The Opelousas courier., 1882-01-07
Cotton Seed Oil VS.. Lard.

We clip the following from the South.
ern Live Stock journal
I have been using cotton seed oil, al
a substitute, for more than ten years
InIview of this long experience | think
I am fully prepared to pass judgment
upon it's merits, and | unh~esitatingly
say that l regard it as far superior tc
lard fer culinary purposes. l began its
use, with a strong prejudice against it
and used it at first only for frying fish
then | tried it in corr bread first, when
accidentally Tout of lard" but from
choice always afterwards, gradually
introducing it here and there, until
now use it almost exclusively.
When properly used, it is impercep-
tible to the taste, except perhaps in the
ease of biscuits which are to be eaten
cold for lunch in that case lard or but
ter is preferable ; but for everything
which is to be eaten Immediately, the
oil cannot be detected.
For frying fish and oysters, it is far
less liable to burn than lard, and a
much larger quantity can be used with
ont waste or extravaganza, as what is
left can always be strained into a jar
and kept for repeated use, with the ad
dition of more as needed, 1t does not
retain the odor Of fish.
For frying fish or fritters, or for bak
ing waffles aud batter cakes, it should
be kept hot on the stove in a suitable
vessel, or they will absorb too much OF
the raw cold oil.
For corn bread | add it hot, the last
thing; this makes the choicest egg
bread without eggs
For wafies, made with cold Boiled
rice, or for corr meal batter cakes, the
addition of q little oil in the batter
makes it as rich and tender as though
two or three eggs were used.
/ have not tried it for cake except
for soft ginger bread, where it perfect,
~ supplies the place of both butter and
eggs.
For browning chopped ONIONS and
-four, for stews and gravies, it is not 90
liable to burn black az lard, and gives
a very rich appearance. as more or less
of the oil rises to the surface in ''eyes.'
/ first began the use of oil from by.
genie, not from economic motives, as
| could then procure only the high
priced, bottled salad oil. / now get the
genuine cotton seed oil. by the gallon.
and in view of the present high price of
lard, it is undoubtedly a great economy
From a hygienic point of view, I
consider it a most valuable substitute
for lard. keeping the blood free from
the impurities aud humors with which
it is so frequently loaded where lard
and butter are frequently used in cook
ing.
/ have FIVE children, and it seems tc
me that they meet with more than the
usual share of minor accidents, in the
shape Of cuts. scratches, splinters, rusty
nails in the feet, etc, but it is very rare
for anything of the kind to snppurate
or " fester," while beils, pimples, prick.
~ heat, etc, are almost unknown
among us. We attribute our immuni
ty in these respects wholly to the non
usage of hog products, more especially
lard.
A prolonged change of diet, in tli,
respect, as in travelling. or in boarding
during the summer months, invariably
produces a changed condition of the
blood, as shown in subsequent boils
prickly heat, etc.
But think I have said enough t.
show that, in my experience at least, it
proves a most valuable substitute no
only for lard, but for lard and eggs
both, where both are usually required
and that it's general use would be fonnd
profitable and advantageous, on both
sanitary and economic grounds.
MRS. j. r. WALKER.
Bay st. Louis. Nov. 10, 1881.
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