American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-04-09
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE
L. :. HOME CARD.
Confessions OF a Good Cook.

Every time that / lift my eyes from
my bread board or chopping bowl the
sight OF II reminds me that / AM
pledged to save food for the hungry
peoples dependent upon America for
the yeriest necessities OF life.
When l first learned Of the food con
s~ervation program l thought. 1T is
impossible for me 10 do anything more
than | am doing. / have always been
frugal" Yet close scrutiny has
brought TO light many small and hith-
erto unnoticed food wastes in my
household.
Ordinarily | frankly weigh the time
and energy required 10 a V small
quantities OF food, against the value
OF the food itself, and II the saving
does not seem worth the effort. | de-
liberately permit the waste. Fol this
reason | have always cleaned my
roasting pan by setting II upon the
stove 10 boil with water and a little
baking soda. holding the meat remain
der in IL not worth the trouble OF
scraping the pan. Blu now every bit
OF food has assumed such value hat
| feel Il worth while to scrape the pan
thoroughly. adding the material thus
saved TO my stock Of seasoning fats.
with the world food shortage con-
stantly before me I think no longer
OF what / can possibly afford to dis
card. but only of depicting the world
store no more than Is absolutely nee
essary. II our family income were a
hundred times greater than 1t is l
should still measure food in the same
way. No woman is so rich that she
can afford 10 waste one ounce Of food
when there is not enough for all hui
man beings.
Changing the food habits Of my
family to conform TO the rules on the
home card by substituting certain
foods for others has not been a diff
ncult task. We make breakfast the
wheatless meal Of the day, eating non
wheat mullins and preparations OF
oatmeal. barley or corn as breakfast
foods. | have always made use OF
leftover scraps OF bread and could
not at hrst see any further way to CON
serve wheat. Then when cutting
bread one day the thought anne
why brush up the crumbs left around
the loaf and throw them away? They
can BIO added to the other bread left
overs" Now these crumbs are placed
with the bread remnants and are dried
In a little tin pie plate which | keep
above my oven. They are later used
for scalloped dishes. and buildings, or
when pulverized are again made into
bread by using one-third br~eadcrumbs
and t%wo-thirds flour. When moisten-
ed they can be added to Boston brown
bread and also serve to make griddle
cakes very light and fluffy.
| felt perfectly justified in cutting
down the amount OF meat served my
family. as W. habitually eat more
meat than Is necessary. but | am try
ing TO make the meat do serve go as
far as possible by extending the flavor
that Is. cooking with other dishes
such as rice and vegetables that may
acquire the taste. Last week |
bought four pounds Of mutton. paying
ninety six cents. This | roasted and
served with mint sauce. The next day
the remainder was heated and with
caper sauce made a pleasing dinner
dish. What was left | scalloped with
tomatoes and bread crumbs on the
third day. To the last few scraps l
added some bits OF chicken and rem
nants OF brown beef gravy and sand
wiched between two thick layers of
white turnips. carrots. onions and
celery on the top and bottom of the
baking pan. This made a delicious
casserole dish. as the meat flavor went
completely through the vegetables.
Thus the family of four made four
dinners from this order OF mutton.
OF course Il is much easier to pur-
chase a roast or steak in the usual
manner. than il Is 20 devise and pre-
pare dishes for stretching the meat
flavor. But the additional work Is
we'll worth the while. as these dishes
means a real saving OF meat and at
the same time prevent the shortened
ration from being unpleasantly felt
by those who have been in the habit
Of eating much more meat than the
body requires.
We are also saving the meats need
ed for export by tho increased use of
fish. ranging from smoked herring TO
fish caught in a nearby river. IL is
much easier 10 buy good fish in the
village where | live than Il was sew
eral weeks ago, as the demand OF the
housewives who wan 20 substitute
fish for beef has resulted in dealers
shipping IN more sea food. and has
also stimulated the river fishing.
Cottage cheese now often replaces
meat upon our table as it is known 10
have very similar food value. Every
bit Of milk which is O used on the
table Is left to soul and goes toward
making griddle cakes. ginger bread
and other quick doughs. sometimes
I make water answer for milk in mix
ing bread and cake The loss OF food
value here Is OF small consequence in
a general diet
Fats have never been wasted In my
kitchen. but ID I have found furth-
er saving possible by taking from my
menus croQuetts fried In deep fat. and
- ~ ------ ---.- 1870. a. ....Ln.