1. As understood in cookery, VEGETABLES refer to plants or parts of
plants that are used as food. Vegetables may consist of the entire
plant, as, for example, the beet; the stem, as asparagus and celery; the
root, as carrot and turnip; the underground stem, or tuber, as the white
potato and onion; the foliage, as cabbage and spinach; the flower of the
plant, as cauliflower; the pods, which hold the seeds of the plant or
the seeds themselves, as peas and beans; or that which in reality is
fruit, although for table use always considered a vegetable, as the
tomato and eggplant.
2. Because of this large assortment, vegetables afford the greatest
possible variety in flavor, appearance, texture, quality, and food
value. They therefore assume a place of very great importance in the
diet of individuals and in the plans of the housewife who has all the
meals to prepare for her family. In fact, there is scarcely a meal,
except breakfast, at which vegetables are not served. For dinner, they
form a part or all of each course in the meal, except, perhaps, the
dessert, and occasionally they may be used for this.
Although two or more vegetables are nearly always served in even a
simple meal, the use of vegetables in most households is limited to
those few varieties which are especially preferred by the family. As a
rule, there are a number of other vegetables that would be very
acceptable if prepared in certain appetizing ways. An effort should
therefore be made to include all such vegetables in the dietary, for
they may be used to decided advantage and at the same time they afford
variety in the meals. The constant demand for variety in this food makes
acceptable new recipes for the preparation of the vegetables already
known and information for the use of the unfamiliar kinds.
3. Great variety also exists in the flavor of vegetables, which they
derive from their volatile oils; that is, the oils that evaporate
rapidly on exposure to the air. In some cases, the flavor is
disagreeably strong and must be dissipated, or driven away, in order to
make the vegetables agreeable to the taste and to prevent them from
disagreeing with those who eat them. In others, the flavor is very mild,
so that unless the vegetables are properly prepared the flavor may be
almost lost. When the principles relating to the cooking of vegetables
are thoroughly understood, little difficulty will be experienced in
preparing them so that the flavor is dissipated or retained as the case
may require.
4. The food value of vegetables varies as much as do their form and
flavor, some of them having almost no food value, others having a great
deal, and the remainder varying between these two extremes. The
housewife who wishes to provide economically for her family and at the
same time give them food that is best suited to their needs, should
learn as much of the composition and food value of the various kinds of
vegetables as possible. If, besides acquiring this knowledge, she learns
a variety of ways in which to prepare each kind, she will find that it
is possible to substitute vegetable dishes for the more expensive foods.
For instance, it is often possible to substitute a vegetable dish for a
meat dish several times a week, but the composition of the vegetable
dish must be such that it will really take the place of the meat dish.
5. That it is possible for adults to live on vegetables alone has been
proved by vegetarians; that is, persons who exclude meat from the diet.
They have shown that all the elements necessary to build and maintain
the human body are contained in vegetables, fruits, and cereals, and
also that these elements are in such quantity that it is not necessary
to supply them in any other way. Even if it is not desired to use such
foods exclusively, as much use should be made of them as possible, for
they average a lower cost than the high-protein foods, such as eggs,
meat, and milk. The use of vegetables, however, need not be restricted
to adults, for when properly prepared they may be included to advantage
in the diet of very young children. In fact, children should be trained
to eat vegetables of all kinds, for such training not only will enable
each one to grow up with a correct appreciation for all edible things,
but will make the preparation of meals easier for the housewife.
6. Vegetables should receive great care in their preparation, whether
the method involved is simple or complicated. Any of the methods of
cookery that call for the application of heat may be applied to them,
and in many cases they are served without cooking, merely dressing or
seasoning being added. Good vegetables may be ruined by improper
preparation, while those which are in excellent condition may be
improved by the application of the correct methods in their preparation.
Vegetables that are inexpensive but highly nutritious should be used
when it is necessary to practice economy, because, when they are
properly prepared, they form a valuable addition to a meal.
7. All varieties of vegetables are grown almost universally. This fact,
together with the facts that they mature at different times during the
season, according to the climate in which they are grown, and that most
varieties can be conveniently shipped, makes the season in which certain
fresh vegetables can be obtained much longer than it formerly was. For
instance, very early in the season, long before it is possible to have
beans, peas, and other vegetables in the North, they are shipped from
the extreme South, and as the season advances, they mature farther and
farther north. Therefore, they may be constantly supplied to the
northern markets until the time when they mature in that locality.
8. In order not to waste vegetables and to have them in the best
possible condition when they are desired for preparation, every
housewife should realize that the selection and care of vegetables are
also important matters to consider. The selection must be learned by
familiarity with them, as well as practice in buying, and the housewife
must be guided by the suitability of the vegetables and the money she
has to spend for them. The care that must be given to them is determined
by the kinds that are purchased, some requiring one kind of care in
storage and others entirely different attention.