In this blog we will review weight loss recipes for soups and the high-protein foods, meat, poultry, game, and fish. It therefore contains information that is of interest to every housewife, for these foods occupy an important place in the majority of meals.
In her study of Soup, she will come to a thorough appreciation of the
place that soup occupies in the meal, its chief purposes, and its
economic value. All the different kinds of soups are classified and
discussed, recipes for making them, as well as the stocks used in their preparation, receiving the necessary attention. The correct serving of soup is not overlooked; nor are the accompaniments and garnishes so often required to make the soup course of the meal an attractive one.
In Meat, Parts 1 and 2, are described the various cuts of the
different kinds of meat--beef, veal, lamb, mutton, and pork--and the
part of the animal from which they are obtained, the way in which to
judge a good piece of meat by its appearance, and what to do with it
from the time it is purchased until all of it is used. All the methods
applicable to the cooking of meats are emphasized in this section.
Supplementing the text are numerous illustrations showing the ways in which meat cuts are obtained. Besides, many of them are so reproduced that actual cuts of meat may be readily recognized. Equipped with this knowledge, the housewife need give no concern to the selection, care, and cooking of every variety of meat.
In Poultry and Game, the selection and preparation of all kinds of
poultry receive attention. While such food is somewhat of a luxury in a great many homes, it helps to relieve the monotony of the usual protein foods, and it often supplies just what is desired for special occasions.
Familiarity with poultry and game is a decided asset to any housewife, and success with their cooking and serving is assured through a study of this text, for every step in their preparation is clearly explained and illustrated.
In Fish and Shell Fish, the other high-protein food is treated in full
as to its composition, food value, purchase, care, and preparation. Such interesting processes as the boning, skinning, and filleting of fish are not only carefully explained but clearly illustrated. In addition to recipes for fresh, salt, smoked, and canned fish are given directions for the preparation of all edible shell fish and recipes for the various stuffings and sauces served with fish.
Too much cannot be said about the importance of the subjects covered in this volume and the necessity for a thorough understanding of them on the part of every housewife. Indeed, a mastery of them will mean for her an acquaintance with the main part of the meal, and when she knows how to prepare these foods, the other dishes will prove a simple matter.
SOUP
SOUP AND ITS PLACE IN THE MEAL
VALUE OF SOUP
1. SOUP is a liquid food that is prepared by boiling meat or vegetables,
or both, in water and then seasoning and sometimes thickening the liquid
that is produced. It is usually served as the first course of a dinner,
but it is often included in a light meal, such as luncheon. While some
persons regard the making of soup as difficult, nothing is easier when
one knows just what is required and how to proceed. The purpose of this
Section, therefore, is to acquaint the housewife with the details of
soup making, so that she may provide her family with appetizing and
nutritious soups that make for both economy and healthfulness.
2. It is interesting to note the advancement that has been made with
this food. The origin of soup, like that of many foods, dates back to
practically the beginning of history. However, the first soup known was
probably not made with meat. For instance, the mess of pottage for which
Esau sold his birthright was soup made of red lentils. Later on meat
came to be used as the basis for soup because of the agreeable and
appetizing flavor it provides. Then, at one time in France a scarcity of
butter and other fats that had been used to produce moistness and
richness in foods, brought about such clear soups as bouillon and
consomme. These, as well as other liquid foods, found much favor, for
about the time they were devised it came to be considered vulgar to chew
food. Thus, at various periods, and because of different emergencies,
particular kinds of soup have been introduced, until now there are many
kinds from which the housewife may choose when she desires a dish that
will start a meal in the right way and at the same time appeal to
the appetite.
3. VALUE OF SOUP IN THE MEAL.--Not all persons have the same idea
regarding the value of soup as a part of a meal. Some consider it to be
of no more value than so much water, claiming that it should be fed to
none but children or sick persons who are unable to take solid food. On
the other hand, many persons believe that soup contains the very essence
of all that is nourishing and sustaining in the foods of which it is
made. This difference of opinion is well demonstrated by the ideas that
have been advanced concerning this food. Some one has said that soup is
to a meal what a portico is to a palace or an overture to an opera,
while another person, who evidently does not appreciate this food, has
said that soup is the preface to a dinner and that any work really worth
while is sufficient in itself and needs no preface. Such opinions,
however, must be reconciled if the true value of this food is to be
appreciated.
