The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-06-11
For Health and Pleasure

not apt to daily much with salads.
Unhappily they do not know that the
person who eats the most meat,
sweets and starches is the most in
need of the acids, minerals and
"alkalinizing value" of salads to keep
the blood and body cells in health
condition and help to avoid acidity.
Lettuce, or it's relation, is the base
of all salads, and this seemingly neg
ligible green, from nutritional point
of view, with only per cent of solids
of any sort, offers one an alkaline
value of 1913" a pound to counteract
the acidity of meats and sweets, also
vitamines that protect the nerves
broadly speaking, and minerals,
especially iron.
Hence the general rule that one
should spend as much money for vege-
tables, fruit and milk (Which are alki.
line forming) as for meat, fish and
eggs (Which are acid forming). And
when one considers their relative
prices it will be seen that the vege-
tables and salads will be in large
majority on the menu. Another good
use for a budget-to let you know
whether your money is being spent
in the right proportions to buy the
most health.
People who regard lettuce as
"garnish" and leave it on the plate
are missing an important part of the
salad. An oil dressing of any kind
increases the food value, of course.
Salads are not effeminate foods-they
play a real part in solving the body's
problems.
A crisp, cold salad appeals to al
most every palate during the first
warm days of early spring. and as
they are not expensive delicacies and
moreover, are extremely healthful,
they should be included at least once
daily from now on when planning the
family menus.
In using salads it is well to remem-
Der that when of the fruit variety they
may take the place ofthe customary
dessert course, as in the fish dinner for
Monday, while heavy salad Of fish,
poultry or meat answers admirably for
the main course ofthe evening dinner,
as served on Wednesday.
Cheese, eggs and the ingredients
already mentioned (even in very small
quantities are excellent to combine
with different vegetables and a va
riety of edible greens, and frequently
an extremely tasty salad can be evol-
we'd from bits of odds and ends that
might otherwise be wasted. Be sure,
however, that all ingredients are crisp
and cold and that the salad greens
are thoroughly dried, as otherwise the
dressing will run through the salad
and form in pool in the sottom of the
bowl
In blending the different dressings
that play so important part in the
success of any salad the tight variety
must be selected for the salad with
witch it is to be combined. Most of
the simple green and vegetable salads
demand a French dressing or one of
it's derivatives, while if the salad is
deficient in fat, or is to form the
main course of the meal, mayonnaise
variety combines well, both dietetically
and gastronomically.
For fruit salad, perhaps the boiled
dressing made from the fruit juice
and then blended with stiffly whip
ped cream is best of all; but have
care that the foundation does not
curdle, which moments overlook
ing will do.
In making the simpler dressings, to
avoid monotony, use the different
kinds of vinegar, or a little lemon or
grapefruit juice.
To make the dandelion and bacon