The Laurel Health Cookery: A Collection of Practical Suggestions and Recipes for the Preparation of Non-Flesh Foods in Palatable and Attractive Ways

more for shortening. Economy in all things, food, clothing, houses, climate is that which keeps us in the best condition physically and spiritually. MISCELLANEOUS All foods that are suitable should be used uncooked. They are more nourishing and consequently more satisfying. Foods containing starch should not be eaten raw. Next to wholesomeness, make taste and palatability first. There is nothing more disappointing than to taste of a daintily arranged and decorated dish and find it flat and insipid. Seek to develop the natural flavors of foods, of which there are thousands, rather than to add foreign flavorings. To stir fruits, legumes and many foods while cooking is just the way to make them stick and scorch. Shake the vessels instead of stirring. To brush kettles and saucepans on the inside with oil, helps to keep milk and other foods from sticking. Use double boilers as far as possible for reheating gravies, cereals and legumes, and for heating milk. When, in spite of all precautions, something burns on, plunge the vessel without ceremony into a pail or pan of cold water for a moment, empty the contents immediately into another kettle, add boiling water and return to the fire to finish cooking. Badly scorched foods often lose all the scorched flavor by this treatment. Remove the burnt portion from bread or cake with a grater, when first taken from the oven. Dip the knife into hot water to cut butter, warm bread or cake. Two forks are better than a knife for separating steamed puddings, fresh cake and many things. Use pastry flour for gravies, sauces and all thickenings. To blend flour and liquid for thickening, add only a little liquid at a time, stirring with a fork or batter whip until a perfectly smooth paste is formed, then add liquid to make of the consistency of rather thin cream. Flour, for thickening, gives a more creamy consistency than corn starch. Use corn starch for fruit juices, as it leaves them clearer. Never mix flour or corn starch with eggs to stir into boiling liquid, as they both require longer cooking