RATIONING OF SUGAR

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4558, 10 April 1942, Page 5

RATIONING OF SUGAR

TO START NEXT MONDAY ELASTIC NATURE OF SCHEME “ The sugar rationing scheme has now been completed,” said the Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, at Wellington yesterday. “It is elastic in nature, and is designed to cover any number of commodities that may be in short supply.” The Minister expressed concern that in spite of the fact that adequate supcoming forward regularly, isople were still having difficulty m securing reasonable supplies. “ The introduction of rationing under the coupon system means that everyone will receive his fair share,” said the Minister, “ and the scheme has designed to prevent abuses. Ration books will be available at all money order offices and special issuing points in the cities and larger towns from next Monday (13th April).” Che success of the scheme, said Mr Sullivan, would depend on the co-oper-ation of each individual, and he was sure everyone would welcome the step. TE AWAMUTU ARRANGEMENTS ISSUE OF RATION BOOKS Ration books will be issued at the Post Office, Te Awamutu, and all money-order offices between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon (commencing on Monday, April 13th). In order to avoid congestion during the day, ration books may also be obtained at the Post Office, Te Awamutu, between the hours of 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Monday to Friday. The Acting-Postmaster, Mr A. S- Prisk, Was arranged to put on a special staff at night-time so that the books may be issued to the public as rapidly as possible. A parent may obtain books for all members of the family; Social Security coupon books in respect of all persons 16 years of age and over must be produced when making application. Assist the Post Office by making early application at your local office. MAJOR DOMESTIC PROBLEM HINTS FOR HOUSEHOLDERS When sugar rationing is shortly irtin New Zealand, housewives Te Awamutu and district will pft'bably find that making the ration go round is a major domestic problem. Alternative ways of sweetening or of neutralising acidity in cooking are helpful in meeting the problem and by exercising a little ingenuity home cooks may find that the coming restriction will not be so bad to deal with after all. f, The following suggestions may be useful:— GOLDEN SYRUP AND TREACLE Golden syrup and treacle are both by-products in the manufacture of sugar. Both contain a proportion of water and are therefore not so concentrated as ordinary sugar. About IJlb. are equivalent to 11b. of sugar in '. sweetening value. Honey consists essentially of invert sugar and has good sweetening qualities, but/ on account of the water present, you must use lilb. to replace a pound of sugar, When using honey you must remember that it has a very definite flavour, which it tends to impart to food. Glucose syrup is not such a good sweetening agent as the other syrups men- ' tioned and it is, therefore, necessary to allow about 21b. to replace lib. of sugar. USE OF VEGETABLES Carrots, parsnips and swedes can all be used for adding bulk to different foods, and on account of the small proportion of sugar present they help to impart a sweet flavour. For culinary purposes the > egetables are usually rated. Grated carrot, for instance, is useful for adding bulk to marmalade, to which it imparts also a good colour. It can be used instead of fruit in a pie or flan. When used to increase bulk of preserves and jams, in particular, it must be remembered that it is important to sterilise as when fruit bottling, and exact directions given in a reliable recipe must be carefully followed. Grated carrot can occasionally also be in- / troduced into cakes and puddings. Beet is fairly rich in sugar, but rather earthy in flavour. It is most suitable for adding to highly-seasoned chutneys and sauces, rather than to use for sweet dishes. Raisins, sultanas and dates all contain a proportion of grape sugar or glucose, and therefore have definite sweetening properties, but are, of course, difficult to obtain just now. CHEMICAL PREPARATIONS s . Saccharine is a complex chemical prepared from coal tar, and is from 300 to 600 times as sweet as sugar. It is useful for sweetening beverages such as tea and coffee and for adding to stewed fruit. It does, however, tend to give food, particularly fruit, a rather bitter flavour unless it is added immediately before serving. Bicarbonate of soda is not a sweetening agent, but helps to save sugar when stewing fruit, because it is alkaline in reaction and therefore helps to neutralise the acidity. Tests indicate that about one-third of the sugar normally used when cooking acid fruits can be saved if a small amount of bicarbonate of soda is added. Use from l-Bth to 1 teaspoonful "to 11b. of fruit, to Its acidity. Be careful, WBtyever. not to add too much, or you will render the fruit alkaline in reaction, and you will not only spoil its flavour but cause destruction to its vitamin C content.