Food Drying Progress and Importance : How the People of America

Home , Food drying

BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

3 9999 08270 958 3

«w„

8009.386 ^'W

l^esearch Library i#£ ^ ^ (K9 rao'f.T TS'A'

t /

FOOD DRYING PROGRESS AND IMPORTANCE

How the People of America Can and Should Help in Developing the Use of Dried Vegetables

Issued by THE NATIONAL WAR GARDEN COMMISSION

Washington, D. C.

AMERICA MUST FEEft THE WORLD

FOOD DRYir^G IS. AIM ESSENTIAL

FOOD DRYING PROGRESS AND IMPORTANCE

WAR against famine has now The use of dried products is worth taken the place of war against while from many points of view.] Germany. Peace has brought Whether considered as food conser- new problems in feeding mankind. vation or from the standpoint of con- For solving these problems war- venience to the housekeeper the utili- stricken Europe rightly looks to zation of dried vegetables and fruits

America. That she may furnish the in the daily diet is to be commended. solution, America must apply every Notable among the advantages are possible measure to make her food the following: supply stand the increased strain. In 1. Food Conservation.—Drying makes this grave situation, the use of dried possible the saving of large quantities of food which would otherwise be wasted. vegetables assumes new importance One form of this preventable waste is that in the economic system of the nation. which comes from lack of market demand at the time of harvesting. Another form is Vegetable drying has made note- that with home dried vegetables and fruits worthy progress since the outbreak no expense is involved for glass or tin con- such as are required for canning. of the European war. tainers 2. Storage Advantages.—Dried products the Science Scientific research and may be kept in places that could not be used Has practical application of its for canned products because of excessive warmth or danger of freezing. Helped results have given greatly 3. Climatic Conditions.—In many com- increased impetus to this munities in the extreme north or the ex- are such means of preparing the surplus pro- treme south climatic conditions that canned products cannot be safely trans- ducts of summer for use during the ported or handled by grocers. In those and months of non-production. Vegetable all other sections dried goods may be easily handled. drying may now be regarded as win- 4. Convenience and Economy in Trans- ter food preparedness in its simplest portation.—The reduced volume and weight of, dried pr4>ducts.is such as to involve a form. Because of its 'sf frjfdicity; i.t is: . minitHrlim ' of • space and transportation

especially important to -the- * aveirage . cha

' stages'* Prbpei^tly d^ied vegetables or fruits, * products. People must'lea'rit to -val-uic 'properly prepared, have palatability and them at their full worth and use them nourishment equal to fresh products. accordingly. Proper utilization of our With the cessation of hostilities in food supply demands this. Europe came the liberation of vast ;

numbers of people who had been re- Vegetable drying can be made a duced to starvation through German mighty factor in solving the food subjugation. In France and in Bel- problems thus thrust upon us as the gium vast areas of reclaimed territory world's most favored nation. The are peopled with repatriated millions necessities of war time brought about who had not only to be removed from the development which advanced present starvation, but provided with vegetable drying to a point where it such surplus as would enable them to can take its proper place among the return to health and prosperity. Food economic forces of the day. Administrator Hoover declares that Food, when dried, shrinks both in the war was brought to an end in no bulk and in weight. The reduction small measure by starvation itself in weight of dried vege- and that it cannot be our business to Skrinkage tables and fruits ranges starvation in times of peace. maintain In Drying from five-sixths t o Not only must France and Belgium eleven-twelfths with an be fed, but we must look to it that even greater reduction in some cases. famine conditions in Russia are re- A California operator furnishes these lieved to the fullest possible extent. figures: Potatoes shrink in weight In Northern Russia alone 40,000,000 about 6 to 1 ; cabbage, about 20 to 1 people face dire hunger. In Armenia, tomatoes, about 20 to 1 ; spinach, Syria, Turkey and Rumania the con- about 18 to 1 ; turnips, 14 to 1 ; car-

rots, about 9 to 1. Less than three pounds of dried tomatoes, for instance, are the equivalent of 60 pounds of canned tomatoes. Not only are the products much shrunken, when taken

from the drier, but they may be still more compressed in packing, so that

the bulk is still further lessened. In the case of commercially dried products this reduction in weight also lessens transportation costs and therefore lessens the tax on the consumer. A shipping incident serves to illus- trate. Fifty pounds of green Brussels ANSWER THE CALL FOR FOOD CONSER- VATION sprouts were shipped by express from California to an Eastern point at ditions are extremely grave and twelve cents a pound. To this cost

America cannot relax its efforts to of six dollars was added the cost of ovecome the food shortage of the shipping with the Brussels sprouts world resulting from the war. one hundred pounds of ice at twelve cents a pound, which made a total aration is largely done by simple transportation charge of $18. The and inexpensive machinery, there is equivalent of these fifty pounds, a tremendous saving of man-power. namely, three pounds of dried pro- The shrinkage in bulk makes dried ducts, which required no ice, might products acceptable and fitting naval have been shipped to the same point stores and trans-ocean freight. cents. by parcel post for 35 or 36 The absence of moisture is unfav- The experience of the armed forces orable to the growth of micro-organ- is instructive. in the zone of conflict isms and this is the secret of the pre- Because of the ease of servation of food by drying. After Used by transportation and other the Boer war, considerable surplus Armies advantages, dried vege- dried vegetable material, no longei tables have been given needed for the English army, was put an important place in the diet of the in barrels and stored away. The soldiers of Great Britain and other barrels were opened during the countries. Where fresh products are European war and the contents satis- used army officials estimate that two factorily used for army rations. Pro- men are needed to prepare potatoes ducts which kept unchanged in and other vegetables for every one quality and flavor for eighteen years hundred soldiers. Dried vegetables might reasonably be supposed to keep well for all ordinary purposes.

