Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-07
The Best Way With Vegetables.

A GOOD rule for a young house
keeper when cooking vegetables
is: That all vegetables that grow above
the ground should be put on to cook
in boiling water; all that grow below
the ground, except new potatoes, in
cold water. Soak caulifiower, cabbage.
etc, in salt water an hour before
cooking to destroy minute insects that
may cling to the leaves. A cupful Of
vinegar placed in an open basin on the
stove while cabbage, caulifiower. onions
or fish are cooking will permeate the
kitchen with its aroma and do away
with unpleasant odors
Carrots and onions are better for
cooking if soaked in cold water for A
few hours before using. which draws
out the strongest of the flavor. Carrots
should always be cut in slices instead
of cubes. because the darker outside
part is richer and better in flavor than
the lighter center.
Baked potatoes are better and more
flaky If they are pricked with a fork
Or broken in two as soon as taken from
the oven, to allow the air to permeate.
Otherwise they will be heavy and
soggy They will become mealy If the
end Is cut off before placing in the
oven.
If parsnips and carrots are boiled
with their skins on like beets, the
skins can be rubbed off in the hands in
a moment or two after they are done.
To keep tomatoes fresh, pick when
with brine made by dissolving q tea
cupful of salt in a gallon Of pure. fresh
water. Place in an earthen vessel They
will keep almost indefinitely with no
loss of freshness.
A handy way to scald tomatoes before
peeling them is to put them in cheese
cloth bag and dip them in boiling water.
When stewing tomatoes throw in Il little
piece OF red pepper pod. 1t gives bet
ter flavor than black pepper. is more
wholesome. looks better. and can be
taken out when the tomatoes are season
ed enough. If you have more tomatoes
than you want to can, fill a larise stone
jar with those remaining, after they are
peeled and cut up. set the jar III the
oven, and let them cook nearly a day:
then seal them UP in jars. -tsy Will
keep perfectly and have All excellent
flavor. Firm tomatoes can lie washed,
placed whole in glass jars, covered With
water and vinegar. and thas be kept
whole for several months
Peeing onions under a faucet of run
ming water will save the eyes from smart
and the hands from odor. or else POUR
boiling water over them and cover a few
minutes before peeling. There IS a rigi,.
way to slice onions. Cut then. across the
grain, rot up and down They vii, be
much more tender when cooked. Strong
tea will remove odor from knife, dish or
hands. Eat a piece of parsley dipped in
vinegar to destroy odor on the breath
The best way to keep cabbage Is to-
strip off the root and outside leaves down
to q. compact head; wrap each cabbage
tightly in newspapers. Place OF shelves
in the cellar, or in clean barrels. II the
kitchen window is kept open at the top
while cooking cabbage or onions. The
odor will go out of the windo" instead
of spreading all over the house.
Before stringing beans first wash in
cold water then put them into a pot of
boiling water and let parboil When
cool. string them, which you can do very
quickly. To preserve fresh string beans
first string them: then put a layer of
them in jar and sprinkle salt, cupful
of it to each quart of beans. until the
cover alright. They will keep all win
ter, and when washed and boiled i'm two
or three waters are fine.
Lima beans are excellent If dried while
young and green. Shell, put in cold water
and set over the fire. As soon as the
water begins to simmer. drain 1t from the
beans and spread them to dry. Unless
the sun is very hot, they are best dried