TABLE TOPICS

Whether or not life is worth living, all depends upon the liver. — Set.

Diet cures naair than doctors. — Scotch Proverb.

According to the ancient Hindu Scriptures, the proper amount of food is half of what can be conveniently eaten.

Every hour you steal from digestion will be reclaimed b}- indigestion. — Oswald.

MooTHS ( mouths ) are nae measures. — Scotch Proverb.

"Very few nations in the world," says a sagacious historian, " produce better soldiers than the Russians. They will endure the greatest fatigues and sufferings with patience and calmness. And it is well known that the Russian soldiers are from childhood nourished by simple and coarse vegetable food. The Russian Grenadiers are the finest body of men I ever saw, — not a man is under six feet high. Their allowance consists of eight pounds of black bread, and four pounds of oil per man for eight days."

Colonel Fitzgibbon was, many years ago, colonial agent at London for the Canadian Government, and wholly dependent upon remittances from Canada for his support. On one occasion these remittances failed to arrive, and it being before the day of cables, he was obliged to write to his friends to ascertain the reason of the de- lay. Meanwhile he had just one sovereign to live upon. He found he could live upon a sixpence a day, — four pennyworth of bread, one pennyworth of milk, and one pennyworth of sugar. When his remittances arrived a month afterward, he had five shillings remaining of his sovereign, and he liked his frugal diet so well that he kept it up for several years.

An hour of exercise to every pound of food. — Oswald.

Some eat to live, they loudly cry ; But from the pace they swallow pie And other food promiscuously, One would infer they eat to die. — Sel.

.PHE use of beverages in quantities with food at meal- I time is prejudicial to digestion, because they delay the action of the gastric juice upon solid foods. The

^(^■^ practice of washing down food by copious draughts of water, tea, or coffee is detrimental, not only because it intro- duces large quantities of fluid into the stomach, which must be absorbed before digestion can begin, but also because it offers temptation to careless and imperfect mastication, while tea and coffee also serve as a vehicle for an excessive use of sugar, thus becoming a potent cause of indigestion and dys- pepsia. It is best to drink but sparingly, if at all, at mealtimes. Consideration should also be given to the nature of the bever- age, since many in common use are far from wholesome. Very cold fluids, like iced water, iced tea, and iced milk, are harm- ful, because they cool the contents of the stomach to a degree at which digestion is checked. If drunk at all, they should be taken only in small sips and retained in the mouth until partly warmed.

358 SCIENCE IN THE KITCHEN.

Tea is often spoken of as the "cup that cheers but not ine- briates." "The cup that may cheer yet does injury" would be nearer the truth, for there is every evidence to prove that this common beverage is exceedingly harmful, and that the evils of its excessive use are second only to those of tobacco and alcohol. Tea contains two harmful substances, theine and tannin, — from three to six per cent of the former and more than one fourth its weight of the latter. Theine is a poison belonging to the same class of poisonous alkaloids, and is closely allied to cocaine. It is a much more powerful poison than ..icohol, producing death in less than one hundredth part the deadly dose of alcohol ; and when taken in any but the smallest doses, it produces all the symptoms of intoxication. Tannin is an astringent exercising a powerful effect in delaying salivary and stomach digestion, thus becoming one of the most common causes of digestive disorders. It is also a matter of frequent observation that sleeplessness, palpitation of the heart, and various disorders of the nervous system frequently fol- low the prolonged use of tea. Both theine and tannin are more abundant in green than in black tea.

The dependence of the habitual tea-drinker upon the bever- age, and the sense of loss experienced when deprived of it, are among the strongest proofs of its evil effects, and should be warnings against its use. No such physical discomfort is ex- perienced when deprived of any article of ordinary food. The use of tea makes one feel bright and fresh when really ex- hausted ; but, like all other stimulants, it is by exciting vital action abo\'e the normal without supplying extra force to sup- port the extra expenditure. The fact that a person feels tired is evidence that the system demands rest, that his body is worn and needs repair ; but the relief experienced after a cup of tea is not recuperation. Instead, it indicates that his nerves are paralyzed so that they are insensible to fatigue.

Some people suppose the manner of preparing tea has much to do with its deleterious effects, and that by infusion for two or three minutes only, the evils resulting from the tannin will be greatly lessened. This, however, is a delusion.

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if the same amount of tea be used proportionate to the water ; for tannin in its free state, the condition in which it is found in tea is one of the most readily soluble of substances ; and tea infused for two minutes is likely to hold nearly as much tannin in solution as that infused for a longer period.