Germany's stores of dried vegetables greatly helped her in carrying on the war. During the A Lesson ^^^^ Y^^^ ^^ which the From United States Govem- Germany ment has any official record, Germany dried in potatoes alone more than twice the entire quantity of potatoes raised in this country. She has more than quadrupled the number of her plants since starting the war, and has now more than two thousand. There are DRIED VEGETABLES WILL HELP FEED in Germany fifty-six firms supplying YOUR BROOD complete drying apparatus, and thirty-seven other firms which supply are already prepared and are ready auxiliary machines and parts. to cook after being merely soaked in water. In an army of 2,000,000, their Despite all these truths, one finds use would release nearly 40,000 men practically no dried vegetables for for other tasks. As the original prep- sale at retail in America, and only a limited amount of fruit. Outside of the situation. For use in our homes government contracts there is little or canned foods are desirable, but if we no market for dried vegetables. The are to reap the full benefit of our National War Garden Commission has inquired carefully into the matter, having corresponded with most of the commercial drying concerns in the country. One and all report that aside from contracts with the War Department they have practically no markets for their products.

"Creating a market is the only difficult thing about the dehydrating process," is a typical statement. "Every- thing else is very simple. To educate people to eat dehydrated products is an eiiOrmous task. If everybody would use the product it would be one DON'T BE A DRONE. PREPARE FOR of the cheapest and easiest ways of WINTER conserving our perishable crops, but Victory Garden crops, these must be with the limited consumption of the supplemented by dried foods. For present time, dehydration cannot be shipment abroad dried foods are par- really considered of any large impor- ticularly needed. Europe needs steel tance in the conservation movement. and wood and cement and a thousand Our markets are growing and we are other kinds of material for the re- opening up new ones all the time, but building of those vast ruins which it will be several years yet before we were prosperous cities and villages. can claim that dehydrated products Europe also needs cattle, millions of are in universal use." cattle, to make good the present short- It is highly desirable that a market ages, and needs cattle-feed by the for dried foods be created, and trainload as well. Ships will be speedily. In view of needed to carry our own soldiers back world food situation Market ^^^ home. The demands on shipping we must practice con- Must be space will be almost beyond concep- servation in its highest Created tion. Whatever saves space is, there- sense; we must produce fore, a prime requisite in the upbuild- more food than ever before and make ing of a ruined world. Since food is wise use of every ounce produced. To the first of all requirements, we should achieve true wisdom of use we must by all means adopt and develop that conserve as much as possible in the method of food shipment which calls form which best meets the needs of for least space. This means that we : :

