tightly.
EXPERIMENT 20 THE DIFFERENCE IN NUTRITIVE VALUE OF BOILED RICE AND RICE
COOKED OVER BOILING WATER--Pour a little of the water from the boiled rice
into a test tube. Cool the rice water and test it with iodine for starch.
Is any of the starch from rice cooked over boiling water wasted? Which
method of cooking rice leaves more nutriment in the cooked product?
CHEESE SAUCE (made with rice water)
1 pint rice water
1 tablespoonful corn-starch
1 teaspoonful salt
1/4 teaspoonful mustard
1/6 teaspoonful paprika
1/2 cupful cheese grated or cut into pieces
Mix the corn-starch with about 2 tablespoonfuls of cold rice water. Heat
the remainder of the liquid. Add the corn-starch mixture to the hot rice
water. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes. Then add the seasonings and
cheese. Continue stirring and cooking until the cheese is blended with the
other ingredients. Serve hot over cooked rice.
One cupful of tomatoes or a small quantity of pimentos (cut into pieces)
may be added along with the cheese to the sauce. If pimentos are used, the
paprika should be omitted.
QUESTIONS
How is rice tested for sufficient cooking?
Why does rice take a shorter time to cook than most of the wheat and oat
foods? (See _Cereals_.)
Note the difference in the quantity of water used for boiled rice and for
rice cooked over boiling water. Note that the saucepan is used for cooking
one and the double boiler for cooking the other. From this explain the
reason for the difference in the quantity of water used.
Which method of cooking rice takes longer? Explain the difference in the
length of time of cooking.
Measure the rice after cooking. How much has it increased in bulk? If one
desired 2 cupfuls of cooked rice, how much uncooked rice should be used?
Compare the individual grains of rice cooked in boiling water and rice
cooked over boiling water,--are the grains separated or pasted together?
Explain the difference in appearance.
What ingredients do cereals contain that make it possible to mold them
(see Experiment 17)? Which is the better for molding,--boiled rice or
rice cooked over boiling water? Why?
What is the advantage in using rice water rather than plain water to
prepare Cheese Sauce?
What other use could be made of rice water?
LESSON XXI
CEREALS: RICE (B)
RICE PUDDING
Steamed rice may be prepared for a simple dessert by using both milk and
water. Follow the recipe for Rice Cooked over Boiling Water, using 1 1/2
cupfuls of water and l 1/2 cupfuls of milk. Cook the water and rice until
the water is absorbed, add the milk, and continue cooking over water.
Serve with cream and sugar, or with a suitable sauce.
RICE PUDDING (made with cooked rice) [Footnote 24: A portion of the rice
cooked in the previous lesson may be utilized in making this pudding.]
2 cupfuls cooked rice
3/4 - 1 cupful milk
1/2 cupful raisins
1/3 cupful sugar
Grated rind 1/2 lemon
These ingredients may be cooked in several different ways. By changing the
flavoring, method of serving, and sauce, rice desserts of pleasing variety
may be made from the materials above.
The pudding may be _baked_ in the following manner: Mix the
ingredients, place in a buttered baking-dish, and bake in a slow oven
until the rice has absorbed the milk and is brown. Vanilla or nutmeg, or
both, may be substituted for the lemon rind.
This dessert may be _cooked over water_ by mixing the ingredients in
the top of a double boiler and cooking until the milk is absorbed. Then
butter hot custard cups or tea cups and press some rice into each. Turn
out at once and serve with Caramel, Chocolate, or other sauce.
Lemon Sauce, in which dates, cut into pieces, have been cooked, makes a
tasty sauce for this pudding. When Lemon Sauce and dates are used, the
raisins should be omitted and the pudding flavored with nutmeg.
