Evening star., 1902-01-04
Table and Kitchen.
Within the Husks or Shells of Nuts
Lies Wealth Untold.

| rather than grains And yet the design of
| nature is very evident when we consider
| that they are the only and DEMONSTRATING
| food of large. percentage of the most
active life in the animal world; and life of
the most strenuous sort.
Human beings well animals have
natural liking for nuts, which must have
its origin from the same source, a physical
want. Man lacks the instructive knowledge
his silent brethren possess; the fact that
| there is no better substitute for animal
meat or food so full of nutrition the
nut, and as consequence misuses and mis-
applies wise economy of nature.
Besides the large amount of albumen,
| nuts contain oil which in winter makes
| them especially desirable in the human
| economy.
Scientists assert that nuts contain more
elements of nourishment than butter and
| meat combined.
The fats, beside being entirely free from
germs of any description, are eaten un-
| cooked and in their natural state and are
perfectly digestible when fresh.
In the nut nature has Secreted a supply
| of energy, strength and health, gathered
from her various woodland stores. that is
absolutely unpolluted and free from adul-
teration.
| Their Digestfbilfty.
AS In the case of all concentrated foods,
the nuts are classed with those that are
not easily digested. This term must not
be misunderstood as meaning food that is
not wholesome (hygienic) and which does
| not contain the essential elements for the
| body's health. It Is used to convey to those
who have but an imperfect knowledge of
| life sustaining pricinples the warning not
| to overindulge in too large an amount of
concentrated nutrients.
Imperfect maStication is generally the
| cause of difficulty in digesting nuts, be-
cause the construction presents their con-
| sutuent parts in such fine subdivision they
| are ready for quick digestion and prompt
assimilation, if the teeth are. allowed to
| perform their part in the digestive process
and the nut-meats not hurried into the
| stomach before they are completely masti-
Gated. The stomach is good neighbor to
the mouth, long suffering and kind, but
will in time resent being burdened with the
| sins of other members in the ''house beau
| tiful who shirk their duties. Nuts a
| suitable food for most invalids and for
children. If they are properly masticated
| When there is difficulty in accomplishing
this the whole nuts should not be given,
but the prepared nut foods which are made
ready, especially for invalids' and chill
dren's food, and are, in fact, more suitable
| in general dietary than the whole nuts
! Most nuts being practically free from
starch. and their fats in a state of natural
| emulsion, they are especially adapted to
| the use of a very common and numerous
| class of dyspeptics, those who cannot di-
gest Starchy foods.
| Nuts That Require Cooking.
Peanuts and chestnuts are not very pa
latable eaten raw. The horse-chestnut,
which is being experimental with a
possible food product, has decidedly acrid
and bitter principle, which must be
moved before it will find favor for dietetic
use.
The Spanish chestnut, which is used very
considerably for culinary purposes, is free
from this fault and has a most agreeable
| flavor when cooked, besides being very
nutritious, easily cooked and digestible.
Peanuts improved in flavor and di-
gestibility when they properly pre-
pared. This must be done at proper
| temperature, which should be only Suff1-
| GENTLY high to remove certain obnoxious
elements in order to make them more pal
atable. The ordinary method of roasting
employed by the trade renders them still
more indigestible to delicate eaters than
! the raw nut would be. Too high degree
of heat destroys the delcacy as Well as
the whOleSomeness of the nut.
| Peanuts may form the basis of many
very palatable dishes well as take their
part as accessories in the form of bonbons
or flavoring for cakes creams, etc.
| Nuts and Fruits.
Nuts and fruits form a combination that
Is almost perfect as an average dietary,
giving. as they do. the high proportion of
proteids (albumens), the pure and easily
digested fats of the nuts, the sugar of the
| fruits to supply the energy and heat-pro-
ducing needs OF the body; while the acids
OF the fruits aid in the complete digestion
| OF these substances
Nut Butter.
This has found favor with many who find
that the use of cream, milk and butter are
harmful to them and increase the various
forms of indigestion many are subject to-
as well as the nervous, sick headaches and
bilious attacks that make their life a bur-
den. The law of reason demands that a
certain amount of fat must enter into COM
| Dlnatlon with substances devoid Of this ele-
ment, not only in order to make the food
more palatable, but to keep up that even
! balance In the human economy that puts
mind, soul and body in harmony with life
Good humor and good health depend
| largely on good living; by good living we
mean the selection of such foods that will
increase the vitality of body and mind; !;
and give nature more resources in time of
extra stress and place the body in better
condition to resist destruction
Nut Butter for Bread.
When this is substituted for butter take
half the quantity of butter desired place
Il in a bowl, add very little water and
mix it with spoon; add more water while
you continue to mix it in until it is smooth
and soft enough to spread easily. A little
spread the bread.
Nut Gravy for Boiled Rice
Make stock by dissolving level table
spoonful of nut butter in pint of water
and bring it to boiling point; season with
| salt and thicken with level tablespoonful
| of Drowned flour and equal quantity Of
white flour. This will give it the flavor of
roast beef gravy. A cup of hot strained
tomato juice may be added, using that
much less of water.
| Nut Cusfard.
Rub two level tabespoonfuls of nut butter
smooth with half a cup of water. Beat one
egg light with four level tablespoonfuls of
sugar and add to the butter with a pinch
of salt. Mix well with another half cup of
water, and cook in a double boiler until
creamy, pour into little custard cups, set in
a pan of hot water and bake in slow oven
until set in the centers. Or the custard
may be poured into plain crust and baked
as open pie.e This custard may be COW
cred with meringue made by whipping tart
| annie and the baaten pf