To the Student. From the work of the preceding chapters you have learned that some foods are made very much more appetizing by cooking, from the development of flavor; that some foods are rendered more and some are rendered less digestible by cooking processes, so that we often sacrifice wholesomeness for the sake of delicious- ness; and that all foods are sterilized by the application of heat. In cooking the cereals it is safe to assume that only the best results may be expected, for the flavor of the grains, though slight, will be developed, the digestibility will be increased, and sterilization will be insured. But of these three results of cooking the most essential as regards the cereals, that is, the digestibility, is almost wholly dependent on the cooking processes. Hence in the preparation of these grains we shall aim at this result alone, and the other two will be found to take care of themselves. Since a double boiler, or its equivalent in some other form of utensil, is commonly used in the cooking of cereals and other foods, it would be interesting for you to devise a means of ascertaining the temperature of the water that is in the inside part of a double boiler when the water in the outside part is boiling. One or more girls in the class 130 CEREALS AND OTHER STARCHY FOODS 131 might demonstrate this experiment to the others. Differ- ent styles of double boilers should be used, holding differ- ent amounts of water in the outside compartment; double boilers having kettles of different material, agateware, aluminum, etc., should be experimented with, and the effect of prolonged cooking on the temperature of the con- tents of the inner kettle should also be ascertained. GENERAL RULES FOR THE COOKERY OF CEREALS Ingredients. Water, salt, cereal. Proportions. From one-half to one teaspoonful of salt for every cup of water used is a good proportion of this ingredient. The proportions of cereal to water vary according to the kind of cereal used, the method of manufacture, and the consistency preferred by the cook. The somewhat ar- bitrary terms ''gruel," ''mush," and "porridge" have been applied to varying degrees of thickness, the gruel being a watery, almost fluid mixture, the mush a much thicker preparation, and the porridge the stiffest of the three. Four times as much water, by weight, as cereal is a good working proportion, but one that must be modified by the conditions just mentioned, particularly by that of the taste of the individual. Method. Add the salt to the water, and boil the mixture in the inside part of a double boiler. Add the dry cereal slowly to the boiling water, stirring meanwhile to increase the agitation of the water. Let it boil for from three to five minutes, stirring only occasionally, for prolonged stirring during the cooking process is apt to make the cereal waxy. Put on the cover, and place the kettle in the outside part of the double boiler, which should be filled one-third full with boiling water. Cook, closely 132 PRINCIPLES OF FOOD PREPARATION covered, for the length of time required, and keep up the quantity of water in the outside boiler if this should boil away. Cereal cooked in a fireless cooker will, of course, need no further attention after the compartment is covered.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

To the Student. From the work of the preceding chapters you have learned that some foods are made very much more appetizing by cooking, from the development of flavor; that some foods are rendered more and some are rendered less digestible by cooking processes, so that we often sacrifice wholesomeness for the sake of deliciousness; and that all foods are sterilized by the application of heat. In cooking the cereals it is safe to assume that only the best results may be expected, for the flavor of the grains, though slight, will be developed, the digestibility will be increased, and sterilization will be insured. But of these three results of cooking the most essential as regards the cereals, that is, the digestibility, is almost wholly dependent on the cooking processes. Hence in the preparation of these grains we shall aim at this result alone, and the other two will be found to take care of themselves. Since a double boiler, or its equivalent in some other form of utensil, is commonly used in the cooking of cereals and other foods, it would be interesting for you to devise a means of ascertaining the temperature of the water that is in the inside part of a double boiler when the water in the outside part is boiling. One or more girls in the class might demonstrate this experiment to the others. Different styles of double boilers should be used, holding different amounts of water in the outside compartment; double boilers having kettles of different material, agateware, aluminum, etc., should be experimented with, and the effect of prolonged cooking on the temperature of the contents of the inner kettle should also be ascertained. GENERAL RULES FOR THE COOKERY OF CEREALS Ingredients. Water, salt, cereal. Proportions. From one-half to one teaspoonful of salt for every cup of water used is a good proportion of this ingredient. The proportions of cereal to water vary according to the kind of cereal used, the method of manufacture, and the consistency preferred by the cook. The somewhat arbitrary terms ''gruel," ''mush," and "porridge" have been applied to varying degrees of thickness, the gruel being a watery, almost fluid mixture, the mush a much thicker preparation, and the porridge the stiffest of the three. Four times as much water, by weight, as cereal is a good working proportion, but one that must be modified by the conditions just mentioned, particularly by that of the taste of the individual. Method. Add the salt to the water, and boil the mixture in the inside part of a double boiler. Add the dry cereal slowly to the boiling water, stirring meanwhile to increase the agitation of the water. Let it boil for from three to five minutes, stirring only occasionally, for prolonged stirring during the cooking process is apt to make the cereal waxy. Put on the cover, and place the kettle in the outside part of the double boiler, which should be filled one-third full with boiling water. Cook, closely covered, for the length of time required, and keep up the quantity of water in the outside boiler if this should boil away. Cereal cooked in a fireless cooker will, of course, need no further attention after the compartment is covered.

Principles of food preparation