CARAMEL SAUCE
1/3 cupful sugar
2 tablespoonfuls flour
1 tablespoonful butter or substitute
1 cupful milk
1/2 teaspoonful vanilla
Salt
Mix the sugar, flour, and butter in a frying pan; then heat the mixture to
caramelize the sugar, stirring constantly. Scald the milk in a double
boiler. When the sugar is caramelized, add it to the hot milk and heat the
mixture until the caramelized sugar is dissolved. Add the salt and
vanilla. [Footnote 25: If the sauce is to be served cold, it is well to
allow the cooked mixture to cool before adding the vanilla (see
_Flavoring Extracts_).] Serve hot or cold over puddings.
QUESTIONS
Why is it advisable to use a double boiler for cooking rice? (See Lesson
XX)
If rice is cooked in a double boiler and milk is to be added, why should
not the milk be added until the rice mixture is placed over hot water?
(See statement regarding the scorching of milk in _Questions_, Lesson
XXIV)
Which method of cooking the Rice Pudding--baking or cooking over water--
requires more milk? Explain your answer. Also explain why a definite
quantity of milk cannot be stated in the recipe.
See "Note," Lesson XVI. Is any of the injurious substance formed in
caramelizing sugar present in Caramel Sauce?
LESSON XXII
CEREALS AND THE FIRELESS COOKER
THE FIRELESS COOKER.--The fact that fuels are expensive and that the
supply of some fuels is diminishing, makes it advisable to conserve heat.
This can be done in no more satisfactory way than by means of a fireless
cooker.
It has been said that future historians in summing up the great
achievements of the first quarter of the twentieth century will probably
name as the most important, wireless telegraphy, aviation, and fireless
cookery. The fireless cooker cannot be used with all methods of cooking,
but its possibilities are many.
[Illustration: Courtesy of _McCray Refrigerator Co_ FIGURE 25.
--INSULATED WALL OF A REFRIGERATOR.]
THE PRINCIPLE OF FIRELESS COOKERY.--In Experiment 2 it was found that wood
did not transmit heat rapidly, while tin did. Another familiar
illustration will show the difference between wood and metal in
transmitting heat. A metal door knob feels very cold on a winter day,
because the metal conducts the heat away from the hand rapidly, while a
wooden knob is comfortable to touch. Wood is termed a poor conductor of
heat. Metals are good conductors of heat.
Paper, hay, excelsior, sawdust, cork, wool, feathers, and many other
materials are poor conductors of heat. If any hot substance is surrounded
by any of these poor conducting materials, the heat of that substance is
retained for some time. Also, if any cold substance is surrounded by a
poor conductor, the substance remains cold. In throwing a piece of carpet
or newspaper over an ice cream freezer, to prevent the ice from melting,
one makes use of the latter principle.
[Illustration: FIGURE 26.--FIRELESS COOKER HAVING EXCELSIOR PACKING.]
The walls of a well-built refrigerator consist of a number of layers of
non-conducting materials (see Figure 25).
To understand the principle involved in "cooking without fire," try the
following:
EXPERIMENT 12: RETENTION OF HEAT.--Fill 2 tin measuring cups half full of
boiling water. Immediately inclose one cup of water in a paper bag or wrap
paper about it so there will be considerable air space between the cup and
paper. After 15 minutes, insert a thermometer into the water in each of
the cups. Which is hotter? What has "kept in" the heat of the hotter
water?
The fireless cooker is a device containing cooking kettles which are
surrounded by some poor conductor. When food is heated thoroughly, the
heat can be retained for a number of hours by placing the hot food in the
fireless cooker.
[Illustration: FIGURE 27--FIRELESS COOKER WITH STONE DISKS Note the
kettles of various shapes]
In the ordinary fireless cooker it is possible to cook all foods that can
be cooked in water at a temperature below the boiling point of water,
_i. e._ simmering temperature. Another type of fireless cooker has a
metallic or an enamel lining and is provided with movable stone disks.
Both the stones and food are heated on a range and then introduced into
the cooker in such a way that the stones are under and over the kettle of
food. By this arrangement, foods can be cooked at a higher temperature
than in the ordinary fireless cooker (see Figures 26 and 27).