should greatly increase the use of Commercial dehydration has come to stay in this country and while it may still dried foods. be regarded as in the experimental stage, The Government has appropriated those who are most familiar with the problems of food production and conservation a quarter of a million dollars for the are firm in the opinion that we are seeing development of the dried food indus- only the beginning of what is sure to ex- pand into an enormous and most important try. This fund will be expended un- industry. The impetus given to the process of canning by the Civil War bids fair to be outrivalled by the impetus given to this simpler and more universally applicable method of food conservation and there seems to be no reason why the abundance of one season or one locality should not be made available by this means for periods of scarcity or for regions where fresh fruits HP i#g;^ and vegetables can not be obtained. Every encouragement, therefore, should be given to home drying, in order that the people may become familiar with the excellence of the products which may be prepared by this method; and to save the I vast quantities of excellent food which now go to waste for lack of adequate methods of conservation. Conservation on a really important scale will, however, be only reached by commercial dehydration which secures superior and more uni- VEGETABLE DRYING HELPS MAKE A GAR- DEN GROW DOLLARS form products at a much lower price. The expert testimony in favor of der the auspices of the Department food drying is further summed up in a of Agriculture, and in its handling statement by David the Government will have the benefit Further Fairchild, agricultural of the skill and ability of Lou D. Expert explorer in charge of the Sweet, who has been at the head of Testimony o^ce of Foreign Plant the Dehydration Section of the United Introduction, United States Administration. Mr. Food States Department of Agriculture. Sweet is a strong advocate of the He says need for creating a market for dried I believe the American public should vegetables and fruits. In a letter to learn to use dried vegetables, because in so doing great economies can the National War Garden Commis- be brought about in this country as they have been in sion, Mr. Sweet emphasizes the im- Germany and Austria. The dehydrated vegetable saves transportation of both portance of food drying and urges its bulky fresh vegetables and bulky canned development on a commercial scale. vegetables, not only those portions which He writes are actually consumed but the waste which forms so large a part of the garbage of As yet, however, the commercial develop- our cities. The dehydrated vegetable ment of the industry has not reached a saves tin, since it can be put up in paper scale that will meet the nation's needs for containers. It saves labor in the small this form of conservation. home where the convenience of its use is Before this can be done there must be apparent. It saves in wastage at the point real demand for products prepared by this of production and at the home. We little method. appreciate how gigantic the wastage of fresh vegetables is, and this wastage is that our own armies will employ them ex- largely because the vegetables, are too tensively, as have the armies of Great cheap on the market in the height of the Britain, France and Germany. season to warrant a grower to ship them The appropriation of $250,000 re- to it, and it is here that dehydration should play an important part. cently made available for the Depart- There is nothing in the vegetable situa- ment of Agriculture, tion which confronts us today to assure us of cheaper vegetables in the future. Government will be used in con- must not forget the small proportion We Help ducting further ex- of women gardeners in this country as compared with the women field workers of periments with dehy- France and Germany and even England, dration of vegetables and carrying and vegetables require a large amount of hand labor to produce. Where is the labor the knowledge to the American peo- coming from? ple. As a committee to carry out the Possessing as we do such remarkable food as Indian corn, and having learned, purposes of the appropriation, the as we have, to like it, there would seem to Secretary of Agriculture has ap- be a danger that we depend too fully upon pointed Major S. C. Prescott, it and, with the increasing price of vege- U. S. tables, fail to realize that as we increase A., and Mr. Lou D. Sweet. Major our corn consumption we require greater Prescott has in quantities of milk, butter, meat, fats or been the food division vegetables to supply the food essentials of the surgeon-general's office of the lacking in corn. As the fresh vegetables United States Army and is professor become scarcer on the markets, it would become more and more difficult to do this, of micro-biology at the Massachu- and the result predicted by dietitians is setts Institute of Technology. malnutrition among those who think they cannot afford to buy the vegetables. We Drying is economical and simple. should learn to use these dried vegetables to supplement the grain ration. It is easy to see a hundred reasons why we should not eat dried vegetables, but it is unscientific and unpatriotic to shut our eyes to their possibilities. As a people we should move ahead into the field of dehydrated vegetables, develop it, discard what is not good, hold what is good, and make it a means to stabilize those vegetables the price of which fluctuates now in a most unsatisfactory and dangerous way. While I believe that we should consider first our own attitude toward dehydrated vegetables and work out the best methods of using them for ourselves, we are war- ranted in believing, as conditions are at present in Europe, that there will be need of large quantities of all kinds of foods, including these dried vegetables, in those VEGETABLE DRYING IS PATRIOTIC countries which are now famine-stricken. Although it is undoubtedly true that the German troops are using enormous quan- It requires no elaborate nor costly tities of dried vegetables, it is not demon- apparatus. The finished product does strated to what extent they will be em- not require expensive containers, ployed in the feeding of our own boys. No as civilian will take the attitude that the almost any sort of a receptacle which boys should be fed on food which he him- is clean can be utilized. Compactness self refuses to eat. If we learn to use them extensively, it is a practical certainty is another advantage. This applies 8 both to shipping and to storing. The with due attention to proper tempera- excellence of the original quality and tures, which range from 115° to 175° flavor is retained and when properly F. for different products. dehydrated food is restored by proper Too much heat is dangerous. It is soaking, and then cooked, it cannot dry air that is needed, rather than be distinguished from fresh vegetables and fruits after they have been cooked. *Why not cook vegetables before drying them?" was a question of plausible suggestion. Complete cooking, par-boiling, and even shorter methods of cooking, were tried upon AN INVITING DISH OF DRIED CARROTS a variety of vegetables, until a minimum period of boiling water treat- air greatly heated. The heat is inci- ment favorable both to wholesome- dental to the drying of the air. ness and to good taste in the dried If products are not dried suffi- product was adjudged suitable. This ciently the moisture retained makes a treatment, which varies in time for medium for the development of bac- different products, has been accepted teria and mold and spoilage occurs. as an essential part of the proper dry- How much water to extract then being of vegetables. It is called blanch- comes an important consideration. ing. By it the protoplasm is killed The abundant sugar present in most and enzymic action stopped. There fruits acts as a preservative and there- is a thorough cleansing and a destruc- fore it is not necessary that they be tion of many bacteria. Furthermore, as dry as vegetables. A rational the flow of coloring matter is started, method of determining the right de- and the color of the product thus ac- gree of drying for the finished stage centuated. The fibers are loosened is by the texture of the products. and softened and a condition created Most vegetables should be rather brit- that facilitates the giving off of tle when taken from the drier, and moisture in the drying process. fruits should be leathery and pliable. Blanching should not be confused One method of determining whether

with cooking, as it differs both in pur- fruit is dry enough is to squeeze a pose and effect. It is a handful, and if the fruit separates Blanching preparatory process by when the hand is opened it is dry is Useful which the wholesome- enough. Another way is to squeeze ness and flavor of a a single piece; if no moisture comes sound product are retained through to the surface the piece is sufficiently the stopping of chemical changes. The dry. Berries are dry enough if they drying process should follow at once, stick to the hand but they do not and be done as rapidly as possible. crush when they are pressed. :

NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY DRYING

HOME drying is profitable both to Each woman should prepare her the household and to the nation, own products and always leave uten- but if a neighborhood or com- sils in good order. When people are munity pools its expenditures for novices at drying it is advisable to equipment and works as a unit a larger hire a paid expert for a short time, amount of material may be dried with or if the arrangement for a common greater convenience and a considerable drier is to cover the community, the saving of labor, time and fuel. A big- continuous service of at least one ger drier than could be put into a salaried person is desirable. Some home kitchen may be set up in a one is required also to do regular schoolhouse, parish house, clubhouse cleaning in the room used. This may or other accessible place for common take an hour a day once or twice a use in drying; and definite hours of week, or all day every day according duty may be assigned to different per- to the needs. Community drying is sons. Such, in general, is the plan of simply organized drying, not for com- neighborhood or community drying. mercial profit, but for mutual aid and Details as to how much material each facility in the conservation of vegetables and fruits for home use.

