Part 69 (1/2)

Beat the egg, add the egg and b.u.t.ter to the flour and milk mixture. Return to the fire and cook over water until the egg is coagulated; then add the salt. Cool, and add flavoring.

For economy the b.u.t.ter may be omitted.

_Chocolate Filling_ may be made by following the recipe for Cream Filling, increasing the sugar to 1 cupful and adding a paste made by cooking 1 square (or ounce) of chocolate with 1/4 cupful of water as directed in Chocolate Corn-starch Pudding.

QUESTIONS

Note the quant.i.ty of flour and water used in cream puff mixture. What kind of batter do these quant.i.ties of flour and moisture usually make? How do you account for the consistency of the cream puff batter when it is ready to bake?

From the difference in the methods of preparing Cream Puffs and Popovers before baking, explain the difference in the stiffness of the mixtures.

By what gas is the mixture lightened? By what means is this gas introduced into the mixture?

Why is it necessary to bake the mixture for so long a time?

What is the result of baking this mixture for too short a time?

In Cream Filling, what is the purpose of mixing the flour and sugar before cooking (see Experiment 24)?

Give two reasons for cooking this mixture in the double boiler, rather than directly over the flame.

How long a time does it take to thicken the flour mixture? Why is it necessary to cook it for 20 minutes?

What is the use of eggs in the filling? Why are they not cooked as long as the flour mixture?

Determine the number of Cream Puffs this recipe will make.

From _U.S. Department of Agriculture_, Bulletin No. 28, tabulate the percentage composition of the edible portions of whole eggs (see Figure 75), of egg yolk, and of egg white. Compare the last two. Which contains the more fat? Which contains the more protein? Which contains the more water? Which contains the more nutriment?

Tabulate the percentage composition of milk (see Figure 64).

RELATED WORK

LESSON CXXIV

FOOD REQUIREMENT

DAILY ENERGY REQUIREMENT.--One hears much concerning working efficiency, _i.e._ the ability to do the maximum amount of work of the highest type with a minimum waste of effort. There is no doubt that the kind and quant.i.ty of food that an individual consumes has much to do with his working efficiency, and that it is consequently a matter worthy of serious consideration. Enough gasoline is used in an automobile so that there is produced sufficient power to move the car at the desired speed. So sufficient food should be used by the individual that enough energy be supplied to his body for its greatest usefulness.

Since foods furnish the body with energy, _the energy which the body spends in doing its work is a measure of the fuel food needed_. If the body requires a certain amount of energy for its needs, this energy, measured in Calories, can be supplied by a definite quant.i.ty of combustible food. Hence, daily energy requirements can be measured in Calories.

Scientists have done much experimenting and investigating concerning the quant.i.ty of food that individuals require. They have concluded that many factors may be taken into consideration in determining daily food requirements or _dietary standards_. Some of these factors are: (1) weight; (2) occupation; (3) age.

(1) _Relation of Weight, Size, and Shape to Daily Energy Requirement_.--In general the quant.i.ty of food required increases with the size of an individual but not at the same rate as the body weight increases. Two persons may be equal in weight, yet very different in height and shape. A tall, slender person requires more food than a short, fleshy person of the same weight. For this reason, size and shape rather than weight are found more accurate in computing the daily food requirement. However, for practical purposes, energy requirement is generally based upon body weight.

(2) _Relation of Occupation to Daily Energy Requirement_.--From the previous consideration of energy, it is obvious that muscular exercise, even though very slight, requires some expenditure of energy. It has been found that, even during sleep and rest, energy is required to carry on the functions of the body (such as the beating of the heart, etc.). Since the energy for both the voluntary and involuntary activities of the body is furnished by the fuel foods, it is clear that one's occupation is an important factor in determining the kind and quant.i.ty of food an individual should use.

The man who is doing hard physical work needs more food than the man who sits quietly at his employment.

The following table, showing the energy required for different conditions of activity, has been formulated by scientists: [Footnote 96: At.w.a.ter and Benedict, United States Department of Agriculture, Yearbook 1904, p. 215.]