4. Probably the best way in which to come to a definite conclusion as to
the importance of soup is to consider the purposes it serves in a meal.
When its variety and the ingredients of which it is composed are thought
of, soup serves two purposes: first, as an appetizer taken at the
beginning of a meal to stimulate the appetite and aid in the flow of
digestive juices in the stomach; and, secondly, as an actual part of the
meal, when it must contain sufficient nutritive material to permit it to
be considered as a part of the meal instead of merely an addition. Even
in its first and minor purpose, the important part that soup plays in
many meals is not hard to realize, for it is just what is needed to
arouse the flagging appetite and create a desire for nourishing food.
But in its second purpose, the real value of soup is evident. Whenever
soup contains enough nutritive material for it to take the place of some
dish that would otherwise be necessary, its value cannot be
overestimated.
If soup is thought of in this way, the prejudice that exists against it
in many households will be entirely overcome. But since much of this
prejudice is due to the fact that the soup served is often unappetizing
in both flavor and appearance, sufficient attention should be given to
the making of soup to have this food attractive enough to appeal to the
appetite rather than discourage it. Soup should not be greasy nor
insipid in flavor, neither should it be served in large quantities nor
without the proper accompaniment. A small quantity of well-flavored,
attractively served soup cannot fail to meet the approval of any family
when it is served as the first course of the meal.
5. GENERAL CLASSES OF SOUP.--Soups are named in various ways, according
to material, quality, etc.; but the two purposes for which soup is used
have led to the placing of the numerous kinds into two general classes.
In the first class are grouped those which serve as appetizers, such as
bouillon, consomme, and some other broths and clear soups. In the second
class are included those eaten for their nutritive effect, such as cream
soups, purees, and bisques. From these two classes of soup, the one that
will correspond with the rest of the meal and make it balance properly
is the one to choose. For instance, a light soup that is merely an
appetizer should be served with a heavy dinner, whereas a heavy, highly
nutritious soup should be used with a luncheon or a light meal.
6. ECONOMIC VALUE OF SOUP.--Besides having an important place in the
meal of which it forms a part, soup is very often an economy, for it
affords the housewife a splendid opportunity to utilize many left-overs.
With the French people, who excel in the art of soup making chiefly
because of their clever adaptation of seasoning to foods, their
pot-au-feu is a national institution and every kitchen has its stock
pot. Persons who believe in the strictest food economy use a stock pot,
since it permits left-overs to be utilized in an attractive and
palatable way. In fact, there is scarcely anything in the way of fish,
meat, fowl, vegetables, and cereals that cannot be used in soup making,
provided such ingredients are cared for in the proper way. Very often
the first glance at the large number of ingredients listed in a soup
recipe creates the impression that soup must be a very complicated
thing. Such, however, is not the case. In reality, most of the soup
ingredients are small quantities of things used for flavoring, and it is
by the proper blending of these that appetizing soups are secured.
CLASSIFICATION OF SOUPS
7. The two general classes of soup already mentioned permit of numerous
methods of classification. For instance, soups are sometimes named from
the principal ingredient or an imitation of it, as the names potato
soup, beef soup, macaroni soup, mock-turtle soup testify. Again, both
stimulating and nutritious soups may be divided into thin and thick
soups, thin soups usually being clear, and thick soups, because of their
nature, cloudy. When the quality of soups is considered, they are placed
in still different classes and are called broth, bisque, consomme,
puree, and so on. Another important classification of soups results from
the nationality of the people who use them. While soups are classified
in other ways, it will be sufficient for all practical purposes if the
housewife understands these three principal classes.
8. CLASSES DENOTING CONSISTENCY.--As has already been pointed out, soups
are of only two kinds when their consistency is thought of, namely,
clear soups and thick soups.
CLEAR SOUPS are those made from carefully cleared stock, or soup
foundation, and flavored or garnished with a material from which the
soup usually takes its name. There are not many soups of this kind,
bouillon and consomme being the two leading varieties, but in order
to be palatable, they require considerable care in making.
THICK SOUPS are also made from stock, but milk, cream, water, or any
mixture of these may also be used as a basis, and to it may be added for
thickening meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, or grain or some other starchy
material. Soups of this kind are often made too thick, and as such soups
are not appetizing, care must be taken to have them just right in
consistency.
