Evening star., 1901-04-16
able and Kitchen.

Practical Suggestions About What to
Eat and How to Prepare Food.
In spite Of the fact that so much has
been said and written relative to the dele
terious effects Of eating sweet cakes and
pasteries, there seems to be little IL any
marked decrease in the demand or con-
sumption of these articles of food. In fact,
the indications are that people are eating
| more and not less of sweet foods 1t Is
hard to rout custom when inclination and
desire are its ready sponsors. and cakes are
| so indissolubly connected with certain cere-
monial and festive occasions it Is doubt
full If those who look upon these sweet
dishes as promoters of indigestion and its
kindred evils will ever succeed In dislodging
''the sweet tooth or the tendency to in
dulge 1t. occasionally, at least. We have
not reached that point of perfection yet,
where self-denial ceases to be virtue,
especially when it relates to the appetite
and taste. and he who believes this end
probable has large faith in human possi-
billties.
Who does not remember that red-letter
day in their lives when birthday cake
crowned the feast? No work of art has
ever, in our maturer years, appealed so
strongly to our delighted senses or love of
the beautiful than these homemade BIRTH
day cakes, resplendent with candles and
decorated with loving If not skilled hands.
Can we imagine a wedding without a
bride cake. or a Christmas festivity shorn
Of the rich plum cake?
The Question of Digestibility.
Personal experience has taught many the
| need Of self-denial and careful abstemous-
ness In the eating Of such foods, and they
regard their case as convincing evidence
of the harmfulness of this form Of diet
1t is readily admitted that these prepara-
| tiONS are NOT essential foods tbera Sc
little doubt that they enter too largely into
the dietary OF many whose physical tend
encies should warn~them to avoid too lib
eral indulgence in these delectableS.
The harmful effect is largely due how
ever to the poor and sometimes indgestible
materials used in making cakes as well as
owing to the overindulgence in rich sweet
dishes.
| 1t must be remembered that very rich
cakes contain an excess of fat. The nature
| OF this fat has much to do, naturally, with
| the digestibility of the other elements A
| fat that Is difficult to digest often delays
| the digestion Of other foods until ferment-
ative changes occur that give rise to great
discomfort and often very distressing re-
suits.
Cakes need not necessarily be unwhole-
| some If proper and wholesome materials
| are used and they are not made too rich
| or combined with many other materials
| that may be far more indigestible than the
| much-condemned pastry.
The Quality of Materials.
The only way to be assured of the quail
| 1ty OF the materials used in your cakes
| Is to make them at home. This art Is not
| a difficult one, and when once acquired
| gives considerable pleasure in the prep
| aration as well as satisfaction in the eat
| Ing. The woman whose cakes always
| melt In your mouth Is regarded with envy
and admiration by her less skillful friends.
| who will assure you, with a distress that
! Is amusing to the initiated that they do
| not possess the knack." True, they must
! first obtain knowledge Of the art of
| blending and mixing their proportions, and
| proper temperature of the oven; but, aside
| from this they cannot expect to get per-
| feet results unless they use the best ma
| terials. For this reason many house wives
pensive luxuries, and with good reason,
| when butter, pastry -four and large guam
| tity of eggs are called for.
! Better and more wholesome cakes are
made with few eggs and vegetable shorten
| ing instead of butter.
| The quality of -four is a very important
! feature, of course; specially prepared
pastry flour being considered the only thing
| possible. Many housekeepers object to
keeping two kinds of flour on hand, even
when able to obtain special brand for
cakes. modern, improved process em-
| ployed produces a flour that Is equally
| available for the finest bread. cake and
pastry And this is possible without losing
| the valuable constituents Of the grain for
DIedu-naklnS purposes
The baking powder is another important
| factor in promoting success, and has very
considerable to do with the wholesOmeness
| OF the cake. Many still consider the old
| time method Of using a sufficient number
OF eggs, and vigorous and long beating to
obtain the desired lightness, much better
than the use of baking powders If cheap
and injurious powders are used, this meth
cd Is safer. But good powder and fewer
eggs will make far more digestible cake,
as you get lightness without having a cake
that is too rich. Eggs have a tendency to
| tougher cakes
Few Rules to Observe.
When making cakes, have eggs and
dishes cool, and, If possible. do your beat
| ing and mixing in cool room.
| The -four should always be sifted before
measured. The best granulated sugar
| should be used unless the recipe calls spe-
| cially for powdered or dark moist sugar.
| Eggs are generally beaten separately; the
yolks until they become frothy and begin
| to thicken, and the whites until they are
frothy and stih enough to remain on the
| dish when inverted, but not until they be-
| gin to separate A tiny pinch of salt may
| be added to the whites to tougher them 30
| they will hold the air more readily; but
| this Is not necessary unless the eggs are
| not quite fresh and the whites thin. When
| a vegetable shortening is used. pinch of
| salt must be added to the cake batter.
| The quantity Of -four must be regulated
| according to the climate or the kind of
| -four employed; at least one-eighth less Of
| the new process is required.
| Sweet milk makes cake that cuts firm,
moro like pound cake; while water makes
| a lighter, more tender cake. Very hot or
very cold water should not be used in MAX
| ing cake. the former making it tough and
| the latter having a tendency to make it
| heavy. The butter should never be heated,
| so as to become oily, for making cake.
| The best plan Is to measure the quantity
| needed and let 1t stand in a warm room
until it softens, and 1t will then cream
easily. When In a hurry you may pour hot
water into your mixing bowl, let 1t stand
a few moments. pour out, wipe the bowl
dry and then put in the butter; but see
that the bowl Is not too hot.
Cream your butter first before adding the
sugar, and then stir that in gradually. Use
the finer granulated sugar in preference to
the coarse unless you desire a cake of
loose, coarse texture.