CEREALS

Agriculturally speaking, the term ‘‘cereals’’ includes all species of gra es which bear edible grain, the most important being wheat, corn, rye, oats, rice, and barley. From the standpoint of the average consumer, the term applies speerfically to preparations of grains intended for use as ‘‘breakfast foods’’—botled as porridge, or to be served with milk, etc., with little, or no, preparatory cooking— such as oatmeal, farina, and corn flakes. The subsiding of the temporary popularity which a multitude of cereal preparations and combinations enjoyed a few years ago, banished into oblivion a long list of ‘‘breakfast foods,’’ but a number of those which remained by virtue of proved merit and consistent publicity have grown steadily in public esteem. Cereals thus considered may be divided into three main cla es: (1) erushed raw, (2) partly cooked, and (3) malted. In the last-named, part of the starch is converted into Matro (which see) and dextrin by mixing the ground grain with malt and keeping it for a time at the proper temperature, then pa ing the mixture through hot rollers and drying. Under ordinary conditions, it is not advisable to stock cereals in any considerable quantity. If held too long, atmospheric changes are liable to dull their freshne of flavor, and weevils may get in and spoil them. J The more general use of the doubleae ' 5 boiler has improved the preparation of cereals, preventing lo by burning and seorching, but in the average household oe - the raw or semi-cooked varieties are still. s ts not sufficiently cooked before serving. a “A a, Thorough cooking—for three or four _ rr u hours—inereases their food value by > ype ns making them more readily digestible. %: A ‘‘firele cooker’’ is the ideal utensil. “ oe ', Cereals should always be kept in a ‘ dry, cool place. See Farmva, Oarmeat, ete., and the general article on Foop Vauu .