9. CLASSES DENOTING QUALITY.--When attention is given to the quality of
soup, this food divides itself into several varieties, namely, broth,
cream soup, bisque, chowder, and puree.
BROTHS have for their foundation a clear stock. They are sometimes a
thin soup, but other times they are made quite thick with vegetables,
rice, barley, or other material, when they are served as a substantial
part of a meal.
CREAM SOUPS are highly nutritious and are of great variety. They have
for their foundation a thin cream sauce, but to this are always added
vegetables, meat, fish, or grains.
BISQUES are thick, rich soups made from game, fish, or shell fish,
particularly crabs, shrimp, etc. Occasionally, vegetables are used in
soup of this kind.
CHOWDERS are soups that have sea food for their basis. Vegetables and
crackers are generally added for thickening and to impart flavor.
PUREES are soups made thick partly or entirely by the addition of some
material obtained by boiling an article of food and then straining it to
form a pulp. When vegetables containing starch, such as beans, peas,
lentils, and potatoes, are used for this purpose, it is unnecessary to
thicken the soup with any additional starch; but when meat, fish, or
watery vegetables are used, other thickening is required. To be right, a
puree should be nearly as smooth as thick cream and of the same
consistency.
10. CLASSES TYPICAL OF PARTICULAR COUNTRIES.--Certain kinds of soup have
been made so universally by the people of various countries that they
have come to be regarded as national dishes and are always thought of as
typical of the particular people by whom they are used. Among the best
known of these soups are Borsch, a soup much used by the Russian
people and made from beets, leeks, and sour cream; Daikan, a Japanese
soup in which radishes are the principal ingredient; Kouskous, a soup
favored by the people of Abyssinia and made from vegetables; Krishara,
a rice soup that finds much favor in India; Lebaba, an Egyptian soup
whose chief ingredients are honey, butter, and raisin water; Minestra,
an Italian soup in which vegetables are combined; Mulligatawny, an
Indian rice soup that is flavored with curry; Potroka, another kind of
Russian soup, having giblets for its foundation; Soljinka, an entirely
different variety of Russian soup, being made from fish and onions; and
Tarhonya, a Hungarian soup containing noodles.
In her study of Soup, she will come to a thorough appreciation of the
place that soup occupies in the meal, its chief purposes, and its
economic value. All the different kinds of soups are classified and
discussed, recipes for making them, as well as the stocks used in their preparation, receiving the necessary attention. The correct serving of soup is not overlooked; nor are the accompaniments and garnishes so often required to make the soup course of the meal an attractive one.
In Meat, Parts 1 and 2, are described the various cuts of the
different kinds of meat--beef, veal, lamb, mutton, and pork--and the
part of the animal from which they are obtained, the way in which to
judge a good piece of meat by its appearance, and what to do with it
from the time it is purchased until all of it is used. All the methods
applicable to the cooking of meats are emphasized in this section.
Supplementing the text are numerous illustrations showing the ways in which meat cuts are obtained. Besides, many of them are so reproduced that actual cuts of meat may be readily recognized. Equipped with this knowledge, the housewife need give no concern to the selection, care, and cooking of every variety of meat.
In Poultry and Game, the selection and preparation of all kinds of
poultry receive attention. While such food is somewhat of a luxury in a great many homes, it helps to relieve the monotony of the usual protein foods, and it often supplies just what is desired for special occasions.
Familiarity with poultry and game is a decided asset to any housewife, and success with their cooking and serving is assured through a study of this text, for every step in their preparation is clearly explained and illustrated.
In Fish and Shell Fish, the other high-protein food is treated in full
as to its composition, food value, purchase, care, and preparation. Such interesting processes as the boning, skinning, and filleting of fish are not only carefully explained but clearly illustrated. In addition to recipes for fresh, salt, smoked, and canned fish are given directions for the preparation of all edible shell fish and recipes for the various stuffings and sauces served with fish.
Too much cannot be said about the importance of the subjects covered in this volume and the necessity for a thorough understanding of them on the part of every housewife. Indeed, a mastery of them will mean for her an acquaintance with the main part of the meal, and when she knows how to prepare these foods, the other dishes will prove a simple matter.
