characteristics, and, in some cases, their use and the method of making, is here given. In addition, there are shown in colors, in Fig. 4, a large number of cheeses, together with a print of butter _o_, which serves to illustrate the irregular surface that is exposed when good butter is broken apart.
IMPORTED CHEESE
26. Each of the European countries has originated its own peculiar kind of cheese, which remains representative of a certain people or locality. The majority of these cheeses have met with so much favor in the United States that large quantities of them are continually imported. A few of them have been copied here with success, but others have not been successfully made. While these are not in such common use as the domestic cheeses, it is well for every one to know their names and the characteristics by which they can be identified.
27. ENGLISH CHEESE.–Chief among the kinds of cheeses made in England is CHEDDAR CHEESE, which is illustrated at _a_, Fig. 4. It is rich, double-thick cream cheese, ranging from a pale to a dark yellow, although when uncolored it may be white. Such cheese, when fresh, has a milk flavor, but when it is well ripened it has a characteristic sharp taste. New Cheddar cheese is soft, but not waxy, in texture and may readily be shaved or broken into small pieces; when it is well ripened, it may be grated. English Cheddar cheese is not unlike AMERICAN CHEDDAR CHEESE, or, as it is commonly called, _American cream cheese_, which is shown by _b_. In fact the American variety is made according to the method used for the English. Owing to its characteristics, flavor, and abundance, Cheddar cheese, both English and American, is the kind that is used most extensively in the United States.
ENGLISH DAIRY CHEESE, shown at _d_, is similar to Cheddar cheese, although it has a reddish color and, on account of the method of manufacture, it is harder. This kind of cheese lends itself well to cooking, as it may be easily grated.
CHESHIRE CHEESE, a well-known English variety, is a dry cream cheese made from whole cow’s milk. It is deep yellow or red in color, similar in flavor to Cheddar cheese, and is used in much the same manner.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
STILTON CHEESE, shown at _m_, is a hard cheese made from cow’s milk to which cream has been added and which is coagulated with rennet. Mold is introduced into this cheese, so that it resembles Roquefort cheese, which is shown at _j_.
28. HOLLAND CHEESE.–The variety of cheese shown at _e_, Fig. 4, is known as EDAM CHEESE. It is a hard rennet cheese of a red color and is mild in flavor. This kind of cheese is molded into the shape of a ball, the outside of which is usually dyed red, and will keep for a long period of time. Edam cheese is one of the important products of the Netherlands, and while it is seldom used in cookery in the homes of this country, it is served at the table. Usually a section of the top is cut off to serve as a lid while the inside is scooped out as needed. Sometimes, after most of the cheese has been removed, the hollow shell is stuffed with macaroni or rice that has been cooked and seasoned and the food then baked in the shell.
29. FRENCH CHEESES.–Among the French cheeses, the variety called GRUYÈRE CHEESE, which is shown at _f_, Fig. 4, is well liked. It is usually made of skim milk, has a yellow color and a mild, sweetish flavor, and contains large holes like those found in Swiss and Emmenthal cheeses, varieties that are very similar to it. Like these cheeses, Gruyère cheese may be used in cooking or served without cooking, being used considerably in the making of sandwiches.
BRIE CHEESE is a French variety of very soft cheese, with a strong flavor and odor. It is made from whole or partly skimmed cow’s milk coagulated by means of rennet. This kind of cheese is used mostly as an accompaniment to other foods.
CAMEMBERT CHEESE, which is shown at _h_, is also a soft cheese. It is made by practically the same process as Brie cheese and is used in the same way. This cheese has a typical odor. Its rind is thick and dry, but its center is very soft, being sometimes almost liquid.
NEUFCHÂTEL CHEESE, which is shown at _i_, is a soft rennet cheese made from cow’s milk. It is made at Neufchâtel-en-Bray, France, and not at Neufchâtel, Switzerland. This variety of cheese is wrapped in tin-foil and sold in small packages. It is used chiefly for salads, sandwiches, etc. As it does not keep well after the package is opened, the entire contents should be used at one time.
ROQUEFORT CHEESE, which is shown at _j_, is a hard, highly flavored cheese made from sheep’s milk coagulated with rennet. It has a marbled appearance, which is due to a greenish mold that is introduced. Roquefort cheese is frequently served with crackers at the end of a meal, and is well liked by many persons.
30. ITALIAN CHEESES.–From Italy is imported a cheese, called PARMESAN CHEESE, that is used extensively for flavoring soups and macaroni dishes. This cheese, which is shown at _g_, Fig. 4, is very hard and granular and, provided it is well made, it will keep for years. Owing to its characteristics, it may be easily grated. It can be bought by the pound and grated as it is needed, or it can be secured already grated in bottles.
GORGONZOLA, another Italian cheese, is shown at _k_. It is not unlike Roquefort in appearance and in use, but it is made from whole cow’s milk coagulated with rennet. Into this cheese is also introduced a mold that gives its center a streaked or mottled appearance.
31. SWISS CHEESES.–Possibly the best known cheese imported from Switzerland is the variety known as SWISS, or SWITZER, CHEESE. This kind of cheese has different names, depending on the district of Switzerland in which it is made. Nevertheless all of them are similar and have a mild, sweet flavor. Swiss cheese may be readily recognized by its pale yellow color and the presence of large holes, although it resembles Gruyère cheese very closely.
EMMENTHAL CHEESE is a variety of fairly hard cheese that originated in Switzerland, but is now made in many other countries. It is similar to Swiss cheese, being made from whole cow’s milk and characterized by large holes about 3 inches apart.
SAPSAGO CHEESE, shown at _n_, Fig. 4, is a skim-milk cheese made in Switzerland. It is a very hard cheese, and therefore suitable for grating. In the process of making this cheese, melilot, a clover-like herb, is added, and this gives the cheese a green color and a peculiar flavor.
32. BELGIAN CHEESE.–A cheese that originated in Belgium, but is now manufactured in other countries, is the variety known as LIMBURG, or LIMBURGER, CHEESE, cheese, which is shown at _l_, Fig. 4. It is a soft rennet cheese made from whole cow’s milk. It is very strong in taste and smell, due to putrefactive germs that are added to the milk in its manufacture.
DOMESTIC CHEESE
33. In the United States, efforts that have been exerted to make cheeses similar to some of those produced in Europe have to a certain extent been successful. American cheese makers have succeeded in making several soft cream cheeses that resemble Neufchâtel, some of which are spiced or flavored with pimiento, olives, etc. In addition, Limburg and Swiss cheeses have been successfully manufactured in Wisconsin, and Brie, Neufchâtel, and Camembert have been copied and are produced in New York. Pineapple cheese, while of American origin, is really very much like English Cheddar cheese, except that it is harder. But while these fancy cheeses are desired by some persons and have a moderately large sale, the cheese for which there is the most demand in America is the so-called American Cheddar cheese, which, as has been stated, is made according to the method used for English Cheddar cheese.
34. AMERICAN CHEDDAR CHEESE.–Since American Cheddar cheese is the kind that is commonly used in this country, the way in which it is made will be well to know. The milk used for this kind of cheese is first inspected as to cleanliness and the extent of fermentation it has undergone, and when these points are ascertained, it is _ripened_; that is, allowed to sour to a certain degree of acidity. At this stage, coloring matter is added, after which the milk is prepared for setting by bringing it to a certain temperature. With the temperature at the right point, rennet is added to coagulate the milk, or form the curd. The milk is then allowed to remain undisturbed until the action of the rennet is at a certain point, when the curd is cut into little cube-shaped pieces by drawing two sets of knives through it and thus is separated from the whey. As soon as the curd is cut, the temperature of the mass is raised to help make the curd firm and to cause the little cubes to retain their firmness, and during the entire heating process the whole mass is stirred constantly to assist in the separation from the whey. When the curd is sufficiently firm, the whey is removed and the particles of curd are allowed to adhere and form into a solid mass. If necessary, the curd is cut again into small pieces to get rid of the excess whey; but if the curd is too dry, the pieces must be piled up until they are four or five deep. During this process, which is known as the _cheddaring_ of the cheese, the curd is treated until it is of the proper texture to be _milled_, that is, put into a mill and ground into small pieces. The object of milling the curd is to cut it into pieces small enough to permit of uniform salting and the further escape of whey. When the curd has been brought to this point, it is salted and then pressed into molds. Finally, it is wrapped and cured, or ripened.
35. BRICK CHEESE.–Another American cheese that seems to meet with a popular demand is brick cheese. This kind of cheese, which is illustrated at _c_, Fig. 4, gets its name from the fact that it is pressed into “bricks” under the weight of one or two bricks. It is made from sweet milk, coagulated with rennet, cut with curd knives, and heated in the whey to firm it. Brick cheese is mild in flavor and of a moderately close texture. It is used chiefly as an accompaniment to other foods.
36. AMERICAN HOME-MADE CHEESE.–The making of Cheddar cheese and brick cheese is, of course, done commercially, but there is a kind of cheese that can be made very conveniently in the home. This home-made cheese, which is generally known as COTTAGE CHEESE, affords an excellent way in which to utilize left-over sour milk, particularly if a quart or more can be obtained at one time; smaller quantities can generally be used for baking purposes.
If properly made, such cheese is very digestible. As it can be seasoned and served in a variety of ways, it makes a delightful addition to lunches or other light meals in which a protein dish, such as meat, is undesirable. Skim milk does very well for this kind of cheese, so that if the sour milk that is to be used has cream on it, the cream should be removed before the cheese is made; otherwise, it will remain in the whey and be lost. In case cream is desired to improve the texture and flavor of the cheese, it should be added after the cheese is made.
[Illustration: FIG. 5]
37. To make cottage cheese, allow a quantity of sour milk to clabber, that is, become curdled, and then place it on the back of the stove in a thick vessel, such as a crock, until the whey begins to appear on the top, turning it occasionally so that it will heat very slowly and evenly. Do not allow the temperature to rise above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, or the curd will become tough and dry. Remember that the two things on which the success of this product depends are the flavor of the milk used and the proper heating of it. No difficulty will be encountered in the heating of the milk if a coal or a wood stove is used, but in case a gas stove must be used, the vessel containing the milk should be placed in a larger one containing warm water and the milk should be heated in this manner until the curd and the whey begin to separate. At this point, pour off all the whey possible, and turn the curd into a cloth bag or a colander lined with cloth, as shown in Fig. 5, and allow any remaining whey to drip out. If, after the whey is removed, the curd tastes sour, wash it with warm water and allow it to drip again. Then season it with salt to suit the taste and, provided cream is desired, add it at this time, using sweet or sour cream. To work in the cream, press it into the curd with a spoon until the cheese is quite smooth.
