SCOUTING FOR GIRLS 
135 
should then be added if they are not sweet enough. 
The most common method of cooking fresh fruit is 
to boil it gently with just enough water to prevent it 
from burning. Sugar should be added just before the 
cooking is finished, the amount depending on the acidity 
of the fruit and the taste of the family. 
In sampling food, the cook should remember that the 
rest of the food is to be eaten by other people. She 
should never taste from the cooking spoon, but should 
transfer her sample to a tasting spoon which is not 
returned to the kettle. 
Cereal — Cereals, such as oatmeal, cornmeal, and 
cracked wheat, should be cooked in a double boiler. A 
double boiler can be improvised by setting a pail or pan 
into a kettle of boiling water. Cereals for breakfast 
may be cooked the day before and reheated in the 
double boiler, but should not be stirred while reheating. 
A tablespoonful or two of cold water on top will pre- 
vent a hard skin from forming while standing. All 
prepared cereals are better if cooked for a longer time 
than the package directions indicate. It is hardly pos- 
sible to cook any grain too long. The fireless cooker is 
especially valuable for cooking cereals, but a longer 
period of time must be allowed than for cooking in a 
double boiler. A home-made fireless cooker, described 
in another place, is interesting to make. Ready-to- 
serve cereals are very expensive compared with those 
cooked at home. 
Cracked wheat, J4 cup 1° 1 CU P water; 3-12 hours. 
Rolled oats, y 2 cup to 1 cup water; y 2 -Z hours. 
Cornmeal, 3 tablespoonfuls to 1 cup water; 1-4 hours. 
Use y 2 teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water. 
Have the water boiling rapidly. Add the cereal gradually. 
Let the mixture cook directly over the fire 5 minutes. 
Place over boiling water or in the fireless cooker to 
