Evening star., 1902-02-25
Table and Kitchen.
The Value Of Eggs as an Article Of
Food.

| 1t Is hardly possible to overestimate the
value Of eggs as an article of food. They
| present food N a convenient form for pres
| ervation or immediate use. and being so
nearly akin to flesh and fish furnish the
same character of nutrients in a much
more condensed and economical form.
While there Is no egg of a bird known
| which is not suitable for human food, or
which could not be eaten by a hungry man,
the choice may be said to be limited to the
egg of the domestic hen. This is due to the
flavor, which is more delicate. as there is a
marked similarity in the chemical compost
ton Of all eggs Of fowl or birds. There Is
even considerable difference in the flavor Of
feeding Of the fowl. The eggs Of the do
mestic bird which is raised in sea-coast
districts are often very disagreeably fla
vcred with fish. This is noticeable in the
flesh of the fowl well. Eggs of chickens
fed on cornmeal and wheat screenings"
are the choicest.
Composition of the Egg.
The egg consists of three principal parts
the shell, which Is intended chiefly as
protection to the contents. and composed
chiefly of carbonate of lime; the white
and yolk. All these parts can be utilized
by the housekeeper, so that there is no
waste.
ue diUulHeH VI the eSS, CoulIAolhJ Nho"h
as the white. is so called because, when
heated, it coagulates into solid white SUBJ
stance. The white consists almost entirely
of albumen, a nitrogenous and flesh form
ing substance 1t also contains a small pro-
portion of fat, about 1 per cent of phos-
phate of lime and water.
The yolk consists of a variety of albumen.
oil, sulphur and water. On the whole, the
egg is richer in fat than fat beef.
There is merely trace of fat in the al
bumen and the nature of albumen makes
it necessary. when it is eaten in any con-
siderable quantity, to eat very liberal
amount of fat with it, in order to counter
act the result sure to follow an Indulgence
In too large percentage of albumen.
When eggs form the principal and rot
the accessory in a dish, healthy persons
should eat both yolk and white. Eggs
and bacon are natural demand and not
simply a matter of taste or habit. Eggs
being SO rich in iesh-forming material, re-
quires additional fat or an easily digested
starch like rice to make them an entirely
digestible food.
It is usual in making puddings and many
compounds in which milk and eggs are
used to separate the yolks and whites and
use only the former. This is not only for
reasons of economy, but because by adding
the albumen Of the egg to that In the milk
we produce a compound highly nutritious,
but one apt to hinder digestion. Remem-
ber this when preparing food for the SICK
or persons with weak digestlons Many
sick persons prefer to eat the yolk, on ac-
count of it's flavor, the white. when cooked.
being tasteless and also because the yolk
is more digestible.
Boiling Eggs.
Most persons fancy the egg soft-boiled,
and there is little doubt that they are more
readily digested when the albuminous part
is eaten before it is allowed to become en-
tirely Opaque and solid.
There are some however who cannot di-
gest the yolk in the soft-boiled egg In
this case, 1t must be cooked until it can
be mashed to a fine powder like dry,
mealy potato and the white, If eaten at all.
broken up by putting it through a fine sieve
or vegetable press. But there must be no
intermediate stage in the cooking that
makes the white of the egg like gristle
and the yolk as digestible as a rubber ball.
A soft-boiled egg should have the white
flaky or like a soft jelly and the yolk
creamy. but apparently little changed. This
result is obtained in two ways; first, the
egg is placed in cold water and the water
brought quickly to boiling point. This
is not so reliable method as the
and cover with boiling water: place where
the temperature of the water will remain
below simmering point for five or eight
minutes and the egg will be ''just right"
In kitchens of clubs and restaurants they
employ little automatic egg-boilers. which
can be regulated to boil the egg just
the desired number of minutes and at the
expiration Of the set time the cup holding
700 ~ AoN>
Poached Eggs.
One Of the incest ways to cook eggs is
to poach them, not according to the COM
| mon American method. however, but as
| they are poached in Mexico, France or in
the east generally, and in some instances
by our own cooks. Instead Of the iron
| skillet or frying pan partly filled with boil
Ing water pottery dish is used. These
| can be found in all well-stocked china
stores. The bottom Is very thick. The
dish Is first placed upon the fire until well
warmed through: then butter, pepper and
salt are placed upon it, so that the surface
Is well oiled. Each egg is then carefully
broken and dropped on this, not crowding
them; the dish placed where there is
steady, moderate heat and as soon as the
eggs are done they are served at once from
| the same dish. The flavor is very delicate
and more enjoyable than when water
poached. Charcoal makes the best fire for
poachng eggs in this manner
Omelet Making.
There is nothing more dainty and inviting
than an omelet if made to perfection. To
succeed in making an omelet one must re-
| member that the merit Of the dish consists
| In it's retaining much as possible Of the
softness and all the flavor of the egg in
spite of the fact that the dry heat by which
it Is cooked hardens the albumen. In what
ever manner you cook eggs the hardening
pTOCcSS VI Tile eSS not De carried
beyond that Of the soft-boiled egg The
curdling of your egg in some sauces Is en-
tirely due to overlooking. The egg is added
to enrich and thicken the sauce and when
| allowed to cook into hard flakes does
neither one nor the other and is wasted,
while your sauce Is spoiled in appearance at
least.
Eggs Bonne Femme.
Make onion sauce as follows: Heat
| half a pint Of milk In double boiler Boil
| four or six white onions until soft Drain
out all the water; rub them through sieve
and add to the hot milk with an ounce of
| butter and salt and pepper to taste Stir the
beaten yolks of six eggs into the sauce
when cold; then add the whisked whites
Line two shallow baking tins with but
| tered paper and pour In the mixture and
| bake in a good oven until set. Then turn
| the preparation out on hot dish, draw the
paper from 1t and serve it very hot. nice
brown gravy may be served with this or
| tomato sauce.
Eggs With Shrimp Sauce.
Cut as many slices Of stale bread as there
are eggs to be poached. Trim the slices
and cut them in rounds and toast or fry
Il