Cheese made in this way may be flavored with anything desirable. For instance, chopped pimiento, parsley, olives, or nuts improve the flavor of the cheese very much and make a very appetizing combination. The dry curd mixed with any of these makes a delightful salad when it is pressed into balls, garnished with lettuce, and served with salad dressing.
38. JUNKET COTTAGE CHEESE.–Another variety of cottage cheese can be prepared by using sweet milk and forming the curd with a junket tablet, one tablet being required for each quart of milk. To make cheese of this kind, heat the milk until it is lukewarm, or not over 98 degrees Fahrenheit, and then add the junket tablet dissolved in cold milk or water. Keep the milk warm until the curd forms, and then break up the curd with a spoon and pour the whole mass into a bag or a colander lined with cloth. When all the whey is drained out, the curd, which will be sweet, can be seasoned in any desired way or mixed with cream and served. If more flavor is preferred, the curd may be allowed to sour or may be mixed with sour cream.
39. BUTTERMILK CREAM CHEESE.–A slight variation from the cottage cheeses just described is buttermilk cream cheese. This cheese is formed from the curd of buttermilk, which is finer in texture and not so likely to become tough as that formed from ordinary sour milk. To prepare buttermilk cream cheese, warm the buttermilk slowly, being careful not to allow the temperature to rise beyond 100 degrees Fahrenheit. As the milk is heated, the curd will form and will gradually sink to the bottom of the vessel. After this occurs, remove the whey and mix the curd with a little thick cream. The result will be a mixture having a delightfully creamy consistency.
SERVING CHEESE
40. Cheese does not lend itself readily to many ways of serving, still it frequently adds zest to many foods. When grated, it may be passed with tomato or vegetable soup and sprinkled in to impart an unusual flavor. In this form it may also be served with macaroni and other Italian pastes, provided cheese has not been included in the preparation of such foods. When sliced, little slices may be served nicely with any kind of pie or pastry and with some puddings, such as steamed fruit puddings. Thin slices or squares of cheese and crackers served with coffee after the dessert add a finishing touch to many meals. It will be well to note that crackers to be served with cheese should always be crisp. Unless they have just been taken from a fresh package, crackers can be improved by placing them in a moderate oven for a few minutes before serving. Also, firm crackers that do not crumble easily are best to serve with cheese, water crackers being especially desirable.
* * * * *
RECIPES FOR CHEESE DISHES
EFFECT OF COOKING ON CHEESE
41. Because cheese is a highly concentrated food, it is generally considered to be indigestible; but this matter can be remedied by mixing the cheese with other foods and thus separating it into small particles that are more readily digested. The way in which this may be done depends on the nature of the cheese. Any of the dry cheeses or any of the moist cheeses that have become dry may be grated or broken into bits, but as it is difficult to treat the moist ones in this way, they must be brought to a liquid state by means of heat before they can be added to other foods. The cooking of cheese, however, has an effect on this food that should be thoroughly understood.
It will be well to note, therefore, that the application of heat to the form of protein found in cheese causes this food substance to coagulate and harden, as in the case of the albumen of eggs. In the process of coagulation, the first effect is the melting of the cheese, and when it has been brought to this semiliquid state it can be easily combined with other foods, such as milk, eggs, soups, and sauces. In forming such combinations, the addition of a small amount of bicarbonate of soda helps to blend the foods. Another characteristic of cheese that influences the cooking of it is that the fat it contains melts only at a low temperature, so that, on the whole, the methods of preparation that require a low temperature are the best for cooking these foods. However, a precaution that should be taken whenever cheese is heated is not to cook it too long, for long cooking makes it hard and leathery in consistency, and cheese in this state is difficult to digest.
VARIETY OF CHEESE DISHES
42. As has already been learned, cheese lends itself very readily to a large variety of cooked dishes. For instance, it may be grated and sprinkled on the top of mashed or creamed potatoes and then browned by placing the dish in the oven. When it is grated or sliced, it may be arranged between the layers of macaroni or other food used to make a scalloped dish. Soups and sauces flavored with cheese are especially appetizing, a cream sauce of this kind served over toast or rice making an excellent luncheon dish. Toast or crackers spread with cheese and placed in the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt are delicious to serve with a salad course or with tea. To assist in the preparation of such combinations, as well as other cheese dishes, a number of recipes are here given. In making up these recipes, it will be well to note that unless the variety of cheese is stated explicitly, use should be made of American Cheddar cheese, or, as it is often called, _American cream cheese_, or _store cheese_. Of course, some similar hard cheese could be used if desired, but the kind mentioned is recommended for the sake of economy.
[Illustration: FIG. 6]
43. CHEESE BONBONS.–A combination of cheese and nuts in the form of cheese bonbons, besides being very tasty, is highly nutritious, since both the cheese and the nuts used in making them are high in food value. Such bonbons, which are illustrated in Fig. 6, may be served with a light salad, such as a vegetable or a fruit salad, to add food value to the dish, or they may be served with wafers to take the place of a salad, when a small amount of some kind of tart jelly goes nicely with them. If the dessert for the dinner has been a very light one, these bonbons may be served with coffee and wafers after the dessert. They may be made as follows:
CHEESE BONBONS
(Sufficient for Twelve Bonbons)
1 pkg. Neufchâtel or cream cheese
2 Tb. finely chopped pimiento
1/2 tsp. salt
Few grains of paprika
1/3 c. half English-walnut meats
Work the cheese smooth with the pimiento and other seasoning, and if the mixture is too dry add a little cream. Shape this into small balls, press each ball flat, and then place a half nut on top of each. If the pimiento is not desired, it may be omitted.
44. CHEESE SOUFFLÉ.–As a dish that will take the place of meat in a light meal is often desired, cheese soufflé, which is comparatively high in food value, finds much favor. This dish contains milk, eggs, and cheese, as is shown in the accompanying recipe, and so may actually be considered as a protein dish and used accordingly. Soufflé is served in the dish in which it is baked, but if it is quite firm and is to be eaten at once, it may be removed from the ramekin to a plate.
CHEESE SOUFFLÉ
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
3 Tb. butter
4 Tb. flour
1-1/4 c. milk
3/4 c. grated cheese
Dash of paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
Melt the butter, add the flour, mix well, and then gradually add the milk, which should be scalded. To this sauce add the cheese, paprika, and salt. When thoroughly mixed, remove from the fire and add the beaten yolks of eggs, beating rapidly. Cool and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. Pour into a buttered baking dish or in ramekins and bake 20 minutes in a slow oven. Serve at once.
45. CHEESE OMELET.–Grated cheese added to an omelet gives it a delightful flavor. Since such an omelet is a high-protein dish, it should never be served in the same meal in which meat, fish, or other protein foods are served, but should be used as the main dish of a luncheon or a light supper.
CHEESE OMELET
(Sufficient to Serve Four)
4 eggs
4 Tb. hot water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tb. bread crumbs
1 c. grated cheese
1 Tb. butter
Beat the egg yolks thoroughly and add to them the hot water, salt, crumbs, and cheese. Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, and fold them carefully into the yolk mixture. Heat the butter in an omelet pan. Pour in the mixture, brown very slowly over the heat, and then place in the oven to cook the top. Serve at once.
46. CHEESE SAUCE.–To give a distinctive flavor to white sauce, cheese is often added to it. A sauce flavored in this way lends itself nicely to the garnishing of croquettes or soufflés, and it will be found quite tasty if it is served over some vegetables, such as steamed cauliflower, mashed potatoes, or rice served as a vegetable. Such sauce may also be served over toast to make an attractive luncheon dish.
CHEESE SAUCE
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 c. milk
4 Tb. flour
4 Tb. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 c. grated cheese
Make a white sauce of the milk, flour, butter, salt, and paprika, and to it add the grated cheese. If desired, a dash of catsup or chili sauce may be added for flavoring.
47. CHEESE TOAST.–When toast has added to it eggs, milk, and cheese, as in the recipe here given, it is sufficiently high in protein to serve as a meat substitute and is a particularly good dish for a light meal. It combines well with a vegetable salad for luncheon and is an excellent dish to serve for Sunday night supper, when very little else need be served with it.
CHEESE TOAST
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 c. milk
4 Tb. flour
4 Tb. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. grated cheese
2 hard-cooked eggs
6 squares of toast
Make a white sauce of the milk, flour, butter, and salt, and to it add 1/2 cupful of the grated cheese and the egg whites chopped fine. Arrange the toast on a platter, pour the sauce over it, sprinkle the top with the egg yolks that have been run through a ricer or a sieve, and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cupful of cheese over all. Place in hot oven or under a broiler until the cheese melts a little. Serve hot.
[Illustration: FIG. 7]
48. WELSH RAREBIT.–Whenever a dish that can be made in a chafing dish is desired, Welsh rarebit is immediately thought of. This is possibly due to the fact that this tasty cheese dish is very often served at evening parties, when a crowd may gather around a table and enjoy the preparation of this food in the chafing dish. This kind of cooking utensil, together with its outfit, which consists of a long-handled spoon and fork, is shown in Fig. 7. As will be observed, a chafing dish consists of a frame to which is attached a lamp that provides the heat, a pan in which water is placed, another pan with a handle in which the food is cooked, and a cover. The heat for cooking is furnished by alcohol, although it is possible to get chafing dishes that are heated by electricity. Chafing dishes are used by many housewives, for in addition to the use mentioned, they serve very well for the making of practically any kind of creamed dish, including those in which sea foods and vegetables are used, as well as for the sautéing of foods. It should not be understood, however, that Welsh rarebit must be made in a chafing dish, for this food can be prepared as well in a heavy frying pan or a double boiler; nor should it be taken for granted that it is served only at parties, for it may be served as the main dish for luncheon or supper. Rarebit is often flavored with ale or beer, but this is not required to make an appetizing dish, as the following recipe shows.
