The Colorado statesman. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1895-1961, 1915-03-27
A New vesetabIe-ths oasneen.

pant industry is the dasheen from
tropical countries. The plants re-
semble the caladium, which is such a
popular ornamental plant, and the
taro, which provides the poi" of the
Hawaiians, and which is a staple food
In many tropical islands. The dasheens
may be served like potatoes. boiled,
tried. creamed, ETC., but to many are.
! like potatoes, most acceptable when
baked. They have rough outer coat
ing, which may be partially removed
before cooking. If entirely pared
there is tendency to discolor as
with potatoes, More detailed infor-
nation regarding this new introduce
ton and its preparation will be sent
free to the housewife who applies to
the United States department of agri-
| culture.
The Importance OF Properly Cooking
Starch.
Starch cookery Is a 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 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 is simple matter, and long
continued cooking is seldom needed to
make them palatable and in good COP
dition for digestion.
The selection of potato starch in
| stead of corn or wheat starch for thick
50,
custom of French cooks is rational,
since it 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 a 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 buildings, making
slight changes in proportion, according
nf ri
Suggestions Regarding Succulent
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
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 a 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 a half hour. If steamed IN their
skins, they lose less sweetness than
by boiling. They should be peeled aft
err 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
er boiling for about thirty minutes, the
satisfy may be served with butter or
white sauce, or mashed and made into
fritters.