The country is calling upon the women of America to do their utmost to preserve for winter use all garden, orchard and market surplus. In millions of homes prompt action has been taken for home drying, but there remains an enormous surplus still un- cared for. The solution of the problem is the community drier. On a rising scale as to the size of operations, mutual drying may be divided into three classes

1. Two or more families working to- COMBINED EFFORT SIMPLIFIES MANY gether with equipment bought or made for PROBLEMS the use of all. 2. Neighborhoods organized through a Women's Club, church or some existing at time, person may bring one when neighborhood organization,

such material shall be brought, and 3. Communities, organized through the who shall be on duty to regulate the local Council of Defense, the Mayor's Com- mittee, the Chamber of Commerce or the drier, should be carefully worked out. Women's Club. io

Through neighborhood work any How can work best be started? If number of families from two to fifty three to six or eight families are to

may work along benefit, it will be nec- Neighborhood ^^^ lines of mutual Starting essary to secure a Drying drying operations. Community room with running One set of appara- Work water in or near it. tus will serve for all. The cost, A space is necessary thus divided, will be small for for conditioning, and, provided it is each household. The results will be not damp, the same room or one near- by may be chosen. Space and facility

OH - THAT for blanching vegetables is essential SOUNDS and GOOO-IIL chimney, gas or electric connec- Go AND GET tion is also needed. Such a place can REDUCED RtGHT fXWAYf likely be found in the home of one of the members. A stove to supply heat to the evapo- OME HUNDRED POUMDS OF SOME FRESH V/E6ETABLES WILL REDUCE TO TEN rator is needed and very likely would POUNDS IM DRYING WITHOUT L055 not have to be bought. For drying OP FOOD VALUE OR nUCH OF THE FLAVORJ by electric fan, a device can be readily READ AND HEED made and is practical where rates for electricity are low. A motor fan run- of vast value, as each family will thus be prepared to feed itself next winter and he who feeds himself feeds the nation.

A neighborhood club is easily formed. It consists of a number of women, united by organization, for the purpose of engaging in drying, and using a common standard. In the simplest sense this need not be an organization at all. All that is necessary is for two or more households to agree on working together HEED THE MESSAGE AND HAVE WINTER in the purchase and use of equipment. PIES A drier for the use of several families may be bought for $25 to $30, or it ning on kerosene or alcohol is also may be made at home as shown in on the market. Drying by air-blast "Home Canning and Drying Manual" or air suction without heat is satis- issued by the National War Garden factory in dry climates, but heated air Commission. combined with the fan makes the dr>'- 11 ing more rapid. Where there is much at $1,000 to $2,500. A home-made humidity, the addition of heat is es- outfit may be constructed at con- sential. siderable less cost. Carpenters and A slicer for vegetables costs $1.50 men installing heating apparatus will or more, according to size. Tables usually be glad to furnish estimates and other utensils may be collected from the various households. White oil-cloth for tables, cheese-cloth for protecting the material from dust and insects, and paste-board cartons for containers of dried products would make necessary slight extra pur- chases. Butter containers are useful for holding dried products, as are also SIMPLE HOME-MADE DRIER FOR ELEC baking powder cans and other cov- TRIG FAN ered tins. of cost, if supplied with a description If an entire community is to be or- of the apparatus desired. Care must ganized, it will be necessary to ascer- be taken to provide for accurate regu- tain how many families will use the lation of temperatures. Otherwise community plant and approximately results will be unsatisfactory. how much material will be dried daily. These things determined, a drier can Mr. C. W. Pugsley devised a suc- be chosen intelligently. Because of cessful community plant, which was its usual hot-air blast, which dries first used at Lincoln, Nebraska. In products quicker than dry climates his method is dehydra- they can be dried by tion without heat. In more moist the evaporating pro- climates heated air should be used. A cess, a dehydrator is means of supplying heat by use of often preferable. The a radiator is shown in the illustra- cost of a satisfactory tion. The cost of an outfit like this dehydrator may be put would be $250 or more according to

A successful community drying plant. The air, may be drawn through the box-like structure by means of suction as shown, or forced through by a fan. The frame work should be entirely covered as indicated in the center section. Heat is supplied by a radiator at one end. 12 the price of materials and labor in the Public Safety, The Mayor's Commit- locality. A number of these plants tee, the Chamber of Commerce or a

have been in success- leading women's club is a suitable or- A Successful ^^^ operation. In^ ganization to back a movement for air being Plant stead of organized food conservation. Such forced over the pro- activities should be as far as possi- ducts, suction is used on the theory ble conducted by committees of es- that the drying is quickened by this tablished central bodies. The un- method. The reverse may be used if necessary multiplication of associa- desired and the air forced through tions is a handicap to a community. by an electric or other power fan. Adequate organization is as neces- Illustrations, descriptions and prices sary as backing. It is essential to of several standard ready-made evapo- have the right ex- rators and dehydrators should be ob- Organizing ecutive machinery a Community ^s well as material facilities. The best person available should be chosen to have charge of the active work. This person should be chosen for ability and fitness and he should have the backing, support and assistance of three capable persons constituting a committee of management. This leader should be placed in charge of

the work. It is desirable that he should have technical training, but in DRYING IS A SIMPLE PROCESS any event the enterprise should have tained. In making an estimate of the benefit of the services of a tech- funds needed, include also service for nically trained worker. In many com- cleaning, cost of operation of stove, munities the United States Depart- fan or both, and $25 to $30 for neces- ment of Agriculture will have demon- sary equipment such as slicers. It strators available who will be helpful should be clear to all concerned that a in organizing and supervising the major part of the expenditure should work. In others domestic science represent investment for an indefinite teachers in public or private schools number of seasons, and should not be may be available. The state experi- considered in terms of one season. ment station. State Agricultural Col- The management, with the estimate lege, or County Agent can doubtless in hand, may then consider how best place any community in touch with to finance the matter. The local Coun- supervisors. to keep cil for Defense, the Committee for There should be a checker WUlyou have a part in A^ctory?

