In our ongoing vintage Home Ec book review, this post covers the chapter on “The Heart of the Meal – The Main Food” or what we would more commonly refer to as “the main course”. In this case, they are referring to lunch or supper, not dinner.
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Chapter 8:
The Heart of the Meal ~ The Main Food
It took me moment to realize which meal this chapter references. Lunch, luncheon, supper and dinner may mean different things to different people. I grew up in California and our meals were breakfast, lunch and dinner. But here in Oklahoma and much of the South, “dinner” might mean the noon meal and the evening meal is called “supper”.
This was truly brought home to me back when I was a hospice nurse in the 1990s. We had arranged for a Thanksgiving meal to be delivered to the families we served. The printed information referred to it as “dinner” and it was to be delivered in time for the evening meal. Around 12:30 p.m. we began to receive phone calls asking where their “dinner” was. These were mostly elderly folks who used “dinner” to refer to the noon meal.
So this chapter is about the main course for the lighter of noon or evening meals.
This is Why Your Grandparents Call Dinner “Supper”
Are Dinner and Supper the Same Thing?
The Main Course –
After the appetizer comes the main course which is accompanied by vegetables and bread & butter, or just bread & butter. It should supplement but not duplicate the dinner menu. For instance, if meat is to be the main dish for dinner, this lighter meal’s main course might be an egg or cheese dish or a hearty salad.
*My dad grew up in Oklahoma and they always had bread and butter with their meals. Always. My mom grew up in Southern California and that was not their custom. The first time he ate with her family he was a bit lost and finally, shyly, asked if he might have some bread and butter. Dad continued to have bread and butter with his meals throughout my childhood. The rest of us ate it sometimes but not always.
Food Prejudices –
This short section reminds the reader to be open to trying new foods and means of preparation. Since the book is aimed at young people it points out that tastes may change as one grows older.
Cheese, a Food Rich in Nutrients –
Cheese is rich in protein, fat, minerals (calcium and phosphorus) and vitamin D. There is a brief description of how cheese is made and how to store it.
Recipes…
- Macaroni, Spaghetti, Noodles, or Rice with Cheese
- Cheese with Bacon
Basic Recipes; Egg Dishes…
- Creamed Eggs
- Plain Soufflé
Creamed Dishes…
- Shrimp Wiggle
- Noodle Ring
- Spinach Loaf
Scalloped and Casserole Foods; Bread Crumbs for Scalloped Dishes –
Scalloped dishes are usually made by combining eggs, meat, fish and vegetables with milk or white sauce and baking in the oven. It is often covered with buttered bread crumbs. Here is a basic formula for a scalloped dish:
- 1/4 buttered bread crumbs, bottom of baking dish
- 1/2 food mixture, next layer
- 1/4 buttered bread crumbs, middle layer
- 1/2 food mixture, next layer
- 1/2 buttered bread crumbs, top layer
I found this interesting as I normally just put the bread crumbs on top. I’ll have to give this a try!
There is a discussion on soft vs. dried bread crumbs, how to make them and their uses. It recommends soft bread crumbs for most scalloped foods.
When white sauce and buttered crumbs are used in a scalloped dish the general rule is: 2 or 3 cups of vegetable, meat or fish; 1 cup medium white sauce; 2 cups buttered bread crumbs.
Foods mixed with cheese and covered with crumbs and baked are called au gratin dishes.
A covered baking dish is called a casserole. Therefore foods baked in a casserole are sometimes called casserole dishes. (That is usually reversed these days: the food is called a casserole and the baking dish is called a casserole dish. Or at least that’s the way I use those terms.)
Two recipes follow:
- Scalloped Tuna Fish
- Casserole of Tomatoes and Celery
Points to Consider
- Which is the more concentrated food, cheese or milk? Explain.
- What nutrient is associated with the main dish of the main course? Why are foods made of cheese or eggs suitable for the main dish of the main course of a luncheon?
- Following one of the luncheon patterns (from previous chapter) plan a luncheon with a cheese dish for the main food.
- Name some foods, other than cheese, against which some persons are prejudiced. State some probable causes of a food prejudice.
- Collect recipes for egg and cheese dishes from newspapers, household magazines, and cookbooks.
- Roquefort cheese was originally made at Roquefort, France. Look up the story about this cheese in an encyclopedia and report to your class. (*Roquefort is my favorite salad dressing and that was what we called it and what was on menus when I was growing up. Now I only ever see Bleu Cheese or blue cheese. After I finish this post I’m going to do a bit of research on that!)
- Name at least three advantages in serving a scalloped food in the dish in which it is baked.
If you are interested in any of the recipes mentioned in this chapter, let me know.
THIS BLOG SERIES IS BASED ON THE 1949 EDITION OF YOUR HOME AND YOU BY CARLOTTA C. GREER.
MORE IN THIS SERIES…
Inviting Breakfasts ~ Home Ec Unit 1: Food is More Than Flavor
The Mild-Tasting Breakfast Foods ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 2
Other Bland Foods ~ Quick Breads ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 3
The Almost Perfect Food – Milk ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 4
Getting a Meal & Washing Dishes ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 5
Facts & False Notions About Nutrition ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 6
Luncheon or Supper Menus ~ Home Ec Unit 1 Ch. 7
Spinach loaf? Is that an entirely meat-free recipe? If so, I’d be interested in that one.
Depends on the part of the country you’re in here to what’s called what too. It’s either, “Breakfast, lunch, and dinner,” or “Breakfast, dinner, and tea,” with supper being a late evening snack some people have for both those, or “Breakfast, dinner, and supper,” or “breakfast, lunch, and supper,” in others.
Also, my Dad always had bread with dinner (not so much now he’s older and being careful of carbs due to diabetes). We did sometimes, but not always. My Mam only ever does when it’s something like soup.
I find it so interesting what meals are called in different areas.