This section is from the book "Food And Cookery, Their Relation To Health", by H. S. Anderson. Also available from Amazon: Food Cookery, Their Relation To Health.
Select tender, well filled ears of corn, draw back the husks and remove the silk, wipe with a clean cloth; recover again with the husk and tie a string around the small end to keep the husks from opening and exposing the ear to too much heat. Lay in baking pan and bake in good oven from one-half to three-quarters of an hour. When done, remove the husks, lay on platter and serve immediately. A few of the inner husks may be left around each ear of corn and sent to the table. Corn cooked in this way is much sweeter and of a richer flavor than when boiled. When corn is boiled, it should be dropped into boiling water; then when it has come to a good boil, set it on edge of the stove to draw for fifteen to twenty minutes. Too much cooking hardens corn and makes it tough and unpalatable.
String Beans should be picked while they are young and tender. Break them between the hands so as to remove any stringy fiber, also the ends. Put one teaspoon of vegetable oil into a sauce pan on the stove, and when quite hot add one pint of string beans which have previously been washed; stir over the fire for a minute, then add enough boiling water to cover them; add salt to season and let them boil quite rapidly until well done. If more water is added, it should be boiling hot.
 
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