WELSH RAREBIT
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 Tb. butter
1 Tb. flour
1 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/2 lb. cheese cut into small pieces 6 slices of toast or 6 wafers
Melt the butter, add to it the flour, and stir until smooth. Gradually add the milk, and cook for a few minutes; then add the salt, paprika, and cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted. The finished rarebit should not be stringy. Pour over the toast or wafers and serve.
49. ENGLISH MONKEY.–Another cheese dish that is frequently made in a chafing dish and served from it is English monkey, but this may likewise be made with ordinary kitchen utensils and served directly on plates from the kitchen or from a bowl on the table. A dish of this kind is most satisfactory if it is served as soon as the sauce is poured over toast or wafers and before they have had time to become soaked. English monkey may be made according to the following recipe and served for the same purposes as Welsh rarebit.
ENGLISH MONKEY
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 c. bread crumbs
1 c. milk
1 Tb. butter
1/2 c. soft cheese cut into small pieces 1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
6 buttered wafers
Soak the bread crumbs in the milk. Melt the butter and add to it the cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted. Then add the soaked crumbs, the slightly beaten egg, and the salt. Cook for a few minutes and pour over wafers and serve. If desired, toast may be used in place of the wafers.
50. CHEESE-AND-MACARONI LOAF.–Macaroni combined with cheese makes a high-protein dish that very readily takes the place of meat and that may be served as the main dish in a dinner. If this combination is made into a loaf and baked well in an oblong bread pan, it may be turned out on a platter and cut into slices. In case a loaf is not desired, it may be baked in a baking dish and served directly from that. In either form, it is made more appetizing by the addition of a tomato sauce.
CHEESE-AND-MACARONI LOAF
(Sufficient to Serve Eight)
1/2 c. macaroni (inch lengths)
1 c. milk
1 c. bread crumbs
2 Tb. chopped green peppers
1 Tb. chopped onion
1 Tb. chopped parsley
2 eggs
2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. grated cheese
1 Tb. butter
Cook the macaroni according to the directions given in _Cereals_. When it is thoroughly soft, drain off the water and mix the macaroni with the milk, bread crumbs, green pepper, onion, parsley, well-beaten egg, salt, pepper, and grated cheese. Place in a baking dish, dot the top with butter, and bake in a moderate oven until the mixture is set. Serve with or without sauce, as desired.
51. CHEESE FONDUE.–A dish that is very similar to cheese soufflé and that must be served as soon as it comes from the oven in order to avoid shrinking is cheese fondue. It satisfactorily takes the place of meat in a light meal, and may be served from a large dish or from individual baking dishes with or without sauce, as desired.
CHEESE FONDUE
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 1/2 c. soft bread crumbs
1 1/2 c. grated cheese
1 c. hot milk
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix the bread crumbs and cheese, and add them to the hot milk, beaten egg yolks, and salt. Fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in a buttered baking dish for about 30 minutes in a moderate oven. Serve at once.
52. CHEESE DREAMS.–If something delicious to serve with fruit or salad is desired for luncheon or Sunday night supper, the accompanying recipe for cheese dreams should be tried. They should be served at once on being taken from the stove, because as soon as they cool the cheese hardens and they are not appetizing. Cheese dreams may be sautéd or prepared in a broiler or an oven, but if they are sautéd, they may be made in a chafing dish.
CHEESE DREAMS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
12 thinly cut slices of bread
Butter
Cheese sliced 1/8 in. thick
Spread the bread thinly with butter and make sandwiches by placing a slice of cheese between two slices of bread. Place these sandwiches under a broiler or in a very hot oven and toast them on both sides, or omit the butter from the center, place the sandwiches in a slightly oiled frying pan, and brown them on both sides. In heating the sandwiches, the cheese melts. Serve hot.
53. CHEESE WAFERS.–If made daintily, cheese wafers may be served with salad or with tea for afternoon tea. The wafers selected for this purpose should be small and the layer of cheese not very thick. If a very thin broth is served at the beginning of a meal, cheese wafers may accompany it, but they should never be served with a heavy soup.
CHEESE WAFERS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 doz. wafers
Butter
3/4 grated cheese
Paprika
Spread the wafers thinly with butter and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoonful of grated cheese and a pinch of paprika. Bake in a hot oven until the cheese is melted. Cool and serve.
[Illustration: FIG. 8]
54. CHEESE STRAWS.–Nothing can be more delightful to serve with a vegetable salad than cheese straws, which are illustrated in Fig. 8. An attractive way to serve them is to slip them through small rings made out of strips of the dough mixture and baked at the same time the straws are baked and then place them at the side of the salad plate. They may accompany a fruit salad, as well as a vegetable salad, but they are not appropriate for serving with a meat or a fish salad.
CHEESE STRAWS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 Tb. butter
2/3 c. flour
1 c. bread crumbs
1 c. grated or cut cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Pinch of Cayenne pepper
1/2 c. milk
Cream the butter and to it add the flour, bread crumbs, cheese, and seasonings. Mix thoroughly and add the milk. Roll 1/4 inch thick and then cut 1/4 inch wide and 6 inches long. Bake until brown in a moderately hot oven.
55. TOMATOES WITH CHEESE STUFFING.–The addition of cheese to the stuffing used in stuffed tomatoes means added flavor, as well as nutritive value in the form of protein, the food substance in which the tomatoes themselves are lacking. The bread crumbs used for the stuffing supply a large amount of carbohydrate, so that the completed dish, besides being a very attractive one, contains all the food principles in fairly large quantities. Stuffed tomatoes may be served as the main dish in a light meal or as a vegetable dish in a heavy meal.
TOMATOES WITH CHEESE STUFFING
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 tomatoes
1 c. bread crumbs
1 c. grated cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tb. butter
1/4 c. hot water
Select medium-sized tomatoes and hollow out the centers. Mix the crumbs, cheese, salt, pepper, butter, and hot water with the pulp from the centers of the tomatoes. Fill the tomatoes with this stuffing, place in a pan, and bake in a moderate oven until the tomato can be pierced easily with a fork. Serve hot.
56. FIGS STUFFED WITH CHEESE.–As cheese is a very concentrated food, it is often combined with another food to offset this effect. An excellent combination is formed by stuffing figs with cheese. Figs prepared in this way will be found to be very attractive and tasty and may be served in the place of a dessert or a salad, depending on the kind and size of the meal with which they are used.
FIGS STUFFED WITH CHEESE
(Sufficient to Serve Eight)
1 pkg. Neufchâtel or cream cheese
2 Tb. cream
8 small pulled figs
Work the cheese and cream until soft. Steam the figs for 10 or 15 minutes or until they are soft; then cool them, cut out their stems, fill their centers with the soft cheese, and serve.
57. CHEESE SANDWICHES.–Very appetizing sandwiches that may be used to take the place of meat sandwiches or a protein dish at any time are made with a cheese filling. If these are made very small and dainty, they may be served with salad in a light meal. The addition of pickles, olives, and pimiento, which are included in the accompanying recipe, makes the filling more attractive than the usual plain cheese by producing in it a variety of tastes. They also add bulk, which is lacking in both the white bread and the cheese. If desired, graham or whole-wheat bread may be used in place of white bread.
CHEESE SANDWICHES
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1/4 lb. cheese
2 medium-sized pickles
1/2 pimiento
Meat from 1/2 doz. olives
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
Bread
Put the cheese, pickles, pimiento, and olives through a food chopper, and when chopped add the salt and the paprika. If the mixture is not moist enough to spread, add salad dressing or vinegar until it is of the right consistency. Mix well and spread on thinly cut, buttered slices of bread.
LUNCHEON MENU
58. Many of the dishes for which recipes are given in this Section, particularly those including cheese as one of the ingredients, do very well for the main dish in a light meal, such as luncheon. In order that practice may be had in preparing a well-balanced luncheon that includes a dish of this kind, a luncheon menu is here presented. The cheese soufflé, which has been selected as the main dish in this menu, should be made according to the directions already given. Little difficulty will be experienced in making the other dishes, as recipes for them are given immediately after the menu. All the recipes are intended for six persons, so that if more or fewer are to be served, the recipes should be changed accordingly. This menu is presented with the intention that it be tried by each student and a report of it then prepared according to the plan outlined and sent with the work of the Examination Questions.
MENU
Cream-of-Corn Soup
Cheese Soufflé
Stewed Tomatoes
Sautéd Potatoes
Brown Bread and Butter
Baked Apples
Black Tea
RECIPES
CREAM-OF-CORN SOUP
1 Tb. flour
1 Tb. butter
1 pt. milk
1 c. canned corn
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Make a white sauce of the flour, butter, and milk. Force the corn through a colander or sieve and add the purée to the white sauce. Season with the salt and pepper and serve.
SAUTÉD POTATOES
6 medium-sized cooked potatoes
2 Tb. butter
1-1/2 tsp.
salt 1/4 tsp.
pepper
Slice the boiled potatoes thin and put the slices in a frying pan in which the butter has been melted. Add the salt and pepper. Allow the potatoes to cook until well browned, turning frequently during the cooking. Serve hot.
STEWED TOMATOES
1 Tb. butter
1 small onion
6 medium-sized ripe tomatoes or 1 can of tomatoes 1 tsp. salt
2 Tb. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tb. flour
Brown the butter in a saucepan, slice the onion into it, and cook for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes. If fresh tomatoes are to be used, remove the skins, cut into pieces, put into the saucepan with a few tablespoonfuls of water, and cook until the tomatoes are thoroughly softened. If canned tomatoes are to be used, merely allow them to come to the boiling point. Add the salt, sugar, and pepper, and, a few minutes before removing from the fire, moisten the flour with a tablespoonful of cold water and stir into the tomato. Cook for a few minutes and serve.
BAKED APPLES
6 medium-sized apples
1 lemon
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
Wipe and core the apples. Put them into a baking dish and place a slice of lemon on the top of each. Make a sirup of the sugar and the water, pour this around the apples, and bake slowly until they can be pierced easily with a fork. Serve hot or cold, with a teaspoonful of jelly on the top of each apple.
BLACK TEA
6 tsp. black tea
6 c. boiling water
Scald out the pot with freshly boiling water, pour in the tea, add the 6 cupfuls of freshly boiling water, and allow it to stand on the leaves until the tea is strong enough to serve. Then either pour the tea off the leaves and keep it hot or serve at once.
MILK, BUTTER, AND CHEESE (PART 2)
EXAMINATION QUESTIONS
(1) From what part of milk is butter made?
(2) What food substances does butter contain?