Tea is not a food, and can in no wise take the place of food, as so many people attempt to make it, without detriment to health in every respect.

Coffee, cocoa, and chocolate rank in the same category with tea, as beverages which are more or less harmful. Coffee contains caffein, a principle identical with theine and a modi- fied form of tannin, though in less quantity than tea. Cocoa and chocolate contain substances similar to theine and equally harmful, though usually present in much less proportion than in tea.

Custom has made the use of these beverages so common that most people seldom stop to inquire into their nature. Doubt- less the question arises in many minds, If these beverages contain such poisons, why do they not more commonly pro- duce fatal results.'' — Because a tolerance of the poison is estab- lished in the system by use, as in the case of tobacco and other narcotics and stimulants ; but that the poisons surely though insidiously are doing their work is attested by the prevalence of numerous disorders of the digestive and nervous systems, directly attributable to the use of these beverages.

Both tea and coffee are largely adulterated with other harmful substances, thus adding another reason why their use should be discarded. It is stated on good authority that it is almost impossible to obtain unadulterated ground coffee.

In view of all these facts, it certainly seems wisest if a beverage is considered essential, to make use of one less harmful. Hot milk, hot water, hot lemonade, caramel coffee, or some of the various grain coffees, recipes for which are given in the following pages, are all excellent substitutes for tea and coffee, if a hot drink is desired.

360 SCIENCE IN THE KITCHEN.

Beet Coffe*. — Wash best beets thoroughly, but do not scrape; sUce, and brown in a moderate oven, taking care not to burn. When brown, break in small pieces and steep the same as ordinary coifee.

Caramel Coft'ee. — Take three quarts best bran, one quart corn meal, three tablespoonfuls of molasses; mix and brown in the oven like ordinary coifee. For ever)' cup of coffee required, use one heaping tablesjioon- ful of the caramel. Pour boiling water over it, and steep, not boil, for fifteen or twent}' minutes.

Caramel Coft'ee No. 2. — Take one cup each of white flour, corn meal, unsifted Graham flour, and molasses. Mix well, and form into cakes half an inch thick and a little larger around than a silver dollar. If the molasses is not thin enough to take up all the drj'' material, one fourth or one half a cup of cold water maj' be added for that purpose. Bake the cakes in the oven until very dark brown, allowing them to become slightly scorched. When desired for use, take one cake for each cup of coffee required, pour sufficient water over them, and steep, not boil, twenty minutes.

Caramel Coft'ee No. 3. — To three and one half quarts of bran and one and one half quarts of corn meal, take one pint of New Orleans molasses and one half pint of boiling water. Put the water and molasses together and pour them over the bran and corn meal which have been previously mixed. Rub all well together, and brown slowly in the oven, stirring often, until a rich dark brown. Use one heaping tablespoon- ful of coffee to each small cup of boiling water, let it just boil up, then steep on the back of the stove for five or ten minutes.

Caramel Coffee No. 4. — Beat together four eggs and one pint of mo- lasses, and mix thoroughly with four quarts of good wheat bran. Brown in the oven, stirring frequently. Prepare for use the same as the pre- ceding.

Mrs. T's Cai-amel Coffee. — Make a rather thick batter of Graham grits or Graham meal and milk, spread it in shallow pans and bake in a moder- ate oven until evenly done throughout. Cut the cake thus prepared into thin strips, which break into small uniform pieces and spread on per- forated tins or sheets and brown in the oven. Each piece should be very darkly and evenly browned, but not burned. For each cup of coffee required, steep a small handful in boiling water for ten or fifteen minutes, strain and serve.

Parched Orain Coft'ee. — Brown in the oven some perfectly sound wheat, sweet corn, barley, or rice, as you would the coffee berry. If desired, a mixture of grains may be used. Pound or grind fine. Mix the

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white of an egj,' with three tablespoonfuls of the ground grain, and pour over it a quart of boihng water. Allow it to come just to the boiling point, steep slowly for twelve or fifteen minutes, and serve.

Wheat, Oats uihI IJarloy Coffee. — Mix together equal quantities of these grains, brown in tlie oven like ordinary coffee, and grind. To one quart of boiling water take three tablespoonfuls of the prepared coffee mixed with the white of an egg, and steep in boiling water ten or fifteen minutes.

REC/PES FOR COLD BEVERAGES.

Blackberry Beverag-e. — Crush a quart of fresh blackberries, and pour over them a cpiart of cold water ; add a slice of lemon and a teaspoonful of orange water, and let it stand three or four hours. Strain through a jelly bag. Sweeten to taste with a syrup prepared by dissolving white sugar in hot water, allowing it to become cold before using. Serve at once with bits of broken ice in the glasses, or place the pitcher on ice until ready to serve.

