THE POTATO 265 



and supply a starchy food at a price within the 

 reach of all. They are especially rich in starch 

 or energy supplying food, are preeminently the 

 food of those who work at physical labor, and it is 

 said that those who work never tire of potatoes. 

 When we consider all these advantages, it is sur- 

 prising that more potatoes are not used in the 

 United States. 



NOTES ON COOKING POTATOES 



"The potato is in such universal use, and is so 

 highly nutritious, that above all other vegetables 

 it would seem that it should be cooked in perfec- 

 tion. However, it may be in reality that no other 

 vegetable is so carelessly cooked. The proper 

 cooking of the potato has much to do with its 

 nutritive value. It is a starchy food; the mi- 

 croscopic starch grains are intermingled with the 

 watery juice, which contains the albumen, gelatine, 

 minerals, sugar, and acids. All of these elements 

 are highly valuable as food or stimulants, but by 

 careless and unscientific methods in preparing 

 and cooking they may be partially lost and wasted. 

 How often do we hear epicures criticising our best 

 hotel cooking, remarking the impossibility of being 

 served with mashed potatoes of a good quality? 

 Where food must be prepared in such large quan- 

 tities the potatoes are pared and soaked in water 

 for from twelve to eighteen hours before being 

 boiled, thus losing a high percentage of the agree- 

 able flavors, the nutritious starch and albumen 

 and valuable mineral matter. 



"In preparing potatoes for cooking, by clumsy, 

 awkward paring large quantities of the edible por- 

 tion are wasted, one fifth on the average and as 



