Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-31
First Lesson for Housewives.

The motto of the New York city public
school cooking classes Is taken from Rus
kin. a part of which reads: Good cooking
| means the economy of your great-grand-
mothers and the science of modern chem
lists" With all practical work it is
our aim to combine this science of modern
chemists" During the past year in New
York city "a, 539 children under five years
of age died, according to physicians who
know, because of ignorance on the part Of
the mothers as to the proper feeding Of
their babies Statistics show that in dis
tricts where mothers have been instructed
on this subject In the babies hospitals
there has been decided decrease in the
death rate. How important 1t Is then that
the girls of our public schools, the mothers
of the future and many of them the Tit
tie mothers of the present, should become
modern chemists"
Starchy foods are the first ones taken up
devoted to potatoes These first pre-
pared in the simplest way, by baking. The
little cooks scrub and dry them and put
them into the oven. While they are being
softened by the water in them turning to
steam we will find out what substances the
potato contains.
Pare potato and the cut surface is wet.
The potato contains water Crate the DO
rinse the grated mass with water. The
mass In the strainer is stringy and is called
the woody fiber or cellulose Of the potato
1t Is this substance in vegetables that
makes them unfit as food for babies and
the sick. Cellulose is of no food value and
would only irritate the digestive organs.
The water In the bowl has been standing
and we will now pour 1t out carefully
On the bottom Of the bowl there is
thick cake of white substance. Pour boil
ing water on this substance 1t becomes
thick and looks like laundry starch. This
is the starch of the potato the principal
food substance in it. A piece Of potato
has been burning in metal cup during the
lesson and we find nothing but ashes left
the mineral matter in the potato. We can
now make list of the substances in a
potato: First, water; second, woody fiber:
third. starch; fourth, mineral matter; fifth,
a small quantity of muscle forming matter
(noticed as foam on the water In the
bowl.
During this analysis the potatoes in the
oven have not been forgotten. The little
cooks have turned them every eight or
ten minutes to be sure they would bake
evenly, and now that they feel soft when
pressed between the folds of towel they
are ready. AS we take them from the
oven each one Is pressed till the skin
breaks. so that the steam will escape in
stead of turning to water and making them
sogSy. They are served in a shallow dish
between the folds of a napkin. Notebooks
are now put away and the girls ready
10 De served, as each lesson is to conclude
with the proper serving of the food pre-
pared.
Variety should be practced in serving
potatoes because they appear on the table
SO often. First, Of course, we must know
how to properly prepare plain boiled pota-
toes Wash them thoroughly, pare thnly,
removing black spots, and drop them into
cold water to prevent the air from dscolor-
ing them. Put the potatoes into a sauce
pan and cover them with boiling water
Let the water boil, not too rapidly until
the potatoes can be easily pierced with q
fork. Salt is added when the potatoes
have been cooking about fifteen minutes.
are soft, drain thoroughly and let them
stand uncovered on the back Of the stove.
If covered the steam turns to water on the
cover and thus drips back onto the pota-
toes. Should 1t be necessary to keep them
warm for several minutes before serving,
cover them with a towel or napkin, which
will absorb the steam.