Evening star., 1947-03-20

At a preview showing on Tuesday
of the new method of cooking by
electronics, steaks were cooked in so
seconds, hamburgers in 20 seconds,
potatoes can be baked in minute
and a half, a stick of butter melted
in S seconds. An ear of popcorn,
placed in a sealed cellophane bag,
comes out entirely popped in 35
seconds. A frozen dinner was placed
in the oven on a pyrex plate and
carae out ready to serve in 2 min
utes.
For the present, this revolution
ary method of cooking is being Of
fered solely to the restaurant trade.
Whether it will ever be entirely
practical for the average home re-
mains to be seen. There would seem
to be several drawbacks as far as
the homemaker is concerned. For
one thing, it does not brown" food;
by that I mean you cannot scar a
roast or steak to have brown sur
face. It only cooks to depth of 213
inches, which would eliminate cook
ing hams or large roasts. For short
order cooking it would probably
have decided advantages, due to the
time element.
Even though spring officially starts
tomorrow the report on spring fruits
and vegetables isn't too bright this
week Cold weather in the South
has affected not only the quantity
and quality but in turn the price.
Strawberries are only fair; aspara-
gus is good but the supply is short.
Tomatoes, too, are scarce this week
and only fair in quality. Fresh peas
are excellent but high in price;
there are very few string beans on
the market, no limas, and the tan
gerine season is over. However,
you will find excellent carrots, broc-
coli, caulifower, new potatoes, spin
ach, kale, collards, plenty of the
other citrus fruits, rhubarb and
avocados. The salad greens include
watercress, which has been missing
for some time, also escarole, ro-
maine, loose-leaf lettuce, head let
tuce, chicory, cucumbers and rad
1SheS.
An exciting new fruit has made
It's first appearance locally. Now
grown in California, it is tropical
product native to Southern Ecuador,
grows wild in Mexico and Central
and South America. It's called
"cherimoya," a word from the In
dian dialect of ancient Peru mean
ing "eold seeds" Similar to an
avocado in appearance, the cheri-
moya also requires several days to
soften before ready for use. The
flavor combines that of ripe pine
apple and strawberry, plus a unique
goodness of its own. 1t can be used
in salads and cocktails, or when
chilled, becomes a delicious natural
sherbet.
Back again after three years of
wartime shortage is an all-purpose
shortening that stays fresh without
refrigeration. 1t Is without odor or
flavor; another of its virtues is the
fact it will not smoke even when
temperatures are raised as high as
normal deep fat frying tempera-
lures. Housewives will appreciate
that feature especially those who
cook in small apartment kitchens
where ventilation Is major prob
lem.
Look in your local foor stores for
a new lenten recipe that is being
featured next week using evaporated
milk. It's a colorful deviled salad
ring that will be sure to give lift
to the last of your lenten meals.
Now that there's an abundant sup
ply of evaporated milk again home
makers can keep few extra cans in
reserve on the pantry shelf.
n X X X
HERE AND THERE: From Cali
fornia of overstuffed hamburger
fame comes this suggestion for
hamburger that tops them all.
Spread hot toasted buns with mashed