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MILK IN THE HOME
PURCHASE OF MILK
47. After the housewife has become familiar with the points that she
should know concerning milk, she will be much better equipped to
purchase milk of the right kind for her home. However, there are still
some points for her to observe when she is purchasing milk if she would
supply her family with the best quality of this food.
48. In the first place, she should buy milk from a reliable dealer who
will not object to questioning, and, if possible, she should make an
investigation of the dairy that supplies the milk that she uses. If she
cannot investigate the dairy personally, she should at least endeavor to
obtain information from those who are prepared to give it. If she learns
that the conditions in the dairy that is supplying her with milk are not
what they should be, she should try to obtain milk from some other
source. Of course, she should remember that milk of the best and
cleanest quality is the highest in price, because of the increased cost
of production; but it is usually advisable to pay the higher price,
especially if children are to be fed, because cheap milk is liable to be
unsafe, at least for any purpose that will require it to be served
without cooking. Should the income not allow the best quality of milk to
be used for all purposes, a cheaper grade can be used for cooking, but
it is always economical to purchase the best quality when this food is
to be used as a beverage.
[Illustration: FIG. 5]
49. In the next place, the housewife should purchase milk from a dealer
who delivers cold milk, because, as has been mentioned, bacteria
multiply rapidly in warm milk. She should also try to obtain milk put up
in bottles, for such milk has advantages over milk dipped from a can in
that it does not have the same chance to become dirty and it affords a
greater opportunity to secure accurate measurement. The kind of caps
used on milk bottles should also be observed. Caps that have to be pried
out with a knife or a similar utensil are not nearly so satisfactory as
those shown in Fig. 5 (_a_), which have small tabs _a_ that permit the
cap to be lifted out. In addition to the caps, which serve to keep dirt
out of the milk and permit it to be delivered without being spilled,
some dealers use covers like that shown in (_b_). Such covers are held
in place by a wire and serve further to protect the milk from
contamination.
If milk purchased in bottles is clean, there should be no sediment in
the bottom of the bottle after it has been allowed to stand for some
time. Also, if it is fresh, it will not sour quickly after it is
delivered, so that in case it is properly cared for and sours quickly,
it may be known to be stale milk. However, if it does not sour in the
normal length of time, it should be looked on with suspicion, for, as
has been pointed out, such milk may have added to it a preservative to
prevent souring. The housewife may expect milk that is delivered cold
and is guaranteed to be sanitary and fresh to remain sweet at least 24
hours, provided, of course, it is placed in the refrigerator immediately
upon delivery and kept there until used.
* * * * *
REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE GRADES AND DESIGNATION OF MILK AND CREAM WHICH
MAY BE SOLD IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
The following classifications apply to milk and cream. The regulations
regarding bacterial content and time of delivery shall not apply to
sour cream.
Grades of Milk or Cream Sold in the City of New York:
GRADE A Milk or cream (Raw)
Definition: Grade A milk or cream (raw) is milk or cream produced and
handled in accordance with the minimum requirements, rules and
regulations as herein set forth.
Tuberculin Test And Physical Condition: 1. Only such cows shall be
admitted to the herd as have not reacted to a diagnostic injection of
tuberculin and are in good physical condition. 2. All cows shall be
tested with tuberculin and all reacting animals shall be excluded
from the herd.
Bacterial Contents: Grade A milk shall not contain more than 60,000
bacteria per cubic centimeter, and cream more than 300,000 bacteria per
cubic centimeter when delivered to the consumer or at any time prior to
such delivery.
Necessary Scores: Equip. 25, Meth. 50, Total 75
Time of Delivery: Shall be delivered within 36 hours after production.
Bottling: Unless otherwise specified in the permit, this milk or cream
shall be delivered to consumers only in bottles.
Labeling: Outer caps of bottles shall be white and shall contain the
words Grade A, Raw, in black letters in large type, and shall state the
name and address of the dealer.
Pasteurization: None.
Milk or cream (Pasteurized)
Definition: Grade A milk or cream (pasteurized) is milk or cream handled
and sold by dealers holding permits therefor from the Board of Health,
and produced and handled in accordance with the requirements, rules, and
regulations as herein set forth.
Tuberculin Test And Physical Condition: No tuberculin test required, but
cows must be healthy as disclosed by physical examination made annually.
