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

instance, for this book we have taken pains to search out a variety of harmless flavorings to be used in place of the irritating condiments, such as mustard, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; and instead of the acetic acid of vinegar, we use lemon juice--citric acid. “Vinegar--acetic acid, is about ten times as strong as alcohol and makes more trouble in the stomach than any of the other acids except oxalic.”--_Dr. Rand._ “Do not eat largely of salt.” “Very hot food ought not to be taken into the stomach. Soups, puddings and other articles of the kind are often eaten too hot, and as a consequence the stomach is debilitated.” Many people can digest cream better when accompanied by an acid fruit. While using oil enough to keep the machinery of the body lubricated, take care not to use too much. People with dilated stomachs can take very little, and that little best in salad dressings or as shortening with flour. Malt gives flesh but not strength; too much is harmful. Flesh is more often a sign of disease than of health. Good solid firm muscle is to be cultivated. Taste is a matter of education. Let us educate ourselves to like the things that are good for us. “Perseverance in a self-denying course of eating and drinking will soon make plain, wholesome food palatable, and it will be eaten with greater satisfaction than the epicure enjoys over his rich dainties.” MEASUREMENTS Flour is always sifted once before measuring and is laid into the measure lightly with a spoon to just level, without being shaken down; when measured otherwise, results will not be correct. The measurements of tablespoons and teaspoons in this book are for slightly rounded spoons, as granulated sugar would be when the spoon is shaken sidewise. This seems the natural way of measuring. When level spoons are specified, the spoon is leveled off with a spatula or the straight edge of a knife. The half-pint cup is the standard measuring cup. A cupful is all the cup will hold without running over. A speck equals ¼