(3) Tell how to select good butter.
(4) After butter is purchased, what care should be given to it?
(5) (_a_) How does cooking affect butter? (_b_) How can economy be exercised in the use of butter in cooking?
(6) How may rancid butter be made fit for use in cooking?
(7) Explain the advantages of butter substitutes.
(8) Give the test for distinguishing oleomargarine and renovated butter from butter.
(9) Explain briefly the way in which cheese is produced.
(10) What food substances are found in cheese?
(11) Why can cheese be used to take the place of meat?
(12) Tell the advantages that cheese has over meat.
(13) Explain how to make cottage cheese from sour milk.
(14) Why should cheese be mixed with other foods instead of being served alone?
(15) Explain the effect of cooking on cheese.
REPORT ON MENU
After trying out the luncheon menu given in the text, send with your answers to the Examination Questions a report of your success. In making out your report, simply write the name of the food and describe its condition by means of the terms specified in the following list:
Cream-of-Corn Soup: too thick? too thin? lumpy? well seasoned? milk curdled?
Cheese Soufflé: light? heavy? baked sufficiently? shrunken? underdone?
Hash-Browned Potatoes: too brown? not brown enough? well seasoned? too much fat? too little fat?
Stewed Tomatoes: sufficiently cooked? well seasoned? too sour?
Baked Apples: well done? not well done? too brown? too dry? too moist? sufficient sugar?
Black Tea: too weak? too strong? hot? taste of tannin?
* * * * *
EGGS
* * * * *
VALUE OF EGGS AS FOOD
DESCRIPTION OF EGGS AND PLACE IN THE DIET
1. Eggs are of great importance in the diet, and to appreciate this fact fully the true nature of this food must be understood. For domestic use, the eggs of guinea hens, turkeys, ducks, and geese occasionally find favor, but as eggs laid by hens are the kind that is commonly used, it is to such eggs that this Section is devoted. A hen’s egg may really be considered as an undeveloped chicken, because it contains all the elements required to build the body of the chick and provide it with the energy it needs to pick its way into the world. When it emerges from the shell, it is fully developed, and in a short time it begins an independent existence, seeking and finding its own food. The fact that eggs store so much nutritive material explains to some extent why they are a valuable source of food for man and why they are used so extensively. However, as in the case of milk, the elements that eggs contain are not in just the right proportion for the sole nourishment of a human being, so they must generally be used in combination with other foods.
2. Most persons are familiar with the appearance of eggs, but in order that satisfactory results may be obtained in their selection, care, and cooking, it will be necessary to look into the details of their composition. As is well known, an egg consists of a porous shell lined with a fine, but tough, membrane that encloses the white and the yolk and serves to protect them. The yolk is divided from the white by a delicate membrane, which permits it to be separated from the white when an egg is carefully broken. This membrane extends to each end of the shell in the form of a small cord, and it is so fastened to the shell as to hold the yolk evenly suspended. The porous nature of an egg shell is required to give air to the developing chick, but it is this characteristic that permits eggs to spoil as they grow old and are exposed to air, for through these minute pores, or openings, the water in the egg evaporates and air and bacteria enter. Of course, as the water evaporates and is replaced by air, the egg becomes lighter. Because of this fact, the freshness of eggs can be determined by placing them in water. When they are fresh, they will sink in cold water, but as they decompose they become lighter and will float.
Since it is known that the spoiling of eggs is due to the entrance of air through the porous shell, it may be inferred that their decay may be prevented either by protecting the shell so that air cannot enter or by keeping the eggs at so low a temperature that bacteria cannot grow. Although stored eggs always deteriorate more or less, both of these methods of preservation have proved very satisfactory, the former being used largely in the home and the latter finding its solution in cold storage. A knowledge of how eggs can be preserved, however, is of great value, for if there were no means of preservation and eventual marketing, the price of eggs would at times rise to actual prohibitive limits.
3. That eggs as an article of food are growing in importance is indicated by the fact that their production has come to be a large and widely distributed industry. Owing to the private consumption and sale of eggs, an accurate statement of the number of eggs produced is difficult to give. Still, in a report, the United States Bureau of Agriculture estimated the value of the yearly egg production at something more than three million dollars, with an allowance of about 210 eggs, or 17-1/2 dozen, per capita each year, or 4 eggs a week for each person. These figures, however, are only suggestive of the production, use, and value of eggs, for as the population increases so does the use of eggs. In fact, they are proving to be almost indispensable to the cook, the baker, the manufacturers of certain foods, and many others.
4. With the increase in the demand for eggs has come a corresponding steady advance in the money value of this product and, consequently, an increase in its price. The housewife who would practice economy in cookery can readily see, therefore, that with reference to the number of eggs required and the ways in which they are used, she must choose carefully the recipes and methods she employs. If the eggs are always considered a part of a meal, their use is seldom an extravagance, even at such high prices as they sometimes attain. On the other hand, if a dessert that requires the use of many eggs is added to a meal that is itself sufficient in food value, it is not unreasonable to regard such use of eggs as an extravagance. A point that should be taken into consideration in the use of eggs in the diet, especially when their price seems very high, is that there is no waste matter in them, unless the shell is regarded as waste. Therefore, they are often more economical than other foods that can be bought for less money.
It must not be understood, however, that eggs are used only as an article of diet. They are also a very important food ingredient, being employed in the preparation of many kinds of dishes. For instance, they are often used to thicken custards, sauces, etc.; to clarify soups and jellies; to lighten cakes, puddings, hot breads, and other baked mixtures; to form the basis for salad dressings; and to combine or hold together many varieties of food.
NUTRITIVE VALUE OF EGGS
5. Like milk, eggs are often spoken of as a perfect food. Still, as has been pointed out, they are not a perfect food for man, but they are of especial nutritive value and should be used freely in the diet just as long as their cost neither limits nor prohibits their use. An idea of how they compare with other nutritious foods can be obtained from Fig. 1, which shows that eight eggs are equal in food value to 1 quart of milk or 1 pound and 5 ounces of beefsteak. A better understanding of their food value, however, can be gained from a study of their composition.
[Illustration: FIG. 1]
6. Since an egg is an undeveloped chick that requires only the addition of warmth to develop it into a living, moving creature made of muscles, bones, and blood, it is evident that this food contains considerable tissue-building and energy-producing material. The exact proportion of this material, as well as the other substances found in eggs, is given in the food chart shown in _Essentials of Cookery_, Part 1. The chart relating to the composition of eggs points out that the edible portion of the whole egg consists of 73.7 per cent. of water, 14.8 per cent. of protein, 10.5 per cent. of fat, and about 1 per cent. of ash, or mineral matter. The protein, which is chiefly in the form of albumen, and the fat are the most digestible of these elements, while the mineral constituents are as valuable for the growing child as for the chick. When the total weight of an egg is taken into consideration, the shell constitutes about 11 per cent., the yolk 32 per cent., and the white 57 per cent. The composition of the yolk and the white differs somewhat, the yolk having the greater food value, a fact that is also clearly indicated in the chart. The white contains a larger proportion of water than the yolk, but the yolk contains the most of the fat and more protein and mineral matter, or ash, than the white. In addition, the chart shows that the number of calories to the pound of whole egg is 700, of egg yolk is 1,608, and of egg white is 265.
7. PROTEIN IN EGGS.–The nature of the food substances in eggs is of nearly as great importance as their amount, for they not only determine the value of this food in the body, but influence its cooking. That protein is present in both the yolk and the white is apparent from the fact that they coagulate when heat is applied. Because eggs are high in protein, containing 14.8 per cent. of this substance, they may be regarded as equivalent to a meat dish, and it is only when they are extremely high in price that they cannot be frequently substituted for meat to advantage. They are often used to take the place of milk, too, for eggs and milk are more alike in nutritive value than any other two protein foods; but, of the two, milk yields the cheaper form of protein. Like meat and milk, eggs are rich in all those food materials which enter into the construction of bone, muscle, and blood.
8. FAT IN EGGS.–A study of the food chart previously mentioned will show that eggs contain proportionately almost as much fat as protein and that nearly all this fat is found in the yolk. Since fat produces more heat or energy, weight for weight, than any other food substance, and since eggs contain neither starch nor sugar, it is evident that the fat of this food is the main source of the energy-producing material. Fat in eggs occurs in the form of an emulsion, or tiny particles, and, like the fat of milk, is very readily digested. It is for this reason that both of these foods are particularly well adapted to the diet of both children and adults. The presence of quantities of protein and fat and the absence of carbohydrate in eggs indicate that the proper thing to combine with this food, in order to have a well-balanced meal when eggs are eaten, is carbohydrate in some form.
9. MINERALS IN EGGS.–Eggs are especially valuable for the mineral salts they contain, chief among which are lime, phosphorus, sulphur, iron, potassium, and sodium. For this reason, the addition of eggs to any kind of diet supplies a large amount of the minerals that are needed for bone, blood, and tissue building. A favorable point concerning the minerals found in eggs is that they are not affected to any extent by cooking. Therefore, in the preparation of any dish, if eggs are added to other foods, that dish will contain an additional amount of mineral salts, plus the nutritive value of the eggs.
10. DIGESTIBILITY OF EGGS.–In connection with the discussion of the food substances of which eggs are composed, it will be well to note how these affect the digestibility of this food. But just what is meant by this characteristic with reference to eggs must first be understood. In some foods, digestibility may mean the length of time required for them to digest; in others, the completeness of the digestion; and in still others, the ease and comfort with which the process of digestion proceeds. In the case of eggs, digestibility refers to the quantity of this food that is absorbed, that is, actually dissolved and permitted to enter the blood stream. The nutritive value of eggs is not so high as would naturally be supposed, for, although the protein, fat, and mineral salts of an egg make up about one-fourth of its contents, one egg equals in nutritive value only 1/2 cupful of milk, a small potato, or a medium-sized apple. However, when the proportion of the nutritive material that the body retains from this food, or its digestibility, is considered, eggs rank extremely high, it having been determined by experiments that 97 per cent. of the protein and 95 per cent. of the fat are assimilated. A point worthy of note in this connection, though, is that eggs contain no cellulose, such as that found in grains, vegetables, and fruits. Therefore, in order to add the much-needed bulk to the diet, foods that do contain cellulose should be served with eggs.
