can see the quahty of the food she is buying and then there is no cause for complaint later.