Jft^lES WC»«vTeoM»EIO< -^UMSC "Every Garden a Munition Plant' %y Charles Lathrop Pack. Pr«,

13 account of products, and a book- but considering the number of com- keeper. For these positions volunteer munities in the whole country, and service is usually obtainable. Women the need for drying operations in each who help to prepare and dry extra one, it is uneconomic to buy. There are not enough dehydrators made to dry all the surplus home products of

the country ; and an adequate imme- diate development of their manufac-

ture is practically impossible. In organizing community drying

centers it will usually be found that

all the facilities needed already exist,

and that the chief requirement is the vision to see and recognize them. Ex- isting organizations, existing build- ings, existing apparatus and the ad-

ALL ABOARD FOR THE DRYING CENTER

products sent in as general surplus should be paid by the hour, but pay- ments should be made in products rather than in money. The value of the products should be based upon the market price of fresh products plus the cost of drying, including labor.

The location is important. It should be central and suitable. School kitchens are usually available. Location ^re fitted with various of Plant conveniences, and are rarely used otherwise during the summer. Church kitchens USE THE SCHOOL-HOUSE AS A COMMUNITY are sometimes offered. Empty stores DRYING CENTER or space in a gas or electric company's quarters are possibilities. The school- vice and assistance of local carpenters,

house is usually the most economical plumbers and other artisans will pro- choice. In fact, parts of the house vide the essentials for a successful itself may be converted into dehy- community drier in almost any city drators. When viewed merely locally, or town. "Use what you have," is a

it may require less thought and good motto for those about to organ- bother simply to buy a dehydrator, ize a community drier. ;

In a large community it may be de- den space and raise food, will also be sirable to have several district centers. progressive enough to help them con- In that case the cen- serve their surplus. And obviously Community ^ral organization will Centers have to be duplicated as many times as there are centers. These organizations should work together. Thus they can buy to advantage, procuring necessary supplies at low rates.

Under some conditions it may be desirable to form a conservation or-

SIMPLE DRYING TRAY TO SUSPEND OVER STOVE

in many cases a good solution of the problem lies in the factory drier. This can be organized and operated very much as any other com-

munity enterprise is operated. Dry- ing outfits can be installed, containers procured, and the work done by the employees under DRIED VEGETABLES ARE EASILY STORED skilled supervision. The men can ganization within an industrial plant. gather the products while the women Many industrial plants have provided prepare and dry them. The daylight large gardens for their employees saving law fits in with such a plan and these garden areas are usually admirably, as the extra hour of light company lands adjoining the company at the end of the working day will plants. Often they are distant from afford ample time for such work. the town, or the workers live so far Where employers are willing to do from the plants that they must go to so, the working day can be shortened and from their work in trolley-cars on certain days for those thus en- or other conveyances. In such cases gaged. a good plan for utilizing the garden It is important to remember that products is to carry home what can community drying plants are intended be eaten fresh and dry the remainder for the conservation of excess crops at the factory. rather than to encourage increased

Employers progressive enough to production. Their chief function is assist their employees to procure gar- to save waste. 15

SUMMARY OF ORGANIZED DRYING

A framework for community or- They should be conducted by skilled workers and should be open to all who are in- ganization is afforded by the follow- terested. In community work they should ing outline: be held in as many sections of the city or town as necessary. At each demonstra- 1. Arousing interest. tion vegetables and fruits should be dried to show the exact methods. In community work this may be done through the central body having charge 6. Obtaining equipment. of the community work, with the co-opera- In community work this should be done tion of the newspapers and other publicity. by the central body having charge. For In neighborhood work it should be done mutual work by two or more households through personal effort. One or more it should include driers and containers for meetings should be held at a central place, dried products. Reduced prices may be to stimulate and maintain interest and to obtained by buying in large quantities. In instruct the workers, through lectures, on community work a committee should get the details of their work. In the public prices on large lots and buy for all or library all literature on drying should be should arrange with dealers to supply to withdrawn from circulation and set aside individual members at reduced price. for the use of the workers. 7. Forming teams. 2. Organizing. In some community centers it is found To cover an entire community this should useful to organize teams of six or eight be done by the central body in charge. If women who do their work together. This the community is too large for a single saves labor and stimulates competition drying center each center should have its among teams. organization. A general meeting offers a good chance to arrange this. Members 8. Offering prizes. should enroll with the secretary. In some communities, where there are several local centers, interest has been 3. Providing central place for con- aroused by offering prizes to the center ducting the work. making the greatest progress, based on the In community work a school house, number of women eligible for membership, church basement, store or other place hav- the number enrolled and the results pro- ing facilities for water and abundance of duced. heat will be need d. In neighborhood 9. Preparing reports. work two or more families may work in Each member should keep a record of the one kitchen, using the necessary apparatus total amount of each product dried. The jointly. secretary of each organization should re- 4. Providing instruction and su- port these totals to the central organization, in order that the results of the entire com- pervision. munity may be determined. In community work the best results may be obtained by having trained workers 10. Storing products. instruct workers and supervise the work. Arrangements should be made for storage of products belonging to the com- 5. Conducting demonstrations. munity plant, and for their subsequent al- These may be indoors or in the open air. lotment or sale. :