Bacterial Contents: Grade A milk (pasteurized) shall not contain more
than 30,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter and cream (pasteurized) more
then 150,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter when delivered to the
consumer or at any time after pasteurization and prior to such delivery.
No milk supply averaging more than 200,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter
shall be pasteurized for sale under this designation.
Necessary Scores: Equip. 25, Meth. 43, Total 68.
Time of Delivery: Shall be delivered within 36 hours after
pasteurization.
Bottling: Unless otherwise specified in the permit, this milk or cream
shall be delivered to the consumer only in bottles.
Labeling: Outer cap of bottles shall be white and contain the word Grade
A in black letters in large type, date and hours between which
pasteurization was completed; place where pasteurization was performed;
name of the person, firm, or corporation offering for sale, selling, or
delivering same.
Pasteurization: Only such milk or cream shall be regarded as pasteurized
as has been subjected to a temperature averaging 145 degrees Fahrenheit
for not less than 30 minutes.
Grade B Milk or cream (Pasteurized)
Definition: Grade B milk or cream (pasteurized) is milk or cream
produced and handled in accordance with the minimal requirements, rules,
and regulations herein set forth and which has been pasteurized in
accordance with the requirements and rules and regulations of the
Department of Health for pasteurization.
Tuberculin Test And Physical Condition: No tuberculin test required, but
cows must be healthy as disclosed by physical examination made annually.
Bacterial Contents: No milk under this grade shall contain more than
100,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter and no claim shall contain more
than 500,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter when delivered to the
consumer or at anytime after pasteurization and prior to such delivery.
No milk supply averaging more than 1,500,000 bacteria per cubic
centimeter shall be pasteurized in this city for sale under this
designation. No milk supply averaging more than 300,000 bacteria per
cubic centimeter shall be pasteurized outside of the city for sale under
this designation.
Necessary Scores: Equip. 20, Meth. 35, Total 55
Time of Delivery: Milk shall be delivered within 36 hours and cream
within 48 hours after pasteurization.
Bottling: May be delivered in cans or bottles.
Labeling: Outer caps of bottles containing milk and tags affixed to cans
containing milk or cream shall be white and marked Grade B in bright
green letters in large type, date pasteurization was completed, place
where pasteurization was performed, name of the person, firm, or
corporation offering for sale, selling, or delivering same. Bottles
containing cream shall be labeled with caps marked Grade B in bright
green letters, in large type and shall give the place and date of
bottling and shall give the name of person, firm, or corporation
offering for sale, selling, or delivering same.
Pasteurization: Only such milk or cream shall be regarded as pasteurized
as has been subjected to a temperature averaging 145 degrees Fahrenheit
for not less than 30 minutes.
Grade C Milk or cream (Pasteurized) (For cooking and manufacturing
purposes only.)
Definition: Grade C milk or cream is milk or cream not conforming to the
requirements of any of the subdivisions of Grade A or Grade B and which
has been pasteurized according to the requirements and rules and
regulations of the Board of Health or boiled for at least two
(2) minutes.
Tuberculin Test And Physical Condition: No tuberculin test required, but
cows must be healthy as disclosed by physical examination made annually.
Bacterial Contents: No milk of this grade shall contain more than
300,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter and no cream of this grade show
contain more than 1,500,000 bacteria per cubic centimeter after
pasteurization.
Necessary Scores: Score 40
Time of Delivery: Shall be delivered within 48 hours after
pasteurization.
Bottling: May be delivered in the cans only.
Labeling: Tags affixed to cans shall be white and shall be marked in red
with the words, Grade C in large type and "for cooking" in plainly
visible type, and cans and shall have properly sealed metal collars,
painted red on necks.
Pasteurization: Only such milk or cream shall be regarded as pasteurized
as has been subjected to a temperature averaging 145 degrees Fahrenheit
for not less than 30 minutes.
NOTE.--Sour milk, buttermilk, sour cream, kumyss, matzoon, zoolac, and
similar products shall not be made from any milk of a less grade than
that designated for Grade B and shall be pasteurized before being put
through the process of souring. Sour cream shall not contained a less
percentage of fats than that designated for cream.
No other words than those designated herein shall appear on the label of
any container containing milk or cream or milk or cream products except
the word certified when authorized under the State law.
