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HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Herald, 1953-05-21, Page 6When Nobody Dared To Eat Bananas Strange as it may seem, there was a time when bananas were banned in Britain. They were regarded as a pagan food, and the first shipload to arrive in the country went bad because nobody dared to eat them! They grew to be Britain's third most popular fruit, after apples and oranges. By 1938, more than forty-two million bunches were being sold annual- ly in Europe and the United States alone. Now British scientists believe they have discovered a new strain of banana immune to Panama Disease, which attacked the Jamaican crop recently. Such a strain may eventually supersede the variety which we import at present, More than one hundred varie- ties of banana are known, but most are never seen in Canada. They are called "plantains." A cultivated food, as vital to the natives of the tropics as wheat to ourselves, they usually re- quire cooking. Next to coconuts they are the most economical vegetable food. Properly cultivated, three hun- dred bunches of bananas can be produced per. acre - 44. times the weight of potatoes and 133 times the amount of wheat that can he produced in the s a me area. Although the plants may grow to a height of forty feet, they are not trees, but gigantic herbs, for their stems are not hard. but spongy and contain no wood. Clusters of yellowish flowers on the plants gradually grow in: to bunches of bananas, each bunch weighing 50 to 125 pounds, and grouped into "hands" of be- tween ten and twenty bananas. The first crop is not ready to be. cut for ten to fifteen months, but afterwards production is more or less continuous. In East Africa there are ban- anas as thick as men's arms and two feet long, while a Far East- ern variety makes a substantia] meal for three hungry people. Natives of Uganda convert bananas into brandy, champagne, beer, vinegar and jam, and Berries, Cottage £li.eese, SY DOROTHY MAD1DOX ;l"S spring in the kitchen! An attractive platter of cold cuts not only perks up appetites but makes kitchen labor easy and pleasant these first balmy days. A good buying guide is to select at least one meat from each of the three "classes" of table -ready meats. Meat loaves are some what mild in flavor, often have other ingredients added, such as pickle and pimiento loaf, Sausages include favorites, such as bologna and Braunschweiger. Dry sausages such as salami are zesty and highly seasoned and the sure choice of most men. For utmost flavor and freshness; buy these meats from refrigerated cases. If the meats are pre-packaged, store them in the refrigeratorin their original cello -wrapping. Otherwise, wrap them loosely in waxed paper or foil for refrigerator storage and plan to use them at least within a week of purchase for best flavor and goodness. ' Although these meats are used more frequently as cold cuts, they are delicious in many cooked dishes, too. Try the following two recipes in your spring luncheon menus. THURINGE1 STRIPS AND NOODLES (Yield: 8 servings) One-half pound Thuringer, 1 cup diced onion, 1/4 cup minced green pepper, J/4 cup shortening, 1a pound noodles, 2 teaspoons salt, 4 cups water. Cut Thuringer into thin strips, Brown Thuringer, onion. and green pepper in hot fat. Add noodles, Fry to a golden brown, Add salt and water. Cover. Simmer 25 minutes or until noodles are tender. HAWAIIAN BAKED BEANS (Yield: 8 servings) One pound rooked salami, two No. 2 cans baked beans (4 cups), 1 cup drained, canned pineapple cubes, 1 grated clove of garlic,Vi cup honey. Cut salami into s -inch cubes. Combine salami, baked and Cold Cuts This assorted cold eut tray, garnished with strawberries and cottage cheese, is a spring treat. beans, pineapple and garlic. Pour into 2 -quart casserole. Drizzle honey over mixture. Heat in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) for 30 minutes. sometimes use the waterproof leaves as umbrellas. Flour is made from the fruit in parts of South America, while in Indo-China the stems are burned and the resulting ash used in the purification of cane sugar. It is believed that bananas first grew in India and South Asia, and then spread throughout the tropics. Bananas were f o u n d in the New World at least three hun- dred years ago, but it was not until 1878 that enough were produced in the West Indies and South America to enable them to be exported to North America and Europe. Despite popular opinion, ban- anas are not indigestible if eaten when ripe; that is, when all the green has gone from the skin, leaving it yellow or black. When digested, bananas will give you energy quicker than any other fresh fruit. ..Plain Horsy Sense. by BOB ELVIS Of the submissions made to the Senate Committee on Foreign Trade Relations the two made by the Canadian Con- gress of Labour and by the Can- adian Federation of Agriculture are of specific int e r est to the farmers. The Canadian Congress. of Labour suggested in a brief to the committee that Canada ac- cept sterling as payment for part of her exports to the United Kingdom. The C an ad i a n government