Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-13
PREPARATIONS FROM CORN
MEAL

1t is to be regretted that the food val
ue of maize or Indian corn is not better
understood and as fully appreciated by
the working classes of the North as it
is by all people native of the southern
portion of our country, who greatly pre-
fer their beloved golden corn bread to
the wheaton bread, and stoutly main
tain that it is not only more wholesome
but more nourishing than the cold
white product of the North. We must
admit that it certainly is more nourish-
ing and healthful than the average
wheat bread that masquerades as the
staff of life.
Indian corn is undoubtedly a food of
great nutritive value-eXperiments
showing that it is well digested in the.
human body-90 per cent. Of it's dry
matter being absorbed, as compared
with 50 per cent. in the case of wheat. /
1t has also the advantage of being an
exceedingly economical food compared
in price with wheat. And with the
laboring man, who must be capaple VI
enduring the greatest fatigue ana
greatest amount of physical laoor-es-
pecially in the colder climate OF our
North-it should have high place ana
be regarded as Indispensable to ms diet,
for it's fuel value is of almost the same
proportion as wheat.
Nature seems to have arranged an eX- !
ceedingly nice adjustment in furnish
ing this food product for the people OF
a country possessing such varied eli
matte conditions as ours. The corn
grown in the Central and Western
States contains a very high percentage
Of starch and a little more oil than the
wheat grain. On the other hand, it IS
stated the corn grown in the far South
has a higher per cent. of nitrogen Or
tissue-forming elements and thus an
sWers the requirements substantially
of either wheat, oats or rye, furnishing
very nearly the necessities of life.
The chief objection to the corn
grown in colder climate is it's very
high percentage of starch, which makes
1t the most fattening of cereals and OF
all foods except those exceedingly rich
in Oil or sugar.
The starchy property of cornmeal
makes it food of doubtful value only
when it is subject to the frequent mis-
directed attempts to transform 1t into
suitable sustenance for the body-for,
like all other starchy food it must be
exceedingly well cooked, and it also re-
uuires the full action of the saliva to
put it in proper condition for further
and complete digestion.
Dishes made of cornmeal are seldom
cooked enough, and no doubt one reason
why the cornmcal mush has fallen into
disfavor Is because of the slow process
necessary in order to make it an easily
digested and, therefore, wholesome food.
1t being of a texture and consistency
too easily swallowed, the first stage of
digestion must depend more on the arti-
fetal or cooking process than the action
of the saliva. and therefore long COOK
ing Is imperative.
The peculiar flavor SO noticeable in
yellow cornmeal is dissipated when it is
thoroughly cooked. The mush should
have at least two hours slow, steady
boiling. and all buildings made of corn
meal of medium fine quality, require,
whether boiled or baked, five or six
hours cooking unless the meal be scald
ed thoroughly previous to mixing with
other ingredients-so sayeth Il high aus
thority in cornmeal doin's.
Corn ground too fine is apt to be fiat
and insipid.
Unless large quantities are used it is
best to buy cornmeal in small quaint
ties, as it does not keep very well on
account of the large proportion of fatty
matter which, when exposed to the at
mosphere, acquires an unpleasant
rancid taste.
The new process granular meal is
comparatively free from this objection,
however.
Indiay, Pread