From Cooking Wiki
USEFUL FACTS ABOUT MILK
The value of milk in the daily meals is so great that every effort should be made to extend its use in cooking.
WHOLE FRESH OR PASTEURIZED MILK need hardly be discussed since all homemakers are familiar with its use. VITAMIN D MILK is a new form carrying an increased content of this vitamin. It is desirable, however, to describe other forms of milk which today play a prominent role in up-to-date kitchens.
EVAPORATED MILK is the most important of these. It is whole milk concentrated to double richness by evaporating part of the natural water content. No sugar is added. Evaporated milk has all the nutritive value of whole milk. When irradiated it carries an increased content of Vitamin D. It is an especially suitable food for babies.
For cooking, where whole milk is called for, an equal amount of water should be added to evaporated milk. In place of cream, it is used undiluted. Because this milk is homogenized, reducing the butterfat globules to tiniest particles, it produces excellent results in making cream soups, sauces, and other dishes where a fine, smooth consistency is desired.
DRY MILK made by evaporating all water leaves the milk solids in powdered form with the food value of pasteurized milk.
CONDENSED MILK, which contains a large amount of added sugar, is used for making some desserts.
SKIM MILK may be used in cooking, but the fact must be remembered that the fat removed has carried with it important vitamins which must be returned as butter and cream.
BUTTERMILK, produced when the fat is removed as butter, is similarly deficient although valuable for its lactic acid.
SOUR MILK is often needed for the invalid, for cooking or baking. It can be made from fresh milk by the addition of 2 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice to each pint of milk. Allow to stand in a fairly warm place at room temperature for one-half hour, then return to refrigerator. The same proportions obtain for evaporated or irradiated evaporated milk after it has been diluted one-half according to directions. In baking, use one-half teaspoon soda for every cup of sour milk or cream. FOR SOUR CREAM add one tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to one cup cream or each cup evaporated or irradi- ated evaporated milk as it comes from the can.
Pasteurizing Milk
If there is any question about the cleanliness of fresh milk to be used for drinking, it should be pasteurized or boiled. Infants or small children should never be fed any milk about which there is the slightest doubt.
FLASH PROCESS
Put it into a covered container set over hot water. Heat until the milk reaches a temperature of 160 to 165 F. Hold at this temperature for one-half to one minute. Cool as quickly as possible and keep in a cold place.
HOLDING PROCESS
Heat until milk reaches 140 to 150 F. Hold at this temperature for about 30 minutes.
Pasteurized milk, if kept too long, is apt to putrefy instead of becoming sour. If any pasteurized milk is left over and there is danger of its spoiling before it can be used, it may be mixed with a little sour milk and set in a warm place until it all becomes sour. Sour milk may be kept for some days.
Boiling Milk
Milk boils at 196°. Due to the fact that milk is thicker than water, less of the steam escapes, and the whole liquid becomes hot sooner than water. The bubbles rise rapidly, and, owing to their tenacity, do not burst at the surface, but climb over one another till they run over the edge of the pan.
Milk, grains, custards, and any substances which, from their glutinous nature, would be liable to adhere to the kettle, are much more easily and safely cooked in a double boiler, or in a pail within a kettle of water. This is one form of steaming, or cooking over boiling water. In steaming, the water should not stop boiling until the articles are cooked. This is a convenient form of cooking many articles which it is troublesome to cook with a dry heat, and yet do not need the solvent powers of water. Watery vegetables are rendered drier by steaming; and tough pieces of meat which cannot be roasted, are first made tender by steaming, and then browned in the oven. Sometimes meat is steamed in its own juices alone; this is called smothering, or pot-roasting.
Flash Method for Boiling Milk
Put it into a shallow pan and cook quickly over direct heat so that the milk is brought as rapidly as possible to the boiling-point. Stir constantly to prevent scorching, making the figure eight with the spoon, as this brings the spoon the greatest number of times in contact with the part of the kettle receiving the most heat.
When the milk has boiled up once, remove from the fire and cool as rapidly as possible.
Milk boiled by this rapid method is believed to be less affected in nutritive value than pasteurized milk.
Boiled milk, like pasteurized milk, spoils rather than sours.
