The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-20
The Leaves We Eat.


that very important part played by the
product OF the vegetable KINGDOM which
we are apt 10 consider nothing bun
leaves which serve only a subsidiary
purpose IN connection with our diet
We recognize that the natural heritage
IS Ornamental 10 our landscape and nee
essary 10 animal life. bait do we under
stand how these plants feed US or that
they are as essential in our lietary as
any other forms OF food The main OBJ
ject OF every plant. as well as every
other subservient thing, is To serve man
ia some way. To understand just what
relation each class of vegetable foods
have to the needs Of man and of what
chemical substances these different forms
are composed; why we choose to mix
these forms Of vegetable foods We con-
sumo. leads to a host of chemical in
quiries.
THE SALAD PLANTS.
These comprise a group which may be
arranged under the head of acetarious
plants. Some have long been known as
common vegetables ana cooked and
served as such while others have been
regarded simply as weeds, by most of
the native Americans.
The salad plants contain no appreciable
amount OF nutrient. and are not .es-
teemed for this reason by those who rec
ognize their value ana Gcem their crisp
ness and cooling properties an indispen-
sable part of the ideal dinner. The ma
ture OF their component parts, along with
The oil acids and condiments used 10
drses them make them NOSE useful aids
TO the digestion.
The custom OF serving the green, fresh
leaves of plants with oil and vinegar is
a very old one The bitter herbs Of
the Paschal feast OF the early Jews was
a combination salad of lettuce, dande-
lion. tansy. mint. comomile. etc. a great
many green herbs, or so-called weeds.
which were once used for salads have
gone out Of use and been fogotten. Some
Of these might again be introduced with
advantage.
The chief value and advantage Of sal
al plants is derived from their saline
matters. In these they are comparatively
rich. especially in potash salts. Cooking
generally extracts these from vegetables
and consequently such vegetables as
can be eaten in an knocked state, pre-
sent these unchanged and in most agree
able form in the crisp. cool aud succu-
lent leaves. which also serve TO introduce
a large amount of water into the system.
The law Of the early Romans, which
compelled the people TO make free use
Of green vegetables and combine them
with their meats. taught them TO use The
salad plants extensively
THE SOOTHING LEAVES OF THE
LETTUCE.
Chief Of the salal leaves is the lettuce.
There are two varieties. the head or
cabbage shaped and the curly, broad
leaved variety known as cas- lettuce.
Il O lahsefa db2us-drd brsaidatkf Tn
OF ali the salad plants. this leaf is the
most priced for its delicacy, beauty and
dainty freshness of color.
The mineral salts contained i'm lettuce
its refreshing, cooling properties and its
easy digestion make 1T "a most wholesome
addition TO the more solid foods. The
anciouts used this plant at tho end of
the meal. believing th5t its cooling prop
critics would countoract the heating ef-
fects of the wine. which they INDUCED i'm
so freely To this day We follow the Gus
tom of serving the crisp salad of lettuce
without perhaps thought as 20 his
original purpose.
TIE PUNGENT CROSSES.
of these we have two varieties. The
watercresscs grows freely in wet places.
especially in shallow streams. near
springs and always under water is one
of our most common as well as popular
salad greens IT belongs to the mustard
family and owes its biting. pungent OIL
TO an essential oil. like the mustard
The dietetic value of course is not de-
pendent on the proportion or amount of
organic nutrients present. bur mainly
upon the aromatic oil. sulphur and other
mineral matters present. The cultivated
cress usually found in our markets is
larger and more tender than the wild
white it contains ali the aromatic pun
gercy of the latter.
The garden variety known as pepper /
grass. possesses an even greater pungen-
cy ol flavor Cress is used more for gar
nishing than in salads.
INDIAN CRESS.
This excellent salad plant which is or
roneously known as nasturtium aud Gull
tiated in this country for decorative
purposes ca account IF its brilliant
flowers. imuarts a pungept and appeuzing
favor IL lads. Leaf stern. flower and
seed may IN be eaten. tho latter gen
orally beug salted and picked first.
ENDIVE-
This belongs to the dandclion family.
as does the lettuce proper: endive is
known 10 many as the winter lettuce
lis leaves are blaDched before il is sent
to market. thus rendering them tender.
bitter Favor iBle tie ohscery and daude-
lion To which they are closely allied. Ii
is excellent Tor use IN salads IN the vim
ter and spring.
corn SALAD
This. Ike cbicory ana enGive S an ex-
a. Ieft substitute for inc lettuce salad N
winter ANA eariv spriEe. This plant is
also known as fictitious or lambs lettuce.
According to an old English custom III
is proper 10 serve dish az corn salad
with a rasher ~ bacon or smoked her
riaE at Easter
SPINACH or SPANISH PLANT
This plant derived lts name from the
Spanish monks. Who frst served 10 during
fast dass. ID belongs O. the a,et family
and IS generally served IS 7eE cable.
although il makes 8 Vcry ica-e ana
an1ctfziug salad. ln lse srE When
mint IS fresh and Ereea. - Jew leaves
added II she spinach VIII improve the
flFor whether il is served IS g TeettahIe +
q salad
Tha .isl ~ salad plants 3 So varied one
cannot IAN 81 find some aVa latle green-
iearcd vegetables 81 ans rmc ~ Tear
Vhen al others faH we have tae cons