would pay the exporter in dol- lars and use the sterling, which would be collected in a "coun- terpart" fund for its purchases in Britain or for materials pur- chased under the Colombo plan for economic development of Southeast Asia. Martin Levinson of the CCL Department of International Af- fairs said that by this method of trading Canadian farmers could get rid of their surpluses. It is encouraging that at long last one organized group begins to realize that the export of •ag- ricultural surpluses is not a question any more of the other fellow wanting to buy; but an urgent necessity for our farm- ers of having to sell. Sharp Contrast In sharp contrast to this very positive approach to a grave problem, the solution of which is a must for the smooth func- tioning . of the Canadian econ- omy, stands the Brief submitted by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. Federation leaders excel in theorizing on the actions that should be taken by others, and seem to have completely lost — if they ever had it — the fac- ulty of thinking in terms of action to be taken by the farm- ers themselves. Concerned about "dollar defi- cits" the brief advised non -dol- lar countries to improve their competitive position in dollar area markets with sound fiscal and monetary policies. They should also earn more dollars by expanding their exports to North America. This would be a better solution than restricting imports like some of them did last year. After lecturing the non -dollar countries the brief continues to counsel the U. S. government as to the steps it should take to enable the non -dollar countries to earn more dollars they could Record Brush-Off—Claiming a new world record, more than 100 100 mer( slap o coat of point On this house in Ogden in six minutes and -53 seconds. The stunt was sponsored by she Junior ;Chamber or• Commerce to spark a eily-wide cleanup, 'paint -up campaign, use for purchases of Canadian farm surpluses. Go Out And Sell Have Canadian farmers real- ly come to the point that they will sit d b w n and wait until some government helps another government to come to their own government to buy their products? Do Canadian • farmers - pay their Ieaders, managers, sec retaries, economists and whatnot to advise and counsel foreign governments or do they elect and hire them to look . after their own business? • Have our f a r In leaders not learned yet that the problem of farm surpluses is the farmers' problem and that it is up to them to devise ways and means to sell, instead of wandering all over the map making recon'imen- dations to other people how and where to buy. The days are gone when we did the British a favour by taking their Canadian assets for the bacon and cheese and eggs that were left over after we had filled our own bellies. Instead of discussing how the British can earn more dollars to buy our products from us, let us discuss what to do with the sterling we can earn by selling it to them. British or American? • Who says that we have to have dollars and buy American goods? Millions are spent by Cariadian farmers every year on Anierican made combines, tractors, har- vesters, mowers, seed drills, harrows, cultivators, hay rakes etc., imported from U. S., not manufactured in Can ad a by American companies. Why not buy more of these implements in. Britain and pay for them with what we get for our food exports? This colunmist has always maintained that the farmers could do the job themselves, if they had the 1 o n g promised legislation providing for produc- ers' marketing agencies with the power to enter inter -provincial and export trade. The demand for this legisla- tion is sadly missing from the programs of the f a r m e r s or- ganizations. It should take top rank in any and every submis- sion to the federal or a provin- cial government. With this legislation on the books, farmers' organizations can develop a plan which ,will pro- vide for: a) Sales to Britain, b) Payment in Sterling, e) Purchases in Sterling area, Unless they do, they will have to peddle their wares from door to door in the towns and cities of Canada, l,1 * .n This column welcomes sug- gestions, wise or foolish, and all criticism, whether constructive or destructive and will try to answer any question. Address your letters to Bob Ellis, Boit 1, 123 • 18th Street, New Toronto, On t. AN IDEAL TELEPHONE It was amazing how popular the public telephone box in the courtyard of a New York college became soon after it was erected/ For two years students had long . calls to their parents in distant cities; many of them rang their sweethearts several times a week, Then a newspaper—reporter chanced to visit the college and before leaving, made a 'phone call to his newspaper. That did it. He discovered the students' ,secret. The telephone had developed a technical fault which enabled anybody to use it without put- ting any money into the coin - box. TABLE TALKS ��ae Ades. "Main dishes" that are a trifle differents, not at all high in cost and easy to prepare will be the theme this week. So here they are—all well worth' a trial. • LAMB PIE 1 ib. lamb shoulder 1 tablespoon fat 11A cups water 1 teaspoon salt % teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon celery seed r/,r. teaspoon thyme 8 small white onions 4 new potatoes 2 tablespoons flour 3 tablespoon cold water Cut lamb into 1" cubes. Heat fat. Add lamb cubes and brown on all sides. Add water, salt, pepper, celery seed and thyme. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook, covered, for 45 minutes or until meat is tender. Meanwhile make crust. Chill in refrigerator. Peel onions and ' potatoes; ' cut potatoes in half. Add to lamb, Cover and cook gently for 20 minutes. Remove lamb and veg etables to a quart casserole, Mix flour, water to a thin paste. Stir into liquid in pan. Pour over meat and vegetables. Start oven 450°F. Fit crust over top' of cas- serole. Seal Edges; prick top, Bake 20 minutes. Serves 4. * CHEESE CRUST IA. cup grated Canadian cheese Vi package pastry mix Add cheese to pastry mix. Mix according to package direc- tions. :Roll out on lightly floured board : to 1/s" thickness. Chill, * FRANKFURTER LOAF 5 medium potatoes 3,4 cup milk 2 tablespoon butter or mar- garine 1 teaspoon salt 1�8'teaspoon pepper 10 frankfurters 2 canned pimentos 4 scallions Peel potatoes; cook in sm.al] amount salted water until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain, Mash. Add milk, butter, salt, pepper. Set oven 350°F. Grease an 81/2" x 41/au x 23/4" loaf pan. Cut frankfurters in half cross- wise; line sides of pan. Drain; chop pimentos. Slice scallions. Add to mashed potatoes. Fill center of loaf pan with potato mixture. Bake 40 minutes. Turn out of pan. Slice the loaf and serve with a deliciously hot mus- tard sauce. Serves 6 persons. '. ,7 * LIVER CASSEROLE 2 stalks celery 2 canned ,pimentos 6 ripe olives 1 (3 oz.) can sliced mush- rooms pound fresh or frozen chicken livers 4 cup flour • %g cup butter or margarine % teaspoon salt Vs teaspoon pepper. 1;/: cups milk Chop celery fine, Drain; cut pimentos into thin strips. Slice olives; drain. mushrooms. If fro- zen, thaw. Cut livers in half; roll in: flour. Start • oven 375°F. Grease 1 quart casserole. Melt butter in skillet. Add livers, cel- ery; cook 5 minutes until livers are browned on all sides. Re- move from pan. Stir in remain- ing flour, salt, pepper. Slowly stir in milk and bake until thick- • ened. Add pimentos and olives. Arrange layers of liver, sauce, mushrooms in prepared casser- ole. Bake 20 minutes. Serves 4. :k k BARBECUED DRIED BEEF •1 medium onion 'S• a small green pepper 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 2 tablespoon vinegar 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce ':a teaspoon chili powder 1 cup water ',4 cup catsup !at cup chili sauce 1 (4 oz•) jar dried beef Peel and thinly slice onion. Chop pepper. Melt butter or margarine. Add vegetables and cook until tender, Add vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, chili pow- der, water, catsup and chili settee. Cook over low heat, stir- ring occasionally for 45 minutes. Pour hot water over dried beet. Drain. Cut into small pieces. Acid to barbecue sauce and heat for 5 minutes. Serve on noodles to 4. * ., MEAT BALLS IN SAUCE 2 slices bread xiz cup mills 1 egg 1 pound ground. beet 1 teaspoon salt Vs teaspoon pepper 1% teaspoon nutmeg 2 tablespoon flour 11,4 cups canned bouillon Pull bread into crumbs with a fork; makes s/a cup. Add milk; let stand 10 minutes, Beat egg until frothy. Mix beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, nut- meg together lightly with a fork. Shape ' into Ph" " balls. Heat shortening in skillet. Brown meat balls on all sides. Remove balls. Stir in flour. Slowly stir in bouillon. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Add meat b a 1 .1 s. Cover and cook gently for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serves 6. ' Just Luck When a casting broke recent- ly at Workington and a 40 -ton ingot exploded, Herbert Hall and Charles Ball turned and ran for safety. Hall stumbled and fell, and the fiery metal swept clean over his body leaving him un- harmed; but Ball, who was up- right, was shot through with molten metal. If your luck is in you'll come out on top, even if you do the wrong thing. J. B. Ryan, a wealthy American, went over for the Grand National m ,1932. He put a big sum on No. 30 on the card, which was Quite Calm. Owing to a mistake, No. 30 was really Forbra, which won him a lot of money. Mr. Zuchmann booked a seal on a 'plane at Brussels and found that owing to a clerical error his seat had been allotted to another. He threatened to sue the come. pany; but his feelings :hanged when he learnt that the 'plane had crashed, and all on board were dead. Shorts Sr Overs. In Phoenix, Ariz., sheriff's deputies rushed to - investigate a shooting, learned. that a woman had stood ten feet from her husband and fired six pistol shots at him, all misses. Nice Armful—As appealing an - armful as we've seen in many a picture is this collection of nat- ive -grown grapefruit. Lovely blonde holding them is Janet Rudolph who is visiting, the Sun- shine state. is. as Sawa TIL1. I H O U S E ' O F SEAGR MRN WHO THINE OF TOMORROW MOOtitA ION TODAY