A PLEA FOR THE SIMPLE LIFE.
Simple meals and simple dishes are easily prepared, they lessen domestic care, are less likely to cause
indigestion, and soon become appreciated and preferred.
Few persons realize how little they know the true taste of many vegetables; the majority having never eaten them separately or cooked in a proper manner. A cauliflower skilfully served as a separate course, either "au gratin" or with thin melted butter slightly flavoured with a few drops of Tarragon vinegar, or with tomato sauce, has quite a different taste from that which is experienced when it is mixed up with gravy, meat, potatoes and other articles or food.
Young green peas, or new potatoes steamed in their skins and dried off in the oven so as to be "floury," will, if eaten with a little salt and butter, have a delicacy of flavour which is scarcely noticeable if they are served with a plate of beef or mutton and other vegetables. A few chestnuts carefully cooked in a similar manner, make a dish that an overfed alderman might enjoy; and the same remark will apply to many simple and easily prepared fruitarian dishes.
It is a mistake to think that this reformed diet necessarily involves a great amount of cooking, for the reverse is the fact if simplicity is aimed at and its advantages are appreciated. It is well to remember also that our most enlightened and progressive physicians are now recommending uncooked foods of all kinds to all who would retain or regain health.
An excellent lunch can be made with some well chosen cheese and brown bread and butter, and a delicate lettuce (dressed with pure olive oil, a small quantity of French wine vinegar, and a pinch of sugar), followed by fresh and dried fruits such as bananas, almonds, raisins, figs, etc. Such a repast is inexpensive, nutritious, and easily digestible. A large variety of foreign and fancy cheeses are now obtainable, so that even such a simple meal as this can be varied constantly. The best lettuces are produced by our French neighbours, but our own market gardeners are beginning to learn that it is easy to get them tender by growing them under glass.