TEST FOR COOKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24275, 16 May 1942, Page 6

TEST FOR COOKS

EXPECTED YISITOES WHAT AMERICANS EAT BEEF, FRUIT AND COFFEE Hospitable Aucklanders may soon have to decide on what basis they will entertain welcome visitors from overseas —whether they will offer their guests a frankly all-New Zealand menu, or whether they will endeavour to supply within 'the limits of their resources staple American dishes. The question at first sight would appear to be difficult, not so much from the culinary point of view, for New Zealand women are acknowledged to be capable cooks, but rather because the food habits of the people of the New World are different from our own. However, it is probable that the visitors will have to adapt their tastes to New Zealand dishes, for it is not possible to import the wide variety of American tinned articles. In the long run, therefore, American dishes may become a novelty to Americans. No Mutton, Tew Puddings For breakfast Americans and Canadians eat grapefruit or some other fresh or stewed fruit, and a prepared cereal, or flapjacks cooked on top of the stove. For red meat they rely very largely on beef and they are very small eaters of lamb and mutton. They are very fond of pies, composed of meat, fruit or vegetables, but steamed puddings are seldom seen on the menu. Sweets are always light. Salads, composed of a judicious blend •of greens and fresh fruit, are eaten with almost every meal, always after •the meat course, of which the basis more often than not is white meat. Their grilled "squabs," to our way of thinking, are very immature chickens, not more than 21b. dressed weight. Fish forms a much larger proportion of their diet than ours. Meats in a pie are also in great favour. Fruit Juices Popular Before meals Americans partake as an appetiser of juices extracted from a wide range of products, including citrus fruits, tomato, prune and carrot juice. Their coffee, which they brew from the pure grain, without the addition of chicory, they drink black or with the addition of a spoonful of cream. Cafe au lait is almost as rarely drunk as tea, which has only in recent years been considered by them. Iced water is drunk at all times and in all seasons. It may be said that the average American household spends quite as great a proportion of its income on food as the New Zealand home, and that they are more diet-conscious than we are. Nevertheless, the Dominion produces such an abundance of good food that it should be a point of honour for our cooks to make the most of it in offering hospitality to our allies in arms.

PREFER MILK TO BEER Consumption in America "It would be good if we could say the same thing of this country," remarked Mr. C. J. Lovegrove at the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council meeting yesterday, when a report from an Australian trade journal on the milk ration and consumption bv American troops was submitted. It mentioned that, in a military camp in America, the milk bar sales had amounted to aboift twice the sales of beer. Army nutrition experts had decided upon one pint of milk or its equivalents as a minimum for the soldier's daily diet. At an American rtir corps training school each cadet consumed approximately one quart of milk a day, added the'report. HOSPITAL VISITING RESTRICTIONS CONTINUE SPINAL MENINGITIS CASES The Auckland Hospital is to remain closed to the general public, with the exception of one hour on Sunday afternoons, according to a statement made yesterday by the chairman of the Hospital Board, Mr. Allan J. Moody. This was on account of cases of cerebrospinal meningitis, which were still being sent to the hospital. Mr. Moody said that in addition to- Auckland patients, cases had been reported in other parts of the country and it was not desirable that the Auckland Hospital should take any risks. Three meningitis patients are in the hospital at present. One man, a soldier, died yesterday morning. An officer of the Health Department stated last night that a few more cases were being treated in the province now than during the summer, but there was no indication that an epidemic was imminent. SUSPECTED CASE IN NORTH RECOVERY OF SOLDIERS (0.C.) WHANG AREI, Friday A suspected case of spinal meningitis was admitted to the Whangarei Hospital to-day. The patient is an 18-vear-old civilian residing in Whangarei township. The two territorial patients admitted to the hospital previously have both progressed satisfactorily and one has been discharged as cured. BOOKS AND PICTURES STORAGE IN SECURITY Steps are being taken by the City Council to safeguard some of its more valued possessions by removing them to storage in a place of greater security for the duration of the war. Included in the items to be dealt with are the extremely rare and valuable books comprised in the Grey and Shaw Collections in the Central Public Library; certain books from the library's New Zealand section, and the more important pictures from the city collection in the Art Gallery. Among the books are richly illuminated mediaeval volumes, Caxtons, Shakespeare folios and early printed Bibles. It is also intended to remove from the Town Hall a quantity of municipal records of historical interest, deeds and other documents. FAILURE TO ENROL (0.C.) HAMILTON, Friday A first division reservist, Arthur Lindsay Mathers, was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment by Mr. W. H. Freeman, S.M., in Hamilton, for failing to enrol at the proper time. SeniorSergeant A. G. McHugli said defendant had enrolled late and then changed his name. BOY KILLED BY LORRY (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Friday A boy aged three, Brydon Ericsson, was killed in Broadway, Miramar, this morning when he was struck by a motor-lorry. The child lived in Liverpool Street. Miramar. HOSPITAL LEVIES (0.C.) TAURANGA, Friday The Tauranga Borough Council at its monthly meeting decided that, in view of the steep increase.in hospital levies on local bodies, the Government be requested to set up a commission to report on the whole question of hospital costs.