The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-05-17
Scotch Fare.

Oatmeal is principally used in two ways:
for the making of porridge and of oat-cakes.
POrridge is principal article of food of the
Scottish peasantry, generally accompanied
with milk, when milk can be obtained, al
though when milk is scarce, butter is some
times used, sometimes sugar, and sometimes
trcacle beer. For most people in sound
condition of health there is no more whole
some article of food than porridge and milk !;
none contains larger proportion of flesh
forming and heat-producing substances !;
while to all who have ever been accustomed
to it's use, it is extremely palatable. Gener-
ally speaking, 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 the adults, in which the
use Of porridge is unsuitable, producing
painful distensiOn of the stomach ard indi-
gestion. 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 regarded
Porridge is in general made by simply boil
ing oatmeal in water, stirring all the while
to prevent singelng, and to secure the
thorough mixture of the oatmeal and water
into homogeneous mass without knots
The quality OF porridge very much depends
on the amount of boiling which it receives.
1t cannot be too thoroughly boiled. Imper-
fectly boiled oatmeal pOrridge is a very coarse
article of food (; and, unfortunately, much of
the porri' &c used by the poorer classes in
Scotland and elsewhere is of this character,
and the porridge prepared for the nursery is
often no better, through the carelessness Of
servants, who wish to get through their
work with as little trouble as possible. 1t
is not nearly so digestible, and therefor not
so nutritious as pOrridge really well made.
A common mistake in the making of por-
ridge must also here be noticed, as tending
much to the deterioration of its quality, the
adding Of meal by degrees, while the boil
acquired, the result being that part of the
meal is imperfectly boiled The cook ought
to know the proper proportions of meal and
water-knowledge not difficult to acquire
and mix them at once, so that all the meal
may be equally boiled. But it is to be OBJ
served that the water must be boiling before
the meal is put in, which is not to be intro
duced in mass, but, as it were, strained
through the fingers handful by handful, as
quickly as possible.-7he Food Journal.
WoRKMEN IN ENGLAND.-Careful re-
searches have demonstrated, even to the
British journalistic mind, that the working
classes in Liverpool (perhaps throughout
the rest of England alsO) have become meat
eaters to such an extent that the consump-
ton of bread has seriously and proportion
ately declined. The dearer food has sup
planted the cheaper. In one Liverpool
street the butchers shops during fifteen
years have increased from seven to thirty,
while the number of bakers has remained
the same. Oatmeal, also, which formerly
was largely sold, is now scarcely bought at
all by the poor All of which is given to
prove that the material comfort of the work
ing man has improved in that direction,
though the argument would be more com
plete if we could ascertain whether or not
their general expenditures have increased
or diminished with increased or diminished
earnings. An English paper, though, sus-
piciously adds that they enjoy their feasts
with jollity, and endure their famine with
manliness, as the demeanor of the Lanca-
shire people throughout the American war
amply proved; but it is pity there is not
less drinking and more moderate eating
where wages are high. The late Mr.. Bras
sey used to say that the price Of labor all
over the world was about the same, though
wages greatly differed.