There are also electric fireless cookers (see Figure 28). Such cookers are
equipped with a heating element which is placed in the bottom of the
insulated box. With these it is not necessary to heat the food before
placing it in the cooker. The uncooked food is put into the cooker and the
current turned on. By means of a clock arrangement the current may be cut
off when the desired length of time of heating has passed.
[Illustration: Courtesy of the _Standard Electric Stove Co_ FIGURE
28.--ELECTRIC FIRELESS COOKER. Has a heating element in the bottom of the
cooker.]
The principle of the fireless cooker is used on some of the modern gas and
electric ranges. The walls of the ovens of these ranges are surrounded by
insulating materials. When an oven is heated and has reached the desired
temperature, the gas or electricity is cut off, but the baking temperature
is retained for some time. The top burners of some gas ranges have a
fireless cooker attachment in the form of an insulated hood. The food is
first heated over the burner, then the hood is lowered over the food, and
the gas is cut off. The food continues to cook, however, by the retained
heat (see Figure 29).
SUGGESTIONS FOR USING A FIRELESS COOKER.--One should keep the following in
mind in using the ordinary fireless cooker:
[Illustration: Courtesy of the _Chambers Manufacturing Co._ FIGURE
29.--GAS RANGE HAVING FIRELESS COOKER ATTACHMENT, INSULATED OVEN AND
HOODS.]
1. Have the food heated thoroughly before placing in the fireless cooker.
(This direction does not apply to an electrical fireless cooker such as
shown in Figure 28.) If the foods are small, as cereals, 5 minutes'
boiling is usually sufficient cooking on the range; if large in size, as a
piece of beef, 30 minutes is required to heat it through.
2. After heating, place the _covered_ kettle containing the food into
the cooker immediately. It is well to have the cooker near the range so as
to waste but little heat while getting the food into the cooker.
3. The kettle should be well filled. A small quantity of food should not
be placed in a large kettle. It is possible, however, to fill the large
kettle almost full of boiling water, then rest a wire rack on the rim of
the kettle and place a small pan containing the food in the wire rack (see
Figure 26). Or place the food in a pan with sloping sides and broad rim,
such as a "pudding pan," which may be set in the large kettle so as to
rest on the rim.
4. Do not open the cooker to "see how the food is getting along." If the
box is opened, the food must be removed at once. The food may, however, be
reheated and returned to the cooker. It is sometimes necessary to follow
this plan, where food requires very long cooking.
5. The length of time a food must be left in the fireless cooker varies
with the kind of food and style of cooker. In many of the homemade boxes,
the water does not remain hot enough for cooking after 12 hours; in some,
for not more than 8 hours. If foods require longer cooking than this, they
should be removed and reheated as mentioned above. _Food should never be
allowed to become cool in a fireless cooker_.
6. After using any type of fireless cooker, let the lid remain wide open
for 2 or 3 hours. Except when in use do not close it tightly.
Every thrifty housekeeper should possess and use a fireless cooker. As has
been mentioned, it saves fuel, prevents the strong odor of food permeating
all parts of the house, lessens work and care in cooking, prevents burning
and scorching, and provides workers and picnickers with warm lunches. A
fireless cooker can be made satisfactorily at home with little expenditure
of effort and money. It has been found that paper crumpled so as to afford
considerable air space is a satisfactory non-conducting material for a
fireless cooker. Detailed directions for making a fireless cooker are
given in United States Department of Agriculture, Farmers' Bulletin 771,
"Homemade Fireless Cookers and Their Use" and in several popular books.
CORN-MEAL MUSH
4 cupfuls boiling water
1 cupful corn-meal
1 teaspoonful salt
Mix the ingredients in the small pan of the fireless cooker and cook
directly over the flame of a range, boiling for 5 minutes, and stirring
occasionally. Cover and place in the large kettle of the fireless cooker
which contains boiling water. Place in a fireless cooker for 5 to 10
hours.
