HOME ECONOMICS AND EDUCATION 575 



pleasant and healthful addition to the table. It is somewhat laxative. 



The Jerusalem artichoke, a fairly common tuber used as a vege- 

 table, is a species of sunflower. The name is a corruption of girasole, 

 the Italian name for sunflower. The Jerusalem artichoke tubers can, 

 be left in the ground during the winter; they are welcome and re- 

 freshing in the spring when fresh vegetables are scarce. 



The true roots most used as table vegetables are beets, radish, tur- 

 nips, parsnips, carrots, salsify, and celeriac. Both the parsnip and 

 salsify withstand frost and may be left in the ground all winter, thus 

 making it possible to have these vegetables in the early spring as well 

 as in the fall. 



The bulb-bearing plants belong to the lily family, the onion 

 being the bulb most generally used as a vegetable and flavorer. On 

 the Continent of Europe very many other members of the onion 

 family are also freely used as flavorers, and no continental kitchen 

 garden would be considered complete without several varieties, such 

 as the common onion, leek, shallot, garlic, chives, and cibol. Much 

 of the delicious flavor of the French and Italian cookery is due to the 

 skillful combination of several of the onion flavors. 



The herbaceous vegetables, cabbage, lettuce, celery, spinach, etc., 

 are valuable for their refreshing qualities, the salts they yield, and 

 the variety they give to our diet, but owing to the amount of water 

 they contain (90 per cent or more on an average) their food value 

 is low. The leaves, stems, and shoots are the parts used as food. 

 These vegetables should be employed while young and tender. The 

 list of herbaceous vegetables is long and includes the cabbage tribe, 

 celery, asparagus, and all the green leaves, stalks, and shoots that are 

 employed, cooked, or used as salads. 



Fruits used as vegetables include tomatoes, okra, squash, pump- 

 kin, cucumber, eggplant, and peppers, among others. Such fruits as 

 muskmelon and watermelon are used as fruits rather than as vege- 

 tables, and are not taken up here. In the case of globe or French 

 artichoke, cauliflower, and broccoli the flower buds or inflorescence 

 are the parts eaten. 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING VEGETABLE COOKING. 



Vegetables are baked, roasted, fried, or boiled, are used for mak- 

 ing a great variety of dishes, and are prepared for the .table in other 

 ways; but the most common method of cooking them is in boiling 

 water. Steaming is not infrequently resorted to as a method of cook- 

 ing vegetables and is, of course, similar in principle to boiling in 

 water. 



The simpler the methods of cooking and serving vegetables the 

 better. A properly grown and well-cooked vegetable will be palatable 

 and readily digestible. Badly cooked, water-soaked vegetables very 

 generally cause digestive disturbances, often serious. Nearly every 

 vegetable may be cooked so that with plain bread it may form a 

 palatable course by itself, if it is desired to serve it in this manner. 



All green vegetables, roots, and tubers should be crisp and firm 

 when put on to cook. If for any reason a vegetable has lost its firm- 

 ness and crispness, it should be soaked in very cold water until it 



