San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-03-23

cent. and more, in the price OF staple
foods, the above is now most impor-
tant question to 40 millions OF people.
Probably there are not two millions
who take thought or care as to the
cost of their daily diet. Meats, flour,
potatoes, corn meal and milk are the
main articles of sustenance for the great
masses. Fish, rice, beans and oatmeal
(recently), with lesser amounts OF some
other articles are consumed, but these
altogether do not, we Judge, constitute
one.tenth of the food of the entire peo-
pie, perhaps not more than five or six
per cent.
Dried or smoked beef, ham and
cheese, rank high, but dried fish out
ranks all others. The nutritive value
of Goldfish is remarkable, and it de-
serves special attention, 100 pounds Of
it supplying as much nutriment as BAL
pounds of beef 1t is cheap and album
dant everywhere, because very portable
and easily kept. 1t yields labor sus-
tanning aliment at from one-third down
to one ninth of the cost of beef in diff
ferent sections of the country. 1t is
easily digestible, and if properly fresh
ened and cooked, it can be palatable
and acceptable to very large class
needing to practice economy.
FLEsH-FoRMERs- HEAT-PRoDUCERs.
The occupation of any class of per-
sons has much to do with deciding the
most economical foods. 1t is estimated
that in temperate climate an average
man needs, each twenty-four hours,
simply to sustain life without increas-
ing his weight, about III ounces Of
fesh-forming foods. Laborers and
those putting forth much exertion need
most OF the fesh-forming food, such as
lean meats of all kinds, eggs, cheese,
fish, beans, peas, oat meal, bread, cab
bage, roots, etc.
Those exposed to cold need more of
the heat-producing foods, as fat meats,
corn meal, and generally those articles
containing of oil or starch, or both, or
sugar, etc.
Those working hard in cold weather,
need much of both kinds combined, as
in pork and beans.
Wheat contains about SO per cent. of
heat-producing, and II per cent. of
fesh-forming elements; Indian corn
about 70 per cent. of heat-producing
starch and oil, and 8 per cent. of flesh
formers; beans and peas, about 50 per
cent. of producing oil and starch,
and "a per cent of fesh-formers.
Milk admirably combines fesh-form-
ers, curd or cheese, and the heat-pro-
ducing oil (butter) and sugar. All
kinds of cheese including the cottage
or sour-milk cheese, are excellent
strengthening food. All skinned
milk may be very economically used in
supplying cottage or soft cheese as
strengthening human food. This soft
cheese is in utility and value very like
lean meats.
SUNDRY FOOD ITEMS.
Maccoroni makes an excellent variety
in the scarcity of vegetables, and
should be much better known, and
more used by the masses here. 1t is
the staple food of the common people
in Italy, indeed of most classes. It
is made of strongly glutinous wheat
flour; hence is fesh-forming, while it's
starch supplies heat. 1t may be cooked
tender in boiling water, seasoned with
salt, and eaten with or without cream
sauce, or milk or butter. After boiling
it can be put in pudding dish, with
about quarter of its weight of grated
cheese sprinkled over it, and lightly
baked. The addition of cheese makes
this diet about equal to lean meat as a
fesh-former.
Ripe peas should be mere commonly
used. A bowl of good pea soup is as
satisfying as hearty dinner on cold
day. To make a gallon of it wash
pint of peas and soak them over night;
then boil in five pints of water, gently
simmering three hours or so, until
soft. With potato-masher