Vegetarian Cook Book

Good cooking is not the result of accident, a species of good luck, as it were. There is reason in every process; a law governing every chemical change. A course of med- ical lectures does not make a physician, nor will a collec- tion of choice recipes make a cook. There must be a knowl- edge of compounding, as well as of compiling; of baking, as well as of mixing; and above all, one must engage in the real doing. Theory alone will not suffice; but ex- perience, which practise only can give, is of the utmost importance. Mention will be made, under this head, of only those forms of cooking which enter into vegetarian cookery as usually understood. BOILING The term "boiling," as applied to cookery, means cook- ing in a boiling liquid. Many kinds of food need the ac- tion of water or other liquid, combined with heat, to cook them in the best manner; and boiling is one of the most common forms of cookery. When water becomes too hot to bear the hand in it with comfort, it has reached one hun- dred and fifty degrees, or the scalding point. When there is a gentle tremor or undulation on the surface, one hun- (9) 10 VEGETARIAN COOK BOOK dred and eighty degrees, or the simmering point, is reached. When there is quite a commotion on the surface of the water, and the bubbles breaking above it throw off steam or watery vapor, two hundred and twelve degrees, or the boiling point, is reached. After water reaches the boil- ing point, it becomes no hotter, no matter how violently it may boil. The excess of heat escapes in steam. This important fact is rarely understood by the average cook; and much fuel is often needlessly wasted because of the mistaken idea that rapidly boiling water cooks food more quickly. In all ordinary cooking, simmering is more effective than violent boiling. The temperature of the water may be slightly raised by covering the kettle. If sugar or salt, or anything to increase its density, is added to water, it takes longer for it to boil, but its boiling temperature is higher. This explains why boiling sirup and boiling salt water are hotter than boiling fresh water. Boiling effects partial destruction or removal of organic and mineral im- purities found in water; hence the importance of boiling the water where such impurities exist. Boiling also ex- pels all the air and the gases which give fresh water its sparkle and vitality; therefore the sooner water is used after it begins to boil, the more satisfactory will be the cooking. Fresh water should be used when the object is to extract the flavor, or soluble parts, as in soups and broths. Salt water should be used when it is desired to retain the flavor and soluble parts, as in most green vegetables. Cold water draws out the starch of vegetables. Boiling water bursts GOOD COOKING 11 starch grains, and is absorbed by the swelling starch, and softens the cellulose in cereals and vegetables. MILK