Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-04-16

there ID . tendency to diocolor. -
with potatoes. More detailed iufor-
nation regarding this new introduc-
ton and it, preparation win b seut
free to the housewife who applies 70
the United States department Of agrs-
culture.
The importance o. Properly Cooking
Starch.
Starch cookery IL . very important
subject. That starch may be thor
oughly cooked It 10 essential that ev.
cry starch grain be brought into con-
tact with water Of at least 40 to 17S
degrees F.
In the case Of starches separated
from the plant cells when they were
formed (arrow root. corn starch. etc }
cooking 10 q simple matter. and long
continued cooking Ii seldom needed to
make them palatable and In good con-
dition for digestion.
The selection Of potato starch In
stead Of corn or wheat starch for thick
ening sauces In accordance with the
custom Of French cooks 10 rational.
since 1t does not require 80 long boil
ing to insure the best results.
In the case of starch still enclosed
In plant cells-as 10 the case with the
starch present In cereal breakfast
foods. etc.-long cooking II desirable
in order that water may penetrate to
each individual starch grain and unite
with 1t to form the well cooked mate
rial which 10 considered most whole
some.
Starches from different plants or
plant parts differ in the form Of the
starch grain. 20 that starches Of Va
rious kinds can be identified by the
aid Of the microscope. But from the
culinary standpoint they are practical
ly interchangeable. and one form Of
starch may be substituted for another
in nearly all cases Just a. We may
substitute the yam or q dish Of rice
for the rotate as q vegetat' 90 We
may use starch from the potato. or
corn. or wheat. or rice for thickening
gravies or making buildings. making
slight changes in proportion. according
to the expansive powers Of each kind.
Suggestions Regarding suceuIsnt
Roots.
Beets contain a larger percentage
Of sugar than most vegetables. and
should be baked or steamed to retain
as much Of this as possible. At all
events. they should be cooked in the
skins. and the tip Of the root and q
portion Of the leaf stems should also
be left on until after cooking. Even
30. some color and sweetness are lost
in the water in which they are cooked.
Radishes, red or white. when little
too large to eat raw. may be cooked
like turnips and served with . white
sauce.
Raw carrots often are eaten BY chill
dren. and are advocated by those who
believe in the use Of raw foods When
grated. raw carrots may be used In
soups without further cooking. or
added to salads. The carrot contains
30 much sugar that its use for sugar
making in the same way 40 the best.
has been seriously considered
The parsnip 10 said to have been
cultivated even before the Christian
era. The woody fiber Of these roots
10 softened by freezing without injury
to other portions. Hence they are left
in the ground until the frost comes or
even through the winter. But tho
roots must be used before they begin
to grow again or they lose their sweet
ness and get rusty" The larger ones
are likely to be less sweet and moro
woody. Small parsnips Just from the
ground in the spring win cook in less
than half hour. n steamed in their
skins. they lose less sweetness than
by boiling. They should be peeled Aft
er cooking. and served plain o. with
white sauce. or sauteed in butter or
mashed and made into fritters. They
may be made into stew with pota-
toes, onions. and milk.
The vegetables sometimes known a.
the "oyster plant" IL the "salsify."
which ID most available for use during
the late fall and winter The root turns
dark quickly II the skin II removed BE-
fore cooking. and after pairing should
be dropped at once into vinegar and
water to prevent discoloration Aft
or boiling for about thirty minutes. the
satisfy may be served with butter or
white sauce. or mashed and made into
fritters.