* * * * *
CARE OF MILK
50. NECESSITY FOR CARE IN THE HOME.--If milk of good quality is bought,
and, as has been suggested, this should be done whenever it is possible,
the next thing to do is to care for it in such a way that it may be fed
to the family in the same condition as it was when delivered. It is, of
course, of prime importance that the dairyman deliver clean fresh milk,
but this is not sufficient; the milk must remain in this condition until
it is used, and this can occur only when the housewife knows how to care
for it properly after it enters the home. It is possible to make safe
milk unsafe and unsafe milk positively dangerous unless the housewife
understands how to care for milk and puts into practice what she knows
concerning this matter. Indeed, some of the blame laid to the careless
handling of milk by dairymen really belongs to housewives, for very
often they do not take care of milk in the right way after delivery. As
too much attention cannot be given to this matter, explicit directions
are here outlined, with the idea of assisting the housewife in this
matter as much as possible.
51. KEEPING MILK CLEAN IN THE HOME.--Immediately upon delivery, the
bottle containing the milk should be placed in the coolest place
available, never being allowed to stand on the porch in the sun or where
such animals as cats or dogs may come in contact with it. When the milk
is to be used, the paper cap should be carefully wiped before it is
removed from the bottle, so that any dirt that may be on top will not
fall into the milk. If not all the milk is used and the bottle must be
returned to the cool place where it is kept, it should be covered by
means of an inverted drinking glass or, as shown in Fig. 6, by a glass
or porcelain cover. Such covers, or _sanitary milk_ _caps_, as they are
called, are very convenient for this purpose and may be purchased at a
slight cost.
52. Another precaution that should be taken is never to mix stale milk
with fresh milk, because the entire quantity will become sour in the
same length of time as the stale milk would. Also, milk that has been
poured into a pitcher or any other open vessel and allowed to stand
exposed to the air for some time should never be put back into the
bottle with the remaining milk. Such milk is sure to be contaminated
with the germs that are always present in the dust constantly
circulating in the air. It is sometimes necessary to keep milk in a
vessel other than the bottle in which it is delivered. In such an event,
the vessel that is used should be washed thoroughly, boiled in clean
water, and cooled before the milk is poured into it.
[Illustration: Fig. 6]
53. Particular care should be taken of the empty milk bottles. They
should never be used for anything except milk. Before they are returned
to the dairyman to be used again, they should first be rinsed with cold
water, then washed thoroughly with hot, soapy water, and finally rinsed
with hot water. If there is illness in the home, the washed bottles
should be put into a pan of cool water, allowed to come to a boil, and
permitted to boil for a few minutes. Such attention will free the
bottles from any contamination they might have received. The dairyman,
of course, gives the bottles further attention before he uses them
again, but the housewife should do her part by making sure that they are
thoroughly cleansed before they are collected by him.
54. KEEPING MILK COOL IN THE HOME.--As has been pointed out, milk
should, upon being received, be kept in the coolest place available,
which, in the majority of homes at the present time, is the
refrigerator. In making use of the refrigerator for this purpose, the
housewife should put into practice what she learned in _Essentials of
Cookery_, Part 2, concerning the proper placing of food in the
refrigerator, remembering that milk should be placed where it will
remain the coolest and where it is least likely to absorb odors. She
should also bear in mind that the temperature inside of a refrigerator
varies with that of the surrounding air. It is because of this fact that
milk often sours when the temperature is high, as in summer, for
instance, even though it is kept in the refrigerator.
55. In case a refrigerator is not available, it will be necessary to
resort to other means of keeping milk cool. A cool cellar or basement is
an excellent substitute, but if milk is kept in either of these places,
it must be tightly covered. Then, too, the spring house with its stream
of running water is fully as good as a refrigerator And is used
extensively in farming districts. But even though a housewife has none
of these at her disposal, she need not be deprived of fresh milk, for
there are still other ways of keeping milk cool and consequently fresh.
A very simple way in which to keep milk cool is to weight down the
bottles in a vessel that is deeper than they are and then pour cold
water into the vessel until it reaches the top of the bottles, replacing
the water occasionally as it becomes warm. A still better way, however,
so far as convenience and results are concerned, is that illustrated in
Fig. 7. As shown, wrap the bottle in a clean towel or piece of cotton
cloth so that one corner of it is left loose at the top. Then place this
end in a pan of cold water that stands higher than the bottle. Such an
arrangement will keep the cloth wet constantly and by the evaporation of
the water from it will cause the milk to remain cool.
