Read Ebook: A Comprehensive Guide-Book to Natural Hygienic and Humane Diet by Beard Sidney Hartnoll

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Every woman should resolve to learn how to feed her children with pure and harmless food. Every mother should make her daughters study this art and thus educate them to worthily fulfil their domestic responsibilities. Here is a new profession for women--for teachers of high-class fruitarian and hygienic cookery will soon be greatly in demand.

The difficulty of being properly catered for when staying at Hotels was formerly a very real one, but owing to the enlightenment concerning diet which is now taking place, and the rapid increase of foreign restaurants and caf?s in English-speaking countries it is becoming lessened every day. The great variety of fleshless dishes now supplied in nearly all light-refreshment restaurants, in response to the public demand, is compelling even the largest Hotels to modify their cuisine accordingly.

In most Continental Hotels and Restaurants the simplest, cheapest, and best plan is to take 'table d'h?te'--telling the head waiter well beforehand that the lunch or dinner is required 'maigre' . A varied, well selected, and ample repast will then be supplied at a moderate cost. The same plan is best in 'Pensions.'

The general rule to be adopted in small British hotels is to think beforehand what dishes the cook is in the habit of making which are free from flesh; these should be ordered in preference to those which are strange and not likely to be understood. At the same time it is well to insist upon being supplied with anything which it is reasonable to expect the proprietor to furnish, because such action tends to improve the catering of the hotels of the country, to make it easier for other food-reformers, and to sweep away the difficulty which at present exists in some towns, of obtaining anything fit to eat in the orthodox hotel coffee rooms, except beasts, birds, or fishes.

Those who are making railway journeys can easily provide themselves with a simple luncheon basket containing fruits, sandwiches made with flaked nuts, eggs, cheese or preserves, or with such delicacies as haricot or lentil potted meat Travellers may perhaps be reminded that cheese and nuts contain much more nutriment than lean meat.

Food-reformers who are about to pay a prolonged visit in a private house should inform the hostess, when accepting her invitation, that they are abstainers from flesh, but that their tastes are very simple and that they enjoy anything except flesh-food. As she might have erroneous ideas about the requirements of vegetarians she might otherwise feel perplexed as to what to provide. If the visitor takes fish the fact should be stated.

Care should be taken not to involve the hostess in any needless trouble, and she should be shown, by the simplicity of one's requirements, that she is easily capable of affording complete satisfaction. When she realizes this, she will probably take pleasure in learning something about hygienic living, and will be ready to read a pamphlet or a guide-book upon the subject, and to produce some of the dishes contained in it.

The Humane Diet Cause has been much hindered by the 'fads' of persons who have adopted very extreme views about diet and who worry themselves and other people about trifling matters in connection with their food until they are almost regarded as being pests in a household. Instead of cheerfully partaking of anything that is provided, except flesh, they parade their scruples about almost everything on the table, and, consequently, those who entertain them vow that they will never become such nuisances themselves or entertain such again.

Those who are making a sea voyage will find that many of the large steamship companies are quite prepared to furnish substitutes for flesh-diet if an arrangement is made beforehand. In such cases there should be a clear stipulation that brown bread, dried and fresh fruit, nuts, farinaceous puddings, omelets, or dishes made with cheese, macaroni, lentils, haricots, tomatoes, etc., should be obtainable in some form and in sufficient variety. A list of a few 'specialities' should be furnished when a long voyage is contemplated, so that the steward may stock them.

The following suggestions will prove helpful to those who are desirous of adopting the reformed dietary:--

Pine Kernels, which contain 10 ozs. of oil to the pound, and which when rolled and chopped exactly resemble suet, are also an excellent substitute.

Delicious Nut-Butters are also now obtainable for high-class cookery--such as Almond, Walnut, Cashew, and Table Nutter. Although superior, these are as cheap as ordinary cooking butters.

In the following pages recipes will be found for preparing dishes which closely resemble, in taste, appearance, and nutritive value, those to which the community have been accustomed, some of them being of such a nature that persons who are fond of flesh-food find it difficult to detect whether they are eating such or not.

Our food must contain certain elements, and in proper quantity, if the body is to be well sustained, renewed and nourished. These are mainly as follows:

No hard-and-fast table or rule can be laid down concerning the proper proportions in which these elements should be combined, because the amount needful for each individual varies according to his size, the sort of work he does, the amount of physical or mental energy he puts forth, and the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding him.

Until Professor Chittenden made his extensive and conclusive series of experiments in America, in 1903-4, to determine the real amount of Protein and other elements required to keep the body in perfect health, the average estimate for a person of average size, who does a moderate amount of physical labour, was about 4-ozs. of Protein per day.

But these official experiments, conducted with scientific precision, extending over a long period, and made with thirty-four typical and carefully graded representatives of physical and mental work, demonstrated that half this amount of Protein is sufficient, and that strength and health are increased when the quantity is thus reduced; also that a smaller amount of Carbohydrate food , than was previously thought necessary, is enough.

