Our Cooking Class by F. O. Raymond

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 10, 1907

Our Cooking Class

By F. O. Raymond

F. O. RAYMOND

Nut Foods

With their very large percentage of protein and fat, nuts are even a more perfect vegetarian meat than legumes, but on account of their cost and the difficulty of securing them in sufficient quantity, it is doubtful whether nuts can ever occupy a very large place in our American dietary. For the most part, however, nearly every section has its own native nuts, which are quite moderate in price and not so difficult to obtain, and these will be found of great value, especially for winter use along with the other foods. Among those which might be mentioned are the chestnut, butternut, hickory nut, walnut, hazelnut, pecan, pinenut, beechnut, and, as usually classed, the peanut. All of these, except the chestnut and the peanut, containing but little starch, require no cooking, and if taken in small quantities and most thoroughly masticated, are highly nourishing and wholesome.

Difficulty in the use of nuts arises chiefly from the way in which they are eaten—imperfectly masticated, perhaps in large quantities, between meals and in the evening. A rich food of such dense, hard structure as nuts, must, by mastication or other means, be reduced to a perfect cream, be partaken of in small quantities and in connection with the regular meals. Chestnuts, on account of the large percentage of starch and small amount of fat, are best either boiled or roasted. Peanuts, being of the nature of legumes, require prolonged boiling or steaming. The common practise of roasting renders them unwholesome, as it virtually fries the nut in its own oil.

Nut Meal and Nut Butter

Those unable to procure the manufactured nut products may, with a suitable mill, furnish themselves, with much less expense, products which in all essentials for ordinary family use are nearly or quite equal to those upon the market. For all-round usefulness, a mill like the Quaker City, or the Universal Food Chopper, which cuts or chops, is much more serviceable than one like the regular nut-butter mill, which crushes or grinds only by pressure. In case the mill can not be adjusted close enough for butter, a finely perforated tin or sieve may often be fitted in against the knife so as to remedy the difficulty.

Of the great variety of nuts which may be made into meal or butter the sweet almond is the best, and like the pecan, walnut, hickory nut, etc., needs no cooking. It must, however, be blanched by standing a few minutes in boiling hot water, then pinching off the skins and drying. Some nuts may, if liked, be ground without blanching. In blanching the peanut do not roast, but turn into a large pan, place in an oven rather moderately heated, stir several times, and remove just as soon as the skins will slip off when the nuts are rubbed upon a sieve or in the hands. Rub, winnow, and grind the nuts, then put away in glass jars until needed for cooking.

Prepare peanut butter by taking a cup or more of the peanut meal, adding about an equal measure of hot water, salting and cooking for several hours in a double boiler or in a basin set in a moderate oven. Prepare the butter in small quantities, as it will not keep long in warm weather. If well cared for, the meal in its dry state will keep a long time. Nut meal and butter thus prepared may, in moderation, be used in a variety of ways, as butter, in seasoning soups, vegetables, roasts, and other foods.

“There are many minds in many places to whom the Lord will surely give knowledge of how to prepare foods that are healthful and palatable, if he sees that they will use this knowledge righteously. Animals are becoming more and more diseased, and it will not be long until animal food will be discarded by many besides Seventh-day Adventists. Foods that are healthful and life-sustaining are to be prepared, so that men and women will not need to eat meat.”

“The Lord will teach many in all parts of the world to combine fruits, grains, and vegetables into foods that will sustain life and will not bring disease. Those who have never seen the recipes for making the health foods now on the market, will work intelligently, experimenting with the food productions of the earth, and will be given light regarding the use of these productions. The Lord will show them what to do. He who gives skill and understanding to his people in one part of the world will give skill and understanding to his people in other parts of the world. It is his design that the food-treasures of each country shall be so prepared that they can be used in the countries for which they are suited. As God gave manna from heaven to sustain the children of Israel, so he will now give his people in different places skill and wisdom to use the productions of these countries in preparing foods to take the place of meat. . . .”

“It is the Lord’s design that the poorest people in every place shall be supplied with inexpensive, healthful foods. . . .”

“Many have written to me, ‘I can not use the nut foods; what shall I use in place of meat?’ One night I seemed to be standing before a company of people, telling them that nuts are used too freely in their preparation of foods; that the system can not take care of them when used as in some of the recipes given; and that if used more sparingly, the results would be more satisfactory. . . . I have been instructed that the nut foods are often used unwisely, that too large a proportion of nuts is used, that some nuts are not as wholesome as others. Almonds are preferable to peanuts; but peanuts in limited quantities may be used in connection with grains to make nourishing and digestible food.”

“God is working in behalf of his people. He does not desire them to be without resources. He is bringing them back to the diet originally given to man. Their diet is to consist of the foods made from the materials he has provided. The materials principally used in these foods will be fruits, and grains, and nuts, but various roots will also be used.”—Testimonies for the Church, Vol. VII, pages 124-137.

In our sanitarium practise we make use of protose, nuttolene, bromose, malted nuts, and nuts in their natural state, but use very little peanut butter.

Recipes

A TASTY NUT PREPARATION

Take 1 quart water, 2 ounces raw nut meal or nut butter, salt, sage, onion to taste, and 1 quart zwieback crumbs. Add nut meal or butter and seasoning to the

water, and stir in the zwieback crumbs. Bake to a nice brown in spoonfuls in an oiled pan. Serve with a gravy made as follows:—

NUT MEAL GRAVY

Heat one quart water to boiling, add 2 ounces (about two-thirds cup) nut meal, and thicken with equal parts of gluten and white flour. Salt to taste.

HOME-MADE GRANOLA

Take 3 cups white flour, 1 cup Graham, 1 cup steel-cut oatmeal or corn-meal, salt. If oatmeal is used, soak it one-half hour. Make a stiff dough as for rolls, knead thoroughly, roll out into sheets one-fourth inch thick, prick, and bake to a light-brown entirely through. Grind in a coffee mill or nut mill, and serve with dairy or nut cream, fruit juice, or dry.

Washington, D. C.