Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-05-28
WHEN SIMPLE FOODS ARE
HARMFUL.
BY Alice +. Whitaker.

give the convaesc"nt simple foods
like blancmange, sweetbreads in white
sauce and tapioca pudding says the
doctor and the patient wonders later
why these seemingly delicate foods
cause distress. Man man and
woman with weak alsestion, yet not
by any means classed among invalds,
Is also perpleted over aci1ds and pains
which result in spite vi the care taken
In selecting their diet
Simple food composed of starchy far
inaceous materials are sometimes a snare
for the reason that they are not thor
oughly cooked. the doctor deems his
duty done when he orders the corn
starch pudding or cruel but he should
add that il be we'll cooked or for half
an hour. So many old recipes for
desserts, sauces and even sick room cook
cry, direct that the mixture be cooked
until 1t thickens" Now when the
thickening is cornstarch, arrow root
or -four this is really but the first stage
OF cooking and should be followed by a
longer period To make the starch digest
ihle. The reason is that uncooked or
partially raw starch is extremely in
dlgnstiblc and becomes an irr!tant when
eaten in that state
A simple tapioca pudding, in which
each little peari has a hard white un-
cooked center. will often cause most
uncomfortable attack OF Indigestion.
There is one exception to the neces-
sty of long cooking flour or cornstarch
and that Is wren sauce or gravy is
made by stirring the four into butter
ing point. The starch cells burst and IN
two minutes vii. be partially cooked be-
cause tho fat can BE- heated to much
higher temperature than water. Then il
boiling water or liquid is added 1t Is
possible to make a good sauce in eight
minutes from the start.
But there is another important point
TO be considered. When butter Is heat
ed to the temperature needed for cook
ing starch quickly Il has developed al
acid which is irritating to the diges-
ton. This quality IL noted more plain
~ by those who cannot eat food fried
as It is enormously called, I'm butter
In making milk toast, thsckcning Il
gravy, or a sauce for the sick room
scald the milk in a double boiler anf
stir the cornstarch or -four in n little
cold water until smooth. then add q
the hot milk. Stir and let cook hal
an hour; add butter at the last.
In making sweet desserts and sauce,
where the proportion OF sugar is twice
or more that OF tho thckeninG still
the sugar and dry starch together anC
| turn all ut once into tho hot liquid
The grains OF sugar will keep thos,
| of the starch separate and proven
Jumps forming. Commercial baby food
and prepare tons for invalids are al
| cooked until changes have been mad
In the starch that make 1t easily digest
| ed The home cook needs II remembe
that heathful starch cookery is no
| quick cookery.
SPANISH CUsTARD.
| Heat "a cups of milk and add thre
eggs beaten light with one cup o
sugar; cook until it will coat a spoon
add two level tablespoons of selstin
soaked In one-quarter cup of cold waite
for half an hour, Stir we'll, strain, AM
whom cool add scant teaspoon OF van
| lila. Pour into small mods and set a
| way to become firm. Serve unmolded.
MOCK CREAM PIE.
| Line plate with good paste an
bake, then put in filing CRATE III
| tie nutmeg over the top and set bacl
In the oven until the hlling Is firm
Cover with a meringue made from tn
| whites or three eggs beaten stin wit
two rounding tablespoons of powders
sugar and set in slow oven to color
| For the filling scald two cups o
| milk, beat the yolks of three eggs light
add one cup OF sugar, and three round
Ing tablespoons of cornstarch, a pine
| level teaspoon of butter and II Is read.