THE CHEMISTRY OF COOKERY. 261 



I have made a malt-porridge by using ground malt, from which I 

 sifted out as much husk as possible, instead of oatmeal. I found it 

 rather too sweet ; but, on mixing about one part of malt-flour with 

 four or more of oatmeal, an excellent and easily-digestible porridge 

 was obtained, and one which I strongly recommend as a most valuable 

 food for strong people and invalids, children and adults. 



Further details of these experiments would be tedious, and are not 

 necessary, as they display no chemical changes that are new to science, 

 and the practical results may be briefly stated without such details. 



I recommend 1. The production of malt-flour by grinding and 

 sifting malted wheat, malted barley, or malted oats, or all of these, 

 and the retailing of this at its fair value as a staple article of human 

 food. Every shopkeeper who sells flour or meal of any kind should 

 sell this. 



2. That this malted flour, or the extract made from it as above de- 

 scribed, be mixed with the ordinary flour used in making pastry, bis- 

 cuits, bread, etc.,* and with all kinds of porridge, pea-soup, and other 

 farinaceous preparations, and that when these are cooked they should 

 be slowly heated at first, in order that the maltose may act upon the 

 starch at its most favorable temperature 50 or 60 below the boiling- 

 point. 



3. When practicable, such preparations as porridge, pastry, pea- 

 soup, pease-pudding, etc., should be prepared by first cooking them in 

 the usual manner, then stirring the malt-meal or malt-extract into 

 them, and allowing them to remain for some time. This time may 

 vary from a few hours to several days the longer the better. I have 

 proved by experiments on boiled rice, oatmeal porridge, pease-pudding, 

 etc., that complete conversion may thus be effected. When the temper- 

 ature of 140 to 150 is carefully obtained, the work of conversion is 

 done in half an hour or less. At 212 it is arrested. At temperatures 

 below 140 it proceeds with a slowness varying with the depression of 

 temperature. The most rapid result is obtained by first cooking the 

 food as usual, then reducing its temperature to 150 and adding the 

 malt flour or extract, and keeping up the temperature for a short time. 



4. Besides the malt-meal or malt-flour, which I presume will be 

 preferably made from barley, I recommend the manufacture of what I 

 may call " pearl-malt," that is, malt treated as barley is treated in the 

 manufacture of pearl-barley. This pearl-malt may be very largely used 

 in soups, puddings, and for other purposes evident to the practical cook. 



* I have lately learned that a patent was secured some years ago for "malt-bread," 

 and that it is still obtainable from many bakers, who make under a license from the 

 patentee. The " revised formula " for this, which I have just obtained, says : " Take of 

 wheat-meal, six pounds ; wheat-flour, six pounds ; malt-flour, six ounces ; German yeast, 

 two ounces ; salt, two ounces ; water sufficient. Make into dough (without first melting 

 the malt), prove well, and bake in tins." Malt-flour is also sold, but at fancy prices, ab- 

 surdly beyond its just value. 



