Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-03-12
10 PREPARE AND -.
USE VEGETABLES
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT Ex
peRrs GIVE RESULTS or
STUDY AND EXPERIMENT.
SOME PLANTS EATEN RAW
Fresh vesetsbl.b an Essential Part o.
Mans Diet How Waste Can BE
Avoided In the compoundinS
Of Salads.


diet whenever they can be obtained
Such vegetables may be called salad
plants though 1t is difficult to CLASSIFY
plants according to the uses to wnlcn
they are put, for almost all are useo
for many different purposes, Lettuce
for example, a vegetable which In TINS
country Is most always eaten raw, IN
Europe Is often cooked, and thus II
becomes a potherb as well as sa'aa
plant. Water cress, though often USED
as a salad, is sometimes used simply
as condiment. Peas. beans. potatoes
and vegetables such as spinach, which
are most commonly served as "vege-
table," are often put into salads.
In spite of these difficulties IN the
way Of classification, we may inciuoe
under salad plants those whose leaves
and stems are usually eaten raw with
sour dressing, and define a salad as
a dish consisting in whole or IN part
Of vegetables, either raw or cooked,
mixed with q sour dressing SALAD
dressing usually contains fat as well
as an acid.
Housekeepers often claim to know
and care little about salads, but those
who dig wild Jerusalem artichokes IN
the spring or start the early pepper
grass or radish to serve as relishes at
the table are providing salads for
their families; or again, those who
prepare the cold vegetables left at
noon, such as greens" with dress
ing even of salt and vinegar for sup
per, make salads. Fresh cucumbers
with vinegar or other dressing are sal
ads Just as much as are the more clad
crate dishes.
Salad: a Food To Be Eaten With Salt.
The derivation of the word salad
shows it to mean food to be eaten
with salt. 1t would be better to keep
near to this original meaning rather
than to 60 to the extreme Of some
housekeepers who, in their search for
novelties for their tables, build up
salads from strange combinations In
ornate forms.
The distinctive salad plants are
very gucculent: that is, they consist
mainly OF water. Hence, they are es
pecially refreshing in warm weather.
As separate course they are pleas
ant contrast to the heavier dishes OF
formal meal They also serve to
prevent too great concentration OF
food, and thus aid in the digestive
process. Upon the valuable saline
properties of these raw plants we are
just beginning to place a definite
value, though evidently these were
recognized by the instinct of the peo-
pie Of the far past.
Why Dressings Are Used.
Fat Is compact food and, weight
for weight, Is about two and quarter
times as valuable as protein or car.
bohydrate for fuel in the human body.
A tablespoonful of oil would 60 far.
Their toward supplying energy for keep
Ing the human machinery running
than a large head Of lettuce. Over all
the world people have instinctively
added condensed dressing consisting
mainly Of oil. bacon fat, or cream to
the salad plants bulky with cellular
tissue and water, and have eaten such
salads with meat and bread supplying
protein and carbohydrate, and thus
have secured a fairly balanced ration
Modern study Of bacteriology indi
Gates that pagan and religious cere-
monies of publication by fire and wa
ter had definite value for healthful life
In this world. Water vcleanses to some
extent, but only through intense or
iong-continued heat is complete sterih-
zation and freedom from bacteria and
parasites secured. Therefore great
care Is needed in the selection and
preparation Of foods which are not to
be subjected to heat. Cress, lettuce.
and other salad plants, carelessly cul-
tivated and handled in the market and
half cleaned in the kitchen. may trans
NIT disease, as may milk, raw oysters
and other animal foods.
The fashion of cutting across head
Of lettuce or celery, though 1t may
give each person a fair share Of the
choice and less tender portions. can.
not be recommended, because 1t is
practically impossible to cleanse the
axis Of the leaves, the grooves where
they. Join the stem. All such plants
should be separated in their natural
divisions and washed in more than
one water, individual attention being
given to hollows in stalks or leaves
Sand Is unpleasant, but less harmful
than other things that may be left be-
hind after washing: Its presence, how
ever. justifies the suspicion that the
washing was not thorough or care.
fully done. Vegetables such as spin.
ach. which are dimcult to free from
grit. should be washed in number
Of waters, and lifted out of the pan
each time In loose handouts before the
water has been drained of. In this
way the sand and grit has an oppor.
turity to sink to the bottom Of the
pan. while II the vegetables are left
In It. part OF the sand at least Ia axain
distributed over the washed leaves, I.
Green vegetables should always be
looked over carefully TO make sure
that any inferior portions, inseotS. or
other things which are undesirable are
removed. The quality Of vegetables
may be- greatly injured by insect pests
and plant diseases. II the plant sui.
fers very severely from such enemies,
It cannot make normal growth, and 80
all or parts Of 1t may be inferior. For
instance. green peas or string beans
from vines badly attacked by insects
or by some fungous disease do not at.
tain full perfection. Obviously. leaves