The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-06-26
RICE AS A FOOD.
Deserves Important Place as Staple
Article of Diet.


Although rice has been recognized ass
n good food III the United States since
early colonial times, and in some form
or other is generally liked in all parts
of the country, it has not been given
so important a place as a staple article
of diet as it deserves, say specialists
of the United States department of
agriculture.
| In some sections rice has been used
for the most part as a breakfast cereal
| or as a foundation for pancakes, GRO
quotes, or desserts. In regions where
lit is grown, however, IT is used prin-
cipally as a vegetable like potatoes;
land in place of dishes like macaroni
land spaghetti, combined with cheese
and similar foods. This use we'll may
Ne extended to regions where rice is now
used chiefly for making buildings and
other desserts.
When rice is used in quantity in the
diet, particularly as Il substitute for
potatoes, care should be taken to sup
Iplv fruits and vegetables generously in
order that the mineral substances
which the body needs may be provided.
Rice IS nutritious and palatable and
IUl1GSlS wei. II ma lt 'bOiNN1l HNAl' n
Nv. without the necessity of trouble
some preparation. and without waste.
Taking everything into account. rice
may well be given a more important
lplace in the diet at this time, since a
Greater crop was produced in the United
States last season than ever before.
Late statistics place the 1916 crop at
l40,7 02, 900 bushels, against 2S,947,000
bushels in 1915 and % POO, GOO bushels
for the fvc-year average 1911 to 1915
Inclusive. The world crop of rice also
lis greater than for many years. Rice
ordinarily can be obtained at prices
= which make il in comparison with other
{ foods. a reasonably economical addi-
tion to the diet. With the present
greatly increased stock of the domcs.
tic product in the country, even a
somewhat increased demand should not
alter greatly the relation of food prices
to those of comparable foods.
As a staple article of diet rice NAV
j. he boiled in milk and sweetened, o.
r. lpotato or sweet potato as a vegetable
at meal at which meat, eggs, beans
gravy or other foods rich in protein
are served. Wholly or partially cooked
a rice can be used with cheese, minced
4 meat or poultry, fish, eggs, beans, etc.
, for a variety of made dishes, the com
binations constituting dishes in which
most of the needed food elements ar,
n present. 1t also may be used as
G major or minor ingredient in stews ant
/ soups
Instead of serving rice plain as
vegetable il may be stewed with to
matoes, cooked in double boiler witt
& tomato juice, soup stock, or milk, or i
p may be seasoned with curry powder
. onions or other seasoning materials
BY using skim milk in this way pan
Il ticularly economical dish is produced.
IS As cereal for breakfast, rice ma,
It he boiled in milk and sweetened, o
4 eaten with butter and salt. If it /
!. desired, dried fruits such as dates 0
-, raisins may be cooked with the rice
-" Cold, boiled rice, mixed with panca k
rs or muffin batters of wheat. buckwhea
is or corn meal, makes a pleasing add
is tion to such food products, reduces tn
, quantities Of other ingredients needed
). and furnishes a method for using tn
leftover cereal. Cold boiled rice ais
IT may be used with or without it'll
ne meat chicken, or seasoning vegetabl
for croquettes; and with eggs, suga,
milk or other ingredients for making
variety of buildings and other dessert
ne as an examination of almost any 900
il cookbook will show.