THE COOKING OF VEGETABLE FRUITS, ETC. 
253 
THE COOKING OF VEGETABLE FRUITS, &c. 
By C. Herman Senn, C.G.A., F.R.H.S. 
[Read September 26, 1916; Mr. G. Wilson, F.L.S., in the Chair.] 
The final division of vegetables, the theme of my fifth and last lecture 
on the subject of cooking vegetables, includes at least three sections, 
viz. : — (a) cereals ; (b) vegetable fruits, a term which I use to dis- 
tinguish them from other edible fruits on account of the small amount 
of sugar which they contain ; and (c) legumes or pod plants. 
1. The cereals, such as rice, maize, wheat, &c, belong primarily to 
the bread foods, so will only be briefly referred to. Every member of 
this group is rich in starch, and many of them contain in addition a 
certain proportion of fat and proteids. Rice and maize are largely 
used as or in place of vegetables by the inhabitants of tropical 
countries. 
2. Vegetable fruits are chiefly valuable because of the large quanti- 
ties of water they introduce into the system. Otherwise they have but 
little nourishment. The best known in this section are the vegetable 
marrow, pumpkin, cucumber, tomato, and aubergine or egg-fruit. 
Some recent varieties of the ordinary marrow can be obtained with 
edible skins. The most popular forms are the tender little bush- 
marrows, and the curious custard-marrow, which is justly celebrated 
as surpassing all other kinds in delicacy of flavour. 
The gourd family contains many allies, which make pleasant eating 
in summer-time owing to the quantity of water they contain, but are 
not very nutritious. The common gourd or pumpkin is more eaten in 
the United States than in this country. There it is but seldom eaten 
raw, but made into soups, sliced and fried, put into pies, &c. The 
squash is another form which is used in America. 
Cucumbers are a watery but favourite vegetable. In their young 
state and when quite small they are often pickled under the name of 
gherkins. The melon belongs to the same family, and although so 
watery is yet rather indigestible. Cucumber is largely used in this 
country for salads and pickles, but in the East it is consumed as a staple 
article of food. It is abundant in tropical and warm countries, and 
particularly in Hindustan. It is cultivated on floating weeds in the 
lakes of Persia, China, and Cashmere. Its antiquity in the East is 
very great, and the Israelites, we are told, longed for it in the desert. 
It has been common in England for about 500 years. 
The tomato may be served in many different ways. It may be 
boiled, fried, baked, roasted, stewed, pickled, and preserved. Itself 
the " prince of salads," the tomato is never better than when eaten raw 
and fresh. It is a popular vegetable, which charms the eye as well 