One may therefore now safely reckon that men of average size and weight doing a moderate amount of physical and mental work, can thrive under ordinary circumstances on a daily ration containing about 800 grains of Protein .

The following food chart will enable the reader to calculate how much food of any particular kind is necessary to provide the above amount. Adult persons below the average size and weight, and living sedentary rather than an active physical life, will naturally require less than this normal standard. The relative cost and economy of the different foods can also thus be ascertained.

If care is taken to secure a sufficient quantity of Protein the requisite amount of Carbohydrates is not likely to be omitted, and hunger will prove a reliable guide in most cases. It is advisable, however, to see that enough Fat is taken, especially in winter, and by persons lacking in nerve force.

The table of food-values will easily enable the reader to ascertain the proportion of Fat in each kind of food.

The following indications of dietetic error may prove useful:--

Excess of proteid matter causes a general sense of plethora and unbearableness, nervous prostration or drowsiness after meals, a tendency to congestion , headache, irritability, and bad temper. A continuous deficiency of it would tend to produce general weakness and anaemia.

Excess of carbohydrate matter , especially if not sufficiently cooked and not well masticated, produces dyspepsia, flatulence, pain in the chest and abdomen, acidity , and an inflammatory state of the system. Deficiency of it would produce lack of force and physical exhaustion.

Excess of fat tends to cause biliousness. Deficiency of it results in nervous weakness, neuralgia, and low temperature of the body.

In order to supply the brain with phosphates it is very important that mental workers should take whole wheat bread instead of the emasculated white substitute which is provided almost everywhere. It is the outer part of the grain that provides brain-food , and many of our urban bread winners break down because they are deprived of the essential food elements therein contained. To take 'standard' bread does not meet the case, and every food-reformer who wants to keep really fit should demand and obtain well baked and unadulterated wholemeal bread. I feel convinced that if every growing child and every mental toiler could always be supplied with bread of this type, the deterioration of our British race would soon be arrested and we should witness signs of physical regeneration. 'Artox' and 'Ixion' brands of pure whole wheatmeal are the most perfect I know of at the present time, and delicious bread can easily be made from them if the recipe printed on page 114 is followed.

The best stock for vegetable soups is made from haricot beans. Take a pound of these, pick and wash well, and soak for 10 or 12 hours in cold water. Put them in a saucepan with the water in which they were soaked, add a few of the coarser stalks of celery, 1 or 2 chopped Spanish onions, a blade of mace, and a few white peppercorns. If celery is not in season, use celery salt. Bring to a boil, skim, and cook gently for at least 2 hours. Then strain, and use as required.

Take 2-lbs. of white artichokes, 3-pts. of water, 3 large onions, a piece of celery , 1/4-pt. of raw cream or 1-pt. of milk. Boil together for 45 minutes, strain through a fine sieve and serve. If cream is used it should not be added until after the soup is cooked.

Take 1-lb. chestnuts, 1 or 2 onions, 1-1/2-pints vegetable stock, 1-oz. nut-butter.

Fry 6 good-sized onions in 1-oz. of butter till nicely browned, then add 2 breakfastcups of German lentils, a good handful of spinach leaves, a few capers, about 6 chillies, and 3 pints of water. Let this simmer for 2 or 3 hours, then strain off, add 2 tablespoons of tapioca which has been soaked for an hour or two. Boil till perfectly clear. When ready for serving add salt to taste and 1 teaspoonful of Nutril. Some small custard quenelles should be put in the tureen--made by beating 1 egg in 2-ozs. flour and adding 1/4-pt. milk. Bake until firm and cut into dice.

Boil 1/2-lb. beans in 2-qts. of water. When the beans crack, add a few tomatoes, 1 leek sliced, or a Spanish onion, and a bunch of herbs. Boil until the vegetables are tender, adding a little more water if necessary. Rub all through a sieve, and return to pan, adding seasoning, a good lump of butter, and the juice of half a small lemon after the soup has boiled. If a richer soup is required add two teaspoonfuls of Nuto-Cream or Marmite just before serving.

Take a pound of tomatoes, a sliced onion, and 2-ozs. of tapioca . Boil for an hour, then add salt, pepper, and a little butter. Mix 1/2-pt. of milk with a teaspoonful of flour; add this to the soup, stir and boil for 5 minutes.

Wash and pick 1/2-lb. Egyptian lentils and put on to boil in about 1-qt. of water. Add 1 sliced onion, 1 carrot, 1 turnip, a small bunch of herbs, and celery salt, and boil gently about 1 hour. Rub through a sieve, return to pan, add 1-oz. butter and a cupful of milk. Bring to boil and serve.

