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In Table B the different cereal breakfast foods are arranged in 

 groups, but trade names are not used. If the housewife who is inter- 

 ested in any special brand will take note of its physical character- 

 istics and appearance, she should be able to determine the class in 

 which it should be included, and so decide as to its comparative value. 



In the cereals the starch and other nutrients are held in cells 

 of woody fiber. Heat and water combined soften the fiber and rup- 

 ture the cell walls so that the digestive juices can readily penetrate 

 to the nutrients. The time of cooking required varies with the 

 amount and character of fiber, the size of the pieces, and the degree 

 of cooking which cereals may have had in the course of manufacture. 

 Thus, coarse hominy requires longer cooking than fine hominy or 

 corn meal; wheat grits than rolled wheat, oatmeal than rice. Corn 

 preparations require longer cooking than any of the others, there 

 being more fiber in corn. " Wheat and oats are much alike in respect 

 to the amount of cooking they require. Insufficiently cooked cereals 

 are considered to be less easily digested than well cooked, partly be- 

 cause the starch grains are surrounded with a mucilaginous proteid 

 material. This condition disappears with long cooking. Boiling 

 temperature affects the protein, making it somewhat more difficult of 

 digestion. A long cooking at a lower temperature is better. 



TABLE C. Proportion of Ingredients and Time of Cooking Cereal 



Breakfast Foods. 



Instead of a double boiler a hay box or fireless cooker may be 

 used to cook the cereals. Directions for making one will be found 

 under Household Conveniences. (Iowa Exp. St. Bui. 74; Wyoming 

 Exp. St. Bui. 33; Michigan Exp. St. Bui. 211; O. E. S. Bui. 200, 

 202 ; F. Bui. 249, 298 ; Ontario Dept. Agr. Bui. 162.) 



BREAD. 



The simplest kind of bread making consists in mixing the meal 

 or flour with water and baking it, thus producing what is known 

 as unleavened bread, the common cracker, or English biscuit. Bread 

 of this nature is dry and hard and, unless baked in a very thin cake, 

 is difficult to masticate. The bread most preferred, however, is that 

 which has been raised, or leavened, by producing in the dough a gas 

 that will render it porous. Such bread is light and moist and easy 

 to masticate. 



