The colder the weather the more the members of your family will appreciate hot meals, morning, noon and evening. And now, with the cost of fuels on the increase - and in certain parts of the world even shortages of gas - homes, schools and places of employment may not be heated as comfortably as one would like. There is, therefore, all the more reason for serving hot, heat-producing meals.
Nutrition
An important factor in withstanding cold is nutrition. In particular are proteins helpful in this regard, as can be seen from the diet of Eskimos. But in these days of high meat prices in some parts, one must often look to other sources for the necessary proteins. There are eggs, also the vegetable proteins found in soybeans (the most highly rated), as well as those found in other beans, peas and lentils. And cheese can be added to many hot dishes.
For sound health it is important to have a balanced diet that contains the necessary vitamins and minerals, largely obtainable from fruits and vegetables. The vegetables certainly should not be overcooked. But with a little careful planning they can be served hot.
Remember, especially during cold wintry weather, that digestion is a chemical process, and practically all chemical processes are expedited by heat. So it follows that your stomach can digest hot foods, or at least warm foods, more readily than cold ones, which first have to be warmed by it. This is something that persons with weak stomachs should keep in mind. They would do well to avoid eating anything ice cold unless it is eaten like ice cream, which one eats so slowly that it is first warmed up in the mouth before it is swallowed. When eating any foods that are kept in a refrigerator, they would benefit by allowing these to reach at least room temperature. But on a cold wintry day, rather than having cold cuts served at room temperature, far better to serve something hot. And if you really want to serve a hot meal, first heat your plates, if not also your cups, just before mealtime.
Hot Breakfasts
In wintertime by all means feature something hot for breakfast. For many, a bowl of hot oatmeal (preferably not the "quick" kind) is hard to beat when it comes to a dish that is nourishing, easily digested and economical. If you would make it an especially nourishing treat, cook it with milk and honey. Some Europeans also add diced apple and an egg yolk, and then, just before serving, they fold in the egg white beaten stiff.
For other hot breakfast dishes there are eggs, which can be served in many different ways. And there are many kinds of pancakes, to which can be added such fruits as blueberries, thinly sliced apples or bananas. What about serving waffles or hot muffins, with or without walnuts or pecans? What about bacon, eggs, mushrooms, or sausage which make a good hot breakfast?
The extent to which the foregoing suggestions fit your needs, of course, depends quite a bit upon the activity of your family, the extent to which they are exposed to the cold and how weight conscious they are. Growing teenagers require more food than does the average housewife or other adults who may be engaged in sedentary occupations.
Soups
While there is such a thing as cold soup, we usually think of soup as being something hot. And what a variety you have to choose from! A thin clear or creamed soup can serve for a lunch or the first course of the day's main meal. Many leading cookbooks devote whole sections to hot soups, and some cookbooks are devoted to nothing but soups with literally hundreds of recipes.
To start, there are the stock soups-made from pieces of chicken or chicken giblets, or from beef or lamb meats and/or with the bones of these animals. Fish stock can be made from the backbones of fish, such as sole and halibut, together with their skins. And while on the subject of fish, what about clam chowder and oyster stew? "Vegetable stock" soups are delicious, made with onions, carrots, the white parts of leeks, celery, turnips and/or potatoes cut small, to which butter or oil is added.
Then there are the consommés, boiled down so they are condensed. They may be of beef or of chicken, and possibly with tomato or long thin pieces of vegetable added. Aside from the vegetable consommés, these are usually at their best with the addition of a few tablespoons of sherry.
Among the vegetable soups are minestrone, green pea, puree of turnip, cauliflower, spinach, watercress, leek or potato, with or without garlic. For something different, why not serve your family French onion soup, Russian borsch or Polish sauerkraut soup?
And then there are the cream soups. Most housewives will buy the base for these soups canned, thereby saving themselves much work, and will cream them simply by adding milk instead of water. Favorites among these are asparagus, celery and tomato soups. For a special treat that will really delight your family as well as your guests when you have company, serve creamed mushroom soup. It is very easy to make. For four people take half a pound of mushrooms, slice and sauté together with onions until brown. Then put these in a blender together with a quart of milk. After blending, heat to a boil, adding salt and pepper to suit your taste. This soup is tasty and nourishing.
For those who want to watch their weight or who do not engage in arduous physical labor, almost any kind of soup can be the basis for a meal, together with a slice or two of toast, and a piece of fruit for dessert.
Where a really hearty soup is desired for a meal in itself, consider such creations as Scotch barley or oxtail soup, lentil, bean or pea soup, cream of chestnut soup and Philadelphia pepper pot (a highly spiced soup made with tripe and vegetables).
Not to be overlooked are the various kinds of garnishes for your soups. Among these are the tiny crackers called oysterettes, (add garlic for extra taste) and croutons. Croutons are tiny squares of bread toasted or fried; they can be flavored with garlic, cheese or bacon. Matzo balls go well with chicken soup, frankfurter slices with lentil, pea or bean soup, pieces of cheese with other kinds of soup. And almost any soup can stand a sprinkling of parsley.
Other Dishes
Do not overlook the various kinds of hot sandwiches, particularly those made with beef and cheese. These really hit the spot on a cold winter day.
And not only will hot dishes, temperature-wise, warm up your family, but so will the judicious use of hot spices, such as red pepper and curry powder.
And of course there are hot desserts-for those who are not weight watchers!
And to Drink?
What about alcoholic beverages? Will they help to warm up your family? If you serve wine or a mixed drink when they come in from the cold, the immediate effect is to warm them up. But do not think that alcoholic drinks can repeatedly warm them up if they happen to be outside in the cold. That is a mistaken idea that has cost some their lives. True, the immediate effect of drinking an alcoholic beverage is to cause the blood to rush to the surface of the body, making one feel warm. But then what happens? If out in the cold the air cools off the blood and so gradually the body's temperature is lowered.
There are many hot drinks that can fortify one against the cold. If not a cup of hot coffee, hot chocolate, Chinese tea or some other kind of tea. Or if something more substantial is desired, how about hot milk flavored with honey or butterscotch or malted milk? Or perhaps an egg nog? For a special treat you might want to make hot spiced cider. Its recipe calls for cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice and some honey, boiled together, after which the spices are removed.
Keeping warm on winters days require some forethought, but there are no limits to the recipes which can help you and your family stay warm.
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