NOTE.--If corn-meal mush is to be cooked over a flame in a double boiler,
prepare according to the general rule for cereals and cook over boiling
water for at least 3 hours.
CORN-MEAL MUSH FOR "FRYING"
2 cupfuls corn-meal
2 tablespoonfuls flour
2 teaspoonfuls salt
2 cupfuls cold water
1 quart boiling water
Mix the dry ingredients, add the cold water, and mix thoroughly. Place the
boiling water in the small pan of the fireless cooker. Stir the corn-meal
mixture into the boiling water and cook 10 minutes directly over the
flame, stirring constantly. Cover and place in the large kettle of boiling
water. Place in the fireless cooker 5 to 10 hours. Remove the pan of mush
from the water and allow the mush to cool.
NOTE.--Corn-meal Mush for frying may be cooked over a flame in a double
boiler according to the recipe given above. Cook it for several hours.
RICE AND TOMATOES
1/2 cupful rice
1 tablespoonful butter or substitute
1/2 teaspoonful celery salt
l-1/4 cupfuls boiling water
1 cupful tomatoes
1 slice onion
1 teaspoonful salt
1/8 teaspoonful pepper
In the small pan of the fireless cooker cook (over a flame) the rice,
onion, and fat, stirring constantly until they are slightly brown. Add
boiling water and cook until the water is almost absorbed. Add the
tomatoes and seasoning and heat the mixture until it boils. Cover and
place in the large kettle of boiling water belonging to the fireless
cooker. Place in the fireless cooker for 3/4 hour. This food may be served
as a border around meat.
QUESTIONS
In your own way, explain the principle of "cooking without fire."
What ingredient does Corn-meal Mush for "Frying" contain that plain Corn-
meal Mush does not? What is the use of this ingredient in Corn-meal Mush
for "Frying"? (See _Wheat Flour and Corn-meal_.)
How does the method of preparing Corn-meal Mush for "Frying" differ from
the usual method of cooking cereals?
How many cupfuls of corn-meal in one pound? Of rice in one pound? What is
the price per pound of corn-meal and rice?
LESSON XXIII
CEREALS FOR FRYING OR BAKING
"FRIED" OR BAKED MUSH
Cut Corn-meal Mush for "Frying" into slices 1/3 inch thick. Dip each slice
in flour and brown in a little hot fat (butter or substitute, or a slice
of salt pork fat may be used).
The slices of mush may be spread with softened fat, or dipped in melted
fat, and browned in the oven or broiling oven.
Instead of spreading the mush with fat, the slices may be dipped in
cracker or fine dried bread crumbs, then dipped into egg mixture--1 egg
beaten and diluted with 1 tablespoonful of water--and again dipped into
cracker or bread crumbs. Place the "breaded slices" in a dripping pan, put
fat in bits over the top and bake for about half a hour or until the
crumbs are brown.
Hot mush may be served plain or with sirup.
In the same way, left-over wheatena, cream of wheat, farina, and other
breakfast cereals may be molded, cooled, and then "fried" or baked.
FRENCH TOAST
1 or 2 eggs
1 cupful milk
1/4 teaspoonful salt
6 or 8 slices of stale bread
Beat the eggs slightly, add the salt and milk, and dip the bread in the
mixture. Heat a griddle or "frying" pan and place a little butter or
substitute, or a combination of butter and some other fat, in the pan.
Brown the bread on one side in the hot fat. Place a bit of fat on the top
of each slice, turn, and brown the other side. Serve hot. A mixture of
powdered sugar and cinnamon, or sirup is sometimes used in serving French
Toast.
SIRUP
1/2 cupful corn sirup (dark)
1/4 cupful boiling water
2 tablespoonfuls brown sugar
1/8 teaspoonful salt
1 teaspoonful vanilla
Mix the corn sirup, sugar, water, and salt. Heat until the boiling point
is reached. Cool and then add the vanilla. If it is desired to serve the
sirup hot, its flavor is improved by the addition of 1 teaspoonful of
butter.