11. Whether or not the cooking of eggs has any effect on their digestibility is a matter that has also been investigated. The results of the experiments made indicate that cooking makes some difference with the rate of digestion, but very little with its thoroughness. So far as the rapidity of digestion is concerned, there is very little difference between raw eggs and slightly cooked eggs; but hard-cooked eggs, although they may be digested as completely as soft-cooked ones, require longer time for the accomplishment of the process. This is due to the fact that the whites of hard-cooked eggs are so firm in texture that, unless they are finely chopped or thoroughly masticated, the digestive juices are not able to act on them quickly. As a result, portions of them may escape digestion or remain in the digestive tract for some time and decompose. For this reason, hard-cooked eggs are usually excluded from the diet of children and invalids, and even healthy adults should be careful to masticate them thoroughly.
SELECTION OF EGGS
12. On first thought it would seem as if there is very little to guide the housewife in the selection of eggs, it being extremely difficult to tell from their external appearance whether or not they are fresh or stale. As a rule, she must trust largely to the honesty of the person from whom she buys eggs. Still she need not depend entirely on the dealer’s word, for, at least to a certain extent, there are ways in which she may judge the quality of eggs. Because of the great value of eggs as a food and for cooking purposes, it is important that the housewife make use of all available information on this matter and, in addition, become familiar with the trade practices in the egg industry.
13. MARKETING OF EGGS.–As is generally known, hens lay a large number of eggs in the spring of the year, but they do not lay readily in the cold winter months; and not alone are the greatest quantities of eggs produced in April and May, but those laid at this time are of the best quality. Because of this condition and in order that the demand during the time of scarcity may be supplied, it is necessary that a considerable number of eggs be preserved when they are comparatively cheap and abundant. Also, in the preserving of eggs for future use, it is of the greatest importance that they be kept in the best possible condition and manner, so that when they are used, months after they are laid, they may be as good as it is possible to have them.
The advance made in storage and transportation methods in recent years has done much toward making the egg supply uniform all the year around. Not long ago, because of inadequate means of storage and shipping, eggs were sold only a short distance from the place where they were produced. However, with the coming of cold storage and improved methods of shipping, eggs have been changed from a perishable and more or less seasonable food to a staple one. Now it is possible to collect them in large quantities, to keep them for a considerable time before selling them, and to ship them long distances. To safeguard the public, though, authorities have set a time limit for the storage of eggs, the legal time they may be kept being 8 months. By this is meant that eggs placed in the warehouse in May must be released or sold in December; whereas, those stored in June must be released no later than January.
14. Eggs that have been kept too long in storage are characterized by a musty odor and flavor, the breaking of the yolk and its mixing with the white, and a watery condition of the white. Such eggs, of course, cannot be sold legally. Those which may be placed on the market are graded according to their freshness, cleanliness, size, cracks, and color. With the exception of their freshness, these points can be readily told from the appearance of the eggs; but, in order to determine whether an egg is fresh or not, it is generally put through a process known as _candling_, by which the interior condition of the egg can be ascertained.
In the grading of eggs, all those of the best size, color, and condition are sold under a particular trade name and bring a high or a low price, according to the grading. Others that are not so perfect are put in another grade and sell for prices that vary according to the demand. Eggs, of course, differ in appearance and in many cases they are sorted in order to satisfy the demand. For instance, in some localities, eggs having a brown shell sell for the highest price, while in other places, eggs having a white shell are in the greatest demand and bring the highest price. Unsorted eggs are not held in much favor and do not bring so good a price as those which are all one color. Many persons have an idea that the color of the shell of an egg bears some relation to its nutritive value and flavor. However, authorities on foods agree that, other things being alike, the edible portion of white-shelled eggs has essentially the same composition and nutritive value as that of dark-shelled eggs.
15. QUALITY OF EGGS.–The natural quality of eggs depends largely on the food of the hens and their conditions of living. Because of this fact, the selection, breeding, and care of fowls have developed into a science, particularly since the production of eggs has grown into an industry. When the quality itself is to be determined, all the characteristics of eggs must be taken into consideration; still there is one particular point on which the quality of eggs depends, and that is their freshness. Various agencies, however, are constantly at work to render this quality inferior. Chief among these are the molds and bacteria that pass through the porous shells of eggs that have been improperly cared for or have become contaminated by being allowed to remain in unclean surroundings. Such bacteria are responsible for the unpleasant flavors that are found in bad eggs. Because of their harmful effect, every effort should be made to prevent the entrance of the germs that cause decay, and, as has been stated, the best way in which to accomplish this is to protect the shell. If it is found that bacteria have entered, the eggs will become unfit for use quickly unless their growth is prevented. This may be done by storing the eggs at a temperature that will keep the bacteria dormant, or inert.
16. If the eggs are kept under the proper conditions, they will not actually spoil for a long time; but it is seldom that they are not more or less affected by storage of any kind that covers a period of several months. One change that can always be looked for in such eggs is in the air space at the broad end. When an egg is first laid, this air space is small, but since the water contained in the egg slowly evaporates through the porous shell it increases in size as the egg grows staler. For this reason, the freshness of an egg can often be determined by the size of this air space.
In addition, the purposes for which eggs are used are somewhat affected by their storage. A stale egg, although it may not be actually spoiled to the extent that it cannot be used as food, will not produce such good results in a cooking process as a fresh egg, especially if it is used for leavening. In fact, it is impossible to produce the desired results with eggs that have undergone a certain amount of change, even though their odor and their flavor do not indicate that they are spoiled.
17. JUDGING THE QUALITY OF EGGS IN THE MARKET.–While, as has been mentioned, the housewife must depend considerably on the dealer’s word as to the freshness of the eggs she purchases, it will be well for her to be familiar with the trade names of eggs and their meaning. The names used differ, of course, in various localities, but all large distributors grade and name eggs in much the same way. In deciding on the grade to which eggs belong, a certain number of points are given for color, size, freshness, and appearance, and the sum total of these points determines the grade, a special name being given for each grade. For instance, eggs that can be graded 90 are called _extra fancy_; those which receive a grade of 80, _fancy_; those which are graded 70, _strictly fresh_; and those which can be graded only 60, _cooking eggs_. When eggs are put on the market under such names, it can be expected that the quality will correspond to the grade and the price will vary with the grade. Therefore, the trade name and the price are two of the principal ways in which the quality of eggs in the market may be judged.
18. Another way of judging the quality of eggs consists in observing the condition of the surface of the shell. When eggs are freshly laid, the shell is covered with a substance, called _bloom_, that gives it a feeling much like that of a thin lime coating deposited in a pan after water boils. This coating disappears gradually as the egg is exposed to the air, but as long as it remains, the egg may be considered as fresh and germ-proof. While this way of determining freshness is probably the quickest, it is possible that the quality of some eggs from which the bloom has recently disappeared has not been injured.
19. When eggs are selected in the market, certain points in their appearance should also be noted. If eggs of the best quality are desired, medium-sized ones that are uniform in size and color should be selected. With regard to shape, they should have a comparatively long oval shell, one end of which is blunt and the other, a sharp curve.
[Illustration: FIG. 2: Internal structure of egg.]
[Illustration: FIG. 3: FRESH, 3 WEEKS, 3 MONTHS, OLDER.]
20. JUDGING THE QUALITY OF EGGS IN THE HOME.–After eggs have been received in the home, several simple tests for determining their freshness can be applied in addition to the ones already mentioned. A rather indefinite test, but one that is sometimes applied to determine the freshness of an egg, is to shake it. However, to be able to carry out this test successfully, it is well to understand the interior structure of an egg. Fig. 2 illustrates this clearly. At _a_ is shown the air space previously mentioned; at _b_, the spiral cords that run from the yolk to each end of the egg and hold the yolk in place; at _c_, the yolk; and at _d_, the white. When the water inside the shell evaporates, the yolk and white shrink so much that they can be felt moving from side to side when the egg is shaken. The staler the egg, the more pronounced does the movement become. This method should be applied only immediately before the egg is to be used, as the thin membrane between the yolk and the white and the spiral cords that hold up the yolk are liable to be disturbed by the shaking. If they are broken, the yolk will settle and finally adhere to the shell in case the egg is stored for any length of time after that.
[Illustration: FIG. 4: Testing the egg.]
[Illustration: FIG. 5: four eggs.]
21. If nothing has been done to preserve eggs, the simple test for freshness illustrated in Fig. 3, which consists in placing the eggs in a glass containing water, will be found effective. A perfectly fresh egg will sink when it is put into the water, but if the egg is 3 weeks old the broad end will rise slightly from the bottom of the glass. An egg that is 3 months old will sink into water until only a slight portion of the shell remains exposed; whereas, if the egg is older or stale, it will rise in the water until nearly half of it is exposed. 22. The test known as candling, which is usually applied to eggs before they are put on the market, can also be practiced by the housewife in the home. This method of determining the freshness of eggs consists in placing a piece of cardboard containing a hole a little smaller than an egg between the eye and a light, which may be from a lamp, a gas jet, or an electric light, and holding the egg in front of the light in the manner shown in Fig. 4. The rays of light passing through the egg show the condition of the egg, the size of its air space, and the growth of mold or the spoiling of the egg by any ordinary means.
[Illustration: FIG. 6 (_a_) (_b_)]
In Fig. 5 is shown how an egg at various stages of freshness appears when candled. When an egg is fresh, it will appear as in (_a_); that is, the yolk will be barely distinguishable from the white except as a slightly darker area in the center of the egg, and the entire egg will appear clear and bright and free from spots. In an egg that is a little older, candling will reveal a slightly darker yolk, a cloudy white, and a larger air space, as in (_b_). In a watery egg, or one that is beginning to spoil, various dark spots and blotches usually develop, as view (_c_) indicates. When an egg is rotten, the contents of the shell will look dark in candling and the yolk will appear to be mixed with the white, as in (_d_). 23. If the housewife does not wish to resort to candling, she may determine the condition of an egg by breaking it into a saucer and examining it carefully. If the egg is newly laid, no odor will be detected and the white will be clear, elastic, and rather thick; also, where it joins the yolk it will be almost solid. The yolk of such an egg will have an even yellow color, without lighter or darker spots and, as shown in Fig. 6 (_a_), will stand up well from the surface of the white. Sometimes a small spot of blood may be detected on the yolk of a perfectly fresh egg, but, while this is not pleasant to look at, it does not affect the quality of the egg. When an egg that is not real fresh is broken into a saucer, the yolk will lie flat, as in (_b_). In an egg that is quite stale, the membrane surrounding the yolk is easily destroyed, so that even when such an egg is broken carefully the yolk and the white are likely to run together.
