STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 113 



cold water to prevent ijhem from turning dark until we are ready 

 to cook them. 



Next we shall use some carrots and to gain time in cooking and 

 present them in the most attractive form on the table, they are to 

 be cut in small portions. One reason why many of us do not like 

 vegetables better is that we have been accustomed to having them 

 cooked in only one way. The New England boiled dinner is good 

 in its way, but this becomes unpalatable when it appears too often. 

 We scrape the carrot since it has a thin skin, though a turnip 

 should be pared because its skin is thick. This particular carrot 

 has a ring of green on top which must be cut off, this is some of 

 the green coloring of the plant which makes its appearance in the 

 top of the root when not covered with earth and gives a strong 

 bitter taste and therefore should be removed. I now cut the carrot 

 in slices one way and then across the other lengthwise, and then 

 turn it down on the side and cut across so that it falls apart in little 

 tubes which cook quickly, are easily served, and make an attractive 

 dish. Although we may lose some of the nutritive qualities of the 

 carrot by cutting it in small portions, still if the water in which it 

 is cooked is retained, all the goodness is there. It might be cooked 

 in soup stock which should be allowed to evaporate at last leaving 

 just enough to moisten slightly, and thus it would have a flavor of 

 meat, or it might be served with a white sauce. A very pretty dish 

 is obtained by sprinkling a little chopped parsley over the carrot 

 after it is cooked. 



Food often tastes better if it looks well, and if we wish to make 

 these despised vegetables attractive we must put more care into 

 their preparation. One reason for our dislike of vegetables has 

 been our carelessness in this respect. A decayed portion, or a 

 green place, or a root which might conceal earth not easily washed 

 out will give a disagreeable flavor to a whole kettle full, aud often 

 the kettle itself is responsible for ill flavors. 



Very few vegetables contain fat therefore we add butter or fat 

 meat to them. When studying foods we are often astonished to 

 find so large a percentage of water, and wonder that such articles 

 have any real food value. We must remember that our bodies are 

 about three-fourths water, therefore we require foods which are 

 largely water. Many persons eat too much concentrated food and 

 one of the great advantages of the more general use of fruits and 

 vegetables is that in that way more water is taken into the system. 

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