How hot must the water be kept? How can one tell when the water is sufficiently hot?
How can we determine when the food has cooked long enough?
How shall we serve this vegetable?
How does boiling compare with baking--
In the time needed?
In the matter of flavour?
In the amount of fuel used?
In the amount of work necessary?
_Home a.s.signment._--Practice in the boiling and the serving of vegetables.
LESSON III: THE VALUE OF CARBOHYDRATES IN THE DIET
_Potatoes as a source of carbohydrates. The choice, cost, care, composition, food value, and cooking of potatoes, baked squash, steamed squash._
SUBJECT-MATTER
_Carbohydrates._--A third cla.s.s of food-stuffs required by the body is known as the carbohydrates, or sugars and starches. This cla.s.s of foods is used as fuel, for the production of heat and energy in the body.
Excess of carbohydrates may be stored in the body as fatty tissue.
_Potatoes._--Potatoes are a cheap source of carbohydrates. They are also valuable for their mineral matter and for the large quant.i.ty of water which they contain. Three fourths of the potato is water. The framework of the potato is cellulose, which is an indigestible carbohydrate material. Potatoes have only a small amount of cellulose, however, and they are comparatively easy of digestion. When dry and mealy, they are most digestible. When used for a meal, potatoes should be supplemented by some muscle-building food, such as milk, cheese, eggs, fish, or meat.
PRELIMINARY PLAN
At some previous period the teacher should have discussed with the pupils the use of potatoes and learned from them the different ways in which they cook them in their homes. She should determine upon some recipes for the lesson that will increase the variety of ways in which potatoes may be served and that will improve the methods used in the homes.
Each pupil should be asked to bring one or two potatoes for the lesson.
The best methods of cooking and the means of securing variety should be emphasized.
RECIPES
_Mashed Potatoes_
6 potatoes 1/4 c. hot milk or cream 1 tbsp. b.u.t.ter 1 tsp. salt
Wash and pare the potatoes, boil, drain, dry, and mash (with a potato masher) in the sauce-pan in which they were cooked. Beat them until very light and creamy; add hot milk, b.u.t.ter, and salt, and beat again, re-heat, and serve. Serves six to eight.
_Browned Potatoes_
Wash, scrub, and pare potatoes of a uniform size. Parboil for 10 minutes, then put in a dripping-pan with the meat or on a rack in a baking-pan.
Baste with fat every 10 minutes, when the meat is basted.
Allow about 40 minutes for the potatoes to cook.
EXPERIMENT TO SHOW THE PRESENCE OF STARCH IN POTATOES
Scrub and pare a potato. Examine a thin cross-section.
Grate the potato. Remove the coa.r.s.e, shredded portion. Examine.
Examine the liquid and note any sediment.
Heat the liquid and stir until boiling. How has it changed?
Examine the portion of the grater. How has the colour changed? Why?
_Baked Squash_
Wipe the sh.e.l.l of the squash, cut it into pieces for serving, remove the seeds and stringy portion, place in a dripping-pan, and bake in a slow oven for three quarters of an hour (until tender). Serve at once.
_Steamed Squash_
Prepare the squash as for baking, put in a steamer over boiling water, and cook for 30 minutes or until soft. Then sc.r.a.pe the squash from the sh.e.l.l, mash, and season with b.u.t.ter, salt, and pepper.
METHOD OF WORK
Discuss the composition and structure of the potato. Read over and discuss the recipes that are to be used.
Make a.s.signments of work. After the potatoes have been put on to cook, have the cla.s.s examine a raw potato, following the directions given.[A]
[A] Squash is another vegetable containing a high percentage of carbohydrate. The recipe for squash can be used at this time or in some other lesson.
If one of the recipes requires the use of the oven, be careful to have the potatoes for it prepared first and as quickly as possible. It may be necessary to proceed with another cla.s.s, a.s.signing one pupil to take charge of the baking. Special attention should be given to the careful serving of the potatoes.
_Home a.s.signment._--Before the next lesson, each pupil should be able to report that she has cooked potatoes at home, using the recipes learned in cla.s.s.
LESSON IV: FRUITS AND VEGETABLES