* * * * *
PRESERVATION OF EGGS
CAUSES AND PREVENTION OF DETERIORATION
24. As has been implied in the discussion given thus far, eggs will deteriorate or spoil in a comparatively short time unless something is done to preserve them. In view of the eggs she keeps on hand at home, as well as those she buys, the causes of spoiling and the ways in which to prevent spoiling are matters with which the housewife should be familiar, particularly if she would secure for her family eggs of the best quality at prices that are not beyond her means. The spoiling of eggs is due to decomposition, which is caused by molds or bacteria that result from accidental causes, and, in fertile eggs, to the germination and development of the chick, which is a natural process. The loss of quality resulting from molds and bacteria in the egg is brought about by their growth and by the formation of chemical compounds, which give spoiled eggs their peculiar appearance, taste, and odor. Some of these molds are not injurious to health, while others may give rise to more or less serious illness.
25. Various methods have been devised whereby their rapid deterioration may be prevented, and a knowledge of these is important to those who have occasion to purchase eggs or to keep them over from the season of plenty to the season of scarcity. The method followed to prevent losses due to the development of the embryo consists in the production of infertile eggs–that is, eggs that are non-productive. This is a point that is as well worth remembering in the home production of eggs as it is in professional poultry raising. The method employed to prevent the infection of eggs by molds and bacteria is to keep them clean and dry from the time they are laid until they are finally used.
26. While the preservation of eggs is carried on to a greater extent at present than formerly, the idea is neither new nor original; indeed, it has been practiced for many years by the people of some foreign countries. For instance, in some sections of China, duck eggs are preserved by covering them with a layer of mud, and such eggs are often kept for a year or more before they are eaten. However, eggs stored in this way decompose and their odor and flavor disappear before they are used, so that they must usually be hard boiled before they can be eaten. Egg preservation such as is practiced in the United States is the opposite of this and attempts to prevent not only ripening processes and putrefactive changes but any bacterial or other changes that lessen the original quality. It will be well to note, however, that eggs preserved for any length of time deteriorate to some extent and cannot be expected to be equally as good as fresh eggs.
COMMERCIAL PRESERVATION OF EGGS
27. The usual market method of preserving eggs is by cold storage, an industry that has developed to vast proportions in recent years. The success of this method depends on the fact that germs causing decomposition will not live in a low temperature. While the plan of storing eggs is responsible for their high price at certain times, it is also a means of supplying eggs to many persons who would otherwise not be able to obtain them. The greatest point in favor of this plan, however, is that it makes possible the marketing of quantities of eggs during the winter season of scarcity at a price that, although somewhat high at times, is much more moderate than it would be if it were not possible to store eggs in large quantities.
28. In order that advantage may be taken of favorable climatic conditions, eggs are commonly purchased for storage as early in the year as they are abundant. They are selected with great care, only those which are clean, sound, and fresh being used. These eggs are packed in clean cases, and then placed in warehouses where they are kept at a temperature just above freezing, or one that ranges from 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. In such storage, precaution is usually taken to prevent the eggs from freezing, for while freezing does not necessarily injure them for immediate use it breaks the shell because of the contraction that occurs. While the eggs are in storage, they are also protected as far as possible from air circulation, as this increases evaporation and causes the contents of eggs to shrink. To prevent the yolks from settling to one side, and finally adhering to the shell, the eggs are turned frequently. The usual limits of storage are from 6 to 9 months, but eggs are not generally allowed to remain in storage more than 8 months. When taken out at the end of that time, it will be found that they have deteriorated very little, and while they cannot compete with the better grades of fresh eggs, they are as desirable as most of the eggs that can be purchased in the early fall when eggs are not plentiful.
29. Sometimes eggs are removed from the shells, stored for commercial use in containers of about 50 pounds each, and kept at the freezing point until they are to be used. Eggs in this form, which may be bought with the yolks and whites either mixed or separate, find a ready market in bakeries and restaurants, where large quantities of eggs are continually used. Such eggs remain good for any length of time while they are kept frozen, but they must be used immediately after they are removed from storage.
30. It is not always necessary to keep eggs at a cold temperature in order to preserve them, for a method that has proved very satisfactory is to reduce them to the form of powder by drying them. In this form, the bulk is greatly reduced, 1 pound of the dry material representing 30 to 40 eggs, and in order to prepare them for use in cooking they must be mixed with water. POWDERED EGGS, or _desiccated eggs_, as they are usually called, can be kept for an indefinite length of time without special care in storage, when they are wholesome and carefully handled. Tests that have been made show that eggs of this kind give fairly good results when used in cookery, but they are used principally by bakers, for they can be obtained more cheaply than fresh eggs, especially when it is difficult to secure eggs in other forms.
HOME PRESERVATION OF EGGS
31. The housewife who desires to run her household on an economical basis will not depend entirely on eggs that are commercially stored, but will take advantage of one of the many methods by which eggs may be successfully kept in the home. By being prudent in this matter, she will be prepared to supply her family with this commodity at times when the market price is high.
As many as twenty household methods have been tried out for the preserving of eggs, but each one is based on the theory that decay is hindered when the shell is covered with some substance that renders it air-tight and prevents evaporation or the entrance of bacteria and mold. Among the methods that have met with the most success are burying eggs in oats, bran, or salt; rubbing them with fat; dipping them in melted paraffin; covering them with varnish or shellac; and putting them down in lime water or in a solution of water glass.
No matter which of these methods is adopted, however, it will be well to note that only eggs laid in April, May, or June should be used for storage purposes, as these are the best ones laid during the year; also, that the eggs should always be packed with the small end down, because the yolk will not settle toward the small end so readily as toward the large end or the side.
32. Of these various ways of preserving eggs in the home, probably the oldest method is that of packing the eggs in oats, bran, or salt. This method is fairly effective, but the eggs preserved by it do not keep so long as eggs preserved by other methods, nor is their quality so good. Preserving eggs by completely covering the shells with fat, vaseline, paraffin, varnish, or other substance that will exclude the air but not impart flavor to the eggs, proves a more satisfactory method so far as the eggs are concerned, but it requires more time and handling. To assist in their preservation, eggs are sometimes immersed in boiling water for 12 to 15 seconds. This process, which causes the white to harden slightly just inside of the shell, keeps the eggs fairly well, but it is rather difficult to accomplish, as the least overcooking renders the egg unfit for use as a raw egg.
As a result of many trials, it has been found that putting eggs down in the various solutions that are used for this purpose is the most effective way of preserving them under home conditions, provided, of course, the solutions in which the eggs are immersed do not flavor the eggs. Therefore, to assist the housewife, detailed directions for using lime water and water glass for this purpose are here given.
33. PRESERVATION WITH LIMEWATER.–To prepare limewater for the preservation of eggs, dissolve 1 pound or 1 pint of salt and 1 quart of finely slaked lime in 3 gallons of water, stir the solution at frequent intervals for a day or two, and then allow the liquid to settle. Place the eggs in tall stone crocks or kegs with their pointed ends turned down, filling the receptacles to within a few inches of the top. Pour the clear limewater over the eggs so arranged, allowing it to rise an inch or two above the top layer. Then stand the vessel in a cool place where the temperature will not exceed 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Eggs so treated will keep for at least 6 or 8 months. The only objection to this plan is that the eggs preserved by it sometimes acquire a slight lime taste.
34. PRESERVATION WITH WATER GLASS.–Putting eggs down in a solution of water glass is without doubt the most satisfactory method of storing them in the home. So effective does this method prove that the housewife who has a convenient and proper storage room should not fail to take advantage of this way of laying up a supply of eggs.
The commercial form of water glass is usually a mixture of potassium and sodium silicate, which, besides being cheaper than that which is chemically pure, is the kind that is preferred for the purpose of preserving eggs. A good quality of it either in a sirup-like solution or in the form of a powder retails in drug or grocery stores for about 10 cents a pound. To make a solution of the desired strength to preserve eggs satisfactorily, dissolve 1 part of water glass in 7 parts of warm water that has first been boiled to drive off bacteria, mold, spores, etc. One quart of water glass will make sufficient solution to cover about 12 dozen eggs. With the solution thoroughly mixed, it is ready to pour over the eggs.
In selecting eggs for the purpose of storing, be careful to choose only those which are clean, fresh, and perfectly sound, and, if possible, infertile. It is advisable not to wash them before they are put into the preservative, for they will keep better if their bloom is not removed. Place the eggs in receptacles in the manner explained for preserving eggs in limewater, and over them pour the water-glass solution until they are all covered. If the eggs so prepared are stored in a cool place, they will keep as long as those preserved in limewater; besides, there will be no danger of their acquiring any foreign flavor.
* * * * *
COOKING OF EGGS
PRELIMINARY PREPARATION
35. The successful preparation of eggs for their use as a food demands that certain points must be observed by the housewife. For instance, she must see that the eggs she uses are in the right condition; that the shells are properly broken for the most convenient removal of the egg; that the parts of the egg are separated in the right way in case the whites and the yolks are to be used separately; and that the eggs receive the right treatment for the purpose for which they are to be used. Attention to all these points not only will insure the most satisfactory results, but will enable the housewife to supply her family with food that is extremely wholesome and nutritious.
[Illustration: FIG. 7]
36. Exterior Condition of Eggs.–As has been explained, clean eggs are the most desirable, but it is not advisable to wash eggs that are to be kept for even a short time, as washing them removes the natural coating that helps to prevent the entrance of bacteria. However, as it is necessary that the shells be perfectly clean before they are broken or before the eggs are cooked, the eggs may be washed or wiped with a damp cloth immediately before such processes.
37. BREAKING OF EGGS.–In cookery, it is usually desirable to break an egg shell so that the yolk will not run into the white; that is, so that these can be kept separate. While there are several methods of doing this, the housewife should adopt the one that is most convenient for her. A quick method that is often employed consists in striking the shell on the edge of the pan or the bowl into which the contents are to be put. A preferable method, however, is illustrated in Fig. 7. It consists in striking one side of the shell, midway between the ends, a sharp blow with the edge of a knife. The advantage of this method will be evident after a trial or two, for it will be found that the depth of the cut made by the knife can be so gauged that there will be little danger of breaking the yolk. Besides, fragments of the shell are not likely to fall into the bowl or the pan with the contents of the egg.
