Sunday Washington globe., 1902-06-15
STERILIZED VEGETABLES.
NAY TO KILL GERMS ON THEM AS
A MATTER OF PRUDENCE.


sst standing recently stated that very
serious fever epidemic had been traced
20 the use of raw celery, which was
,ound upon investigation to have been
lertilized with night soil containing
disease germs. Watercress has often
oeen regarded with suspicion in cases
Of typhoid fever germs. Yet people
who harbor all sorts of germ fads and
superstitions calmly MUNICH radishes,
lettuce and celery with no thought of
low they may have been cultivated and
very little as to how they have been
cleaned.
AS matter of fact, many vegetables
which we are accustomed to eat raw
are delicious when cooked, but if one
prefers the raw vegetable it is the
simplest thing in the world to sterilize
It. A saturate solution of boracic acid
kept in fruit jar on the kitchen table
will insure a sterilized head of lettuce.
Dilute cupful of the solution with
one Of water, and after the lettuce has
been freed from grit, dip it into the
antiseptic bath Then rinse imme-
diately with cold water, wipe dry and
serve. Celery should be treated in the
same way, each stalk being carefully
pulled apart to insure cleanliness.
Some celery is so dirty that it really
needs scrubbing with a stiff kitchen
brush to remove the grit from CORFU
gated stalks.
Apropos to the vcxed question OF ad-
mitting American meats into Germany,
German chemists have themselves re-
ported that boracic acid is quite harm
less, and the sinister word acid" need
not deter any careful person from US
ing it, Of course, in preparing raw
vegetables it Is all rinsed off again, but
as it is very volatile, it would escape in
process Of boiling anyway. Therefore,
it may be used with absolute impunity.
Radishes make a delicious dish when
boiled, and one which may be INDUCED
in by persons who are quite unable to
digest them raw. Bon until tender in
barely enough salted water to cover
them. Then take off the saucepan lid
and let the water boil down about half;
add as much milk as there is water.
Rub together a tablespoonful of -four
and one Of butter; add this to the boil
ing milk and stir until it thickens.
This is a favorite Swiss dish, and
those Who don't know it have some
thing to look forward to. An excellent
way of preparing it is to quarter the
heads, wash very carefully and put in
I oh mil n
cover it. Let this steam until the let
tuce is tender, add a dash of pepper, a
tablespoonful of butter. Let it stand
till the butter is melted and serve.
The water in which vegetables are
boiled, If drained off, should be saved
for the soup pot. Otherwise it should
be allowed to simmer down and be-
come part o. the sauce, for it contains
a great deal Of the bicarbonate Of pot.
ash which prakes vegetables whole
some.
The French make a delicious dish
| by boiling young, tender peas in lit
tie water. adding a tablespoonful OF
butter A head OF fresh, clean lettuce
is set in with the peas and allowed tc
steam thoroughly until tender. The
/ lettuce is then removed to heated
platter, a little milk added to the peas
mixed with a tablespoonful Of -four
When this comes to the boiling point
the thickened peas are poured over and
around the lettuce and served.
Cook in tho Same way as spinach
and served with butter and a hard
boiled egg, chopped fine is an excel
lent dish,
Cabbage cooked after the following
recipe is palatable ia many people who
cannot eat the vegetable as ordinarily
cooked. Chop the cabbage as for cold
slaw and put it into pot Of salted
boiling water. Boil exactly twenty
minutes; not a minute longer. Drain
off the water, add sufficient milk to
cover a dish of paprilla and a little
/ butter and flour mixed. When this be-
comes quite hot again shake in liber'
ally grated Parmesan cheese. Let II
stand a few minutes and serve. This
is a good lunch dish where little meat
is eaten. The milk and cheese make 1t
quite substantial A Glove of garlic
boiled with cabbage gives it most
delicious flavor not at all garlicky
Few people realize how infinitely SUI
perior to the fine white turnip is the
common yellow one. Try boiling this
vegetable with a bit of garlic, add
black pepper and a good lump of but.
ter, and you will never use the white
sort again.
Small radishes boiled whole with a
spoonful Of minced parsley make a
delicious salad when cold. Serve with
a French dressing.
A very good Macedoine sailed is made
by adding to the radshes ard parsley
cold stewed celery and string beans.
Make mayonnaise dressing and add
to II a tablespoonful each OK picked
nasturtium seeds and choppe1 chlves.
Mix this with the Macedoine and
serve.
The pod Of peas which W. extrav-
agantly throw away are never wasted
by the thrifty Frenchwoman. Covered
with water they are allowed to sim
mer then pressed through colander.