Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-08-03
PARTISAN K|DD|Es BALK At
AMERICAN ROLLED OATS
Food Delivered to Poor by Red
Cross Must BE Camouflagcd
Completely.
NE Univcr,nl scrylcc.l


PARIS. August 2.-"Culinary cam
outage is an art which is being
practiced with gratifying success in
the preparation OF American food
destined for the patates of Paris' lit
tie SUM children.
One of the problems facing the di-
rcctrcss of the Franco american So
cial Center. founded by the America
Red Cross in the clty's squalid Nine
tecnth ward. was how to get the uu-
dcrfed children of the poor who are
cared for in the institution to eat
the unfamiliar food from America
with which the ccntcr's larder has
been stocked.
The food on hand. gift OF the
American Red Cross. included large
stocks or oatmeal. Duffed rice. corn
iiakcS ana corn meal. ailments which
none OF the centcr's little wards had
ever tasted. The children for whom
THIS food was destined were anacmic
and undcrfcd. but they were not
starving. and no Frcnchman. large or
small. VIII eat oatmeal porridge. corn
meal inush or dried cereals, unless he
~ on the verge or starvation. Two or
three trials of these articles Of diet
on the children being fed at the
Franco american settlement house
.,, roh.n me iut.iity OF serving these
table. even a very humble table.
tniOrics Chief Need.
But food calorics are FOOD calories
whether they be French or American.
and the children OF the Paris sluns
needed calories. The calories were
Their. in the despiscd American ALI
mcnts II the children could only be
Induced to consume them. Moreover.
10 go into the open French mark t
and purchase food that the children
had learned to like involved an cx-
pense which was prohibit!ve.
MISS Frances stern. of Boston, the
center. solved the problem OF meet
ing French pala;es with Amcrican
food through q system OF culinary
cainounagc" which she devised.
Instead OF serving oatmeal in The
form OF porridgc she prepared a
recipe for baking swcctcncd oatmeal
cakes. oatmeal "macaroons" and oat-
meal croquettcs. The success OF the
camouNaEcd oatmeal was immediate G.
The children consumed tho disguised
breakfast food avidly. To them IL
VAS no longer what they had disgust
eddy described AS "bill-poSter paste"
but pala,abie dainty prepared In
learned TO Ike.
Corn Meal NImsh Fails.
Corn meal mush met with the same
tate ~. the ,imc-honored American
cerca! dish II encountered childish
scorn, and the stcaming bowls OF
yellow grain particles, packed with
nourishment. returned untonchcd to
IN" kitchen. The solution here was
easy. Johnny cake" turned the
rick. The crusty squares OF fragrant
corn bread delighted the hungry lit
Il" guests. They thought Of them as
cake. not bread. and ate them for
dessert with ordinations of surprise
and graf l!lCatiOn, on the first occasion
that the johnny Cake" gracel the
institutions menu.
As a breakfast dish. served with
diluted condensed milk and sugar.
American corn flakes and pulled rice
registered complete failure. Prop
s!mpl mask OF chocolate sauce, they
passed from Oblivion into royal favor,
and are. in the chocolate coated form,
one OF the most popular luncheon
desserts developed under the system
Of culinary camounugc." ranking
Just below American corn starch and
tapioca puddings, Two other unknown
dishes to which the children OF the
settlement house have been con-
Vertcd.
Variety of Fare.
Other innovations have added fur
Their variety 20 the childrens fare as
the camouilagc system has developed.
Bread, for instance. was served in a
novel form which permitted an APP
prcc!ablc economy in the culinary
bread In France is eaten fresh. The
stale scraps left over from each meal
become so much pure waste and are
thrown away.
French cooks are extravaEant in
this respect and have no knowledge
OF how to put stale bread TO good use.
Not so in the Kitchen of the Franco
American Social Center. The cook