Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1917-04-20
RICE

Washington, d. C.-Although rice
has been recognized as good food
/ ia the United States since early CO.
louial times, and in some form or
other is generally liked in all parts
of the country, il has not been given
SO important place as a staple
article Of diet as it deserves, say spe-
cialists of the L. S. Department OF
Agriculture.
In some sections rice has been
used for the most part as a breakfast
cereal or as a foundation for pan
cakes, croquettes, or desserts. In re-
gions where it is grown, however, it
is used principally as vegetable like
potatoes; and in pace of dishes like
macaroni and spaghetti, combined
with cheese, and similar foods. This
use well may be 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 a substitute
for potatoes, care should be taken to
supply fruits and vegetables gener-
ously in order that the mineral sub
stances which the body needs may be
provided.
Rice is nutritious and palatable
and digests well. 1t may be cooked
quickly, without the necessity Of
troublesome preparation, and with
out waste. Taking everything into
account, rice we'll may be given a
more important place in the diet at
this time, since greater crop was
produced in the United States last
season than ever before. Late sta
tistics place the 1916 crop at 49,
10000 bushels, against 28,947,OOO
bushels in 1915, and 25,265.6O0
bushels for the five-year average
1911 to 1915, inclusive. The world
crop of rice also is greater than for
many years. Rice ordinarily can be
obtained at prices which make it. in
comparison with other foods, a rea-
sonably economical addition to the
diet, With the present greatly in
creased stock of the domestic pro-
duct in the country, even a some
what increased demand should not
alter greatly the relation of rice
prices to those of comparable foods.
AS staple article of diet rice may
be boiled in sailed water and used
like potato or sweet potato as
vegetable at a meal at which meat,
eggs. beans, gravy or other foods
rich in protein are served. Wholly
or partially cooked rice can be used
with cheese, minced meat or poultry,
fish, eggs, beans, etc, for variety
OF made dishes, the combinations
constituting dishes in which most of
the needed food elements are pres
ent. 1t also may be used as a major
or minor ingredient in stews and
soups.
Instead of serving rice plain as
vegetable it may be stewed with to-
matoes, cooked in a double boiler
with tomato juice, soup stock, or
milk, or it may be seasoned with
curry powder, onions or other sea-
soning material. BY using skim
milk in this way a particularly eco
nomical dish is produced.
AS a cereal for breakfast, rice NAV
be boiled in milk and sweetened, or
eaten with butter and salt If il is
desired, dried fruits such as dates
or raisins may be cooked with the
rice. Cold boiled rice, mixed with
pancake or muffin batters of wheat
buckwheat or corn meal, makes a
pleasing addition to such food pro-
ducts, reduces the quantities of other
ingredients needed, and furnishes a
method for using the leftover Ger
cal. Cold boiled rice also may be
used with or without a little meat.
chicken, or seasoning vegetable for
eroquettes; and with eggs. sugar,
milk or other ingredients for making
a variety of buildings and other des-
serts, as an examination Of almost
any good cookbook will show.