The log cabin Democrat., 1921-07-11
B Beginning.

Beg tPrepared by the United States Depart
 ment of Agriculture.)
 Even though they do not spoil, many dried vegetables which were delicious and attractive in every way during fhs first few weeks or months of Stor- age, do not keep their color, flavor and cooking qualities indefinitely, but Aeterforate gradually after long pe- ncd Of storage. Even vegetables which are blanched befsre drying will Seteriorate In much the same way, taongh more slowly. and blanching in ssste6 water Qh per cent solution) ee4ore drying constitutes slight i'm tEOvement over the common custom 0 drying without such treatment.
 Household stocks of dried vegeta- hieS should not be held over from one gear to the next for the reason they sose in quality. Indeed, 1t Is the part Aswfsdom to use them early in the Wihter season, reServing canned goods for the late winter or early spring. The experimental kitchen in the Uni ted States Department of Agriculture has carried on number of experi- xnersts with dried vegetables, and the work is being continued progress report Is In order and some of the results arrived at to date follow:
 Dried corn is one of the vegetables which keeps in good condition for long time, if good at the beginning The peculiar flavor developed in dried green string beans is popular in many parts or the country. Dried soup mix sures deserve wide use. for the com binatfon of such strong juiced vegp- tables as onions, carrots, cabbage and aurnips will retain considerable flavor for a long time, even though the In- divtdual vegetables which compose 1t fnsy have deteriorated somewhat in flavor when compared with the freshly dried vegetable.
 Preparing Dried Vegetable.
 Dried vegetables may be soaked from one to three hours In warm or co4a water, and then cooked from 10 70 2U minutes Cor longer, if necessary) Or they may be put at once, without any soaking. into boiling water, and then cooked slowly over the simmer ing Name for 20 to 40 minutes. or long. ~r, if necessary. The length of time for which they must be cooked de peads largely upon the condition of tine fresh vegetable before it was dried. Large carrots or white cab bage, even though cut into small pieces before drying, must be cooked longer than small carrots or green cabbage.
 The water added for soaking or cooking shoud he little more than what the vegetables wlll take up. To sosE them in a large amount of wa ter which is thrown away. then cook tfleIn in fresh supply of water which also is thrown away. Is to take the most thorough method which could be devised for extracting and discarding n0sr 9f their nutrltive constituents as ren as most of their flavor
 . Three cupfuls of water to one cupful '0f vegetable Is as gooG a general rule Rs ean be given, but spinach and greens take half of that. being light Tor their volume. Long cooking de- nands a larger amount of water, be cause # boils away; but vegetables should not be cooked longer than Is absolutely necessary, except in the making of puree
 Particularly when the dried vege- tables are put into boiling water with 0nt soaking, it Is best to salt them towarc the cad of the cooking proc ess rather than at the beginning
 One cupful (measurod dry) of most a1ads of dried vegetables will serve 5wo persons heartily or three per sons with moderate portions.
 Dried vegetables may he usrd ir sne same way as fresh ones. while they are still in prime condition When they begin to fall off in flavor thev should be judiciously comhiued with other materials and have navcr'r1 naterials added to them, Dried sweet porat0es or carrots which have hccume rather fiat when served with butter and salt only are more 0ppefiIuc when glazed To do this bake them after cooking tender by boilrg) vi h a sauce of sugar or molasses 0r sirgp, and fat Dried spinach which ha, become d little flat will be liked # it if served with an egg and vinegar