The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1914-07-31
BALANCING THE FOOD
BILL OF FARE SHOULD BE APPE-
THING AND VARIED.
Very Much More a Case of Judicious
Selection and Serving Than Of
Espense-SuitabIe Combina-
tons of Food Materials.


iy as well. AT first sight. it might
seem difficult to secure these qualities
without buying rather expensive mate
rails or serving very fancy dishes. but
the theory does not hold in the case of
food any more than in that of cloth
ing and house furnishings.
Just as the test of woman's abil-
ity in dress is to get suitable and at
tractive effects with relatively low ex-
pense. so the test of her catering abil-
ity is to give her family an ample sup
ply OF wholesome and pleasantly varied
meals with an outlay of money and
time proportionate to her income and
circumstances.
Variety in the diet can be secured
both by providing different kinds of
food and by preparing staple foods in
different ways, and the best results are
obtained by combining both methods,
says the United States department OF
agriculture year book. When the
housekeeper studies the list of COM
mon foods and the combinations made
from them, she will probably find that
as regards their place in the menu
they fall into general groups-those
which. like bread, potatoes, milk, eggs,
ETC., which have little distinctive taste,
and those like cheese, seasoning vege-
tables, some sweets, cooked meats,
etc., which have marked the individual
flavor. She will further find that the
mild-favored materials are the ones
which are used in the greatest quaint
ties, meal after meal, while those of
pronounced taste appear in smaller
amounts, or some of them only occa-
sionally. To put it in another way,
she will depend largely on the first
group TO make up the bulk of her
dietary, and on the second to vary it.
In cookery, some foods require only
simple methods to make them very
palatable. Tender steaks, or chops, in
cooking, develop delicious meat flavors
and require no highly favored vege-
table seasoning or condiments to make
them palatable In themselves they
furnish flavor sufficient to accompany
potatoes. rice or other foods of mild
flavor. On the other hand, in stews
and other dishes made from the cheap
er cuts of meat, carrots, onions or
other distinctive favors are usually
added to supplement that of the meat
flavor. The cheaper cuts are not
usually of such a texture that the best
results can be secured by such SIM
pie methods as broiling or roasting
The housekeeper who makes a dish
composed of cheese and macaroni, or
of meat and rice or potato, etc., applies
the same principle. The great variety
of pickles, preserves and elaborate
pastry which American housekeepers
used to consider necessary represented
another instructive effort to vary, by
adding flavor the monotony which was
particularly in winter fare.
before the days of easy transportation
and cold storage brought fresh fruits
and vegetables the year round
II the good housekeeper analyses
the makeup of her meals a little |
further, she will probably find that she |
arranges them. perhaps unconsciously, |
according to more or less definite |
principles. In most American families
he chief daily features of breakfast |
ire bread of some sort with butter
very often fruit. and some kind Of
breakfast cereal, and coffee, tea or
cocoa, with their usual accompani-
nents of sugar and milk or cream.
This combination is varied by omit
ing either the bread or the cereal
which is logical, If one wishes to do
nutrients, though in different FORM,
~ changing the kind CT bread or
cereal, or by combining with them
ONE other materials. If the members
Il the family are engaged in much
muscular work, the meal will be made
more hearty by the addition of some
ot dish, as eggs. meat hash, creamed
sh. bacon and possibly honey or strip.
their work is light, however, less
ariety or smaller portions will prob
bly, be preferred.
The custom of serving fruit at break
asst is undoubtedly healthful and not
If low-priced fruit is
hosen. OF course, IL may be cooked
r canned fruit, IL this is more con-
enient. 1t does not increase the
ousekeepers work so much If IL is
erved with the other breakfast dishes
= II does II made a separate course.
y zach course means extra time and
arvlce. This is commonplace illus
-ation of the principle that the house
eeper who has many demands on her
me or who has limited help should
elect ways OF service which are sim.
lie and time-saving rather thar those
litable for families where other con- !
Itions prevail. Well carried out. the