Food and its preparation : a course of twenty lectures delivered to upwards of five hundred girls from elementary schools

Front matter

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FORMED BY JOHN HODGKIN, F.L.S.

Med

Preface

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“centres” where instruction was being given to school girls, the author was much impressed with the fact that there was great danger of the lessons being regarded as mechanical operations merely, to be gone through without any obvious reasons for each process. It seemed to her that to arouse the interest of the girls in the food itself, by imparting to them some knowledge of its production, the purposes served by it, and its bearing upon health, would be to increase their anxiety to cook it properly. This thought gave rise to the plan upon which the following Lectures are constructed.

Much has been said of the improvidence and waste among the working classes. But there is no doubt that many of them waste ignorantly rather than zvilfully. If by proper teaching of this important subject of Food and Cookery, we can train the girls in our elementary schools not to waste ignorantly, we shall do much to better the condition of the working classes of the future.

The recipes contained in this book are of the simplest kind. Each has been well tried ; many of them have been used by the author from her girlhood. No attempt has been made

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PREFACE, to introduce any high-class cookery ; and in giving the Lectures no utensils were used except those within the reach of all ordinary working people.

A list of articles used, with the prices attached, is given in the Appendix.

The “ Questions,” published in a separate form for the use of Teachers, were given to the girls as Home exercises.

Apart from extensive reading, the author i.s indebted to many friends for the information contained in the theoretical portion of the Lectures. Her best thanks are due (i) to those whose long residence in several of our most important colonies has enabled them to give her much information respecting our food in its native state ; (2) to those whose practical experience in the purchase and retailing of foods has been at her command; and (3J to the medical friend who has revised those portions most nearly touching upon his profession.

From those readers of the book who may incline to severe criticism of its simplicity of style, or the occasional homeliness of its illustration, but one indulgence is asked, viz.: — that they bear in mind throughout, that the Lectures

PREFACE.

IX were written for and given to young school girls, and that the book (like its companion one on “ Clothing ”) is not put forth as a pretention to literary effort, but simply in the earnest hope that it may do some little good,

Richmond Villas,

Cambridge,

LECTURE I.

Part I. — Our bodies. Why we need food. Mixed diet necessary. The preparation of food demands serious consideration. Why we cook our food. Advantages of well-cooked food. Money spent in cooked meat — Disadvantage of this. Girls should learn while young how to economise

Part II. — -How to make a fire. Tea. Toast. Poached egg. Rice-milk LECTURE II

Part I. — Howto roast a joint of meat. Yorkshire pudding. Suet pudding. Norfolk dumplings

Part II.— Constituents of bones, flesh, and blood. The foods which supply each with material for growth, &c. Flesh-forming foods. Warmth-giving foods. Bonemaking foods. Mineral foods ...

LECTURE III.

Part I. — How to boil a joint of meat. Tripe, with onion sauce. Cowheel, various ways

Part II. Sources of food (i) — Flesh-formers — Meat, Fish, Poultry, Game, Eggs, Cheese, Flour, Oatmeal, Rice, Peas, Beans

PAOR

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CONTliNTS.

LECTURE IV.

PAGE

Part I. — Soups. Bone soup. Leg of beef soup. Vegetable soup. Economy of soups . . . . . . 30

Part II. — Sources of food (contimicd) {2) — Warmth-giving foods — Butter, Oil, Dripping, Starch, Vegetables, Bread - . , . . 34

LECTURE V.

Part I. — Stews. Beef a la mode. Brazilian stew. Slewed

steak 40

Part II. — Sources of food ( coiUinued ) (3) — Mineral foods. Liquid food.-;. Tea, coffee, &c. Good water the most wholesome liquid food ; supplies mineral matter required by the blood 43

LECTURE VI.

Part I. — Baked pork. Poor man’s goose. Cornish

pasties. Toad-in-the-hole 54

Part II. — Sources of food (concluded) {4)— Fruits and vegetables. Their properties. Some fruits very indigestible. Some fruits and vegetables very wholesome when not cooked 5^

LECTURE VII.

Part I. — Frying. Liver and bacon. Fritters. Sweet

omelets. Savoury omelets 66

Part II. — Relative value of common foods. Beef, mutton, itc. Potatoes and green vegetables. Peas and beans. Fruit.s. Tea, coffee, cocoa 69