The Portland daily press., 1894-02-05
THE HON
FIavoring Flour.
scribner's Magay inc.


Ordinary bread -four is an article
which is exceedingly liable to absorb
odors. Therefore special care must be
ia ken in the purchase and storage OF it;
for eve if it bear the brand OF the very
hest make, and has been kept in mus
ty place for even short time by the
grocer. it will tell its own story in the
very first baking. Hence it is desirable
to buy -four of grocer who is Intelligent
and careful in his methods OF storing
his goods Old, tumble-down grocery
stores with ill-ventilated cellars and
general air of dilapldation and shiftless-
ness about the premises are poor places
to deal, even though the grocer may
offer his goods at few pennies less per
bound than his more enterprising rival
in clearly store, kept in spick and
span order.
There are good many other grocery
supplies that are easily contaminated by
musty or uncleanly surroundings, though
none more than flour. which is in daily
use in the house. Even though the flour
Is barelled up, dust has penetrating
power which will reach through the
wood There is not so much danger,
however, where -four is purchased by
the barrel as where it is bought by the
twenty-five pounds or smaller quantity.
It is then taken from an open barrel,
which is but loosely covered. Ham,
baoon or any stroug-favored supplies are
liable to contaminate. The fact that Hour
is easily injured in this way is well
known to all bakers. who are not only
especially careful to purchase thelr sup
plies from trustworthy dealers, but In
STEERING it, The organ of the London
bakers, in commenting on this matter,
goes so far as to suggest thai since the
fact of such contamination is Admitted,
advantage should be taken of the pecu-
liarity to place the flour where it will
take upon itself an agreea bic f1avor,
which would be an improvement to the
bread. 1t would seem difficult to sug-
gest any flavor better than the simple
nutty flavor of the wheat which is found
In the best makes of flour.
The necessity for keeping the Hour bar
rel in a raised rack away from the noor
has frequently been mont ond In these
columns. Such d rack may be simple,
homemade affair, resting on neavy cast
ors, such as are used on afpial o, SO that
IT NAV be frequently shifted and the
space underneath cleaned out. Or 1T may
consist merely of two large beams, rails
ing the barrel above the ground, leaving
a space for ventilation beneath it. Where
some such contrivance is not arranged
and the -four barrel rests fiat on the f1oor,
it is likely to become musty, and the
last baking is pretty sure to be OF quite
an inferior quality. -Trl bune.
Apples Good for sedentary Folks.
! The remedial use of apples is thus en-
iarzed upon by the North American
Practitioner: Chemically the apple is
composed of vegetable fibre, albumen,
sugar, gum, chlorophyl, malic acid and
much water. Furthermore, the German
analysts say that the apple contains a
larger percentage of phosphorus than any
other fruit or vegetable The phosphor-
Gus is admirably adapted for renewing
the essential nervous matter-lecithin
of the brain and spinal cord.
1t is, perhaps, for the same reason,
rudely understood, that old Scandinavian
traditions represent the apple as the food
of the gods, who, when they felt them
selves to be growing feeble and inirm,
resorted to this fruit, renewing their
powers of mind and body. Also, the
arids of the apple are of singular use
for men of sedentary habits, whose livers
are sluggish in action, those acids serv-
ing to eliminate from the body noxious
matters, which, if retained. would make
the brain heavy and dull, or bring
about iaundice or skin eruptions and
other allied troubles
Some such experience must have led to
the custom of taking apple sauce with
roast pork. rich goose and other like
dishes. The malic acid of ripe apples,
either raw or cooked, will neutralize
any excess of chalky matter engendered
by eating too much meat. 1t is also the
fact that such ripe fruits as the apple,
the pear and the plum, when taken ripe
and without sugar, diminish acidity in
the stomach rather than provoke it..
Their vegetable sauces and juices are
converted into alkaline carbonates,
which tend to counterfeit acidity.
Bread and Butter Letters.
More than once have 1 been seriously
troubled because young friend has
failed to acknowledge to me her safe
arrival at her home after visiting me,
writes Mrs Lyman Abbott in the Febru-
ary Ladies Home Journal. The "bread
and butter letter." as it is sometimes
called, because it is supposed to be ar
EXPRESSION of thanks for what bread and
butter stands for, should be written
within twenty-four hours after arrival al
ones destination, to the hostess whose
hospitality one has been enjoying. Il
is not quite enough for young man who
has been visiting his college mate te
write to him alone; courtesy calls upor
him to send at least a brief note to hi'
friends mother, or the lady taking bel
place. You think it is not an easy
thing to do, and it is not altogether i
you try to make your note unique ant
way is the best way, and if you hav'
had a peasant time, say so. An agreea oil
incident of your journey, or few line
about the circumstances into which YOU
have gone, will make letter which VIZ