[Illustration: FIG. 8]
38. SEPARATING OF EGGS.–Frequently recipes require that the yolks and whites of eggs be beaten separately before being added to the other ingredients. When this is the case, care must be exercised in taking the egg from the shell. The method by which this is most easily accomplished is illustrated in Fig. 8. As will be observed, the shell is first broken as nearly as possible into halves and then, while the egg is poured from 1/2 of the shell into the other, the white is dropped into a dish and the yolk is retained in the shell. During this process, the yolk should remain intact in its delicate membrane, for if it becomes mixed with the white the lightness of the white will be injured. To separate the yolk from the white is not difficult when eggs are fresh, but as they become stale the membrane surrounding the yolk grows weak and breaks easily. If the yolk breaks and any of it falls into the white, it must be completely removed before the white is beaten.
39. BEATING OF EGGS.–Sometimes eggs are cooked in the shell and other times they are used alone just as they are removed from the shell, as in the frying and poaching processes; however, when they are to be combined with other ingredients, they are usually beaten. Eggs are beaten for the purpose of mixing the yolk and the white or of incorporating air to act as a leavening agent when the eggs are heated in the cooking process. Various utensils, such as a fork, an egg whip, or an egg beater, may be employed for beating eggs, the one to select depending on the use to which the eggs are to be put. The rotary, or Dover, egg beater, previously described as a labor-saving device and illustrated in Fig. 9 (_a_), should be used to beat either whole eggs or the yolks of eggs when they are to be used in custards, mayonnaise, cakes, puddings, etc., as it will beat them sufficiently light for such purposes. However, for the beating of egg whites, use should be made of a fork or of an egg whip similar to that shown in (_b_), because the whites must be lifted instead of stirred for the incorporation of air, and it is only with a utensil of this kind that this can be accomplished. Then, too, more air can be incorporated into the whites and the volume of the egg thereby increased by means of a fork or an egg whip than by an egg beater. An important point to remember in this connection is that eggs can be beaten more successfully when they are cold and have had a pinch of salt added to them.
[Illustration: FIG. 9]
[Illustration: FIG. 10]
40. In the beating of eggs, it should be remembered that for some purposes, as in making some kinds of sponge cake, they are beaten until nearly frothy, as shown in Fig. 10, when they do not stand up nor cling to the whip; whereas, for other purposes, as in making meringue, they are beaten until they are stiff enough to stand up well and to adhere to the whip, as Fig. 11 shows. When egg whites are to be beaten stiff, care should be taken not to continue the beating too long. If this is done, they will become dry and will break up into small pieces, a condition that will mean a loss of some of the air that has been incorporated. It is well also to observe that egg whites should always be beaten in the same direction and that the same motion should be continued throughout the beating, for a change of direction or motion always causes a loss of air. A final precaution to take is never to allow egg whites to stand after they are beaten. If this is done, the leavening power of the eggs is reduced, because the air soon escapes from beaten eggs and leaves underneath them a clear liquid that can never be beaten up. For instance, eggs that are to be used for boiled icing should not be beaten until the sirup has finished boiling. However, eggs that have been separated but not beaten may stand for a couple of hours, provided they are covered and kept in a cool place.
[Illustration: FIG. 11]
POINTS TO OBSERVE IN COOKING EGGS
41. As has been previously stated, the substance in eggs that requires special care in the cooking process is the protein, which occurs in this food in the form of albumen. Because of this, certain points concerning the treatment that the albumen requires should be kept in mind. In a raw egg, the albumen occurs in a semiliquid form, but it coagulates at a lower temperature than does the yolk, which contains a high percentage of fat. After coagulation, the consistency of the two parts is very different. The white is elastic and more or less tough, while the yolk, upon being thoroughly cooked, becomes powdery, or mealy, and breaks up into minute particles. The egg white begins to coagulate at 134 degrees Fahrenheit, and it becomes white and jellylike at 160 degrees. Bringing an egg to such a temperature produces a more desirable result than cooking it at a high temperature–boiling point, for instance–because the albumen, instead of becoming tough, as it does at a high temperature, acquires a soft, tender consistency that exists throughout the entire egg. An egg cooked in this way is more digestible and appetizing than one that is boiled until it becomes hard and tough.
42. The low temperature at which eggs will cook in the shell applies also to eggs when they are combined with other foods. Sometimes, however, a mixture in which eggs are one of the ingredients must be cooked at a high temperature because the materials mixed with them require it. This difficulty can be overcome when eggs are combined with starchy foods, such as corn starch, rice, and tapioca, that require long cooking. In such a case, all the ingredients except the eggs may be cooked the length of time they require, after which the eggs may be added so that they will cook just long enough to become coagulated. Longer cooking is liable to spoil the texture. Often the starchy mixture retains sufficient heat to set the eggs without further cooking after they are added.
43. A very nutritious way in which to prepare eggs when they are to be used for a dessert is to combine them with milk to form a custard, which, after being sweetened and flavored, is baked. The proportion that has been accepted as ideal to produce a dessert of the right thickness is one egg to each cupful of milk; however, an entire egg is not always required, as one yolk is often sufficient to thicken 1 cupful of milk. Care should be taken in the cooking of such custards, for if they are cooked too long or at too high a temperature they will curdle and whey; whereas, a properly cooked custard–that is, one cooked slowly at a low temperature and for the required length of time–will have a smooth, jellylike consistency. A slight variation in a dish of this kind is secured by reducing the number of eggs and thickening it with corn starch or some other starchy material. While such a mixture is not a true custard, it makes an excellent dessert.
44. In the cooking of mixtures containing eggs, no utensil proves quite so satisfactory as the double boiler, which has already been explained and illustrated. In fact, it is almost impossible to cook an egg mixture directly over the flame on account of the difficulty encountered in preventing the eggs from curdling. The low temperature at which cooking is possible in the double boiler makes it a comparatively simple matter to bring a mixture to the proper consistency without the formation of curds. Still, a certain amount of precaution must be taken even with a double boiler. If the degree of heat that is reached in this utensil is applied too long, the result will be no more satisfactory than when mixtures are exposed directly to the heat and cooked at a high temperature. While every effort should be made to cook mixtures containing eggs, such as custards or mayonnaise, so as to prevent curds from forming, occasionally they will form in spite of all that can be done. However, it is sometimes possible to remedy the matter by placing the vessel at once in cold water and beating the mixture rapidly with a Dover egg beater until the curds disappear. The cold water cools the mixture and prevents the formation of more curds, and the beating breaks up those which have already formed, provided they are not too hard.
45. In addition to the uses already mentioned, eggs have numerous other uses in cooking with which the housewife should be familiar. For instance, slightly beaten egg is used to a great extent to make crumbs or meal adhere to the surface of croquettes, meat, oysters, etc. that are to be sautéd or fried in deep fat, a coating of this kind preventing the food from becoming soaked with grease. In addition, egg is used to stick flour together for certain kinds of dough, such as noodles. Then, again, it is much used to puff up mixtures and produce a hollow space in them, as in popovers and cream puffs. While such mixtures do not require beating, spongy mixtures, such as omelets and sponge cakes, do. In these, eggs are an important factor, and they must be thoroughly beaten in order to incorporate the air in small bubbles and thus produce the desired texture.
SERVING OF EGGS
46. The manner of serving eggs depends, of course, on the way in which they are cooked. One point, however, that should never be overlooked, so far as eggs that are to be served hot is concerned, is that they should be served immediately upon being prepared, so that they will not have an opportunity to become cool before being eaten. This applies particularly to any spongy mixture, such as puff omelet and soufflé, as these dishes shrink upon standing and become less appetizing in both appearance and texture.
Several ways of serving soft-cooked eggs are in practice, but probably the most satisfactory way is to serve them in egg cups. In case cups are used, they should be heated before being placed on the table, as the heat that they retain helps to keep the eggs warm. The eggs may be removed from the shell into the cup and eaten from the cup, or the unbroken egg may be placed point downwards in the small end of the cup, a small piece broken from the broad end of the shell, and the egg then eaten from the shell through the opening made in it. If egg cups are not available, the eggs may be removed from the shell and served in small dessert dishes, which also should be heated.
Many egg dishes are made more attractive and appetizing by means of a garnish of some kind. Small strips or triangular pieces of toast, sprays of parsley, celery leaves, lettuce, and strips of pimiento are very satisfactory for this purpose. If no other garnish is desired, just a sprinkling of paprika adds a touch of color.
47. In connection with the serving of eggs it will be well to note that they have a tendency to adhere to china and to discolor silver. Therefore, in the washing of china and the cleaning of silver that have been used in the serving of raw or slightly cooked eggs, much care should be exercised. Dishes in which eggs of this kind have been served should first be washed in cool water in order to remove all the egg, and then they should be thoroughly washed in hot water. If the hot water is applied first, the heat will cause the egg to coagulate and cling to the dishes. Silver that comes in contact with eggs tarnishes or becomes discolored through the action of the sulphur that is found in them, just as it does when it is exposed to the air. Dark spots that appear on silver from this source may be removed by means of a good silver cleaner.
EGG RECIPES
48. To enable the housewife to prepare many of the dishes already mentioned, as well as many other egg dishes, a number of recipes are here given. These recipes pertain to the cooking of eggs alone in various ways or to dishes in which eggs are the leading ingredient. There are, of course, numerous other dishes in which eggs are required, such as custards, cakes, mayonnaise, etc., but these are omitted here, as recipes for them are included in the lessons that pertain directly to them. In the first few recipes, the ingredients are omitted and merely directions given, for the eggs themselves are practically the only thing required, especially so far as the cooking is concerned. However, in the majority of cases, the ingredients are listed in the usual manner and explicit directions then given for carrying out the recipe.
49. SOFT-COOKED, OR JELLIED, EGGS.–Eggs that are cooked soft, or jellied, may be used for any meal in which plain eggs can be served. When properly prepared, they are both digestible and attractive, and any person who is able to eat eggs at all can eat them in this form.
To prepare soft-cooked, or jellied, eggs, first bring to the boiling point sufficient water to cover well the desired number of eggs, which is usually 1 pint of water to each egg. Then drop the eggs into the water carefully, remove the pan from the fire, place a cover on it, and set it on the back of the stove, where the water will not heat further nor cool too rapidly. Allow the eggs to remain in the water for 5 minutes.