Fruit Beverag-e. — A great variety of pleasant, healthful drinks may be made by taking equal quantities of water and the juice of currants, straw- berries, raspberries, cherries, or a mixture of two kinds, as raspberries and currants, sweetening to taste, and putting into each glass a small lump of ice. Directions for the preparation of fruit juices will be found on page 209.

Fruit Beveragre No. 2. — Mash a pint of red raspberries, add one cup of canned pineapple or half a fresh one chopped fine ; pour over all three pints of water. Stir frequently, and let the mixture stand for two hours. Strain, add the juice of six lemons, and sugar or syrup to sweeten.

Another. — Extract the juice from three lemons and as many sour oranges, add a quart of cold water, sugar or syrup to sweeten, half a teaspoonful of rose water, and a cup of pure grape juice; or the rose water and grape juice may be omitted and two tablespoonfuls of straw- berry, raspberry, or cherry juice used instead, and the whole poured over half a dozen slices of pineapple, and allowed to stand until well flavored before using.

Fruit Cordial. — Crush a pint of blackberries, raspberries, grapes, cur- rants, or cherries, adding the juice of two sour oranges, and a sliced lemon ; pour over all a quart of cold water. Stir the mixture frequently and let it stand for two hours, then strain and add a syrup made by dis- solving white sugar in boiling water, sufficient to sweeten. Cool on ice and serve.

Gfrape Beverage. — Crush two pounds of perfectly ripened purple grapes and strain the juice through a jelly bag. Add to the juice three

362 SCIENCE IN THE KITCHEN.

tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar or syrup, and dilute with cold water to suit the taste.

Lemonade. — Use three large or four medium-sized lemons for each quart of water, and from six to eight tablespoonfuls of sugar. Rub or squeeze the lemons till soft. Cut a slice or two from each, and extract the juice with a lemon drill ; strain the juice through a fine wire strainer to remove the seeds and bits of pulp, and pour it over the sugar. Add the slices of lemon, and pour over all a very little boiling water to thoroughly dissolve the sugar ; let it stand ten or fifteen minutes, then add the neces- sary quantity of cold water, and serve. Or rub the sugar over the out- side of the lemons to flavor it, and make it into a syrup by adding sufficient boiling water to dissolve it. Extract and strain the lemon juice, add the prepared syrup and the requisite quantity of cold water, and serve.

Mixed Lemouade. — A very pleasant, cooling summer drink is made from the juice of six oranges and six lemons, with sugar to taste ; add to this some pounded ice and the juice of a small can of pineapple, and lastly pour over the whole two quarts of water.

Oatmeal Drink. — Boil one fourth of a pound of oatmeal in three quarts of water for half an hour, then add one and one half tablespoonfuls of sugar, strain and cool. It may be flavored with a little lemon or rasp- berr}' syrup if desired ; or the sugar im.y be omitted and a quart of milk added. Cool on ice and serve.

Orana^eade. — Pare very thin from one orange a few bits of the yellow rind. Slice three well-peeled sour oranges, taking care to remove all the white portion and all seeds. Add the yellow rind and a tablespoonful of sugar ; pour over all a quart of boiling water. Cover the dish, and let it remain until the drink is cold. Or, if preferred, the juice of the oranges may be extracted with a lemon drill and strained as for lemonade.

Pineapple Beverage. — Pare and chop quite fine one fresh pineapple ; add a slice or two of lemon, and cover with three pints of boiling water. Let it stand for two hours or more, stirring frequently ; then strain and add the juice of five lemons, and sugar or syrup to sweeten.

Pineapple Lemonade. — Lemonade made in the usual manner and flavored with a few spoonfuls of canned pineapple juice, is excellent fpr variety.

Pink Lemonade. — Add to a pint of lemonade prepared in the usual manner half a cup of fresh or canned strawberry, red raspberry, cur- rant, or cranberry juice. It gives a pretty color besides adding a pleasing flavor.

Sherbet. — Mash a quart of red raspberries, currants, or straw- berries, add the juice of a lemon, and pour over all three pints of cold

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water. Stir frequently, and let it stand tor two or three hours. Strain through a jelly bag, sweeten to taste, and serve.

Tisaue. — This is a favorite French beverage, and is pi-epared by chop- ping fine a cupful of dried fruits, such as prunes, figs, or jnunells. and steeping for an hour in a quart of water, afterward straining, sweetening to taste, and cooling on ice before using.