Principles of cooking

Of all beverages, water is the best, and very few people drink enough of it. About four pints should be taken daily to equalize the loss through the excretory organs. A glass of hot water taken the first thing in the morning washes the mucus from the stomach and aids excretion. The two most common beverages served, tea and coffee, have no food value, and if hot water could be used in place of them, the nervous system would be greatly benefited. Tea and coffee are stimulants, and while they probably do no harm to grown people if taken in moderation, they are harmful to children. | Cocoa and chocolate are foods, and when made with milk the food value is increased. Lemonade is a refreshing drink, and furnishes vegetable acids to the body. The same may be said of all fruit beverages made from fresh fruit. Coffee. — Use two level tablespoons of coffee for each cup of boiling water. Put the coffee in the coffee pot and add enough cold water to moisten the coffee and make it stick together, about a teaspoon of water to each tablespoon of coffee. Pour the boiling water over the coffee, and let it boil for three minutes. Place it where it will be kept hot, but not boil, for five minutes more, and then serve. Tea.—Scald a porcelain, earthenware, or china teapot with boiling water to thoroughly heat the teapot, and then turn BEVERAGES é 1 the water out. Usea level teaspoon of green or black tea for each cup of water. Put the tea in the hot teapot. Pour boiling water over it, and let it stand two or three minutes, and then serve. Never let tea boil. Do not let it stand on the hot stove. Tea should be served as soon as it is made. Lemonade. — Wash the lemons thoroughly. Use one lemon for two glasses of lemonade. Cut the lemons in © halves, squeeze the juice out with a lemon squeezer, and add three tablespoons of sugar to each lemon. Mix the lemon juice and sugar thoroughly; add some chopped ice and the cold water. Serve ice-cold. Some slices of lemon may be added for appearance and because the volatile oil in the skin adds to the flavor. Cocoa. — Mix one tablespoon of cocoa with one table: spoon of sugar, add one cup of boiling water gradually, and boil five minutes. Add one cup of milk, and let it come to the boiling point, and serve. Some tastes demand more sugar, but it may be added by each individual at the table. Chocolate. — Melt one square of chocolate slowly so as to prevent burning, add two tablespoons of sugar and mix together, add one cup of boiling water and boil three minutes, add one cup of milk, bring to the boiling point, and serve. Fruit Punch. (Recipe makes about 3 quarts of punch.) — Boil two cups of sugar and one quart of water fifteen minutes. Add one cup of orange juice, two cups of lemon juice, one half cup of grated pineapple, and dilute with one quart of iced water. Note to Teachers. — After pupils have learned to prepare fruits, cereals, hot breads, and beverages, some practice should be given in planning, calculating the cost, and serving breakfasts, so that the work is unified and the pupils can practice and apply at home what is learned at school. 1i2 PLANNING AND SERVING A BREAKFAST One of the hardest problems for the young housekeeper is to prepare several dishes so that they will all be in proper condition to serve at a given period of time. Breakfast may first be planned as part of a class exercise, and some day following, groups of two or three may prepare simple breakfasts. A lesson in table setting, serving, and table manners may be given in the regular classroom at the individual tables. After one or two lessons are given in the classroom, practice could be given in preparing and serving breakfasts during the noon hour. SUGGESTIONS FOR PLANNING A BREAKFAST!