[Illustration: FIG. 7]
COOKING MILK
56. POINTS TO BE OBSERVED IN COOKING MILK.--Because of the nature of
milk and its constituents, the cooking of this liquid is a little more
difficult than would appear at first thought. In fact, heating milk to a
temperature greater than 155 degrees Fahrenheit causes several changes
to occur in it, one of which, the coagulation of the albumin, has
already been mentioned. As the albumin hardens into the layer that
forms on the top of boiled milk, a certain amount of fat, sugar, and
casein becomes entangled in it, and if the coagulated skin is rejected,
these food substances, in addition to the albumin, are lost. Another
change that results from boiling is in the fat globules that remain, for
these separate and exist no longer in the form of cream.
57. When milk that is not perfectly fresh is cooked with other materials
or soups, sauces, and puddings it sometimes curdles. To prevent
curdling, the milk should be heated as rapidly as possible before it is
used with the other ingredients. While the separate heating of the milk
involves a little more work, time may be gained by heating the milk
while the remaining ingredients are being prepared. The curdling of
comparatively fresh milk is often caused by the addition of salt,
especially if the salt is added when the milk is hot. However, if a
pinch of bicarbonate of soda is added to the milk before it is heated,
it will not be likely to curdle even though it is not absolutely fresh.
When tomato is to be used in soup that contains milk or cream, curdling
can be prevented if the milk or the cream to be used is thickened with
flour or corn starch or a little soda is added to the tomato before the
two are mixed. The mixing is accomplished by pouring the _tomato into
the milk_ instead of the milk into the tomato. When acid fruit juices
are to be added to milk or cream and the mixture then frozen, curdling
can be prevented by thoroughly chilling the milk or cream in the freezer
can before combining it with the juices.
58. As has already been learned, great care must be taken in the heating
of milk, because the solids that it contains adhere quickly to the
bottom of the pan and cause the milk to scorch. For this reason, milk
should never be heated directly over the flame unless the intention is
to boil it, and even if it must be boiled every precaution should be
taken to prevent it from burning. It should be remembered, too, that a
very small scorched area will be sufficient to make a quantity of milk
taste burned. The utensil in which milk can be heated in the most
satisfactory way is the double boiler, for the milk does not come in
direct contact with the heat in this utensil. If a double boiler is not
available, good results can be obtained by setting one pan into another
that contains water.
59. Milk is often used in place of water for cooking cereals, beverages,
puddings, soups, etc. This is good practice and should be followed
whenever possible, for when milk is added it serves to increase the
nutritive value of the food. It should be observed, however, that more
time is required to cook grains or cereals in milk than to cook them in
water, because milk contains more solid matter than water and is not
absorbed so quickly. Another frequent use of milk is in breads and
biscuits, where, as is explained in _Bread_ and _Hot Breads_, it
produces a browner and more tender crust than water.
60. VARIETY OF WAYS TO USE MILK IN COOKING.--Because of the numerous
purposes for which milk is required in the preparation of foods, the
smallest amount of it, whether sweet or sour, can be utilized in
cooking; therefore, no milk need ever be wasted. A few of the uses to
which this food is oftenest put are mentioned briefly in order that the
housewife may be familiar enough with them to call them to mind whenever
she desires to carry out a recipe that calls for milk or when she has
occasion to utilize milk that she has on hand.
Milk thickened slightly with flour and flavored with such material as
corn, asparagus, celery, tomatoes, beans, peas, or fish makes a
delicious soup. In bisques, or thickened soups, and in chowders, the
liquid used need not be milk, but these are made very appetizing if milk
is used for part or all of the liquid. Then, too, sauces or gravies made
with milk, thickened with flour, and made rich with butter or other fat
lend themselves to a variety of uses. Dice of vegetables, meat, fish, or
game added to a sauce of this kind and served in pastry cases or over
toast provide dishes that are delightful additions to any meal. Milk is
also used as the basis for custards, blanc manges, ices, sherbets, ice
creams, and tapioca, rice, and bread puddings in which eggs, starchy
materials, and flavorings are added and the mixture then baked, steamed,
boiled, or frozen, as the desired result may require. As is well known,
milk is practically indispensable in the making of cakes, cookies, quick
breads, and in fact nearly all dough mixtures. Even if it has soured, it
can be used with soda to take the place of cream of tartar in mixtures
that are to be made light, the lactic acid in the sour milk acting with
the soda as leavening. Left-over milk in comparatively large quantities
may also be used in the home for the making of cheese, although this
product of milk is usually produced commercially.
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