SOUP
SOUP AND ITS PLACE IN THE MEAL
VALUE OF SOUP
1. SOUP is a liquid food that is prepared by boiling meat or vegetables,
or both, in water and then seasoning and sometimes thickening the liquid
that is produced. It is usually served as the first course of a dinner,
but it is often included in a light meal, such as luncheon. While some
persons regard the making of soup as difficult, nothing is easier when
one knows just what is required and how to proceed. The purpose of this
Section, therefore, is to acquaint the housewife with the details of
soup making, so that she may provide her family with appetizing and
nutritious soups that make for both economy and healthfulness.
2. It is interesting to note the advancement that has been made with
this food. The origin of soup, like that of many foods, dates back to
practically the beginning of history. However, the first soup known was
probably not made with meat. For instance, the mess of pottage for which
Esau sold his birthright was soup made of red lentils. Later on meat
came to be used as the basis for soup because of the agreeable and
appetizing flavor it provides. Then, at one time in France a scarcity of
butter and other fats that had been used to produce moistness and
richness in foods, brought about such clear soups as bouillon and
consomme. These, as well as other liquid foods, found much favor, for
about the time they were devised it came to be considered vulgar to chew
food. Thus, at various periods, and because of different emergencies,
particular kinds of soup have been introduced, until now there are many
kinds from which the housewife may choose when she desires a dish that
will start a meal in the right way and at the same time appeal to
the appetite.
3. VALUE OF SOUP IN THE MEAL.--Not all persons have the same idea
regarding the value of soup as a part of a meal. Some consider it to be
of no more value than so much water, claiming that it should be fed to
none but children or sick persons who are unable to take solid food. On
the other hand, many persons believe that soup contains the very essence
of all that is nourishing and sustaining in the foods of which it is
made. This difference of opinion is well demonstrated by the ideas that
have been advanced concerning this food. Some one has said that soup is
to a meal what a portico is to a palace or an overture to an opera,
while another person, who evidently does not appreciate this food, has
said that soup is the preface to a dinner and that any work really worth
while is sufficient in itself and needs no preface. Such opinions,
however, must be reconciled if the true value of this food is to be
appreciated.
4. Probably the best way in which to come to a definite conclusion as to
the importance of soup is to consider the purposes it serves in a meal.
When its variety and the ingredients of which it is composed are thought
of, soup serves two purposes: first, as an appetizer taken at the
beginning of a meal to stimulate the appetite and aid in the flow of
digestive juices in the stomach; and, secondly, as an actual part of the
meal, when it must contain sufficient nutritive material to permit it to
be considered as a part of the meal instead of merely an addition. Even
in its first and minor purpose, the important part that soup plays in
many meals is not hard to realize, for it is just what is needed to
arouse the flagging appetite and create a desire for nourishing food.
But in its second purpose, the real value of soup is evident. Whenever
soup contains enough nutritive material for it to take the place of some
dish that would otherwise be necessary, its value cannot be
overestimated.
If soup is thought of in this way, the prejudice that exists against it
in many households will be entirely overcome. But since much of this
prejudice is due to the fact that the soup served is often unappetizing
in both flavor and appearance, sufficient attention should be given to
the making of soup to have this food attractive enough to appeal to the
appetite rather than discourage it. Soup should not be greasy nor
insipid in flavor, neither should it be served in large quantities nor
without the proper accompaniment. A small quantity of well-flavored,
attractively served soup cannot fail to meet the approval of any family
when it is served as the first course of the meal.
5. GENERAL CLASSES OF SOUP.--Soups are named in various ways, according
to material, quality, etc.; but the two purposes for which soup is used
have led to the placing of the numerous kinds into two general classes.
In the first class are grouped those which serve as appetizers, such as
bouillon, consomme, and some other broths and clear soups. In the second
class are included those eaten for their nutritive effect, such as cream
soups, purees, and bisques. From these two classes of soup, the one that
will correspond with the rest of the meal and make it balance properly
is the one to choose. For instance, a light soup that is merely an
appetizer should be served with a heavy dinner, whereas a heavy, highly
nutritious soup should be used with a luncheon or a light meal.
6. ECONOMIC VALUE OF SOUP.--Besides having an important place in the
meal of which it forms a part, soup is very often an economy, for it
affords the housewife a splendid opportunity to utilize many left-overs.
