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General Rules for Cooking Vegetables

Wash thoroughly. Pare, peel or scrape, if skins must be removed. Skins should be left on to keep in all the food value possible. Beets must never be peeled before cooking. Soak in cold water until ready to cook. Cook in freshly boiling salted water until tender.

Allow 1 teaspoon salt to 1 quart of water. Use as little water as is possible without burning, except for strong flavored vegetables like cabbage and turnips. These should be cooked uncovered in a large quantity of water. Greens like spinach and kale, need only the water which clings to them from washing. To preserve the color of green vegetables, cook uncovered. Water in which vegetables have been cooked is called vegetable stock and should never be thrown away, but used in soups and sauces. Winter vegetables should be kept in a cool, dark, dry place. Fresh vegetables may be washed and kept on ice in a clean piece of cloth. Time for cooking vegetables varies with the age of the vegetables and the hardness of the water. Never add soda to vegetables as it has a tendency to destroy the vitamins.