The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-02

| jules Oofsons
lcopynshs By American Pres Assoeiaaon.l
Many q good housewife wnndersHnen
the jutoe Of fruit renaans tquta, obsti-
nAtely deciin3ng TO mcet bar expecta-
tions Of jsiiy. Ths total perveraty OF
inanimate things vertaes itself too speed
lily for her comfort, much to her wonder,
perhaps, or possibly repeating old puz-
zhng conditions. The fruit may seem
identical with that previously used with
SUCCESS. The question has often been
asked how the proper condition may
be known by the appearance, flavor,
| color.
By none Of these indications. 1t really
seems to be one Of Lord Dundreary's
| problems 'tthat no fellow ever can find
out" Undoubtedly it is Of the handi-
work Of that great chemist the sun. The
pectoee Of unripe fruit is transformed by
the heat of the sun into pectin, the basis
Of fruit jelly. This substance Cpectose),
which exists in a number Of edible roots,
such as carrots, turnips and parznips,
can be changed by boiling into pectin or
vegetable jelly. As a matter Of fact
the chemical analysis of fruits and vege-
tables has yielded several almost identi
cal substances which are clRssed as pee
tose, but it would be difficult in the
present stage of chemical inquiry to say
which is the actual basis of jelly. Per-
haps it is as vague as the origin Of the
odor of the fruit.
Associated with the pectose group In
both fruit and vegetables is the substance
called cellulose, the basis Of tho cell
walls in fruits, leaves, stalks and roots.
It's elements are similar to those Of
starch, and it probably figures in jams
and solid sweetmeats, because it Is not
soluble in boiling water. The flavor
lacking in vegetables is due TO the pres
ence of acids in fruits. In the orange
family, which includes all the bitter va
rieties, and the shaddock. lime and
lemon, gooSeberTies, curTants, barber
ries, cranberries, blackbeFries, strawber-
ries and raspberries, citric acid prevails
in combination with some potash and
traces of maEc acid.
The intense acid Of garden rhubarb Is
oxalic, like that of sorreL The taste Of
green grapes is somewhat like that Of
apples, owing to the presence of malic
acid. AS the fruit ripens the quantity of
tartaric acid increases, and the fruit &C
quires diuretic and laxative qualities.
The seeds and skins are astringent from
the amount OF tannic acid they contain.
1t is this which causes the unpleasant
taste when they are crushed in eating
and which gives the astringency to wine.
The chemical analysis Of grapes is con-
fined to those varieties best Known as
wine producers. There are over 300
distinct varieties, and their medicinal
properties have been known since the
earliest historic or traditional times,
when Bacchus was but another Siva,
creator, destroyer and restoFer, even as
he is in these prosaio days, when five
pounds Of white Chasselas are allotted as
a days subsistence. ANY one who has
eaten the delicious Tokay and sweet
white clusters Of Southern California
would be content with such semi Liquid
nectar. The daily quantity advised
when grapes are to be the diet is from
three pounds to ten er twelve, eaten
from the vine preferably, thus adding
the tonic of outdoor life to the food
value of the delicious fruit.
Apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries
and tomatoes are all excellent from
their abundance of malic acid and the
cellulose and pectose necessary to pro-
duce jelly or jam. Since chemical
analysis shows all these elements to be
present in the vegetables already men
toned, it gives the tip to unscrupulous
manufacturers Of supplying the deficient
flavoring acids, and presto, changel
There you are! The cleareSt, finest Of
jelhes. favored with whatever nicety
of taste nature has bestowed as a make
weight for lack of conscience. In the
tubs of "apple butter sold as the pure
fruit any of the vegetables specified
above might be recognized if the OBJ
server We're a clairFoysnt, and pumpkin
and squash masquerade as citron and
kindred sweets.
A legitimate d1lce is made in Southern
California and New Mexico from our
familiar yellow squash, for which tbs
recipe was obtained from the oblfging
restaurateur. The menu for the entire
dinner may interest eur readers. 1t was
served to Mrs. Laura B. Starr.
VermiceIi Soup
Spanish Dish Of Rice, with
Tomato Sauce
Tortilas, With Red Pepper Sauce
EnchtladtS Frijo4es
Tomales With Spanish Sauce
Lettuce snd Tomato Sauce.
Duloes- Coffee,
The dulces or oandisd squash, was
made Of yellow squash, peeled and cut in
half inch dice, the seeds being scrsped
away. Half pailful of quicklime was
slaked in a tubful of water, and in this
the squash was soaked over night. The
next morning the squash, drained from
the Emewater, was boiled for fifteen
minutes in water actually boiling at
first; meantime a sirup was made from
sugar equal in weight with the squash,
about gill OF cold water being added
10 the sugar as basis for the sirup; the
squash being SKINNED from the boiling
water Is boiled N the sirup until 1t looks
clear, like citron melon preserve. A lit
tie lemon may be preserved with the
squash. II is SKINNED from the siTup
as sooH as il cooks clear. and when all Is
done the sirup Is boiled down until it