The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-09-18
Domestic Chemistrr-Bolling.

All articles of food are derived from
the vegetable and animal kingdoms,
and the ultimate elments of all of them
may be reduced to four-carbon, hy-
drogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. The
reason of the infinite variety in vegeta-
BILE and animal substances is found in
the fact that tho above elements, two
or more, combine in different proper
tions, or are arranged among them
selves in different ways. These sub
stances are comprised in four classes,
the first substance composed Of carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen, the two latter
being in the proportion to form water.
These are called hydrates of carbon,
gum, starch, and woody fibers being
examples. Second, substances COM
posed of the same elements as last
mentioned, but in which hydrogen is in
excess, fats, oils, resins, and other
combustible bodies being examples.
Third, substances in which oxygen is
in excess, such as the greatest number
of vegetable acids. Substances COM
posed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen
and nitrogen. This class includes
many animal and vegetable substances.
The proximate principles of animal
flesh which is presented to us in form
of food may be reduced to three, fat,
gelatine and albumen. The various
processes of cooking extract the princi-
pies of the substances in widely differ
ent manner. Flesh is nothing more
than the meat or muscle of an animal
So when we eat a beef-steak we eat a
portion of the muscle of steer. It is
generally of a red color, but if washed
repeatedly in cold and afterwards in
hot water, it becomes nearly white, in
which state it is called fibrine, and the
e Aho
which the meat has been washed were
boiled for sometime, strained. and
boiled again, it will be found on cool
ing to be in the state of jelly, or in fact
in form of gelatine, which is one of
the prOXimate elements of bone. The
| object of the straining is to separate the
| albumen, which sets or sOlidifies by
| boiling. Albumen is a substance like
| the white of an egg, and it exists large
| ly in the blood of all animals. The
| savOring principle of animal food is
Ozmazome. It is the source of its odor
| and taste, and is very nutritious. In a
separate state it is thick liquid, some
| thing like strip, but does not coagulate
as do gelatine and albumen. From
| all that has been said, it will be seen
| how unwise it is wash meat before
cooking, which, L am sorry to
say, a great many housekeepers
! do. The fat of animal substance is
| remarkable as containing no nitrogen,
and it is similar to all animal and vege-
table oils When we boil meat, as in
the process of making broth, the fat is
dissolved and separated, and floats on
the surface of the water, from which
it may be SKINNED of, or if allowed to
remain or to cool, becomes solid. When
/ meat is boiled properly, it becomes
firm and digestible, and acquires sa-
worry taste and smell; but if boiling is
too long continued the meat becomes
indigestible, and loses much of its taste
and nutritive qualities. If the boiling
be violent the muscular portions of the
meat lose their gelatine and become
tough and fbrinOus, while the inside
| will be scarcely affected, as much of
the nutritive juices of the meat escapes
into the water in the act of boiling.
The meat should not be cut into small
pieces except for the purpose of max
king broth, that is, if the nutriment is
wanted to be kept in the meat. A
large joint is preferable to a small joint
and is cheaper in the end, but if the wa
ter is to keep the nutriment. small joints
or pieces are preferable. By the above
is demonstrated the important service
boiling water renders us in the prepa-
ration of animal flesh for food. 1t
proves, too, that tho most expensive
joints of meat are not more nutritious
than the cheaper joints when properly
| cooked. Cleveland Leader.