BUTTERMILK.
Buttermilk, when sweet and fresh from the churn, is nutritious and wholesome. It contains about 88 per cent. of water, 4 of nitrogenous food, 3 of sugar, only a trifle of fat, and considerable mineral matter, by some estimated at over 5 per cent. There is also a small amount of lactic acid. As a heat producing food, it is poor. There are many forms of dyspepsia in which it “will set on the stomach” when hardly anything else will. Often in fevers this organ becomes rebellious from the effects of large amounts of medicine, and it is then a serious question how to nourish the patient. In such cases buttermilk is sometimes found to be the best food that can be given.
In diabetes it may be employed as a chief article of diet to great advantage. Corpulent people who will not adopt the bread and fruit regimen and take much exercise, may use buttermilk in preference to milk. It may be put in clean bottles and canned or sealed, as in preserving fruit, and kept for a long time. After a little, one becomes fond of the taste and relishes it. It ought not be allowed to stand till it is bitter before using.—Dr. Holbrook.
BUTTERMILK POP.
Put one quart of buttermilk in the milk boiler. When nearly boiling, add two table-spoons flour which has been rubbed with one tea-spoon of milk. Stir until boiling. Good in nausea and heartburn of pregnancy. Also for nervous dyspepsia. I knew one man that lived on buttermilk pop alone for six months, and cured himself of dyspepsia.
CHICKEN BROTH.
In one quart of water boil the dark meat of half a chicken with a table-spoon of rice or barley; skim off the fat; use as soon as the rice is well done. When taken up, add a few narrow strips of bread toasted—not too brown.
MACARONI SOUP.
Into a quart of boiling water put a handful of macaroni broken into inch pieces. Let it boil an hour, then add two cups of strained stewed tomato, and just before serving pour in half a cup of cream. A delicious soup.