The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1917-03-16

and cook 1t as we do breakfast foods.
Such cracked wheat is very palatable.
When "homemade'' it is low in price
as compared with many commercial
breakfast foods.
Because of its good qualities. ex-
perts in the Office of Home Econo.
mics Of the United States Department
OF Agriculture have been experiment.
ing to see il it is practicable to grind
whole wheat in the home and use it
for breakfast foods and bread max
ing. AS a result 1t has been found
possible to grind whole wheat in an
ordinary coffee mill fine enough to
use as breakfast cereal and even
fine enough for use in bread making.
The wheat first should be washed un-
til the wash water is clear and hen
spread on cloth to be dried before
1t is ground. No claim is made that
such homemade meals and flours are
superior in flavor, appearance or
wholesomeness to the higher-priced
preparations on the market; it is
merely suggested that they make low
priced and palatable foods which give
a pleasing variety to the diet.
The grinding, of course. is rather
time-consuming. and no family, un-
less very hard pressed would wish to
use these products as its only cereal
foods. They have some very great
advantages, however. They contain
all the nourishment of the original
wheat. They are more laxative than
white -four and than many of the COM
mon breakfast foods on, the market.
Among cereal foods they are relatively
rich In mineral matters and in growth
promoting and in body-regulating sub
stances. These last are present in
many foods, but in such small amounts
that they have until recently escaped
discovery. They are now thought to
play an important part in growth and
in keeping people we'll. They are
found in meat and eggs, fruits and
green vegetables, and in the outer
portions of cereal grains. If the diet
is very limited in variety the whole
grain products may be needed to sup
ply these substances. II, on the other
hand. it is generally varied in the
kind of grain products selected be.
comes matter of individual perfer-
;ence, SO far as these substances are
concerned. Grain products of all
sorts, in addition to being economical
ly very important, are very useful and
valuable foods worthy of the place
they occupy in our daily fare.
f. Homeground breakfast food, like
all coarse cereal preparations, re
quires long cooking. 1t always should
be cooked three hours and is better If
cooked all day or all night. This fact
must be taken into consideration in
counting it's cost. There are many
farm households, however, where fire
is kept all the time in winter, and in
these households wheat can be cook.
ed long time without adding to its
cost. The longer it is cooked the
better. A fireless cooker may be used
for the purpose.
The oven is a convenient place for
cooking coarse cereal mushes. They
can be prepared in a covered crock,
Just 2as are. beans, or, they may be
cooked on top of the stove. In this
case a double boiler is convenient, for
in it they are not likely to be burned.
an ordinary kettle, however, will do.
Soaking for several hours will short
en- the time Of cooking.
e Great care should be taken in salt
ing home ground wheat. This is true
Of all cereal mushes but is especially
necessary in the case of this one,
which is not SO delicate In flavor as
are many Of the more expensive GER
cal preparations. In cooking any
cereal mush it is well to allow a level
teaspoonful of salt for each cup of
water used. This suits the taste Of
most people and at least makes q
good starting point. When the. desir-
ed! allowance of salt is determined it
always should be carefully measured.
For q quart of salt water allow one
cupful Of coarsely ground wheat. This
may be put into cold or hot water. II
the water is cold it should be heated
gradually after the cereal is added.
Under these circumstances no stirring
Is necessary at any time unless 2
very large quantity Of cereal is used.
In: this case the weight, Of the upper
portion tends to cause the lower parts
to become lumpy and some stirring is
needed II the cereal is put into hot
water the mixture must be stirred un.
til :it has thtckened a little. after that
no stirring Is necessary. .=5,.
d II skim milk. q valuable food ma.
terial is used IN preparing this mush,
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