COMPOSITION OF MEAT 83 



/rater and let it remain there for three minutes. Drop another 

 egg into boiling water which has just been removed from the 

 \ fire, and let it remain j the slowly cooling water for six minutes. 

 [ Since boiling water rapidly loses heat when removed from the 

 i fire, the second egg is cooked at a much lower temperature 

 than the first egg. When the two eggs are opened and ex- 

 amined, it is seen that the boiled egg has a coagulated albumen 

 I which is hard and tough, and that the egg cooked more slowly 

 i at a lower temperature has a coagulated albumen which is 

 tender and delicate. Eggs, therefore, which are cooked for 

 six minutes in hot water are more digestible than eggs cooked 

 | for three minutes in boiling water. 



Moderate heat makes albumen tender, delicate, and digestible ; 

 strong heat makes it tough, dry, hard, and indigestible. Too hot a 

 fire is the cause of most bad custards, because when egg and milk 

 are put into a hot oven coagulation occurs and the custard curdles 

 and shrivels ; an experienced cook uses a cool oven or else she 

 puts her custard cups in a large pan of water. The custard 

 cannot become hotter than the water which surrounds it, and 

 since the water is constantly evaporating, it does not become 

 very hot and the temperature of the custard remains below 

 the danger point. 



Milk which is cooked by boiling has a thick scum of indiges- 

 tible protein matter on its surface; milk which is cooked at 

 moderate temperature has no such indigestible scum. 



Coagulation of albumen is put to good service by the house- 

 wife in her use of eggshells for clearing coffee. When the egg- 

 shells are dropped into coffee, the albumen which clings to them 

 slowly coagulates and rises to the surface of the coffee. As it 

 rises through the coffee, it carries with it the scattered grounds 

 and clears the coffee. 



Composition of meat. Lean meat consists mainly of mus- 

 cular tissue, connective tissue, and meat juices. Muscular 



CIARK INTRO. TO SC. 6 



