The Nespelem tribune. [volume] (Nespelem, Wash.) 1934-1936, 1935-10-02

Careful Cooking
Saves Food ColOrs
Bright Hues Of Vegetables Can
Be Preserved If Proper
Methods Are Used
| BY MIIDREY BOGGS
Department of Food and Nutrition
| State College of washington
It is not magic that causes the
bright color of peas, spinach, and
asparagus to change to a drab
bronze green, red vegetables to
change to blue or purple, or cauli-
flower and onions to become yell
low. Raw vegetables are so attract
i've that they are sometimes ar
ranged as a centerpiece Tor the din
ing table. However, with careless
cooking their appeal has vanished
The natural color of vegetables =
and of fruits and flowers also-are
1 due to color substances or pigments
of different chemical composition.
The green pigment is called chloro-
phyll, which is important to the
plant in much the same way that
hemoglobin in the blood is impor-
tant to the human body. You'll find
chlorophyll, however, only in those
plants or parts of plants that get
the sunlight not in the roots un-
foreground, nor in plants covered
from the sun and ''bleached" Like
celery. In these same green parts,
moreover, there are important food
values, particularly iron and vita
Minis.
The best way to keep the green
color Of vegetables is to cook them
for very short time and leave the
lid off the pan.
You may ask why the lid af-
fects color. The answer is a little
complicated but here it is! Even
small amounts of acid decompose
chlorophyll into compounds that are
from dull yellow to brown in color.
When vegetables are cooked, acid is
released some of which evaporateS
quickly with the water. But with
lid on the pan, the acid vapor is
held to the vegetables, and causes
fading. 1t is true that the water,
if at all hard, will neutralize the acid
somewhat, but as rule not enough
to keep the green color. The longer.
you cook, the more the color fades.
Red vegetables present new and
interesting problems. The red pig
ment, antrocyanin, dissolves in
water. That is the reason we must
be careful not to cut or break the
skin of beets or cut off the tops too
short when they are cooked in
water. If they are pared before
cooking the less water used the bet
ter their color will be. Steaming or
baking in covered casserole is
even better, for there is no water to
dissolve the pigment.
All red fruits and vegetables are
brighter colored in the presence of
acid Beets give off enough acid to
keep them bright, but red cabbage
must have vinegar or some other
acid added. One teaspoon vinegar
to the quart of cooking water is SUI
ficient to prevent the change to pur-
pie. Picked or harvard beets and
red cabbage with German sour
sauce are always brighter red due to
the acid of the vinegar.
Hard water or too long cooking
causes caulifloWer, onions, celery,
potatoes, rice and other white vege-
tables to become yellow and dark
ened. TO prevent this put pinch
of cream of tartar in the water and
be careful not to cook any longer
than necessary.
The information about the effects
of acids, heat and water on vege-
tables can be summarized In a few
general rules:
1. Cook all vegetables the shortest
possible time.
2. Cook green vegetables without
lid.
8. Steam or bake rather than cook
in water when possible.
4. Cook vegetables in a small
amount of water.
S. Use the cooking water for it
contains much or the mineral and
vitamin from the vegetable.
6. When cooking white vege-
tables, add a pinch of cream Of
tartar if the water is hard.
If these precautions are not OBJ
served, canned goods may as well
be used. The Gamers are able to
give us vegetables with less loss Of