HOW TO COOK DRIED PRODUCTS

In order to properly cook dried in an uncovered vessel. If flavor is

vegetables, it is important to have too strong these vegetables should be regard for the proper cooking of cooked in two or more changes of vegetables in the fresh state. The water. simple rules for cooking fresh vege- Time for cooking varies with the tables are well known, but it is not freshness and type of vegetable, so out of place to emphasize some of that a time table for cooking vege- the special points. tables may serve only for a guide. The first step in cooking fresh vege- In general the following time table tables is to wash them thoroughly in may be followed for fresh vegetables cold water, using a Peas or beans from market_l to 2 hours Cooking vegetable brush. To Fresh peas from garden 20 to 30 minutes pare, use a sharp Fresh string beans 30 to 40 minutes Fresh Green vegetables, as spin- Vegetables French vegetable ach, cabbage, etc 15 to 30 minutes knife. The outer Roots and tubers 30 to 60 minutes skin and any discolored portions The water in which vegetables are should be removed. The vegetables cooked may be saved for use in soups should be cooked in boiling water. and sauces served with vegetables. Dried vegetables differ in no essential nutritive way from fresh vegetables, and the same Cooking principles govern Dried their proper cooking, Vegetables though applied in a necessarily modified DRIED POTATOES PREPARED BY USE OF form. Not all foods are suitable for MEAT CHOPPER drying according to present methods Salt should be added at the end of but if a proper selection is made and ten minutes, using in general, one the drying correctly done both flavor teaspoonful to one quart of water. and nutritive value should be retained

Sweet • juiced vegetables, such as in large measure in the product as peas, beans, potatoes, squash and the finally cooked and ready for serving. like, should be cooked closely cov- Expertly dried vegetables contain ered in a small quantity of water to about 3% to 10% moisture as against avoid loss of flavor by evaporation. 75% to 90% or even 95% in the fresh Strong-juiced vegetables, such as vegetables. cabbage, onions and turnips, should The first step toward preparing

be cooked in a large quantity of water them for table use is to put water back 17

kind is frequently somewhat different. into them by soaking. This soaking is usually ample time for draws out some of the nutrients, and One hour soaking of finely cut pro- the amount of liquid needed, as well the sometimes ducts ; even a shorter time as the time allowed, should be as Shell beans and peas require limited as possible. To add two to suffices. twelve hours or overnight. three cupfuls of water to a cupful of six to the pieces of vegetable assume dried vegetable is a good general rule. When fresh The minimum amount should be a surface appearance similar to products and have become somewhat swollen the conditions suggest readi- ness for cooking. As water is a solvent, dried vegetables which have been soaking lose some of their mineral matter and other soluble substances, such as sugar, in the surrounding liquid. Unless they can be made to re-absorb some of the soluble nutrients thus lost, they will be lacking in food value. Dried vegetables should, therefore, be cooked in the same water in which they have been soaked. The vessel The latter part A LITTLE HELPER IN EVERY HOME should be covered. of the cooking should be at a lower taken at first, and more added as temperature to allow for the gradual necessary. absorption of as much of the liquid The water should be kept cold, as as possible. standing in a warm place for any considerable time may cause souring of the product. Finely shredded vegetables in many cases may, without previous soaking, have boiling water poured directly over them and be cooked at once, or after standing from one to five minutes, be satis- factorily treated by bringing the water quickly to a boil, and starting the cooking at this point. The period for soaking varies with the size and quality of the pieces as the structure of the vegetable. well as DRYING VEGETABLES KEEPS THE WOLF Structure of vegetables of the same AWAY :

After soaking, dried vegetables, for may be used and oven heat utilized, reasons given in the preceding para- or the cooking may be done in the graphs, would naturally usual covered sauce-pan, the tempera- Cook in be cooked in hot water. ture toward the end of the process Hot The water should be being lowered by turning down the Water brought to a boil and continued at this temperature until the products are tender. Long, slow cooking continued at a temperature 20 to 30 degrees below the boiling point is applicable to vege- food tables containing considerable vegetable fibre, such as beans. The nutritive properties should be maintained by using as little liquid as possible ^^p. so that this may be taken up by the foods during the cooking process. don^t stop Toward the last, if there is much liquid surplus, the cover of the utensil shavingit! may be removed and the liquid allowed to evaporate. Occasional stir- SLICE AND DRY YOUR VEGETABLES

gas or moving the pan to a less hot

part of the stove. If all the liquid is

not absorbed when the vegetable is

"done," it may be used as the founda- tion of a sauce, made like white sauce, to be poured over the vegetable when served. Care should be taken for judicious seasoning with salt and some vegetable oil or butter. Dried vegetables may be success- fully used in the following dishes

Vegetable Soup SIMPLE HOME-MADE SUN DRIER Cream of Purees Clear Vegetable Soup ring will permit the moisture to more Vegetable Chowder thoroughly Vegetable Souffle reach all surfaces. Scalloped Dishes A fireless cooker is satisfactory for Creamed Vegetables Baked Loaf cooking dried vegetables. A casserole Pie Fillings : ;

RECIPES FOR COOKING DRIED VEGETABLES

Some of the most useful recipes Cabbage. 1 cup dried cabbage. 4 cups water for the use of dried vegetables are ]^ teaspoon soda. given in this and following pages Parboil fifteen minutes, drain, add freshly boiling salted water, cook until Scalloped Corn. tender. Drain if desired, add milk and 1 cup dried corn. Buttered bread crumbs. seasonings. 2 cups water. Seasonings.

Soak corn, cook slowly until soft, adding more water as needed. Place a layer of corn in greased baking dish, then a layer of crumbs ; repeat until dish is filled. Cook in oven until brown.

