The school kitchen textbook

Melt the butter in a granite saucepan, add the dry cornstarch, mix well, add one third of the milk, stir well as it boils and thickens, then add more milk, stir again, and when smooth add the remainder of the milk and the salt. Pour this between the slices of toast, and over the whole. If liked very soft, dip the slices first in hot salted water. Questions on Lessons XIII, XIV, and XV What is the proper way to What cereal contains the most prepare toast? protein? What is a custard ? What cereal would be best for What food stuff do eggs best breakfast in the summer? illustrate ? In the winter ? Why are eggs better if not Why do we toast bread ? boiled but cooked ? What effect does toasting have Why must we measure the upon the starch in bread? water for cooking oatmeal ? LESSON XVI FATS Fats include butter, cream, bacon, cheese, nuts, oil and fat meat. Fats stand at the head of heat-producing foods, and are necessary in winter and in cold climates, for they serve important uses in the body. A small amount is necessary in digestion, and indispensable to perfect nutrition. Fat forms the principal material of certain tissues, which, by filling the spaces between the bones, muscles, and the different organs of the body, make it plump and round and give beauty to the form, oil the working parts of the body so that the joints and muscles move smoothly, and, being non-conductors of heat, keep the body warm and the internal temperature at the normal point, 98° F. An undue accumulation of fat is a disease, and disease just as surely results from a deficiency of fat. Fats are derived from animal and vegetable sources, and are classed as fats and oils. The oils are derived chiefly from the fruit of the olive tree and from cottonseeds. Oils are liquid at ordinary temperature. Animal fats are solid but become liquid by heating. Butter, which is made from cream, and pork fat, as lard, have a soft texture. Beef suet is slightly harder and mutton fat is the hardest of all. The fat of meat is a useful article of food, especially in winter. Every scrap of it, particularly of beef fat, should be used, and all that is not eaten with the meat should be clarified, or made pure and clear. By heating the fat with water to prevent burning, or with thin slices of raw potato, the water evaporates and the steam carries off the odors or gases. The organic matters in the fat are decomposed or deposited as sediment and adhere to the sHced potato. Clarified fat or dripping answers for many purposes in cookery, — sauteing, basting roast meat, greasing pans, and as shortening for bread, plain pastry, and gingerbread. Strain into the clarified fat any clear, melted fat, having no water, but fat skimmed from boiled meat and soup stock should be clarified. The fat from roast pork, roast beef, sausages, and veal may be used without further heating; also bacon fat in a small amount if not too brown. Recipe, No. 57. Clarified Fat or Drippings