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     Fat is a heat-or fuel-producing food which is very valuable in cold weather for supplying the body with heat and energy. Often foods that are cooked in fat are termed indigestible; this means that the food is not utilized in the body and, owing to some digestive disturbances, it becomes part of the waste. Recent experiments tend to show that animal fats are assimilated fairly well; undoubtedly it is the misuse of fat that is used for frying purposes that has given many fried foods their bad reputation. Every normal person requires a certain amount of fat.

     Make it a rule when serving fried food to have an acid food, either a vegetable or a garnish, accompany the dish.

     Here are just a few things to keep in mind when planning to serve fried foods: Use very small quantities of foods that are cooked in fat for people occupying sedentary positions, while those who are employed in active or laborious work may eat a larger proportion. Persons who are working at hard manual labor, out of doors, will be able to assimilate daily portions of fried food without any physical disturbances.

For digestion’s sake, learn to serve:

Juice of lemon with fried fish,
Apple sauce with pork or goose,
Cranberry or currant jelly with poultry, lamb or mutton,
Horseradish with beef.

     It is a curious thing that nature demands these combinations to equalize the fatty content of the meal. Save and clarify the various fats and utilize each particular kind, so that there need be no waste.
Chop all bits of suet fine and place in a double boiler and then render. Chicken and pork fat may be rendered in this way.

     An excellent shortening that may be used to replace butter in cooking and baking may be made from chicken fat, of which there is usually three or more ounces in one fat bird. Remove the fat from the bird and place in cold salt water for one hour and then drain and cut into small pieces. Render in a double boiler. Pour into a jar and allow to harden. Now, when using this fat, use one-third less than the amount called for in the recipe. To make pastry, allow four tablespoonfuls of this chicken fat to each cup of flour. Chicken fat may be used to replace butter for seasoning vegetables and mashed potatoes. This is a pure fat free from moisture and seasoning and will go farther than butter.

     Generally, in speaking of the term “drippings,” it meant to include fats that cook out from the roast beef, pot roast, soups and corned beef. This fat is clarified and then used for sautéing. It cannot be used with good results for making pastry and cakes.

     To clarify fat: Put the fat in a saucepan and add one cupful of cold water to every pound of fat. Add

One-fourth teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda,
One-half teaspoon of salt

     Bring to a boil and then simmer slowly for ten minutes. Pour through a strainer lined with cheesecloth and allow to harden, then cut into pieces. Reheat and pour into jars. Bacon, sausage and ham fats may be blended with beef drippings for frying purposes.

     Mutton or lamb fat must be clarified and then blended with ham and bacon or sausage fat. Fat from bacon, ham and sausages may be used for flavoring vegetables in place of butter, for cooking omelets, potato cakes, mush and scrapple. It is a splendid seasoning to use for
macaroni, baked beans with tomato sauce, dried beans and peas in soups and when cooking dried lima beans. There is really no need to allow a spoonful of these fats to be wasted. Fats that are not available for table use should be collected and made into soap.

     Do not be falsely economical in trying to do deep frying with these fats. They not only will not hold the temperature for successful frying without scorching, but they frequently soak into the food and make it unfit to eat.

     The late war has brought many good vegetable oils upon the market that are ideal for cooking purposes and are preferable to the animal fats for all cooking. They not only hold a high temperature without burning, but also they may be used repeatedly if they are strained each time after using. Food cooked in vegetable oil does not absorb the fat and it is more digestible and really more economical.

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