The Portland daily press., 1866-03-17
Cheap Food.


In these times Of exorbitantly high prices
In almost every article Of subsistence, econo-
my, (which is the only means of counteracting
the misfortune0 requires that cheap, as well
as palatable and nutritious food should be pro-
yided for peoples tables. The most costly ar
ticles of food are not generally the most
healthful or necessary; and many of the
condiments and light articles accompanying
them, may probably be dispensed with.
.p Beans and peas afford the most nutriment
for the least money. One pound Of cheap
meat, say at ten cents, and one pound split
peas, at five cents, will give fuller dinner to
family than dollar expended tor beef
steak and white bread. Our hardy New Eng
land ancestors lived largely on bean porridge,
rye bread, pea soup and sucquatash; and it
woull doubtless be better for this posterity if,
a part OF the time at least, we were not too
proud or too dainty to subsist on fare thus
simple and nutritious. This living on beef
steak and Waite bread, is an expense as ex-
haustive as it is really unwise. White bread
and butter in these times, with flour at fifteen
dollars per barrel and butter at forty-ive cents
per pound, is what few families can afford to
use very freely; and those who do are none
the stronger or healthier for it. To make
an entire meal of white bread and butter is
practice as ill-timed as dining upon PUN CAKE
and custald, or sslppiag on boneu pork ane
cabbage. There is tine for everything un
der the sun. ~ ''' ri ttt D SO "
And here. ~ the way, we venture some re-
marks upol the side of economy, which should
bear on the fashions and habits of the table.
81. Paul was a good economist, as well as
Judge of Christian politeness, and be laid h
down as rule by which he would have men
governed whenever they repair to the table OF
a triend-"Whatever is set before you, eat
asking no questions for conscience sake" This
advice supposes that the master of the house
has provided within the rule OF that prudence
which his circumstances allow, and of which
ne is or should be the judge, such food upon
ais board as his own means have made suita-
bic tor his guests or the members of his house
lold; and to this arrangement the partakers
should respectfully conform. II, for instance,
the housekeeper, in providing for the noon
fepest, makes the main fare meat soup, OF
dish OF baked beans, or a mutton chop, OF
mashed fish and potatoes, or boiled joint, OF
a roasted sirloin, or cold ham, or bacon ano
eggs, as the case may be; all that come to the
liable, unless the preparation is peculiarly OBJ
noxious, should SO tar acquiesce in the pro-
yiders, own arrangements as to make their
meal mainly Of what is thus set before them,
'asking no questions for conscience sake."-
Generally it is more healthy to make a mea
of one sort of food, than to fill the stomach
with several varieties. Bread and butter may
also be upon the table; but if the main dish
is prepared of any fat substance, as1beef or
pork, breadis supposed to be furnished as an
absorbent of the cleaginous fluids and to be
partaken soithout butter spread upon it. And
yet we have noticed in some families, especial
ly in modern times, butter laid upon plates
loaded with fat victnals, and then applied to
the bread whichiis received into the mouth to
be masticated in common with the gravy of a
meat dish, which we think is contrary to the
Jaws of propriety, as it is to good economy
We have noticed persons eating bacon and
eggs or fried sausages, and meanwhile add but
ter to the bread that goes into the mouth with
such greasy food. For ourself, we should as
soon think of sweetening sugar with honey, OF.
OF washing down soup with coffee drink, as
eating butter with, fried pork or any other
grassy substance that is supposed to take the
place of butter for the time being. So Of 9TH
er things. As much depends for house
keepers ability to feed his family, upon the
proper use of food, after it is prepared for the
liable, as upon its first cost. Generally the
main dish is, or should be, enough for the
meal; the Accomplishments should be few,
and correspond to the nature of that prepare
lion. Brown bread is more suitable to be
partaken with bacon and eggs; white bread
with hashes of meat or fish. edt ~ .
The French live largely on soups; and real
ly, we think, they are the most suitable and
economical for the support OF man. Surely lis
better to compound the different articles in
cooking, before receiving them into the stom-
ach than to mix them. of very different, per
maps opposite materials by the masticating Or
sans IF every person, at one of our ordinary
tables, would deposit in bowl beside his plate,
5he same quantities and qualities that he
swallows, and as he rises from the repast would
.ook to see what sort of a mixture he had re-
quired his stomach to digest, we think he
would come to the conclusion and it would
ne rational one-that it is best.to mix only
such articles as are congenial, and have, them
compounded before submitting them to his
yustatory powers In so far as we depart from
the simple for the extrayagant, we depart from
the laws of health and lay the foundation OF
disease and death. Jt ig3au1a4k3 TRAxI
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