The San Francisco call., 1905-05-14


something new to eat; some
thing that viii be change, but
not too expensive" and for
something that viii vary the
family bill of fare"
Now know perfectly well that this
is the time Of year when every one is
Kept busy thinking of something news
and tempting, and just because ii really
is next door TO Impossible to accomplish
1t without more or less expense nine
tenths Of the thoughtful housewives
are calling themselves all the stupid
names in the catalogue.
Now certainty that doesn't do much
good, for IL neither makes them stupids
nor does IL place new dishes before
their lords and masters. 1t only sue
ceeds in upsetting the family and
themselves and in making every meal
disappointment, for no matter how
oelicately il may be cooked or how
daintily il may be served, they were
fOndly hoping for something new and
startling and, as a consequence. feel
abused and neglected when it is not
forthcoming.
Unfortunately, the price Of fresh veg
etables seems to increase every year, so
that greens are not always available,
and it is difficult TO find a good substi-
tute that is cheaper and that contains
the same amount Of nutriment. Yet it
can be done if you try hard enough
For instance, no one would dream Of
emitting potatoes from a meal. yet they
are cooked day after day and some
times tri-daily in just exactly three
Nays-boiled, baked and fried Now. to
begin with, since rich and poor alike
must have them, a change may be in
trOduced right here. Look at the WAYS
this necessity Of life" as it is called,
may be mysteriOusly cooked and prof.
fered at different times. First, there
is potato soup, potatoes with onions,
potatoes with cheese, curried potatoes,
potato salad, potato gems, potato cake,
potato soufhe. and, as q crowning fin
ish, potato pie.
Now. who on earth could ask for any
greater variety of a single vegetable,
Yet how many Of you try your hand at
making something new and appetizing
out Of this ordinary. everyday, matter
Of-fact necessity?
Besides the potato there is another
cheap article of food that is rarely
Yet listen TO what a careful writer upon
the comparative values Of food says:
plain boiled rice, rightly cooked, is
actually digested and begins TO be as
simulated in one hour, while other ce-
reals, legumes and meats and most
Vegeta bles require from three and a
half u five hours. Rice thus enables a
man to economic full 75 per cent Of
the time and energy expended in the
digestion Of ordinary food, setting il
free to be used in his daily vocation, in
the pursuit Of study or social duties,
and in the case Of invalids and en-
feebled vitality, adding il to the reserve
force of the system"
II has been carefully estimated that
rice contains more than four times the
energy in Irish potatoes and when the
waste IN preparing potatoes is consid-
cred the difference is increased to six
fold. II is scientifically ascertained
that Of the food taken into the human
body One-siEth goes to the replenishing
and Upbuilding and fiVe-siXths go to
produce energy. The value Of food is
based upon the amount of energy it
can furnish rather than its capacity
as a mere flesh producer. 1t is evident
that on this basis rice stands first
among human foods.
Nearly every one knows to their sor-
row that boiled rice is very apt to
fashion it is neither attractive, whole
some or pleasant, but fortunately this
is not the fault OF the rice, but of the
cook, and a little practice and patience
is all that is needed to make this dish
quite as popular here as il is in the
Orient.
Tbe Southern people understand the
llnack Of steaming 1t so that each
keraeF stands out distinct and whole,
and they understand that the water
in which IL is cooked is a valuable
addition to the soup pot. So you see
there are tricks in all trades, and if
you only possess the secret Of the
tricks you may be able to practically
make something good out Of almost
nothing after all.
With the recipes for cooking rice.
which, by the way, have been borrowed
from here. there and everywhere, Pm
going to add few others that may
help you out Of your perplexity and
that make the family believe they are
livlng~en the fat Of the land.