SUGAR IN COOKING

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 133, 29 February 1936, Page 19

SUGAR IN COOKING

Use It Wisely Comparatively few housewives use sugar either wisely or scientifically. Considering that it is. one of the most important ingredients in cooking, it is a pity that this is the case. Perhaps it. is because sugur is a comparatively moulern product, unknown in the earlier history, of. the world, except to the TudiausTtUtDsdutheru Chipes.e, So far as- England- is concerned, - there is reason to believe that the first house■JlMa tp. adopt.sugar in cooking,Jn place was tkat of Qutten Elizabeth, states ah English journal, .

.’. Being pure carbohydrate, almost 100 ( per cent, of the sugar taken into our t bodies produces beat and energy, and its digestion is easily affected, as is also its assimilation. It begins its work five minutes after it has been | consumed. But sugar unmixted with other foods would produce an irritation in the alimentary tract, and might cause colitis. Also, it does not stimulate the gastric juice to flow. So we mpst use' sugar wisely and sparingly, and not let our children substitut’e sweets for bread or bacon, as many are wont to do. Sugar does not cause tooth decay, a crime often laid at its door, because it mtelts and passes out of the mouth at once, and it is only food that is lodged against the teeth that can cause decay. As to the use of sugar as a cooking ingredient, many housewives do not differentiate as to which sugar to use for the particular food they are preparing. Brown sugar should be used when we want -flavour in addition to sweetening; while preserving sugar is better than granulated for toffee-mak-ing, because granulated sugar sometimes has-3 per cent, of starch added to it. For a similar reason, lump sugar is best for tea or coffee, while castor sugar goes into cakes and can be sprinkled over cakes agd pies. There is one way in which sugar is greatly neglected by us, and that is as a steasoning. A French chef will put a tiny dash of sugar into his salad dressing; the German, into his soup, or 'possibly Into his gravy; and the American will add it to the water in which, he is cooking vegetables to make up for their loss of-.natural sugar in storage or transit, Lemon juice, vinegar, cream of tartar or glucose should never be left out of recipies when they are prescribed, since they are added to prevent the sugar from graining or forming crystals. It sbould.be borne in mind that one single crystal of undissolved sugar may crystallise the mass, causing toffees or icings to turn out grainy and coarse.