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Introducing the Great Fuel Foods: Fats: Cream

CREAM Both cream and cream transformed into butter are considered particularly digestible forms of fat. The volume of a certain quantity of cream is increased by beating. This process, probably, renders the cream a little more digestible, as it also makes it more attractive. Cream taken from the top of the milk can, or after the milk has stood about twelve hours, is called thin, or single cream. Such cream cannot be beaten very firm; it contains too much milk and is not thick enough. Cream taken from milk that has been standing twenty-four hours is called double, heavy or thick cream. This may be beaten "to stand alone," or until it is solid to the bottom of the bowl. Thin cream is beaten with a whip churn; this contains a dasher, which is moved up and down in the cylinder. The froth is removed as it rises to the surface. Thick cream may be beaten most quickly with a Dover egg beater. To keep the cream from "spattering," cover the bowl with a circular sheet of paper, and let the top of the beater emerge from a hole in the center.

TO THICKEN THIN CREAM Pasteurized or other thin cream may be thickened by a solution of lime in sugar (viscogen) and then whipped to a stiff froth with a Dover egg beater. To make the viscogen, dissolve five ounces of sugar in ten ounces of water. Add six ounces of cold water to two ounces of quicklime, and let it gradually slake; then strain through a fine sieve to remove unslaked particles; combine the two liquids and shake occasionally for two hours. In three hours set the mixture aside to settle, then siphon, or pour off, the clear liquid. Store in small bottles, filling each full and stoppering tight as the liquid absorbs carbonic acid from the air, thus darkening the color and reducing the strength. Use one-fourth a teaspoonful of viscogen to three-fourths a cup of chilled cream. Stir the cream while adding the viscogen to it. BUTTER The cooking of butter detracts from its digestibility; thus, when it is to be used on vegetables, broiled meats, fish, etc., the heat it receives from the article upon which it is served will suffice. Butter is very quickly affected by heat, and will burn more quickly than other forms of fat; on this account, great care needs to be taken in its use for frying purposes. For this reason, and also on account of expense, some other form of fat is usually selected for cooking articles in the frying pan. When butter is to be used for frying, let it heat until all froth has subsided, the casein, salt, etc., has been deposited on the bottom of the dish, and the water has evaporated. The liquid fat may then be poured from the sediment and will keep almost indefinitely. By beating butter with a perforated wooden spoon or a silver fork, air is incorporated, which lightens it. In cake making this is an important item. For quickest and best results, when butter and sugar are to be creamed together, make the butter smooth and light before any of the sugar is added, then gradually beat the sugar into the butter. Butter is beaten to a cream, when it is of a smooth, cream-like consistency, and the edges look whitish. Creamed butter is preferable for spreading over steak and chops. MAITRE D' HOTEL BUTTER (For Broiled Meats and Fish) Beat two tablespoonfuls of butter to a cream; beat in one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper and half a teaspoonful of fine-chopped parsley; then add a teaspoonful of lemon juice, a few drops at a time. For red pepper butter, add in the place of the parsley one or two chilli peppers, chopped fine. A few drops of onion juice may be added.

USE OF OLIVE OIL Our largest use for olive oil is in the form of salad dressings. Occasionally butter or cream is taken for this purpose. Cream is well adapted for use in salad dressings, but as butter is too solid to coat cold vegetables, it is usually made into a dressing by cooking; this detracts from its digestibility, and thus it is preferable not to consider it in this connection. The dressings that a family of two will oftenest elect are called French and mayonnaise dressings. French dressing is preferable with fruit and green vegetables, and, also, to season fish and meats that are afterwards to be served with mayonnaise dressing. A mayonnaise dressing is rich, and thus is used principally at luncheons or banquets, while the lighter French dressing is selected for the more hearty meal of dinner.