In cooking some kinds of food, milk is used instead of water. Milk being thicker than water, less of the steam escapes, and it becomes hot sooner than water, adheres to the pan, and burns easily. At its boiling temperature (214 degrees), the casein contained in the milk is slightly hardened, and its fat rendered more difficult of digestion. By heating milk in a double boiler, these dangers are avoided. The process is a form of steaming. The milk then reaches a temperature of only 196 degrees, and is called scalding milk. STEAMING The process of cooking food over boiling water is termed steaming. It is a very satisfactory and convenient method, without much loss of substance. It takes a longer time than some other ways of cooking, but requires less attention. There are two methods of cooking by steam: (1) In a steamer, which is a covered pan with perforated bottom. The steamer is placed over boiling water, and the steam carries the heat directly to the food. (2) By means of a double boiler. By this method the heat is conveyed from the boiling water, through the inner boiler, to the food. When cooking by steam, the water should boil steadily until the food is done. Watery vegetables are made drier by steaming, and flour mixtures develop a dif- ferent flavor from that which they have when baked. 12 VEGETAEIAN COOK BOOK STEWING This is cooking in a small quantity of water at a low temperature for a long time, and is a form of boiling. The food loses less nutriment when stewed than when rapidly boiled. BAKING Cooking by means of dry heat, as in a close oven, is known as baking. The closely confined heat of the ovefl. develops flavors which are entirely different from those obtained by other forms of cooking. For many kinds of food the baking is as important as the mixing; and every cook should thoroughly understand how to regulate the oven. Nearly all flour mixtures, as bread, cakes, and many kinds of pudding, are more wholesome when baked than when cooked in any other way, BRAIZING This is a combination of stewing and baking. Meat cooked in a closely covered stew-pan, so that it retains its own flavor and the flavors of the vegetables and seasonings put with it, is braized. Dishes thus cooked are highly esteemed. BROILING Broiling, meaning *'to burn," is cooking directly over, or in front of, the clear fire, and is the hottest form of cooking. The intense heat, combined with the free action of the air, produces a fine flavor quite unlike that obtained in any other way. Pan broiling is broiling on a hot sur- face instead of over hot coals. SOUPS SOUPS Cream soups are seasonable at any time, using any vege- table in its season. Canned goods may be used when the fresh article is not obtainable. Vegetables that are too tough and old to cook in any other way, may be used in soups to advantage. If it can be afforded, a teaspoonful of whipped cream may be dropped into each plate, and will be found very delicious. By a puree is meant a soup thicker than a cream soup. If properly made, cream soups and purees are dainty, de- licious, and nourishing. Fruit soups are in favor during hot weather, for dinners and luncheons; they are very easily made, and are wholesome and refreshing. Any desired fruit juice may be thickened with corn-starch, sago, or arrowroot, and served with or without fruit, hot, or cold with cracked ice.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

In cooking some kinds of food, milk is used instead of water. Milk being thicker than water, less of the steam escapes, and it becomes hot sooner than water, adheres to the pan, and burns easily. At its boiling temperature (214 degrees), the casein contained in the milk is slightly hardened, and its fat rendered more difficult of digestion. By heating milk in a double boiler, these dangers are avoided. The process is a form of steaming. The milk then reaches a temperature of only 196 degrees, and is called scalding milk. STEAMING The process of cooking food over boiling water is termed steaming. It is a very satisfactory and convenient method, without much loss of substance. It takes a longer time than some other ways of cooking, but requires less attention. There are two methods of cooking by steam: (1) In a steamer, which is a covered pan with perforated bottom. The steamer is placed over boiling water, and the steam carries the heat directly to the food. (2) By means of a double boiler. By this method the heat is conveyed from the boiling water, through the inner boiler, to the food. When cooking by steam, the water should boil steadily until the food is done. Watery vegetables are made drier by steaming, and flour mixtures develop a different flavor from that which they have when baked. STEWING This is cooking in a small quantity of water at a low temperature for a long time, and is a form of boiling. The food loses less nutriment when stewed than when rapidly boiled. BAKING Cooking by means of dry heat, as in a close oven, is known as baking. The closely confined heat of the ovefl. develops flavors which are entirely different from those obtained by other forms of cooking. For many kinds of food the baking is as important as the mixing; and every cook should thoroughly understand how to regulate the oven. Nearly all flour mixtures, as bread, cakes, and many kinds of pudding, are more wholesome when baked than when cooked in any other way, BRAIZING This is a combination of stewing and baking. Meat cooked in a closely covered stew-pan, so that it retains its own flavor and the flavors of the vegetables and seasonings put with it, is braized. Dishes thus cooked are highly esteemed. BROILING Broiling, meaning *'to burn," is cooking directly over, or in front of, the clear fire, and is the hottest form of cooking. The intense heat, combined with the free action of the air, produces a fine flavor quite unlike that obtained in any other way. Pan broiling is broiling on a hot surface instead of over hot coals. Cream soups are seasonable at any time, using any vegetable in its season. Canned goods may be used when the fresh article is not obtainable. Vegetables that are too tough and old to cook in any other way, may be used in soups to advantage. If it can be afforded, a teaspoonful of whipped cream may be dropped into each plate, and will be found very delicious. By a puree is meant a soup thicker than a cream soup. If properly made, cream soups and purees are dainty, delicious, and nourishing. Fruit soups are in favor during hot weather, for dinners and luncheons; they are very easily made, and are wholesome and refreshing. Any desired fruit juice may be thickened with corn-starch, sago, or arrowroot, and served with or without fruit, hot, or cold with cracked ice.

Vegetarian Cook Book