ever become an object in themselves, but only a means to make it good, pure, wholesome nourishment; else in both cases the food destroys health.—­Froebel.

     Since what need mortals, save twain things alone,
     Crushed grain (heaven’s gift), and steaming water-draught? 
     Food nigh at hand, and Nature’s aliment—­
     Of which no glut contents us. 
     Pampered taste hunts out device of other eatables.

    —­Euripides.

FRAGMENTS & LEFT-OVER FOODS

Economy, one of the cardinal principles of success in the details of housekeeping, as in all other occupations in life, consists not alone in making advantageous use of fresh material, but in carefully preserving and utilizing the “left-over” fragments and bits of food which accrue in every household.  Few cooks can make such perfect calculation respecting the desires and needs of their families as to provide just enough and no more, and the improvident waste of the surplus thus prepared, is in many homes fully equal to one half the first cost of the meal.  Scarcely anything need ever be wasted—­certainly nothing which was at first well cooked.  There are ways of utilizing almost every kind of cooked food so that it will be quite as appetizing and nutritious as when first prepared.

All left-over foods, as grains, vegetables, or others of a moist character, should be removed to clean dishes before putting away.  Unless this precaution is observed, the thin smears and tiny bits about the edges of the dish, which become sour or moldy much sooner than the larger mass, are apt to spoil the whole.  They should also be set on ice or be kept in a cool, dry place until needed.  Left-over foods of any kind, to be suitable again for use, must be well preserved.  Sour or moldy fragments are not fit for food.

USES OF STALE BREAD.—­If properly made from wholesome and nutritious material and well preserved, there are few other foods that can be combined into more varied and palatable dishes than left-over bread.  To insure the perfect preservation of the fragments, the loaf itself should receive good care.  Perfectly sweet, light, well-baked bread has not the same propensity to mold as a poorer loaf; but the best of bread is likely to become musty if its surroundings are not entirely wholesome.  The receptacle used for keeping the loaves should be frequently washed, scalded, and well dried.  Crumbs and fragments should be kept in a separate receptacle and as thoroughly cared for.  It is well in cutting bread not to slice more than will be needed, and to use one loaf before beginning on another.  Bread grows stale much faster after being cut.

Whole or half slices of bread which have become too dry to be palatable may be utilized for making zwieback, directions for the use and preparation of which are given on page 289.