Vegetable Souffle. 4 tablespoons fat. 4 tablespoons corn or rice flour, or any other flour. Yi cup milk.

1 cup vegetable pulp, such as carrots, turnips, spinach, etc. Yi cup vegetable liquid. 2 or 3 eggs. Seasonings. Prepare dried vegetables and put through a sieve. When cooked make a white sauce of fat, flour, milk and the water in which the vegetable was cooked. Add vegetable pulp and beaten tz'g yolks; fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Put in an oiled baking dish and bake in a slow oven until it is set. A HOME-MADE DRIER FOR HOME USE Gl-AD ^Q\.i i-EPT -OVERS Carrots. THIS WINTER; 1 cup dried carrots. 3 cups boiling water Wash carrots. Soak four hours in cold LEFTOVERS AND OTHER D»T5 OF FOOD rofty BE water. Heat water in which soaked tc 5WED FOR WINTER USE WITH 5HCE»MT TROUBLE boiling, add 1 teaspoon salt, add carrots, AND DRIEP WHILE THE TOP OF THE STOVE Is ^ and 25 or until tender. SElfSe, USED simmer minutes Serve simply seasoned or reheat in a whitr X sauce. A WORD OF WISDOM Corn Pudding. 2 cups corn. 2 eggs. Dried Corn Fritters, 1 teaspoon salt. teaspoon pepper. 3 cups corn. yi lY teaspoon melted butter. 1 cup flour or substitute. 2 cups scalded milk. 1 teaspoon baking powder. 1 teaspoon salt. Soak corn from three to four hours using 2 eggs. two cups of water to one of corn. Cook Soak the corn. Cook until tender in boil- in the water in which it soaked, until soft. ing salted water. Cool. Add slightly beaten eggs to the Drain corn, add dry ingredients; add corn; then add seasonings and scalded two eggs slightly beaten; fold in whites of milk, turn into a baking dish or casserole eggs beaten stiff. Fry as griddle cakes. bake in very moderate oven until firm. 20

Corn Omelette. Omelette With Pea Flour. Put corn through a food chopper and soak from one to three hours. To three 2 eggs. 1 cup milk. tablespoons of the pulp add the beaten 3 tablespoons cooked pea flour. yolks of the three eggs and a little salt; Beat the yolks until thick and light. beat the whites to a stiff froth; mix with ^^z Add the flour and milk and season to taste. the corn and pour into a hot buttered pan; Fold in the beaten white lightly. Turn cover at once and place where it will cook, the mixture into buttered pan and place but not burn. When set, fold and serve on where it will slowly. a hot dish. cook When brown on the bottom and somewhat firm on top, set in the oven to finish cooking on top.

Creamed Potatoes.

Soak the potatoes in milk or water for an hour or so. Cook in a double boiler until soft. If soaked in water add milk. Thicken with flour and season w'th butter, salt, pepper and a little parsley.

Polenta.

1 quart stale bread. 1 tablespoon dripping or 2 cups tomatoes which cooking oil. have been soaked. 1 teaspoon salt. 1 cup grated cheese. 1 tablespoon sugar. Yi cup onion which has been soaked.

LET THE ELECTRIC FAN HELP Put drippings in pan, and add onions

and cook a few minutes ; do not let it

brown then ; add tomatoes, boil ten minutes, Baked Cabbage. add salt, sugar, boil five minutes, add Soak three cups of cabbage from three to four hours, boil ten minutes in slightly- salted water uncovered; and add sauce made of one cup milk, one tablespoon of butter and one of flour; season with salt and pepper, put in a baking dish, cover with bread or cracker crumbs, bake one hour. Squash Pie. Soak the squash from 3 to 4 hours using 2 parts water to one of squash. Boil slowly in the same water until soft. Mix 54 cup sugar, Yz teaspoon salt, ^ teaspoon each cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, 1 t^^ slightly beaten, 1^ cups cooked and strained squash and 1 cup milk. Bake in corn meal crust. Corn Meal Crust. Grease a pie plate well. Cover with raw corn meal, giving the plate a rotating motion so that an even layer of the meal GETTING READY FOR THE WINTER BY will stick to the plate. Fill the plate with VEGETABLE DRYING squash pie mixture.

Scalloped Onions. cheese, stir until smooth, then brush cas- Cover with boiling water and cook until serole with drippings and put the sliced tender. Put into greased baking dish, bread in, pour in tomato and cheese mix- cover with white sauce, season with salt ture, sprinkle with one tablespoon cheese and paprika, and bake in a hot oven until and bake in hot oven twenty-five to thirty brown. minutes. 21

Soups. Vegetable Soup.

For each pint of soup there should be one J4 cup Navy beans. 1]/^ cups tomato. cup black beans. cup flour. cup of cooked vegetables. Use ^ or_^ 54 J4 54 cup peas. Water to make 2 quart* cup, uncooked, of any one of the following 2 teaspoons salt. soup. vegetables or any suitable combination of V/2 cups corn. two or more, the amount depending on the degree in which each kind increases in Mix all the material together and cook bulk. This quantity weighs from 2 to 3 the mixture for two hours in a double ounces dry and will measure about 1 cup boiler or from one-half to one hour in a after it has been cooked. pressure boiler.

COOKING DRIED FRUITS

There are certain broad rules which satisfaction laid to the fact of cooking. Fruits of first quality, well cooked, make can be applied to the preparation of delicious and tempting dishes, but flavor uncooked fruits will be all dried fruits: lacking in the lacking in the cooked fruit, and the cooked the 1. Separate the fruit so that each piece product will be improved over raw will be single, wash in luke warm water.

