A Word About Fats. — And right here we may say a few words about
different fats. There are three substances called "stearin," "mar-
garin," and " olein " which, without exception, principally make up
all the fats we consume. They are called " neutral fats," and the fact
inTented the process of making a substitute for butter, designing it for use in the
French army. The process has since been further perfected, and the making of
these substitutes has now become a great industry.
196 MILK, BUTTER AND CHEESE
that they melt at diflPerent temperatures constitutes the principal
difference between them. There is a small amount of what are
known as " fatty acids " in the vegetable oils, and in butter there
is from 5 to 8 per cent, of 4 of these fatty acids (butyric, capronic,
caprylic and cai^rinic) and from these butter derives its pecular fla-
vor. Olein melts the most easily, and stearin the least so. The fats
which melt most readily are the most digestible, and are most readily
assimilated by the system, but the healthy stomach readily disposes
of any fat used in the household, in reasonable quantities, although
it should be taken into the system finely divided instead of in
lumps. It will readily be seen, therefore, that all the fats are sub-
stantially alike, and when once they are assimilated, they perform
the same services for the body. Their flavors, and the readiness with
which they melt in the mouth and in the digestive tract, make some
forms, like butter, more palatable than others. Mutton fat would do
about as well as any, but it is not swallowed readily because it con-
tains so much stearin. The body requires a certain amount of fat,
but it makes very little difference which one it takes, and for this
reason the introduction of some cheaper forms of fat, in such a shape
that they will be palatable, will be a great benefit to the mass of the
people. We believe, as we have elsewhere stated, that some of the
vegetable oils will soon be quite generally used, and it is certainly
to be desired that they should be. Wealthy people will always use
the best butter, but the mass of the j)eople should understand what
the cheaper substitutes are, and their properties and merits, and cer-
tainly there is no hygienic or physiological reason why they should
not use these cheaper substitutes, and so make a material saving
in the household expenses.
To keep butter sweet when it seems likely to taint, take some
lime water and put the vessel containing the butter into it, leaving
it there until the sweetness is restored.
Rancid butter may be sweetened and recovered (1) by washing
and kneading it well, first in new milk, and afterwards in cold spring
water; butyric acid, on which the rancidity depends, being freely solu-
ble in new milk. (2). Beat the butter in a sufficient quantity of
water, in which you put 25 to 80 drops of lime chloride to each
pound of butter. After mixing it till all its iDarts are in contact with
the water, it may be left in from 1 to 2 hours; afterwards withdraw,
and repeatedly wash in fresh water. (3). Melt the butter and skim
as for clarifying; then put into it a piece of bread thoroughly toasted
all over. In 1 or 2 minutes the butter will lose its offensive smell
and taste. (4). Thoroughly mix 1 teaspoon of soda and 1 tablespoon
MILK, BUTTER AND CHEESE 197 ✪ Keeping Butter Sweet
Page 149 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A Word About Fats. — And right here we may say a few words about different fats. There are three substances called "stearin," "margarin," and " olein " which, without exception, principally make up all the fats we consume. They are called " neutral fats," and the fact
invented the process of making a substitute for butter, designing it for use in the French army. The process has since been further perfected, and the making of these substitutes has now become a great industry.
that they melt at different temperatures constitutes the principal difference between them. There is a small amount of what are known as " fatty acids " in the vegetable oils, and in butter there is from 5 to 8 per cent, of 4 of these fatty acids (butyric, capronic, caprylic and caprinic) and from these butter derives its peculiar flavor. Olein melts the most easily, and stearin the least so. The fats which melt most readily are the most digestible, and are most readily assimilated by the system, but the healthy stomach readily disposes of any fat used in the household, in reasonable quantities, although it should be taken into the system finely divided instead of in lumps. It will readily be seen, therefore, that all the fats are substantially alike, and when once they are assimilated, they perform the same services for the body. Their flavors, and the readiness with which they melt in the mouth and in the digestive tract, make some forms, like butter, more palatable than others. Mutton fat would do about as well as any, but it is not swallowed readily because it contains so much stearin. The body requires a certain amount of fat, but it makes very little difference which one it takes, and for this reason the introduction of some cheaper forms of fat, in such a shape that they will be palatable, will be a great benefit to the mass of the people. We believe, as we have elsewhere stated, that some of the vegetable oils will soon be quite generally used, and it is certainly to be desired that they should be. Wealthy people will always use the best butter, but the mass of the people should understand what the cheaper substitutes are, and their properties and merits, and certainly there is no hygienic or physiological reason why they should not use these cheaper substitutes, and so make a material saving in the household expenses.
To keep butter sweet when it seems likely to taint, take some lime water and put the vessel containing the butter into it, leaving it there until the sweetness is restored.
Rancid butter may be sweetened and recovered (1) by washing and kneading it well, first in new milk, and afterwards in cold spring water; butyric acid, on which the rancidity depends, being freely soluble in new milk. (2). Beat the butter in a sufficient quantity of water, in which you put 25 to 80 drops of lime chloride to each pound of butter. After mixing it till all its parts are in contact with the water, it may be left in from 1 to 2 hours; afterwards withdraw, and repeatedly wash in fresh water. (3). Melt the butter and skim as for clarifying; then put into it a piece of bread thoroughly toasted all over. In 1 or 2 minutes the butter will lose its offensive smell and taste. (4). Thoroughly mix 1 teaspoon of soda and 1 tablespoon
Records on this page
Keeping Butter SweetSweetening Rancid Butter