COOKERY. 205 
The frugal repast which Horace, the Roman Poet, provided for 
a neighbour whom he had invited, or for a guest whom rough 
times had constrained to seek a refuge with him, consisted, 
not of rare fishes procured from the city, but, more sensibly, 
of a fine pullet, and a plump kid, with dessert to follow, of grapes, 
figs, and nuts. 
‘At mihi cum longum post tempus venerat hospes, 
Sive operum vacuo longum conviva per imbrem 
Vicinus, bene erat, non piscibus urbe petitis, 
Sed pullo, atque hedo; cum pensilis uva secundas, 
Et nux ornabat mensas cum duplice ficu.”’ 
It is to be noted that the object aimed at in cooking food is 
twofold: First, from an esthetic point of view, to improve its 
appearance when it comes to table, and to develop in it new 
flavours ; second, with a hygienic purpose, to partially sterilize 
the food, thereby enabling it to remain longer sweet, and good. 
No animal parasite found in meat is capable of withstanding a 
temperature of 70° Centigrade (158° Fahr*-), therefore all ordin- 
ary forms of cooking will render meat free from this source of 
infection. Stewing is in many respects the ideal method for 
cooking meat ; it coagulates the proteids without over-hardening 
them, whilst none of the flavouring ingredients are lost, seeing that 
the juice is eaten with the meat. But it isa mistake to suppose 
that cooking increases the digestibility of all foods ; this is true 
only with respect to vegetable foods; that of animal viands is, 
as already stated, diminished rather than increased by cooking. 
** The fundamental principle of all ss 
Is what ingenious books the re/ish call. 
For, when the market sends in loads of food, 
Tis this in nice perfection makes it good.” 
‘* Before eath meal is served, or after it has been cooked, and 
eaten, the housewife,” so a recent American authority teaches, 
“should add up the different amounts of proteid, fat, and 
carbohydrates found in the food! Computing cards should be 
put into requisition at each meal; then when the day is over you 
can find out whether you have taken too much of one kind of food, 
or not enough of another.” With reference to this new scientific 
device the Chicago Tribune humorously puts the matter thus :— 
** Mother’s slow at figures, but she always has to count 
The proteids, to make sure we receive the right amount ; 
She keeps a pad of paper, and a pencil, near the sink, 
And estimates our victuals—all the things we eat, and drink ; 
She lists our carbohydrates, and she scribbles down the fa 
And our specific gravity—she closely watches that. 
