Part 1 of Chapter V
When I type up the Home Haven Homemaking Lessons,
the thoughts of what Sarah Field Splint shares in her book,
The
ART OF
COOKING
AND
SERVING
seems to register a little deeper with me. Because I'm not a typist, the amount of time and effort it takes to look at the words then transfer to the computer keyboard, check the body of the article, correct typing errors and faulty grammar compositions...the information I have read, typed and reread transpires into a healthier comprehension than what comes from a flippant skim over.
MY personal LIFE LESSON that comes from this technique helps me understand what I read and could possibly use in my personal space called HOME LIFE. It helps.
I'm guilty of rushing through certain parts of life not acknowledging that I did not always savor the moment by operating in a relaxed state.
Guilty. Thank God this state of life didn't rest with me. I'd work at and/or make a conscience effort to make changes that were a better fit toward being a relaxed momma that was a homemaker, wife and child of God.
CHAPTER V of the book is a bit wordy for my typing abilities, so I'm going to split this up. From what I have been exposed to in a World's Culture that SEARCHES for the Fountain of Youth and going GREENer.......deep fat frying has gained a bad reputation.
I'm curious what Sarah has to say about it since this book went to print before I was even a twinkle in my momma's eye.
Here goes:
CHAPTER V
Deep Fat Frying
FRYING is the one phase of cooking of which the average housewife has still a lot to learn. Either she fries food haphazardly, ignorant of the scientific principles back of the process, and with sad results to her family's digestions; or, believing all fried foods are indigestible, she veers to the other extreme and entirely avoids frying.
Of deep fat frying she oftens knows nothing. And yet foods, properly fried, have a savor and delicacy which almost no other form of cooking can develop, and they hold no terrors for the digestion. In that one word, "properly," lies the whole secret.
One cannot speak of frying without differentiating between the two forms of frying, sauteing and frying in deep fat. They are two distinct methods, each with its fine points. Sauteing is cooking in a small amount of hot fat; deep fat frying means cooking in a kettle of hot fat, in which the food is immersed. In both of these forms of frying the French are past masters and this is one of the reasons why their food has such delicacy, flavor and variety.
The sauteing method is frequently used to sear over the outside of meat and poultry which are to be cooked in water, as for stews, fricassees and meat pies, the hot Crisco causing a coating to be formed over the surface which prevents loss of flavor in the process of stewing or simmering. Fish cakes, hash and fried eggs are just a few of the familiar foods cooked by this method. Fritters and croquettes may also be sauteed if preferred, but the appearance is not quite so perfect as when cooked in deep fat and the food is more likely to absorb Crisco, so the latter method is recommended in this book.
Certain fish cut in small pieces, such as fillets, and thin fish, like butter fish, are usually sauteed instead of cooked in deep Crisco. Just as for deep frying the Crisco should be hot--but not smoking--when the food is put into it.
To wipe out that bugaboo of the indigestibility of anything that is fried, one must keep in mind two cautions, first--as to the kind of fat used for frying and the way it is used; second--as to the preparation of food to be fried. A fact to be learned by heart is that when fat begins to smoke it begins to decompose.
It then tends to become less digestible and to lose some of its nutritive value. A fat which decomposes at a comparatively low temperature, like butter, lard and some vegetable fats, has to be be used with much greater care than Crisco.
Crisco has the advantage of a very high smoking point. There is no reason why, in frying, Crisco should be heated enough to reach the decomposition point. Lard, an animal fat, smokes at a much lower temperature, thus demanding much greater vigilance on the part of a cook if decomposition and the resulting indigestible products are to be avoided.
Various fine points are worth remembering in preparing food to be fried in deep fat. "Egging and crumbing," for instance, prevent fat from being absorbed by the food, because heat coagulates egg proteins and quickly forms a protective coating through which grease cannot penetrate. Such foods as oysters, scallops, croquettes and cutlets are always dipped in egg and crumbs before frying.
The egg for this purpose should be beaten slightly and mixed with two tablespoons of water. For the crumbs used dried bread, rolled out and sifted, or you can buy crumbs in a package if you have no stale bread on hand. Roll the food to be fried in the crumbs, then dip it into the egg mixture and roll again in crumbs. This makes a heavy coating and a crisp, tender outside crust is formed when the food comes in contact with hot Crisco. A second important point is that foods for frying should be
as dry as possible before they are put into the kettle. If you soak French fried potatoes in cold water before frying-- as you should to remove some of the starch--dry them thoroughly in a clean towel before dropping them into the Crisco. This makes them wonderfully crisp and tender.
The vessel for deep fat frying should contain enough Crisco to float the food without being so full that it will bubble over. Also it is essential to drain all fried foods as they are taken from the hot Crisco. This is easily done by dropping them into a pan lined with unglazed paper.
With these few definite facts in mind a housewife can successfully add to her culinary program a number of dishes which lend a welcome variety to the family menus. Not only does deep fat frying open up new and interesting avenues in cooking, but it offers ways for subtly disguising and utilizing leftovers which the family might otherwise reject. It is a very economical process as well, because it means short cooking with a consequent saving of time and fuel. And one more point in its favor--food immersed in hot fat has all of its juices closed in and so retains its full flavor.
Crisco which has been for frying is not discarded but may be used again and again without losing its sweetness. It should be cooled rather rapidly, not left to simmer indefinitely on the back of the stove. On the other hand it should not be plunged into the ice box, but merely set in some cool place. When partly cooled, it should be strained through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to free it from any particles of food.
If later any taste or odor should be discerned in Crisco which has been used for frying, it is safe to prophesy that particles of food, which should have been carefully strained out, have been left in it to become stale and rancid.
Clarify Crisco more thoroughly by occasionally melting it over a gentile heat. When melted drop in slices of raw potato, allowing them to cook slowly until brown. The potato, being porous, will absorb small particles of food material. The Crisco should then be strained through a double thickness of cheesecloth and allowed to cool quickly. The fact that Crisco can be used many times makes it very economical.
One should not keep Crisco in the ice box. It does not become rancid in average temperature.
To be continued with SUCCESS SECRETS.......
**************************************************************************
Hope you enjoyed this read.
Good 'ole Crisco.
~Deanna~
An old Library Cabinet filled with nic~nacs would be moved across the Parlor to rest in a different corner. Where this piece use to be, the Wardrobe/Armoire would be placed. Where the Wardrobe/Armoire use to be the Treadle Sewing Machine would occupy.
