Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-22

for food for the average family Of that
class. Economist. now say that IL In ex-
ones income for rent. At this rate there
would be but 500 left for fuel, light and
clothing
Purchasing and Preparing Food.
The government dietarfars have lately
collected an enormous amount OF data as
to possible economy in purchasing and pre-
pairing food. This appeals directly to young
married people doing light housekeeping
1t is astonishing how many Of the cheaper
focds are found to be as nutritious and as
palatable as the more expensive. To make
them palatable. however, requires skill in
cooking and a slight idea OF the chemistry
OF FOODS. The ignorant classes usually
hired 70 90 cooking cannot be expected to
have such knowledge. The cheaper cuts of
meat can be made as pslatable as the more
expensive cuts IL proper seasoning lie used
end proper means applied to overcome
tougfness. Practically all lean parts OF the
same animal contain the same proportion
OF nourishment. Experiments were lately
made by the Department OF Agriculture to
ascertain the most advantageous method of
cooking meat and at the same time Of pre-
venting waste of the nutritious juices. The
experiments Indicate that roast meat is
more completely digested than boiled meat
The smaller the cut to be roasted the hot
ter should be the fire. An intensely hot
fire quickly forms a crust on the outside OF
roast, prevents the escape of the nutri-
t.ous juices and also prevents the drying OF
the interior portions. The smaller the roast
the hotter should be the fire. and vice
versa. The same rule seems to hold good
for brofling. In most cases the flesh of
ale animals is found to be more nutritious
than that Of the opposite sex. 1t 10 also
found that man eating meat alone cannot
digest more than two pounds day. Vege-
tables are found to be less readily and less
completely digested than meats.
Relative Cost.
The government dietary experts have
lately classified foods according to the cost
of the actual nutriment which they con-
tain. The very cheap" foods are found to
be salt Goldfish, dried beans. wheat -four
oatmeal, corn meal, sugar, rice and pota-
tees. Foods classified as cheap" are can
ned corn beef. SKINNED milk. salt pork and
milk crackers. Those claseed as medium"
are cheese, chuck and round Of beef fresh
Goldfish. smoked ham. butter. pork spare
rib and milk. Expensive" foods are NUT
ton, pork rib and sirloin of beef. VERY ex-
pensive" foods include oysters and fresh
Goldfish. In fact, most meats, fish, poultry
and the like are expensive, In proportion to
the amount OF nutrition which they con-
tain. In fact. IT IL found that the nourish-
ment In animal foods comes usually from
vegetable products. In the animal state,
however, we get the nourishment minus
the woody fiber and other indigestble
parts. Making meat from grass or grain
Is costly process. An acre OF land will
produce SO many bushels OF wheat, but
when the grass or grain which the same
land would produce Is converted into meat
1t makes much less food than the wheat.
A great deal OF rubbish has been published
concerning brain foods. The government
dietarians are just beginning to learn some
thing about those nutrients in food which
probably go to make brain. The study is
still in embryo. but indications. so far. are
that brain and nerve contain the elements
of nitrogen and nhnSphOyQrs IN
the protein compounds of food, but not in
the true fats sugars or starches. The lat
ter contain only carbon, hydrogen and
oxygen. Ii Is inferred. therefore, that pro-
TEN, lecithin and other substances con-
tanning nitrogen and PHOSPHORUS are
especially concerned in building up brain
and nerve and keeping them in repair.
Folly of Excess.
One Of the most emphatic rules to be fol-
lowed to perfect food economy warns
against overeating. The government diet
arians lately made a careful study OF the
eating habits OF SaEdow and found that he
always eats lees than he Graves. Sir Hen
ry Thompson says that more mischief is
caused In this world by overeating than by
overwhelming. Well-to-do people and those
" hose work is mental rather than physical
eat too much. Americans are found to re-
Quire more nourishment than Europeans.
They live and work more intensely than
foreigners. Americans take more outdoor
exercise.
One of the most common and most ex-
pensive wastes of the kitchen is the throw
ing out OF bone after the trimming OF meat.
Bone Is invaluable for soup. Unless skill
Is applied, much Of the lean of meat Ia cut
out with the bone and rejected fat. The
waste of meat is the most expensive kind
of food waste The protein of beef Is sew
Ell al times as expensive as that of -four
Even the poorest classes, when studied by
the government experts, are found to GUS
tomarily purchase fruits and vegetable out
of season at outrageous prices. For soups,
fresh pease and beans are used instead of
dried ones. eight times as cheap.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS. Jr.