QUESTIONS
In preparing French Toast, what care must be taken in dipping the stale
bread in the milk and egg mixture?
Since it is desirable to serve the slices of toast whole, which are the
better for French Toast,--large or small pieces of bread?
What is the advantage of placing a bit of fat on each slice of bread just
before turning it?
Why is it advisable to add butter to the sirup only when the latter is to
be served hot?
What is the purpose of adding sugar to corn sirup? (See _Corn
Sirup_.)
LESSON XXIV
POWDERED CEREALS USED FOR THICKENING
EXPERIMENT 22: STARCH GRAINS AND BOILING WATER.--Pour 2 tablespoonfuls of
boiling water over 1 teaspoonful of flour. Stir and heat over the flame.
Is the mixture smooth? Examine the center of a "Jump." How does it compare
with uncooked starch? Are all the starch grains swelled and semisoluble?
EXPERIMENT 23: SEPARATION OF STARCH GRAINS WITH COLD WATER.--Mix 1
teaspoonful of flour with 1 teaspoonful of water. Add 2 tablespoonfuls of
boiling water, stir, and heat. Is the mixture smooth? Explain clearly the
use of cold water in this mixture.
EXPERIMENT 24: SEPARATION OF STARCH GRAINS WITH SUGAR.--Mix 1 teaspoonful
of flour with 1 teaspoonful of sugar. Add 2 table-spoonfuls of boiling
water, stir, and heat. Is the mixture smooth? Carefully explain the use of
sugar in the mixture.
EXPERIMENT 25: SEPARATION OF STARCH GRAINS WITH FAT.--Mix 1 teaspoonful of
flour with 1 teaspoonful of fat. Add 2 tablespoonfuls of boiling water,
stir, and heat. Is the mixture smooth? Explain the use of fat in this
mixture.
To cook starch successfully, it is necessary to swell every grain of
starch contained in the starchy food. To accomplish this each grain must
be surrounded by heat and moisture. In vegetables and cereals, the
cellular framework separates the starch grains so that they are uniformly
cooked. Since there is nothing to separate the grains in a powdered
starchy substance, as shown in the foregoing experiments, it becomes
necessary to mix it with certain materials so that the heat and moisture
can penetrate every grain at the same time.
BLANC MANGE
2 cupfuls milk
1/4 cupful corn-starch
1/2 cupful sugar
2 teaspoonfuls vanilla
Nutmeg
1/8 teaspoonful salt
Scald the milk in a double boiler. Mix the sugar and corn-starch. Add the
hot milk slowly to the sugar and corn-starch mixture, stirring rapidly.
Return to the double boiler and cook 30 minutes, stir rapidly until the
mixture thickens. Add the salt and flavoring and pour into a mold which
has been moistened with cold water. Cool, turn from the mold, and serve
with sugar and cream.
If a softer and more creamy dessert is desired, the corn-starch may be
reduced to 3 tablespoonfuls. If this quantity of thickening is used, the
cooked dessert should be poured into sherbet glasses or other suitable
dishes for serving; it will not become stiff enough to mold.
NOTE.--While cooking Blanc Mange, note the number of minutes that is
required to thicken the mixture and the length of time of cooking given in
the recipe. Why is it necessary to cook the mixture for so long a time
after it thickens? (See _Cereals_.)
CHOCOLATE CORN-STARCH PUDDING
Proceed as for Blanc Mange, using 3/8 cupful of sugar instead of 1/4
cupful. Cut into pieces 1 square (_i.e._ 1 ounce) of Baker's
chocolate. Add to it 1/4 cupful of boiling water. Stir and heat until
smooth and thoroughly blended. Add this to the corn-starch mixture just
before taking from the fire. Add 1/2 teaspoonful of vanilla. Mold and
serve as Blanc Mange.
Note that the quantity of sugar is increased when chocolate is added to
the corn-starch mixture. Chocolate mixtures require considerable sugar to
make them tasty.
