Fruit recipes

of phosphorus, whether in apples or fish, is now considered no greater than that of other food elements; this is an in- teresting statement as proving the earlier, generally ac- cepted wholesomeness of apples and as a reminder that in former days men of marked mental achievement prized and placed first in their fruit affections and habits of eat- ing, the apple, publicly proclaiming and protesting their admiration for it. And one who nowadays has even oc- casionally felt the stimulation and refreshment of this fruit can well believe that a comparatively steady diet of it might prove conducive to brain activity and general well being. To-day, through improved methods of cultivation and better shipping facilities, we have more kinds of foods fresh, canned, or concocted, so that the world indulges less freely in such simple pleasures of diet as cider and apples and has, by this gain, ina sense undoubtedly lost. Other fruits are also of value but to be less bound by the modern slavery of the ‘‘necessity’’ of luxuries, whether imported and expensive (because less easily obtainable) fruits, or tich foods of other kinds, in winter or summer, would tend to simpler and more powerful directness of thought and strength of brain. Pomologically speaking, the apple is the Malus malus, broadly considered, of the great Rose Family, and twin relative of the pear, yet somewhat more positive in char- acter. Its bulk makes it of as much proportionate value as a food as do its juices—preventing necessity of medicine. Malic acid, that great germ destroyer, is the most prominent of its acids, but itssalts—its phosphates, are of equal balance in keepingliver, stomach, andintestines in healthful activity. An uncooked apple eaten at night before retiring (a glass of water to follow it) is one of the oldest of beauty and health prescriptions, preventing or relieving constipation, and giving clearness of complexion. The uncooked apple 26 FRUIT RECIPES was of old considered Nature’s complement for nuts, the eating of them together offsetting too great richness (by over-indulgence) of nut-fat and preventing indigestion. Salt was eaten with them at night to assist in digesting acid and fat: the three forming a notable trio. Cooked, the apple is also laxative, tonic and nourishing. Fresh, sweet cider, bubbling with beauty, scintillating with sun-shafts, needs neither poetry nor spiking to recom- mend it, so evident is its simple wholesomeness to even the wayfaring man unless he be a fool. The crab-apple’s juice (‘‘ver-juice’’) is not pleasing until well fermented but in age (at even but three years) attains similarity to champagne. Medicinally ver-juice is valued. It should be mentioned here that the common crab-apple and the Siberian crabs are of different species, the latter being Pyrus baccata and Pyrus prunifolia. Cider (with the possibility of gingerbread) and apples, salt, and nuts at the old time gatherings ‘‘ by early candle- lighting’’ were more apt to be followed by sleep and health than the complicated ‘‘refreshments’’ at later hours of modern evening parties. When it is realised that in any reasonable form, a diet of apples rivals the famous grape- cures and is a diet conducive to beauty, this old-fashioned first of fruits must certainly come back into favour and be given its former prestige. The following is the analysis of a pint of the cider given regularly to day-labourers in the agricultural districts of England (according to Voelker; Enc. Brit.): Gum and Albuminous Water Alcoho GrapeSug. Extractive Matter Malic Acid Ash Compounds 829241 367.60 31.67 45.05 44.86 18.38 1.04 grs. gis. grs. grs. grs. grs. grs. THE APPLE 24 RECIPES OLD-FASHIONED APPLE SAUCE