The Washington herald., 1913-02-10
POSSIBILITIES OF
COMMON VEGETABLES
There Are Many Delicious Ways in
Which to Prepare Sweet
Potatoes.
BY Ida AMEs WILLIS.

leisurely tour the Sunny South In sweet
| 'tater time" when the entire clan OF
| sweets are in their glory and prime. While
| the Jerseys are a very superior class, they
| lack the infinite variety found in the
| Southern family. Color and flavor from
] the sleek. smooth relocated sweet to
| the thin-skinned pale yellow and less
sweet variety. which will be sold you as u
white potato in some markets South, un-
| less you ask for Irish potatoes. The
| great coarse yam that looks like an over
grown. sweet, sometimes weighing five or
| six pounds. are not sweet potatoes at all,
as they do not belong to the same order
of plants. 1t is, however. IA good substi-
| tute for the potato. cooks mealy and dry,
| contains large amount of starch, Is not
| sweet, and is a wholesome food. though
most people have to cultivate II taste
| for it. The so-called yam, so much used
| in the South, is but a large variety OF the
| sweet potato. One could not complain
| of monotony IL they had sweet potatoes
\ at every meal not IL they had a good
Southern cook thoroughly In love, as most
| of them are. with the tuber and knowing
| its many virtues. delights to do it honor
and justice. Except as another variety
| and form of starch, and for the mineral
matter which imparts the distinct and
individual flavor. Most of this mineral
substance. lying close to the skin, is gen.
orally lost In the wasteful manner of par
ing potatoes Therefore, the custom OF
serving rice at least once and sometimes
twice, per day. as Southern people do, Is
economy and wisdom. Rice does not de-
teriorate as the white potato. so that the
full amount of starch is secured from this
vegetables grain. Sweet potatoes con-
tain less starch but more gum. deXtrine,
potash. and sugar Some varieties are
decidedly sweet. and this sacchartnc quai-
ity renders it especially palatable and an
excellent food for cold weather. To bring
out the delicate flavor of the sweet po-
tato il an art Most cooks spoil them by
cooking too quickly. None know better
how t. develop that rich. delicate flavor
than the ''C,rn field slaves of days gone
by. Before going TO work they banked
their sweet potatoes or yams in the hot
ashes and went aficld. knowing they
would be just right when next meal time
arrived. At least an hour In the oven Is
essential 10 properly bake a sweet potato.
To Boil sweet Potatoes.
Wash the potatoes well without break
ing the skins. Clip the roots that adhere
ard pat them in n kettle of boiling water
and let them cook until they can be
easily pierced TO the center with FORK,
without beIng actually soft. Drain of
the water and set the kettle back on
the stove. or In the oven with cloth
thrown over the top and let them steam
about FIVE minutes so they will he mealy.
Peel them at once and scrv" plain with
roast pork IT beef. When served with
fried or broiled fresh fish accompany
them with a Dravon butter sauce, or
cut them in thick slices. butter well and
set the dish in the oven a few minutes.
4 Fast Day Dish.
IL n ,,
served on fast days TAKE rather large
smooth potatoes. peel them and cut il
round slices and fry in deep hot fat.
sam" as Saratoga chips. Until fine
brown. Serve In hot dish with plenty
Cf butter poured over them
Aunt Lsura's Way.
Roil them as directed. then reel them
and cut in rather thick lengthwis" slices.
lay them in a deep dish and pour over
each layer of slices the following sauce.
Take n cup each OF sugar and butter and
half ! cup OF hot water and boil until
this is thick. Some like a little grating
Of nutrieg, others a small piece of stick
cinnamon boiled in the syrup.
Caramel Sweet Potatoes.
Boil the potatoes until just DONE drain.
peel, and cut in halves lengthwise. and
fry them rich brown in lard and but
ter mixed. Sprinkle generously. while
frying with granulated sugar.
sweet Potato Biscuit.
One quart OF dry. mealy sweet po-
tatoes. boiled and grated: half cup lard,
half cak" of compressed yeast dis
solved in half cup lukewarm water. Mix
with milk or water to = batter and let
rise twice. Bake same as tea biscuit;
break open and butter hot
Sweet Potatoes Baked in Sugar and
Steam four medium-sIzed sweet pota-
toes while tender. or slice them raw and
cook in little boiling water fer ten min
utes Drain from the water and place
layer in the bottom of a baking dish
sprinkle with sugar and spread with
butter. Add another layer OF potato.
more sugar and butter. Fill the dish
up in this manner with sugar and butter
on top. Then nearly cover the potatoes
with the water I'm which they were boiled
and place in a hot oven for thr0e-quar-
ters of an hour.
The Winter Squash.
While the winter squash is not as rich
in nourishment as rice and white po-
tato. 1t serves for n change in the winter
dietary. and also replaces the sweet po-
Wnen tnlS NegetaDle is not over
plentiful in the market. 'Tis said that
the creole cook will serve the winter
squash in but two ways-baked and
mashed-never stuffed
Squash, Creole style.
Cut the squash up In quarters, pare
and remove the seeds. Cut into inch
squares. Wash in cold water and put
into a saucepan and half cover with
boiling water. Simmer gently about half
an hour, and when tender drain and press
out all the water. gently mash as fine as
possible, and return to saucepan. Add
salt and pepper TO taste, two tablespoons
butter, and stir until thoroughly heated:
then let simmer for a few minutes, STIR
ring gently to prevent burning. Serve
hot in a covered dish with roast beer or
chicken.
squash, Plain Baked.
Wash. wipe dry, cut in pieces con-
venient for serving; lay in a baking pan.
skin side next the pan, spread with but
ter; sprinkle with salt and pepper, ana
bake in moderately hot oven for at
least an hour; when done loosen up the
squash with silver fork; pour a little
melted butter or hot cream over 1t and
serve very hot.
squash, Maryland Style.
Cut up in two-inch pieces and pare off |
rind. Cook slowly in boiling water for |
twenty minutes. then drain. Arrange in |