SEASONING FOOD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17534, 29 March 1919, Page 7

SEASONING FOOD

WHY?

By WALTER MI GALLICHAN.

Healthy digestion is chiefly dependent upon enjoyment in eating. Many food* are more gratifying to the palate, and therefore wore digestible, when flavouring nor seasonings are added. The taking of nourishment and the process of assimilation are assisted by mental impressions. Appetite can be quickened by a tastefully laid taol.e, flowers in. vases, and an appeal, to the visual Kense. The odour of dishes alao' plays an important part in digestion by inducing a flow cf internal secretions. This lias been well, prqy^d by experiment/,-.'. ■ " -:•;■ -•;•. ♦-■;■■■ ?, -. ■.•■--';''■;.■.., ''" There is the plainest evidence-that the psychic nuidsj influencing the digestive process, can bo stimulated by condiments and spices. Piinrtive people discovered this principle in dietetics by experimenting with nerb flavourings; and the artistic «;hef of our time per' forms culinary wonders with the aid of seasoning of sauces.

Highly flavoured dishes have been condemned by most authorities upon Hygiene in diet. No doubt the use of condiments and flavours frequently stimulates th« sense of taste unduly Tad leads to excess in eating. On the other hand, seasoning serves a heathful purpose m moderation. Even a hungry man may ' scarcely relish beef w'thoufc salt, --us-! tard, or pickles,'and to one with a nieagro appetite the addition of condiI ments may be indispensable for perfect ! digestion. | Healthy children do not crave the [more powerful fillips to hunger, and, generally speaking, spiced and highly savoured food should be avoided in childhood. But every regard must be f;iven to idiosyncrasy in likes and disikes. If a child can be persuaded to eat ric« pudding with a little rhnmnon or vanilla flavouring;, after obstinate refusal to eat plain rice, the use of the flavour is apparent. When an adult is prejudiced against an article of diet possessing a hign nutritive value the objection may be frequently overcome by the use of an agreeable condiment. One man may dislike scrambled or poached eggs and yet enjoy an omelette with savoury herbs. A little'Ttffiice will often tempt a dainty feeder to eat fish or cold meat. The English labourer's bread-and-cheese meal is made more relishing and digestible by an oniou, and in Spain the peasants eat a few olives or a piece of garlic as a seasoning to their bread. * Economically, seasonings have very considerable, value. A shrewd cook knows how to make relishing dishes from odds and ends of meat, vegetables, and bread with flavouring substances. Waste in the kitchen can be avoided by an intelligent employment of condiments and spices,' as every French housewife knows.