FOOD VALUES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23112, 10 August 1938, Page 5

FOOD VALUES

SOME COMMON FAULTS LESSONS FROM RESEARCH TRAINING IN HOME SCIENCE The difficulties which arise when an American starts cooking in Australia are confronting Miss Ruby Simpson, M.Se., the newly-appointed principal of the Memorial College of Household Arts and Crafts, Kirribilli, who arrived in Sydnev recently. Miss Simpson, who is a graduate of the lowa State College, previously taught at the universities of Nebraska,and New Hampshire and | at the Texas State College for Women. ( She also studied child development and ! child psychology at the Colombia UniI versify. I Among other things, Miss Simpson i has to instruct the students at the college in cookery, and has to make trial dishes before she can ascertain if her results will be correct. The flour and buking powder in Australia are of a different constituency from the American brand;' the Australian pint is larger than the American pint; and Australian electric ovens work on a different voltage. Difference in Recipes All these factors make a considerable difference to recipes which have been proved in America, and Miss Simpson I also has to learn what are the best in- ! gredicnts to be obtained in Australia. According to Miss Simpsou, more | than 1000 girls study home economies, or home science, at the various home economics schools in the United States. At the secondary schools there are even I home economics courses for boys, who ! are chiefly concerned with the preparation and "grooming" of food. For boys who wish to be chefs this training is invaluable, and to many boys who wish to study forestry, and will therefore be cooking for themselves, a knowledge of home science is a definite advantage. In Miss Simpson's opinion, the majority of people hurry too much with their meals, and consequently suffer from indigestion. "It would fbe much better if men and women got up about 10 minutes earlier every morning and devoted those extra minutes to their breakfast," she said. To maintain good body tone it is essential, in Miss Simpson's opinion, for the normal person to absorb daily two fruits (one fresh if possible), two vegetables, two cups of milk for an adult or four for a child, one egg, complete protein in the form of cheese or meat, and enough sugars or starches to supply tho energy foods required by the body. Fault of Overcooking A common fault among housewives is the overcooking of foods. For instance, many cooks.will boil a cabbage for 45 minutes instead of the required five. We should reduce the amount of food intake by abolishing the betweenmeal snacks and should strive to eat only the foods which will be beneficial to us," she added. "It is not enough to send children to school with thick bread sandwiches with very little filling in them,"' said Miss Simpson. "Mothers who cut their children's lunches should keep the bread thin and have thick cuts of meat and cheese. Thermos flasks filled with soup made with milk are good, and fresh tomatoes and celery should be taken, as well as fruit." One of Miss Simpson's favoured recipes is for cheese pineapple salad, made as follows: —Take two cups of crushed pineapple, one cup of sugar, and one tablespoon of gelatine; combine and boil for three or four minutes. Allow to cool, and then add one cup of grated cheese. Fold in one cup of whipped cream and mould, and serve on a lettuce leaf.