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Introduction

Few things show the difference between comfortable and slovenly housekeeping more quickly than the dressing of vegetables. Potatoes, one of the most important of vegetables (served in nearly every household once a day), are rarely cooked in a wholesome or even palatable manner; out of every ten plates that come to the table but one will be found perfect. All green vegetables should be freshly gathered, washed in cold water, and cooked in freshly boiled water until tender, not a moment longer. After water has boiled for a time, it parts with its gases and becomes hard, and most vegetables are better cooked in soft water. It is a well-known fact that all vegetables containing casein, such as split peas, lentils, or beans, do not boil soft or tender in hard water. The salts of lime, sulphate, or gypsum which these seeds contain coagulate the casein, which renders the seeds unpalatable and unwholesome. The solvent power of pure soft water has such an effect upon these same vegetables when green that it will entirely destroy the firmness, color and outside covering (skin), allowing the juice to pass out into the water. Consequently, it must be remembered that all green vegetables must be cooked in hard water, and all dry vegetables in soft. A teaspoonful of common salt added to a gallon of water hardens it at once. A half teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda to a gallon of water renders it soft. Young, green vegetables should be cooked in boiling, salted water. Onions, if boiled in pure, soft water, are almost tasteless, and all the after-salting cannot restore to them the sweet saline taste and the strong aroma which they possess when boiled in salted water.

If green vegetables become wilted, sprinkle them with cold water. Do not soak them in salted water, as this toughens them. Peas, beans, and lentils are the most nutritious of all vegetable substances. They are said to contain as much carbon as wheat, and almost double the amount of nitrogen. The nitrogenous elements of these vegetables, consisting chiefly of vegetable casein, shows at once that we must arrange with care our daily bills of fare; and housekeepers are frequently at a loss to know just what kind of vegetables should be served with different kinds of meats, game, and fish to make them combine properly. A thorough acquaintance with these facts cannot be too highly estimated, as it is not a matter of fashion, but a necessity; for instance, if a man has baked beans for his dinner, he should certainly have served with them pork; the beans being nitrogenous, the meat must fill in the carbon. While we arrange our daily bills of fare in proper proportions to satisfy each organ, peace and harmony prevail in the system, but let us take too much liberty, and serve mashed potatoes daily with our pork and see what happens. An excitement is at once produced; each organ makes a strong effort to reject its enemy, and the whole system becomes out of order. Still, we fail to read this lesson of nature, teaching us to keep out of our stomachs all things that overload and crowd any such organ.

Why do we eat butter on our bread, or why should we serve potatoes with our lean beef, or (as I have said) pork with our beans? Simply to nourish ourselves properly. Bear in mind that during the process of living we use up and cast away certain matter which must be replaced by equivalent substances, and these substances must be found in some of our own elements. Albumen must be replaced by albumen, fibrine by fibrine, etc.

Dropping the scientific combination, there is a sense of taste that must also be consulted, to keep up the appetite. Certain vegetables seem particularly adapted to accompany certain meats. Fancy, for instance, a dish of corn passed with a fowl, or a dish of mashed turnips with boiled fish. The sight of such a combination would rob a sensitive person of appetite at once. We serve; then (or should do so), potatoes with our roasted beef, rice with our mutton, beans and apple sauce with our pork, rice and peas with young chickens.

Cream vegetable soups should be accompanied with squares of toasted bread; oyster and clam soups with pickles and crackers. Croûtons go nicely with purées, boiled rice with gumbo; sliced cucumbers and potatoes should be served with fish. Where fish forms the main meat dish of a dinner, tomatoes and macaroni may also be served. Peas and tomatoes especially blend with ham and sweetbreads; mushrooms with chicken and sweetbreads. Corned beef is made more appetizing by a dish of carrots, stewed turnips, cabbage, string beans, kohl-rabi, and may also, be garnished with pickled beets. Roasted fowl may have as a garnish rice croquettes and baked tomatoes. Peas and macaroni may also accompany.

Roast turkey-with cranberry sauce or acid jelly, peas, tomatoes, or cauliflower. Spinach should be served with lamb or mutton. Apple sauce or fried apples, sweet or white potatoes, and tomatoes blend also with pork. With baked or boiled ham, fried turnips, sweet or white potatoes, broccoli or any of the cabbage family may be served. Fried potatoes join nicely with beefsteaks, tomato sauce with breaded chops and veal cutlets. Chicken croquettes are pretty and appetizing with green peas or served with I2 lettuce or French dressing; lobster cutlets with lettuce, water-cress, corn-salad and sorrel with French dressing. Broiled or baked blackbirds may be served with the salad course; also frogs' legs and fried shrimps. Calves' liver (baked) should have served with it squash, mashed potatoes or stuffed egg plant. Stewed cucumbers, corn, lima beans, peas, tomatoes may be served with almost every kind of meat. Bear in mind that corn must never accompany poultry or game. Boiled mutton (of course) must have caper sauce, boiled rice, cauliflower or stewed cabbage. Fried cabbage goes nicely with stewed beef.

Remember that while vegetables are plentiful, cheap and wholesome, they must never be served in too large quantities or in too great a number at one time. Cauliflower and asparagus, for instance, are better served as a course, alone; artichokes the same. Where fish is not easily obtained, a nicely cooked vegetable may be served as a second course, following the soup.

Turnips, carrots, parsnips and beets contain very little nourishment. For this reason they should always be served with concentrated food. They produce the necessary waste for proper intestinal action.

FRENCH ARTICHOKES.

French artichokes have a large, scaly head, like the cone of the pine tree.

Strip off the coarse, outer leaves, cut the stalks off about an inch from the bottom, wash well in cold water. Throw them in boiling water, add a teaspoonful of salt, and boil gently until the outer leaves are tender (about one and a half hours). Then take them from the fire, lift them carefully with a skimmer, place them upside down on a plate to drain. Arrange in a circle on a heated dish, tops up (of