The school kitchen textbook

Pop Corn. This is a small variety of field corn with very hard pointed kernels. When dry and heated over bright coals, the moisture in the starch cells expands, the air in the grain also expands, and together there is sufficient force to cause an explosion of the hard cell walls ; the kernel turns completely inside out, enveloping the embryo and skin with the swollen starch. Pop corn is best when crisp and freshly popped; it is eaten with salt and butter, or made into corn balls with syrup. It is generally eaten between meals, and as a tidbit at evening treats ; but it might better have a place as a part of the regular meal ; with cream or milk as a breakfast food, as a cream soup for luncheon, and the corn balls for dessert. SUGAR Sugar is a valuable food stuff, as it gives heat and energy in a form pleasing to the taste, and being soluble, it is easily digested. Only a small portion of plain sugar is needed in the body, for many foods contain it and starchy foods are changed into sugar during digestion. The greater part of the sugar used in cooking is made from the sugar cane and sugar beet, and we buy it as block or cube sugar, granulated, powdered or confectioner's sugar, and brown sugar. Sugar is used in mixtures such as custards, cake, pudding, preserves, beverages, and on a large scale in making candy. Recipe, No. 115. Caramel Melt one cup of sugar (either brown or white) with one tablespoon of water in a frying-pan. Stir until it becomes of a dark brown color. Add one cup of boiling water; simmer ten minutes, and bottle when cool. This should always be kept on hand, as it is useful for many purposes. It gives a rich, dark color to soups, coffee, and jelly ; is more wholesome than browned butter in sauces, and is delicious as a flavoring in custards and pudding sauces. Recipe, No. 116. Caramel Custard Melt one cup of granulated sugar in an iron pan over a hot fire. Stir to prevent scorching, and when it is well browned take out about half of it and stir it into one quart SUGAR 191 of milk, which should be heating over boiling water. It may harden in the milk, but that will do no harm as it will soon melt. To the remainder of the browned sugar add one half cup of water and let it simmer ten minutes, then set away to cool. Beat six eggs slightly, stir in one half teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of vanilla and a few drops of extract of almond. Add part of the hot milk and when well mixed strain it into the remainder. Grease several small tin moulds or cups with a slight coating of olive oil or strained butter, fill with the custard and set them into a shallow pan of hot water. Bake in a moderate oven until the custard is firm ; when a thin knife is inserted to the bottom and comes out with no trace of milk on it the custard is done. Put away in a cold place, and when ready to serve turn them out carefully on to individual dishes ; pour some of the caramel over and put a little whipped cream around the edge. Recipe, No. 117. Panocha