3 tablespoonfuls of cocoa may be substituted for the chocolate. When this
is done, mix the cocoa with the corn-starch and sugar and add no water to
it. Proceed as in making plain Blanc Mange.
QUESTIONS
Name three substances that can be used to prevent the lumping of powdered
cereals used for thickening.
Give the reason for mixing the sugar, corn-starch, and hot milk of Blanc
Mange as directed.
For how long a time after placing in the double boiler is it necessary to
stir the corn-starch, sugar, and hot milk mixture?
Milk, especially a milk and starchy mixture, scorches readily (see
_Scalding Milk_). From this explain why Blanc Mange is cooked
entirely over boiling water, and not over the flame and then in a double
boiler, as cereals.
Why is the flavoring not added while the mixture is cooking (see
_Flavoring Extracts_)?
What is the price per package of corn-starch?
How much does a package of corn-starch weigh and measure?
Which material--flour or corn-starch--is the cheaper to use for
thickening?
How many persons does the quantity of Blanc Mange above serve?
LESSON XXV
TOAST: DIGESTION OF STARCH
EXPERIMENT 26: CHANGE OF STARCH INTO DEXTRIN.--Place a teaspoonful of
flour in a frying pan and heat slowly until it becomes _very dark
brown_ and _uniform_ in color. Put a little of the browned flour
into a test tube, add water, then shake. Add a few drops of iodine. What
indicates the presence of starch? Is starch present?
The starch has been changed to dextrin. Dextrin gives a purple (reddish
blue) color when treated with iodine.
EXPERIMENT 27: THE SOLUBILITY OF DEXTRIN.--Pour the remainder of the
browned flour from Experiment 26 into a test tube. Add water and shake.
Pour through filter paper [Footnote 26: Liquids pass through filter paper,
but solids do not. Hence if a mixture of solid and liquid is poured upon
filter paper, the liquid passes through, but the solid remains on the
paper.] into another test tube (see Figure 30). Notice the color of the
liquid that has been filtered. Add a few drops of iodine to the filtered
liquid. Is dextrin present? Is dextrin soluble in water? [Illustration:
Figure 30.--Method of Folding Filter Paper.]
From these experiments, we find that dry heat has changed insoluble starch
into a soluble substance called _dextrin_. Dextrin is found in small
amounts in the crust of bread and in toast.
DIGESTION OF STARCH.--It was found in a previous lesson (Lesson XVI) that
sugar is entirely soluble in water, and since digestion and solution are
closely related, the digestion of some sugar is simple. Starch was found
to be insoluble in cold water and only semi-soluble in hot water. In the
process of digestion it would seem that some change must take place in the
starch to make it soluble. Such a change _does_ take place; starch is
changed into a soluble carbohydrate or a sugar before it is digested.
Substances called _enzymes_ which are in the saliva of the mouth
[Footnote 27: Ptyalin and amylopsin are the ferments found in the mouth
and intestines, respectively.] and in the digestive juices of the
intestines [Footnote 28: Ptyalin and amylopsin are the ferments found in
the mouth and intestines, respectively.] cause this change. To show that
this change takes place to some extent in the mouth, try the following
experiments:
EXPERIMENT 28: STARCH IN CRACKER.--Test a bit of cracker with iodine for
starch. What indicates the presence of starch? Does the cracker contain
starch?
EXPERIMENT 29: ACTION OF SALIVA UPON STARCH.--Thoroughly chew a bit of
cracker. As you chew the cracker, note that it becomes sweeter in flavor.
Remove from the mouth, and place upon a piece of paper. Test it with
iodine. A purple (reddish blue) color indicates a soluble carbohydrate
(see Experiment 27). What substance does the masticated cracker contain?
Explain the change that has taken place in the cracker by mastication.
TOAST.--Bread is properly toasted when it is dried out thoroughly and then
browned on the outside. Both the crumb and the crust of the toast are thus
made crisp. Crisp toast crumbles during mastication.