With the French people, who excel in the art of soup making chiefly
because of their clever adaptation of seasoning to foods, their
pot-au-feu is a national institution and every kitchen has its stock
pot. Persons who believe in the strictest food economy use a stock pot,
since it permits left-overs to be utilized in an attractive and
palatable way. In fact, there is scarcely anything in the way of fish,
meat, fowl, vegetables, and cereals that cannot be used in soup making,
provided such ingredients are cared for in the proper way. Very often
the first glance at the large number of ingredients listed in a soup
recipe creates the impression that soup must be a very complicated
thing. Such, however, is not the case. In reality, most of the soup
ingredients are small quantities of things used for flavoring, and it is
by the proper blending of these that appetizing soups are secured.
CLASSIFICATION OF SOUPS
7. The two general classes of soup already mentioned permit of numerous
methods of classification. For instance, soups are sometimes named from
the principal ingredient or an imitation of it, as the names potato
soup, beef soup, macaroni soup, mock-turtle soup testify. Again, both
stimulating and nutritious soups may be divided into thin and thick
soups, thin soups usually being clear, and thick soups, because of their
nature, cloudy. When the quality of soups is considered, they are placed
in still different classes and are called broth, bisque, consomme,
puree, and so on. Another important classification of soups results from
the nationality of the people who use them. While soups are classified
in other ways, it will be sufficient for all practical purposes if the
housewife understands these three principal classes.
8. CLASSES DENOTING CONSISTENCY.--As has already been pointed out, soups
are of only two kinds when their consistency is thought of, namely,
clear soups and thick soups.
CLEAR SOUPS are those made from carefully cleared stock, or soup
foundation, and flavored or garnished with a material from which the
soup usually takes its name. There are not many soups of this kind,
bouillon and consomme being the two leading varieties, but in order
to be palatable, they require considerable care in making.
THICK SOUPS are also made from stock, but milk, cream, water, or any
mixture of these may also be used as a basis, and to it may be added for
thickening meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, or grain or some other starchy
material. Soups of this kind are often made too thick, and as such soups
are not appetizing, care must be taken to have them just right in
consistency.
9. CLASSES DENOTING QUALITY.--When attention is given to the quality of
soup, this food divides itself into several varieties, namely, broth,
cream soup, bisque, chowder, and puree.
BROTHS have for their foundation a clear stock. They are sometimes a
thin soup, but other times they are made quite thick with vegetables,
rice, barley, or other material, when they are served as a substantial
part of a meal.
CREAM SOUPS are highly nutritious and are of great variety. They have
for their foundation a thin cream sauce, but to this are always added
vegetables, meat, fish, or grains.
BISQUES are thick, rich soups made from game, fish, or shell fish,
particularly crabs, shrimp, etc. Occasionally, vegetables are used in
soup of this kind.
CHOWDERS are soups that have sea food for their basis. Vegetables and
crackers are generally added for thickening and to impart flavor.
PUREES are soups made thick partly or entirely by the addition of some
material obtained by boiling an article of food and then straining it to
form a pulp. When vegetables containing starch, such as beans, peas,
lentils, and potatoes, are used for this purpose, it is unnecessary to
thicken the soup with any additional starch; but when meat, fish, or
watery vegetables are used, other thickening is required. To be right, a
puree should be nearly as smooth as thick cream and of the same
consistency.
10. CLASSES TYPICAL OF PARTICULAR COUNTRIES.--Certain kinds of soup have
been made so universally by the people of various countries that they
have come to be regarded as national dishes and are always thought of as
typical of the particular people by whom they are used. Among the best
known of these soups are Borsch, a soup much used by the Russian
people and made from beets, leeks, and sour cream; Daikan, a Japanese
soup in which radishes are the principal ingredient; Kouskous, a soup
favored by the people of Abyssinia and made from vegetables; Krishara,
a rice soup that finds much favor in India; Lebaba, an Egyptian soup
whose chief ingredients are honey, butter, and raisin water; Minestra,
an Italian soup in which vegetables are combined; Mulligatawny, an
Indian rice soup that is flavored with curry; Potroka, another kind of
Russian soup, having giblets for its foundation; Soljinka, an entirely
different variety of Russian soup, being made from fish and onions; and
Tarhonya, a Hungarian soup containing noodles.