THE ADOLPHUS TENDERIZER
The Adolphus Tenderizer was a waterless cookware system
that was marketed in the 1940s by Adolphus Hohensee, a
self-proclaimed nutritional expert and health lecturer. Although early
on he proclaimed himself to be an MD, he had no prior formal
training in this area.
As a lecturer, he was one of many who preached that the
path to good health was through good nutrition. He
promoted the use of vitamins, minerals and healthful cooking
methods as a way to overcome the defects of the American
food supply and processed foods.
Hohensee sold a line of nutritional products packaged
under the Adolphus Brand name, authored several
health-related pamphlets and published a subscription
magazine called The Life Span. To aid in the
preparation of healthful food, he also sold several items of
kitchen equipment that could be used to achieve this goal:
the Adolphus Tenderizer, a set of Lucite cooking tools and a
blender.
He had a farm near Scranton, Pennsylvania named El
Rancho Adolphus where he raised Hereford beef cattle and sold and
distributed the El Rancho Adolphus brand of milk,
buttermilk, butter and cheese. His other products were
available in health food stores and through the mail.
He gave lectures throughout the U.S. and while he did not
specifically promote his own products in the lectures, he
made sure that they were easily available to those who were
interested.
Hohensee had many run-ins with the law and the FDA about
his business practices, but this did not stop him from
lecturing and profiting from the sale of his items.
The original cost of the Adolphus Tenderizer was $195.
The Tenderizer was made of stainless steel and consisted of
19 pieces. It was quite heavy in weight.
The following information is an excerpt from
The Adolphus Cook Book of Balanced Meals
by Adolphus Hohensee and published by Scientific Living,
Inc., Scranton, PA, 1947, 86 pp.
Disclaimer:
This information is offered as a courtesy because so few of
the original cook books are left and there may be owners of
the Adolphus Tenderizers without directions who wish to see
how the product was used We
do not claim any responsibility or guarantees for the use of
these directions or of the Adolphus Tenderizer.
NAME OF PARTS
- Utensil base or lower compartment
- Extension or middle compartment
- Lid
- Three condensers
- Low and high racks
- Four Clamps
- Two perforated pans
- Two solid pans
- One perforated disc
- One hook
- One holder
THE PRINCIPLE OF TENDERIZING (NOT COOKING) YOUR FOOD
The most modern and scientific way to prepare food in
this enlightened age is to take full advantage of the newer
discoveries of beneficent science. The Newer
knowledge of nutrition enables man to prepare food in such a
way that it looks good, tastes good and is easily digested
without sacrificing minerals and vitamins. The
foremost way of doing this is the VACUUM TENDERIZING METHOD.
To create a partial vacuum when tenderizing foods, it is
necessary to have a specially constructed vessel with a
grooved rim.
Picture thus:
During the TENDERIZING process the offensive odors that
are thrown off from different foods are left in the lid.
But each vegetable and fruit will retain its own individual
taste or flavor. In the process of circulation, there
is an ample supply of oxygen being fed through the vent,
thus counter-acting the odors. The oxygen also has a
tendency to oxygenize the POISONOUS GASES THROWN OFF FROM
leafy vegetables when cooking. However, due to the
constantly rising vapor, the oxygen cannot penetrate below
the condensing chambers.
The temperature while vaporizing is below the boiling
point.
Many Scientists claim: "The process of vaporizing food
below the boiling point leaves all the volatile oils in the
fruits and vegetables, and for this reason it is of great
importance to all those suffering from faulty elimination."
RETAINING THE FLAVOR IN YOUR FOOD
By TENDERIZING your food in a temperature 35-40 degrees
below boiling the flavor is retained. When the odor of
food being prepared is in evidence all through the house, it
is because the flavor is escaping into the air in the form
of volatile oils. This also means that the flame under
the TENDERIZER is TOO HIGH, and that you are not following
instructions.
Remember, there are only two mistakes that will cause
food not to tenderize properly.
- Not sealing pores properly, caused by too long
period of high flame.
- Trying to rush preparation by not giving food enough
time.
The most inexpensive cut of meat, becomes the most
tempting dish when prepared in the ADOLPHUS TENDERIZER.
You will save many times the cost of the TENDERIZER--in
fuel, by preparing your food this new scientific way because
such a low flame is only necessary once the vaporizing is
under way.
To Supply Your Family With the Best in Nutritious and
Delicious Food, Observe These FOUR RULES OF SCIENTIFIC FOOD
PREPARATION
- Prepare food in low temperatures
- Use as little water as possible. Avoid it
entirely whenever possible
- Prevent oxidation by never using open pots
- Do not use soda in your cooking vegetables.
When tenderizing your vegetables at low temperature, you
do not destroy the color.
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ADOLPHUS TENDERIZER
See additional
directions for using the ADOLPHUS TENDERIZER from The
Adolphus Cook Book of Balanced Meals.
Buy a copy of The Adolphus Cook Book of Balanced Meals
from Biblio:
You can read more about Adolphus Hohensee at the links
below:
The Medical Messiahs: A
Social History of Health Quackery in Twentieth Century
America.
Read Chapter 16 of the book by James Harvey Young to
learn more about Adolphus Hohensee and the nutritional
beliefs that he promoted in his lectures.
El Rancho Adolphus
Hohensee died in 1967. View photos of his farm, El
Rancho Adolphus, as it looks today.
Looking for
a new set of Waterless Cookware?
Here are some of the sets available today: 17pc Surgical Stainless Steel "Waterless" Cookware Set
or
this
7-Ply Steam Control Surgical Stainless Steel "Waterless" Cookware Set
|
