EXTENSION COURSE IN VEGETABLE FOODS. 53 



value. Sugar is, of course, used in large quantities, and vegetable 

 oils, already fairly common, are each year assuming more importance 

 for culinary and table purposes. 



Vinegar, which is one of the oldest condiments, may be classed as 

 a food accessory, and has little or no food value. It will be con- 

 sidered further on in relation to the preservation of food materials. 



EXERCISES, LESSON X. 



FLAVORING MATERIALS. 



Materials needed. — Samples of spices, herbs, etc., in different stages of prepa- 

 ration ; 2 lemons, 2 oranges, 1 vanilla bean, a few lumps of sugar, some pow- 

 dered sugar, alcohol, bottles — lemon extract. 



Spices and herbs. — Cover the labels on the spices and see how many the 

 students can distinguish by sight and taste. Other tasting contests may be 

 arranged. Cook whole spices in water or sugar sirup and taste each combina- 

 tion. Try similar tasting exercises with herbs, steeping in vinegar instead of 

 boiling in sirup. 



Flavoring extracts. — Wash and dry lemons and oranges. With lumps of 

 sugar rub surface of one of each till sugar absorbs some of the yellow flavoring 

 oil. Use them to sweeten and flavor sirups or custards. 



Cut fine, thin strips of the yellow rind only, put in bottles, cover with alcohol, 

 and leave for several days. The extract may after a time be drained off and 

 the peel discarded. 



Divide the vanilla bean and pound part of it in a small mortar with powdered 

 sugar. Sift the sugar and keep it to sweeten and flavor. The particles of the 

 bean removed may be steeped in milk for custards, etc. The other portion of 

 the bean may be put into alcohol. 



BEVERAGES. 



Materials needed. — Any available samples of teas, coffees, cocoa, and choco- 

 late ; filter coffeepot. 



Tea, coffee, cocoa', and chocolate : 



1. Soak tea or coffee in cold water ; notice color and flavor or lack of it. 

 Bring to boiling point and again taste. 



2. Pour rapidly boiling water over tea, or infuse with tea ball. Let boiling 

 water drip through coffee in a strainer or filter coffeepot. 



3. Boil tea and compare color and strong flavor with that made properly, as 

 in experiment 2. 



4. Boil coffee in uncovered saucepan. Note loss of aroma. 



5. Any available " patent " coffeepots may be tested and the result compared 

 with the right use of the simplest appliances. 



6. Soak different grades of tea in water, unroll the leaves, noting size of leaf, 

 proportion of stem, etc. 



7. Test different samples of coffee for chicory and other adulterations. When 

 mixed with cold water pure coffee floats on top, while adulterations, especially 

 chicory, sink and give a brownish color to the surrounding water. 



8. Prepare cocoa and chocolate in different ways and compare flavor, nutri- 

 tive value, and cost of each. 



