274 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



April, 1917 



c 



LJT 



HOW do you 

 like t li e 

 title of the 

 page ? The man- 

 aging editor 

 cliristened i t 

 after my first 

 contribution was 

 turned in. I 



like it. The pronoun gives me a chance to 

 shift part of the responsibility to the 

 shoulders of the readers — the feminine 

 shoulders, I mean. 



Permit me a few words as to the pur- 

 pose of " Our " page. It is my aim to 

 make it helpful in the selection and prep- 

 aration of seasonable foods, in the plan- 

 ning of reasonably well-balanced and at- 

 tractive menus; to encourage economy of 

 money spent for foods, and time spent 

 in their preparation; and, last, to jiromote 

 the use of honey, not as an occasional 

 luxury, but as a daily necessity on our tables. 



How I wish Gleanings had a nice 

 fashionable page, say ten by fourteen 

 inches! When we get well under way the 

 editor is going to have his troubles keep- 

 ing us from trespassing all over the next 

 page. Honestly, there is hardly a more 

 important subject for wives and mothers to 

 study than the selection and cooking of 

 foods. Dr. Wiley has said, " With a good 

 cook in every household, and preferably 

 not a hired one, the divorce mills of the 

 country might as well shut up ; they would 

 have nothing more to do." He has also 

 said that, while there is no country in the 

 world which has so much good food in 

 proportion to its population, there are few 

 countries where .so large a proportion of 

 it is spoiled in the kitchen before it reaches 

 the table. I prophesy that this severe 

 criticism of American housewives will not 

 be true ten or fifteen years from now. 

 Domestic science, as taught in the public 

 schools, and the increasing interest in it, 

 shown by the number of excellent maga- 

 zines devoted to the subject, are lifting- 

 household management to a science, and 

 cooking to an art. 



In these days of soaring food prices, 

 menu planning is very important. Our 

 children need protein, fats, carbohydrates, 

 ash, and bulk in their food just as much 

 as ever; but it takes most careful planning 

 and study of food values to accomplish a 

 balanced ration, and have sutficient k'ft out 

 of the average income for other living 

 expenses. 



When one Puerden is interested in a sub- 

 ject the whole family are sure to know 

 about it sooner or later, generally immedi- 

 ately. Our big boy is very much interest- 



OUR FOOD PAGE 



Stancy Puerden 



1 



u. 



ed in chemistry; 

 our small boy is 

 studying agri- 

 culture ; the man 

 of the house is 

 devoted to pro- 

 moting the sale 

 of honey, and 

 the writer is 

 reading every thing she can find on food 

 values. You would be surprised to s.^e how 

 nearly these subjects are related, and how 

 much we can help each other. WTien one 

 has children of school age there is no excuse 

 for rust accumulating on one's mental ma- 

 chinery. 



This month I am giving you a luncheon 

 or dinner menu which has been tested by 

 the Puerden family and met with unanimous 

 approval. The stew is easy to prejaare, 

 requires little time for cooking, and is 

 an appetizing way of using left-over bits of 

 meat. The salad is simple, as it should be 

 when the rest of the meal is hearty, and 

 it adds variety. The muffins take the place 

 of bread, and, with the honey, supply all 

 the dessert necessary. You will notice the 

 muffin recipe calls for no sugar or honey. 

 Here is where I differ with Mr. W. L. 

 Porter. In his excellent paper, as reported 

 on page 212, he said, " A tablespoon ful of 

 honey in the muffins for breakfast decidedly 

 imjDroves them." Don't you believe it. 

 Bake your muffins without any sweet in 

 them, and let the natural and delicious 

 flavor of the grain be developed. Then 

 serve honey with them; and instead of a 

 tablespoonful, half a pound will disappear. 

 Just try it. 



In the following recipes level measure- 

 ments were used. 



DINNER. 



Whole-meal stew; lettuce with French dressing; 

 corn-meal muffins; comb honey; cheese. 



WHOLE MEAL STEW. 



Half a cup salt pork or bacon cut fine; 2 cups cold 

 meat cut small; 2 cups onions cut small; 3 cups 

 sliced cold boiled potatoes ; 2 cups canned corn ; 

 1 cup canned tomatoes ; 1 teaspoonf ul honey ; 1 

 teaspoonful Worcestershire sauce ; salt to taste. 



Put a layer of the pork or bacon in the pot, 

 then a layer of any kind of cold lean meat; next a 

 layer of onions, then a layer of potatoes, and on top a 

 layer of corn. Simmer slowly about an ho"r. nft'^v 

 adding hot water or stock, and then turn in the 

 tomatoes sweetened slightly with the honey. Sea- 

 son to taste, with salt and Worcestershire sauce. 



CORN-MEAL MUFFINS. 



Two eggs; IV2 cups milk; 1 1-3 cups flour; 1 1-3 

 cups corn meal; 5 teaspoonfuls liaking-powder ; 1 

 teaspoonful salt; 2 tablespoonfuls shortening. 



Beat the eggs well; add the milk, then the flour, 

 corn-meal, baking-powder, and salt sifted together. 

 Add the shortening melted, and boat well. Bake 

 quickly in hot, well-oiled muffin-pans. 



