Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1915-03-26
A New veosr.n,e+a.

countries. The plants re.
semDle the caladium, which is such a
popular ornamental plant, and the
.aio' which provides the poi of the
I1aWaians, and which is a staple food
n many tropical islands. The dasheens
may be served like potatoes. boiled.
lrieo, creamed, ETC., but to many are,
IKE potatoes, most acceptable when
baked. They have a rough outer coat
| ing. which may be partially removed
before cooking If entirely pared
there is tendency to discoior. as
with potatoes More detailed infor-
NATION regarding this new lntroduc-
tlon and its preparation will be sent
| Tree TO the housewife who applies to
the United States department of agri-
culture
The Importance OF Properly cookina
Starch.
Starch cookery is very important
| subject. That starch may be thor
oughly cooked it is essential that ev.
cry starch grain be brought into con-
tact with water of at least lao to 17S
degrees F.
In the case of starches separated
from the plant cells when they were
formed (arrow root, corn starch. etc.
cooking is simple matter, and long
continued cooking is 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 is rational
since 1t does not require so long boil
| ing to insure the best results
In the case of starch still enclosed
| in plant cells-as is the case with the
starch present in cereal breakfast
| foods, etc.-long cooking is desirable
in order that water may penetrate to
each individual starch grain and unite
with it to form the well cooked mate
rial which is considered most whole
some.
Starches from different plants or
plant parts differ in the form of the
starch grain, so 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 as we may
substitute the yam or dish of rice
| for the potato as a vegetable so we
may use starch from the potato, or
corn, or wheat or rice for thickening
gravies or making puddings, making
slight changes in proportion, according
| to the expansive powers of each kind.
Suggestions Regarding Succuient
Roots.
| Beets contain 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
portion of the leaf stems should also
be left on until after cooking. Even
SO. 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
so much sugar that its use for sugar
making in the same way as the beet,
! has been seriously considered
! The parsnip is said to have been
cultivated even before the Christian
era. The woody fiber of these roots
/ is 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 the
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 more
/ woody. Small parsnips just from the
/ ground in the spring will cook in less
than half hour If steamed in their
skins, they lose less sweetness than
by boiling. They should be peeled aft
/ er cooking. and served plain or with
white sauce, or sauteed in butter or
/ mashed and made into fritters. They
may be made into a stew with pota-
/ toes, onions, and milk.
The vegetables sometimes known as
the "oyster plant" is the satisfy,
which is most available for use during
the late fall and winter. The root turns
dark quickly if the skin is removed be-
fore cooking, and after pairing should
be dropped at once into vinegar and
water to prevent discoloration, Aft
err boiling for about thirty minutes, the
satisfy may be served with butter OF
white sauce, or mashed and made into
fritters.
Tha;r Graa$ Scheme