The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1874-08-22
OATMEAL.

OATMEAL.
We propose to devote short article
| to oatmeal and it's uses. Perhaps this
may be more suitable, as the present
price Of breadstuffs is so very high that
many who cannot easily afford to pur-
chase wheaton bread in the quantity
and of the quality which they have
been accustomed to use, may be glad
| to hear Of substance at once good
and comparatively cheap, by which it
may be partially replaced.
To very great number of people the
value of oatmeal is little known; al
though the prejudice against it, long
entertained, as an article Of food rath-
er fit for the lower animals than for hu-
man beings. has of late, in some mea;-
ure, given place to a more just opinion,
Especially among the educated class,
who are capable of approaching the
value of the favorable verdict of chem
lists and Psychologists. 1t is now well
known that no other kind of grain is so
nutritious as oats; and the facility with
which it is grown on soils, not rich
enough, and in situations not warm
enough for wheat, recommends it very
strongly, as fitted to yield very con-
siderable part of our food supply.
Oatmeal is principal article of food
Of the peasantry of Scotland, and I'M
til nearly the end of the last century,
amongst those of the north Of Eng.
| land
In more ancient times, oats formed
the principal corn crop of most parts
of England; but as agriculture improv-
cd and the cultivation extended, wheat
en- bread was naturally preferred by
those who could afford it; the use of
oatmeal became more and more limited
to the poorer classes; and OH this very
account was as much as possible avoid
ed by those who. in respect of wealth,
birth or profession. made pretensions
of superiority. Another circumstance
which greatly tended to restrict the use
Of oatmeal where it was formerly gen
eral, was the convenience with which
| it could be procured from the bakers
shop, matter of especial Importance
when almos, all the members of fam
lily were employed in manufactures.
The revived popularity of oatcakc has
recently led la the exposure of different
kinds of j; for sale in bakers and other
shops, particularly in Scotland
The grain of oats intended for hn-
man food is generally prepared by be-
ing ground into meal; although it is al.
SO used in the form of g''oals; that is.
of grain dcnudcd o! It's husk. and mere.
| ~ broken into fragments Oatmeal is
Of two kinds-bo,h common in all
shops in which it is sold-iine meal.
and coarse or round meal For var-
Gus purposes some prefer the one and
some the other. There is no diiferenc
in quality. but merely in the degree in
which the grain has been triturated in
the mill.
Oatmeal is principally used in two
ways, for the making of porridgc and
of oatcakcs. Porridge is principal
article of food of the Scottish peasan-
try, generally accompanied with milk,
when milk can be obtained; although
when milk is scarce, butter is some
times used, sometimes sugar, and
sometimes treacle beer. For most
people, in sound condition Of health.
there is no more wholesome article of
food than porridgc and milk, none that
contains larger proportion both of
flesh forming and heat-producing sub
stances; whilst to almost all who have
ever been accustomed to its use, it is
Extremely palatablc. Generally speak
ing, there is no better article Of food
for the nursery, none more likely to
maintain healthy condition Of the
stomach, or to give vigor to the frame;
although there are exceptional cases,
both among the young and among
adults, in which the use of porridge is
unsuitable, producing painful disten-
sion Of the stomach and Indigestion.
While the caprices of children ought
not to be needed in such matter, the
actual conditions of their constitution
ought to be carefully observed and re-
garded. Porridge is in general made by
o;,r1n1u hnil;ncr oatmeal IN ,rafor cf;r