2. Pour the water off; put the rinsed fruit into an enameled sauce-pan; cover well with cold water and let stand several hours, keeping the sauce-pan covered.

3. After the fruit has been thoroughly soaked, and regained its natural size, pour off this water saturated with fruit juice into another sauce-pan, and boil from you don't fifteen to twenty minutes. Pour this boiling hot liquid over the fruit. Put the pan on the back of the stove or in the oven, add sugar or honey to taste and let the fruit simmer from fifteen to thirty minutes.

4. Now take the fruit from the stove, keeping the lid on the pan, and let it cool off gradually.

5. The flavor of some fruit is improved you by adding a little lemon or orange peel, TO PREVENT AN EMPTY ICE BOX NEXT especially prunes or pears. WINTER, BE A VEGETABLE DRIER 6. Fruit cooked in this way can be used for all sorts of purposes, just the same as fresh fruit—for pies, cakes, puddings, soups, only by the addition of sugar, spices, or candies or simply stewed fruit. fruit juices to supplement a natural de- 7. As a rule the flavor of fresh fruits ficiency. Simply cooked fruit plus the is not improved by cooking, but it is some- minimum of sugar is the better rule, and what changed and to some tastes more with attention to temperature, utensils and pleasing. A baked apple is the best apple time, the results should be amply satisfy- in some estimates. Often, inferior fruits ing as to wholesomeness, appearance and are chosen for cooking, and the lack of flavor. 22

POTATO FLOUR

Potato flour may be substituted for as fine as possible. The product part wheat flour, using ^ cup of pota- should be dry and sandy like meal. to flour instead of one cup of wheat Custard Souffle. flour. It may be used in croquettes, M tablespoon butter. Yolk of 1 egg. meat balls, meat and vegetable soups, P°'^'° ^« flo^''P°°" m tablespoons sugar. sponge cakes and souflles and as K cup scalded milk. White of 1 egg. mashed potatoes. Melt butter, and add gradually the flour and scalding milk. Cook thoroughly, pour If at home, a flour mill is made onto the well-beaten yolk, add sugar and necessary. To make potato flour cool. Fold into mixture the well beaten white. Turn into buttered custard cups wash tubers well and pare very and bake about fifteen minutes—until firm thinly. If a rotary peeler is used, the —determine by pressing with finger. Take from oven and serve at once, or it will potatoes should be graded for size, fall. Serve, with foamy sauce. and those of similar size pared in Salmon Souffle. groups. The eyes will have to be removed by hand. Cut into slices 3-16 2 tablespoons butter sub- J^ teaspoon salt. stitute. y2 teaspoon paprika. to 1-4 inch thick. Blanch in steam V/z tablespoons potato Yi cup salmon. flour. 3 egg yolks. one to three minutes, or in boiling 54 cup scalded milk. 3 egg whites. water one to three minutes. The Melt the fat, add the potato flour and seasonings. Cook 2 minutes, then add milk water should boil vigorously enough slowly, stirring constantly. When thick- to keep the pieces separated and in ened and cooked for a few minutes add the salmon chopped fine. Let cool slightly. motion. Drain and place on drying Add the well-beaten yolks, when cold fold tray in 1-inch layers, then dry at once. in the stiffly-beaten whites. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake thirty min- The blanching should be just long utes in a slow oven. Serve immediately. enough to prevent darkening while Vegetable Souffle. the potatoes are drying. Start dry- 125° 54 cup butter substitute. Salt and pepper. ing at a temperature of F. and 3 tablespoons potato 1 cup cooked vegetables, 145° 150° flour. rubbed through a raise gradually to to F. 1-3 cup milk. sieve, carrots, turnips 1-3 cup water in which or onions. toward the end of the drying period. vegetables were Yolks of 3 eggs. When dry enough, the pieces of potato cooked. Whites of 3 eggs. Melt butter, add flour, and pour on will be free from opaque, spongy gradually cream and water; add vegetable, white places and will rattle when yolks of eggs beaten until thick and lemon colored, then add seasonings. Fold in the stirred. Put the dried potatoes whites of eggs beaten until stiff. Bake in through the mill, set to make the flour slow oven in buttered baking dish. 23

THE CARTOONIST'S IDEA OF THE FOOD WAR

Berryman in Washington Star

The Army of Victory Gardeners Forcing General

Hunger to Sign Terms. The Vegetable Dry- ing Forces Must Support the Victory Garden Army After J. N. Darling, in New York Tribune,

NATIONAL WAR GARDEN COMMISSION

A Patriotic Organization Affiliated with the Conservation Department of the American Forestry Association WASHINGTON, D. C.

Chakles Lathrop Pack, President. Percival S. Ridsdale, Secretary. Norman C. McLoud, Associate Secretary.

Luther Burbank, Calif. Dr. John Grier Hibben, N. J. Dr. Charles W. Eliot, Mass. Emerson McMillin, N. Y.

Dr. Irving Fisher, Conn. Charles Lathrop Pack, N. J. Fred H. Goff, Ohio. A. W. Shaw, 111.

John Hays Hammond, Mass. Mrs. John Dickinson Sherman, 111.

Fairfax Harrison, Va. Capt. J. B. White, Mo. Hon. Myron T. Herrick, Ohio. Hon. James Wilson, Iowa.

P. P. Claxton, U. S. Commissioner of Education.

Boston Public Library Central Library, Copley Square

Division of Reference and Research Services

The Date Due Card in the pocket indi- cates the date on or before which this book should be returned to the Library.

Please do not remove cards from this pocket.

.i#^