When eggs cooked in this manner are served, they will be found to be the consistency of jelly all the way through. This method of cooking is preferable to boiling them for 3, 4, or 5 minutes, because boiling cooks the white just inside the shell very hard, while the yolk of the egg remains liquid.
50. POACHED EGGS.–Eggs properly poached make a very attractive breakfast dish, but the poaching should be well done in order to have the dish attractive and digestible. The food value of a plain poached egg is, of course, identically the same as that of a soft-cooked, a hard-cooked, or a raw egg. Eggs are usually poached in a shallow pan, although egg poachers are to be had.
To poach eggs in a shallow pan, pour into the pan sufficient water to cover the eggs that are to be cooked, add a teaspoonful of salt or of vinegar for each pint of water, and bring it to the boiling point. Remove the pan from the flame or reduce the heat so that the water will cease to boil. Break the eggs, one at a time, into a saucer and then slide them carefully into the water. Do not allow the water to boil after the eggs have been added, as boiling toughens the egg white and in addition causes considerable loss by tearing it into shreds. When the eggs are set, remove them carefully from the water and season them with salt and pepper. A convenient way to remove the eggs is to use a large spoon that has holes in the bowl for draining off the water. The salt or vinegar is added to the water before cooking in order to solidify the albumen and keep it in a mass.
[Illustration: Fig. 12]
An egg poacher contains a perforated section of metal just large enough to hold an egg. In poaching eggs with such a utensil, the perforated part is placed over a pan of boiling water; then the egg is carefully slid into it, and allowed to poach. Eggs prepared in this way are really cooked by steam and are found to be very satisfactory.
51. POACHED EGGS ON TOAST.–Eggs poached according to the directions just given can be made both appetizing and attractive by serving them on toast, as shown in Fig. 12; indeed, the addition of toast to a poached egg adds a quantity of carbohydrate, a food principle in which the egg is lacking. If the toast is buttered, fat is added, and such a dish, together with fruit, makes a very excellent breakfast. A slice of toast of medium size with the usual amount of butter and egg will have a food value of about 225 calories. In preparing poached eggs on toast, the usual custom is to butter slices of freshly made toast, moisten them with hot milk or cream, and place on them freshly poached eggs. The eggs are then seasoned with salt and pepper, and, if desired, a little piece of butter may be dropped on each one. To add to the attractiveness of such a dish, the toast may be cut round with a cookie cutter or a square piece may be cut diagonally to make two triangular pieces.
52. HARD-COOKED EGGS.–Eggs that are cooked hard may be served hot or cold, or they may be used in numerous ways, as, for example, to garnish a dish to which the addition of protein is desirable or to supply a high-protein dish for some light meal.
To prepare hard-cooked eggs, bring to the boiling point sufficient water to cover well the desired number of eggs, about 1 pint of water for each egg to be cooked usually being sufficient. Carefully drop the eggs into the water and place the pan on the back of the stove where the water will not boil, but will stay hot. Allow the eggs to remain in the hot water for 45 minutes; then remove them, and if they are desired hot, serve them at once. If they are not to be served hot, pour cold water over them and allow them to cool before removing the shells in order to prevent the yolks from discoloring.
When prepared in this way, eggs will be found to be tender and at the same time well cooked; whereas, if they are cooked at the boiling point, they are certain to be tough and leathery and consequently less digestible.
53. FRIED EGGS.–Fried eggs are likely to be more or less indigestible, because the hot fat coagulates the protein and makes it very hard. The addition of fat, however, increases the food value of the eggs to a certain extent. To fry eggs, melt enough butter or other fat in a frying pan to cover its surface well. Break the eggs one at a time into a saucer and slip them into the hot fat. Season with salt and pepper. Fry until the white has become well solidified on the bottom, and then either turn them over or put a few drops of water in the pan and cover it tight with a cover, so that the steam will cook the top of the egg. Fry until the desired degree of hardness has been obtained, and then serve.
54. SCRAMBLED EGGS.–A pleasing variety from the usual methods of preparation is offered by means of scrambled eggs, which are not difficult to make. Too long cooking, however, should be guarded against, for it will cause the protein in the eggs to become too hard and to separate from the liquid and will produce watery scrambled eggs. To be most satisfactory, they should be taken from the pan just before they have finished cooking, for the heat that they hold will complete it. Eggs prepared in this way, according to the accompanying recipe, may be served on toast or with ham and bacon. If they are served with meat, a smaller portion of meat should be given to a person than is ordinarily served.
SCRAMBLED EGGS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 eggs
3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tb. butter
Beat the eggs slightly, and to them add the milk and seasonings. Melt the butter in a frying pan and, when the butter is hot, pour the egg mixture into it. As the eggs begin to thicken, stir them up from the bottom of the pan and continue to stir them until the entire mass has thickened slightly. Before the eggs are entirely cooked, remove them from the pan. Bacon and ham fat may be used instead of butter, and they are strongly recommended if they can be secured, for they lend an excellent flavor to scrambled eggs.
55. SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH TOMATO.–The addition of tomato to scrambled eggs lends an unusual flavor as well as a little variety to the dish. The same conditions apply to the cooking of scrambled eggs with tomato as apply to plain scrambled eggs; namely, that too long cooking ruins them. The onion included in the recipe here given may be omitted from the dish if it is not desirable. The fat to be used may be in the form of butter, although bacon or ham fat may be substituted to give an agreeable flavor.
SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH TOMATO
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
3 Tb. fat
1 slice onion
1 c. stewed tomatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
6 eggs
Put the fat into a frying pan, and when this grease is hot add the slice of onion and fry it until it is brown. Remove the onion from the fat, and add the stewed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Then beat the eggs slightly and add them to the hot tomato. Stir the mixture slowly from the bottom of the pan until it is slightly thickened. Remove from the pan and serve hot.
56. SCRAMBLED EGGS ON TOAST.–The addition of cheese to eggs, as in the accompanying recipe, makes a dish that is very high in protein and usually pleasing in flavor. So as not to overcook the eggs in this dish, they should be cooked only slightly in the pan, because they receive additional cooking when the dish is placed in the oven to melt the cheese. Browning the cheese slightly on top makes a very attractive dish, especially when garnished with parsley.
SCRAMBLED EGGS ON TOAST
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 eggs
3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tb. fat
1/2 c. grated cheese
6 slices of toast
Beat the eggs slightly, and to them add the milk, salt, and pepper. Melt the fat in a frying pan, and when it is hot add the egg mixture. Stir the mixture as it cooks until it has thickened slightly; then pour it over the slices of toast placed in a shallow pan. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, and place under a lighted broiler or in a very hot oven until the cheese melts. Remove to a platter garnish with parsley, and serve.
57. SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH HAM.–The accompanying recipe affords an excellent way in which to use up the little scraps of ham that may be cut from the bone when it is impossible to cut enough nice looking pieces to serve as a cold dish. Eggs prepared in this way will be found very tasty and will take the place of a meat dish for luncheon or supper.
SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH HAM
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. chopped cooked ham
2 Tb. fat
Beat the eggs slightly, and to them add the milk, salt, pepper, and ham. Melt the fat in a frying pan and scramble the mixture as directed in Art. 54 until it is slightly thickened. Remove from the stove and serve at once. If desired, this dish may be served on toast. Other left-over meat, such as roast beef or pork, may be used in place of ham, but such meats do not make so tasty a dish, the flavor of ham in such a combination being more desirable. 58. PLAIN OMELET.–The simplest type of omelet, which is known as plain omelet, does not differ materially from scrambled eggs, except that the whole is collected in a mass in an omelet shape. No difficulty will be experienced in making such an omelet if the directions in the recipe here given are followed explicitly. To make this dish more attractive, some food of a contrasting color, such as jelly or tomatoes, may be used for garnishing.
PLAIN OMELET
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 eggs
6 Tb. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 Tb. fat
Beat the eggs, and to them add the water, salt, and pepper. Heat the fat in an omelet pan or a small frying pan, and when it is hot add the egg mixture. When the egg on the bottom of the pan has thickened, tip the pan and draw the thickened portion toward the handle with the end of a knife, allowing the uncooked egg to run over the pan, and when that has thickened on the bottom, draw it up as before. Repeat until all of the egg has been cooked and an oblong-shaped omelet is formed. Place on a hot platter or plate, garnish with parsley or jelly, and serve.
[Illustration: FIG. 13]
59. PUFF OMELET.–Many housewives consider it to be a very difficult thing to make a puff omelet successfully; but such need not be the case if fresh eggs are used and the usual amount of care is taken in its preparation. The whites of the eggs must not be over-beaten, as too much beating will cause the loss of air and will not permit the omelet to become sufficiently light. Another precaution is that the mixture should not be overcooked, for the application of heat after it has been sufficiently cooked will cause it to shrink. How a puff omelet made according to the recipe here given should look, is shown in Fig. 13. This is a very pleasing dish and never fails to appeal to those persons who are fond of eggs.
PUFF OMELET
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 Tb. bread crumbs
4 Tb. milk
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 Tb. fat
Soak the bread crumbs in the milk. Separate the yolks and whites of the eggs. Beat the egg yolks and add them to the crumbs and milk. Add the salt and pepper. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them carefully into the yolk mixture. Heat the fat in an omelet pan or a frying pan, and when it is hot pour the mixture into it. Cook over a very slow fire, being careful not to burn the mixture, until a knife can be slipped under and the whole mixture raised. By this time the top should be quite puffed up. Place the pan in a hot oven, where the omelet should puff still more, and cook until it is no longer raw. With a knife, score across through the center on a straight line with the handle. Then carefully fold the omelet double, roll it out on a hot platter or plate, as shown in Fig. 14, garnish with parsley, and serve at once. If an omelet of this kind stands for any length of time after it is served, it will shrink and be much less appetizing.
[Illustration: FIG. 14]
60. CHEESE OMELET.–If an additional amount of protein in the form of casein is desired in an omelet, the accompanying recipe for cheese omelet should be tried. The addition of cheese makes this dish even a better meat substitute than either the plain or the puff omelet. Likewise, the cheese adds flavor, which may be increased if desired by the addition of more cheese than the recipe calls for. Although this recipe mentions butter, fat other than butter may be used.