Nearly all parts of an animal may be used as food, but from some parts we can obtain the nutriment in only one way. These are the bones and the gristle, tendons, and other gelatinous portions, some kinds of fat, and the lean meat which is tough and coarse in texture, or difficult to separate from the gristle and sinews imbedded in it. Many people consider these portions undesirable and dealers often have to dispose of them as refuse. But when cooked slowly in water at a moderate heat a large part of their nutriment is dissolved in the water, and may be used in this liquid form. The bony portions in roasted or baked meat are deemed even more undesirable, and are often thrown away as unfit for food. But even if previously cooked, some nutriment may be obtained from them, and they should always be saved and used in soups, if only for their flavor. It is better to cook a large quantity at a time, as consider- able time is required to extract all the nutriment; and the broth, when obtained, may be kept a week or more. This liquid in which the meat has been cooked is used in making soup ; and because it can be stored or kept on hand and drawn upon when needed, it is called stock. In making soup om- object is to draw the nutriment from the meat and bones into the water. Cut the meat into small pieces, and soak in cold water before heating, to soften and loosen the fibres and extract all the nutriment possible. Careless * cooks soak the meat to cleanse it and then throw the water away. Meat should be cleansed by wiping with a damp cloth. Use all kinds of meat, — beef, veal, mutton, or poultry, 231 232 SCHOOL KITCHEN TEXTBOOK — either together or separately. As each kind of meat has its distinctive flavor, a greater variety of soups may be made by using them separately. A good soup may be made from a mixture of all the bones and fragments of meat which one may happen to have. But to make the most nutritious and palatable soup both cooked and uncooked meats are needed ; also bone, gelatine, fat, and a variety of seasoning material. The salts found in the blood and juices of uncooked flesh are valuable as food ; therefore a small portion of raw, lean meat is essential in making soup. Browned or roasted meat improves the flavor of the broth, because in such meats the flavor has been more highly developed. The marrow found in the shin bone, and the browned fat of cooked meats, give a fine flavor; and portions containing gelatine afford a certain amount of nutriment, and by hardening like jelly when the stock is cold, it keeps longer than if it were in a liquid form. Vegetables which have been cut fine, sweet herbs, and spices, are used to season and flavor the stock. When the juices are drawn out and the water is red, draw the kettle forward where the water will almost boil, — just bubble on one side of the kettle. This gentle heat, continued steadily and for a long time, will dissolve the gelatinous portions. The water must bubble slightly, for if the temperature be allowed to fall too low the soup will sour.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Nearly all parts of an animal may be used as food, but from some parts we can obtain the nutriment in only one way. These are the bones and the gristle, tendons, and other gelatinous portions, some kinds of fat, and the lean meat which is tough and coarse in texture, or difficult to separate from the gristle and sinews imbedded in it. Many people consider these portions undesirable and dealers often have to dispose of them as refuse. But when cooked slowly in water at a moderate heat a large part of their nutriment is dissolved in the water, and may be used in this liquid form. The bony portions in roasted or baked meat are deemed even more undesirable, and are often thrown away as unfit for food. But even if previously cooked, some nutriment may be obtained from them, and they should always be saved and used in soups, if only for their flavor. It is better to cook a large quantity at a time, as considerable time is required to extract all the nutriment; and the broth, when obtained, may be kept a week or more. This liquid in which the meat has been cooked is used in making soup ; and because it can be stored or kept on hand and drawn upon when needed, it is called stock. In making soup our object is to draw the nutriment from the meat and bones into the water. Cut the meat into small pieces, and soak in cold water before heating, to soften and loosen the fibres and extract all the nutriment possible. Careless * cooks soak the meat to cleanse it and then throw the water away. Meat should be cleansed by wiping with a damp cloth. Use all kinds of meat, — beef, veal, mutton, or poultry, — either together or separately. As each kind of meat has its distinctive flavor, a greater variety of soups may be made by using them separately. A good soup may be made from a mixture of all the bones and fragments of meat which one may happen to have. But to make the most nutritious and palatable soup both cooked and uncooked meats are needed ; also bone, gelatine, fat, and a variety of seasoning material. The salts found in the blood and juices of uncooked flesh are valuable as food ; therefore a small portion of raw, lean meat is essential in making soup. Browned or roasted meat improves the flavor of the broth, because in such meats the flavor has been more highly developed. The marrow found in the shin bone, and the browned fat of cooked meats, give a fine flavor; and portions containing gelatine afford a certain amount of nutriment, and by hardening like jelly when the stock is cold, it keeps longer than if it were in a liquid form. Vegetables which have been cut fine, sweet herbs, and spices, are used to season and flavor the stock. When the juices are drawn out and the water is red, draw the kettle forward where the water will almost boil, — just bubble on one side of the kettle. This gentle heat, continued steadily and for a long time, will dissolve the gelatinous portions. The water must bubble slightly, for if the temperature be allowed to fall too low the soup will sour.

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