Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

364 CAMPING AND WOODCRAFTthrown away; this does not apply to tomatoes.Cleaning Vegetables.— To clear cabbage, etc.,immerse them, stalk upward, in plentyfrom insects,of cold water salted in the proportion of a largetablespoonful to two quarts. Vinegar may be usedinstead of salt. Shake occasionally. The insectswill sink to bottom of pan.Storing Vegetables.— To keep vegetables, putthem in a cool, dry place (conditions similar tothose of a good cellar). Keep each kind awayfrom the other, or they will absorb each other'sflavor.Potatoes, Boiled.— Pick them out as nearly aspossible of one size, or some will boil to pieces beforethe others are done; if necessary, cut them toone size. Remove eyes and specks, and pare asthinly as possible, for the best of the potato lies justunder the skin. As fast as pared, throw into coldwater, and leave until wanted. Put in furiouslyboiling salted water, then hang kettle a little higherwhere it will boil moderately, but do not let itcheck. Test with a fork or sliver. When thetubers are done(about twenty minutes for new potatoes,thirty to forty minutes for old ones) drainoff all the water, dust some salt over the potatoes(it absorbs the surface moisture, and keeps leftoversfrom souring early), and let the pot standuncovered close to the fire, shaking it gently onceor twice, till the surface of each potato is dry andpowdery. Never leave potatoes in the water afterthey are done ; they become watery.Potatoes, Boiled in Their Jackets.— After washingthoroughly, and gouging out the eyes, snip offa bit from each end of the potato; this gives a vent,to the steam and keeps potatoes from bursting open,I prefer to put them in cold water and bring itgradually to a boil, because the skin of the potatoicontains an acid poison which is thus extracted.The water in which potatoes have been boiled willpoison a dog. Of course we don't " eat 'em skinand all," like the people in the nursery rhyme; but