Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-12

ducts of American macaron1 factories
probably aggregated 50,00O,OOO pounds'
The capacity of the factories is DO
900 900 pounds. The capital invested n
the business aggregates Sl3,oVo,Ooo'
while the employees include 472O men
and 1880 bows and girls, to all of whom
wages amounting to SO, $4,000 are paid
Notwithstanding this apparently large
business, many American FACTORIES are
running only part of the time
The foreign manufacturers are salo
to be securing practically tWo-thlrus
of the business of this country. I'M
norts of edible pastes have Increased
wonderfullv. In 1878 they aggregated
less than 1000, 900 pounds worth $loO,-
541 Last year they reached the enor-
NOUS total of nearly 100000, 600 POUNDS
valued at about $4,000O0O. Between
1903 and 1908 imports from Italy ALONE
increased 264 per cent.
This tremendous increase in lmpor-
tations was due in large part TO the
flood of italian immigration 10 AInel
loan shores. The Italians prefer mac
aroni made in Italy. Wages are much
lower in Europe than here. Italy mas
a system of customs drawbacks Whlch
enables her manufacturers 10 Indhs
macaroni from American wheat ana
export it to the world very cheaply'
one result is that nearly all the Amer
lean imports of edible pastes come
from italy, the total imports from all
other countries aggregating only about
! .0O0. 900 pounds, having a value OF
$3.50 ,O0O France is'neXt to Italy among
the sources of American macaron1 I'M
ports. Japan is third.
Macaroni should be made of pure
wheat mixed with water. Inc outer
shell of the wheat is removed and the
] i,,4A
substance called semolina, which sticks
together much more readily than a
paste made of ordinary flour. Mar
settles. France, is said to lead the
world In the manufacture of semollna.
The true macaroni is composed or
semolina and water, but with increased
com petition and changing PUBIC taSte
| a demand has arisen for an edlple
paste in which eggs are kneaded, and
some manufacturers also introduce
| flour made from wheat, rice, corn and
potatoes. To satisfy an entirely local
| clientele garlic and the juice of car
rots, turnips, cauliflower and cabbage
are sometimes mixed with the dough.
These vegetable" varieties of the
product are unknown in the United
| States. Macaroni is made with the
flour mentioned, partly because semo-
lima is not always available and some
the cost of production. Pure white
macaroni may seem more attractive,
| but the highest grade Is translucent
and light amber in color.
| Macaroni is made into tubes, so that
| it may cook evenly. The sooner 1t is
eaten after it is made the better it
tastes That is one reason why the i'm
ported product is not as good here as
it is in the country Of manufacture.
| American manufacturers claim they
can make as good macroni as the
Italians can, but it is said that the
average American is not connoisseur
enough to make it worth the manufac-
turer's while to exert his best efforts.
Most people are looking for cheapness
and not quality. The government, by
experiments at the Minnesota univer-
sity, has discovered that macaroni Is
more nutritious than the average bread
and contains so per cent of energy.
Under the pure food law imported ma
caroni must not contain coloring mat
ter or personalities deleterious to
! health.
|
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