Pass 1 pint of shelled Brazil nuts through a nut mill, fry these with one or two chopped onions in 1-oz. of nut-butter, keeping them a pale yellow colour; add 1-oz. flour, and gradually 1-1/2-pts. of white stock; bring slowly to the boil and simmer gently until the onions are soft. Pass through a hair sieve, and dilute with milk.

Cut some carrots, turnips, onions, celery, and leeks into thin strips, using double quantity of carrots and turnips. Dry them and then fry slowly in 2-ozs. of butter until brown. Add 2-qts. of clear vegetable stock and simmer until tender. Season with salt and a teaspoonful of castor sugar. Chop some chervil or parsley finely, add and serve. The addition of some green peas is an improvement--and also quenelles .

Fry 5 onions in a large saucepan until brown. Add 3/4-lb. of green lentils, 1-qt. water, and 2 sticks of celery. Stew for 2 hours, and pass through a strainer. Add 1/4-lb. of cream and 1/2-pt. of milk, bring to the boil, flavour with salt, and serve.

Take 2-ozs. butter, 4 good-sized onions, about 1-pt. cauliflower water, and 1-pt. of milk, sufficient bread to very nearly absorb the liquor. Cut up the onions, put into the saucepan with the butter, and cook slowly till tender--it must not be brown. Now add the bread, the cauliflower water, and half the milk, and boil slowly for an hour. Take it off the fire, pass it through a sieve, add the rest of the milk, and heat it again, taking care it does not actually boil, as it may curdle. Serve.

One quart shelled peas; 3 pints water; 1 quart milk; 1 onion; 2 tablespoonfuls butter; 1 tablespoonful flour. Salt and pepper to taste.

Stew 1/2-lb. of beans in 2-qts. of water, adding 5 chopped onions, some chopped celery and a carrot which have been fried in some butter until well cooked; stew until the beans are tender, and strain if clear soup is required, or pass through a sieve for thick soup; add some cream and milk, bring to the boil, flavour with salt, and serve.

Take a dessertspoonful of Marmite, 1-pt. of water or vegetable stock, a tablespoonful of fine sago or tapioca, a slice or two of any vegetables, with a sprig of parsley and a little salt. Boil the vegetables for a few minutes in the water, skim well, add the sago or tapioca, and boil for an hour or over, then strain; stir the Marmite in and serve hot. A delicious and cheap soup. A gill of milk or cream boiled and added at the end--omit the same measure of water--is an improvement in some cases.

Six heads of celery, 1 teaspoon of salt, a little nutmeg, 1 lump sugar, 1 gill of stock, 1/2-pint of milk, and two quarts of boiling water.

Cut the celery into small pieces and throw it into the boiling water seasoned with nutmeg, salt and sugar, boil until sufficiently tender, pass it through a sieve, add the stock, and simmer for half-an-hour, then add the milk, bring it up to the boil and serve.

Four middle sized potatoes, a thick slice of bread, 3 leeks peeled and cut into slices, a teacup of rice, salt and pepper to taste, 2 qts. of water.

Bring the water up to boil, then put in all the ingredients except the rice, pepper and salt, cover and let them come to a brisk boil, add the rice and boil slowly for one hour.

Take 1-1/2 pints of split peas and 3 onions. Put the peas to soak overnight, then cook with the onions until quite soft--pass through a sieve, add 1 gill of milk, bring to the boil. Serve with squares of fried bread or toast. Celery, salt, pepper and chopped mint may be added to taste.

Soak some haricot beans over night in boiling water, then stew them for 2 hours in water with 2 onions, salt and pepper. When quite tender pass them through the sieve, add 1-oz. ground walnuts, boil again for 5 minutes, add forced meat balls, and serve.

Two lbs. carrots, 3-ozs. butter, seasoning to taste, 2 quarts of bean stock or water.

Scrape the carrots, wash and wipe them quite dry, and cut in thick slices; put the butter in a large stewpan and when melted put the carrots in and stew gently for one hour without browning, then add the stock or water and simmer until tender . Pass them through the sieve, add the seasoning and boil for 5 minutes; skim well and serve.

Put about 2 doz. small onions in a stewpan with 1-oz. butter, cover and let them stew for about 20 minutes, then add sufficient boiling water to cover them, boil till quite tender, pass through a sieve, boil up again, add the savoury seasoning and 1 gill of milk. A little boiled macaroni chopped up fine may be added before serving.

Two tablespoons of Carnos in a pint of boiling water makes a very nourishing soup; it may be thickened with rice, vermicelli, spaghetti, etc., if required, and served with fingers of toast.

Take 4 breakfastcups of white stock, then add 6 tablespoons of mashed potatoes, and 1-oz. of sago. Stir over the fire till clear, then add 1 breakfastcupful of milk, and a little minced parsley. Let it come to boiling point, but no more. Serve in a very hot tureen.

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