Because most wheat substitutes cost more, it does not necessarily follow that the household budget will be increased. Some flours, notably potato, go much farther than wheat, so it really is less expensive in the end. I maintain that when we buy the "substitute" we do only half our duty, the other half being to use all we buy and waste not a scrap; make things so good that every bit will be eaten. In our reckless, American way, we have allowed food to be wasted because it was cheap or because we thought it niggardly to be too careful. Now all that is changed. We must not waste, and that means we must buy only what we can use entirely before it becomes too old to eat. If we do what I call the "other half" of food conservation, that is waste nothing, our food budget will not increase so alarmingly.

Wheatless Cake, Bread, Pie 99

Cook the maple sugar and the water, or the syrup, till the thermometer registers 230 degrees. The thermometer should be placed in the kettle when the syrup is first placed on stove. (Lacking a thermometer, the syrup may be tested by dropping a little of it into a cup of cold water. When thick enough to be picked up in a soft ball, it is done.)

Remove from the fire; take out the thermometer; let the syrup stand about two minutes; then pour a little at a time on the well-beaten egg whites, beating hard. A Dover egg-beater is best.

When the cake is cold, ice between layers, and on sides and pile high on top.

Honey Sponge Cake

3 eggs ¾ cup strained honey 3/8 cup potato flour (scant half cup) ¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 level teaspoon salt

Cream the yolks of the eggs and the honey together very, very thoroughly.

Beat the whites stiff and add to the above mixture. Also add the salt.

Sift the flour and baking powder, and add.

Bake at once in a deep tin, in a moderate oven about forty minutes.

This cake should be separated with forks, as in the illustration. Never cut sponge cake with a knife.

War Time Fruit Cake

½ cup butter, or butter substitute

¾ cup seeded raisins

1 cup crushed maple sugar

¼ cup molasses

¾ cup boiling water

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon Dash of nutmeg

2 cups barley flour

1 level teaspoon soda

Pour the boiling water on the raisins, butter, sugar, molasses, spices and salt, and boil slowly about three minutes after it begins boiling. Then add the flour sifted, then the soda dissolved in a tablespoonful of warm water.

Just before baking, add one cup of broken walnut meats, and bake in an oiled loaf tin a good forty minutes (moderate oven).

Scotch Fancies

A tea cake without flour or sugar.

Pinch of salt

1 egg

1 cup oatmeal (dry) ½ cup maple sugar 2 tablespoons butter substitute

Cream the butter substitute. Add the sugar, and cream together well. Add the well-beaten egg; then salt and oatmeal mixed; and drop from a spoon on an oiled tin.

Shredded cocoanut sprinkled on top of some of these will add to the flavor and appearance.

Bake in a hot oven until brown.