Fat as a food.—Beef fat, as it occurs with lean, is a digestible fat. If thoroughly browned in the cooking process, it is most palatable, and the taste for it should be cultivated. In gravy, it may be used with potato, instead of butter. Fat tried out from suet, may
be used in place of butter as an ingredient in some puddings, and even in batter mixtures. It may also be used with vegetables when the price of butter is prohibitive. See Fig. 47.
Fig. 46.—Composition of fat foods.
Fig. 47.—100-Calorie portions of fat foods.A. Fowler, Photographer.
| No. | Kind | Weight of Portion OUNCES |
| 1. | Cream (extra rich, 40% fat) | 0.9 |
| 2. | Olive oil | 0.4 |
| 3. | Butter | 0.5 |
| 4. | Oleomargarine | 0.5 |
| 5. | Suet | 0.5 |
| 6. | Bacon | 0.6 |
Bacon is a digestible and agreeable form of fat, but it is not so cheap as beef fat, though cheaper than butter.
Fat pork is lower in price than bacon, and can be assimilated by vigorous people, especially those living out of doors.
Cream is one of the most delicious fatty food materials, and is digestible, but ranks with butter and bacon as to cost. While it is not a cheap food, it is not such an extravagance when moderately used as some people suppose, who have not worked out the problem. Usually the most economical source of cream is to take it from the top of the bottle of milk. The remaining partially skimmed milk may be used at table or in cooking or for making cottage cheese.