FoodNet

A manual of home-making

1919

Page 115

Presented as published in 1919. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
For the eookiiig iitertiil: A covenxl kvU\p or burket of agate or aluminum, of a siae siiituble fi>r tin* arTUMinl of fcioti cir<linnriiy to lie rookf^d in it, Thi* utt*nsil should be diirahle, and fn^e fmm iTeviri-s and seams in whirh particles of food and harmful mirn>-cirpamsrns may JfMljaje, nm\ it should Ije supplied with a tight-fitting eover that can Ik» elamiMnl ddwn. S<'am|ess aluminum 18 perhaps mr)«t commonly iisixl for this pur^xise, Sfx^'ial firelesa-cooker utensils can generally lie obtained froni a loeal hardware dealer or a firm that manufaetures tireless cookers. For the collar to c^over the pat^king material: A piece of ^inc^ cardboard, sheet ast>estofi, or muslin^ of nueh a sltafx* aa to fit the gpaee In-tween the case and the bucket that serves as the ecxjking compartment. Zinc is good for this puqxjfle because it doea not tejir witli constant uav ils do the other mat4*rial«, it cnn be waaheti, it doc^ not ru>tt, and it is not inflammable. For the cushion: Heavy drilliniCj denim, or muslin. For the hot j>lat^*Sp if deiiirp<l : Flat stones, stove lids, nr speeial iwiap^tone or metal radiators. Most focxbcan l>o cookinl without the use of hot plates or radiators, but a higher temperature can Ije rrarhcd and a ccK)kin« trmiK^rar ture prolouRf^ l>y their use. Hot plat*^ should never Ijc uivmI nnh's^ the cooker is packed with non-inflammable material, such as tninejul wool or aebealoB. Diredtwn* for making a firdotg cooker are as foUnws: (1) Line the cajse and its cover with sheet asbestos of l/S inch thicknon; (2) Pack into the Ixittom of the oebefltofl-lined case' a layer at least 3 inches deep of whatever ^lacking material is to be used, (3) Place the bucket that is to form the tH>okinK eomimrtment on the lajrer of pai^'Jiing material in the Itottom of 1 he case. Pack the aptice Ix^twwn the ca»e and the cooking compartment closely with mon» of this material, filling the space to within l^ inch from the top of the bucket, (4) Make a collar of imy of the ma- terials suggested, tf) eover the exposed surface? of thf jmeking material Ije- tween the caAi» and the cooking compartment. (5) Make a cushion of some of the materials suggested, which when filled with the packing material will be at leiist three inches thick, and will, i\s exactly as poesible, fit into the space l*etween the top <if the ecH^king com[>artment and the top of the case. Cut from the material txvo pit^oes of the desired slia|ie tmd size, and put them together with a straight strip of the desinnl width, with extra allowance for seams. The interior of the fireless cooker should ho kept absolutely clean. It sliouid be washed, driinJ, and sunned, if ix>ssible, each time after l>cing usett It should remain open for several hours after use, and it should never be tightly closed when not in use. The observance of these precautions prevents the food from I I STOVES AND COOKERS 217 I acquirinK ao unpleasant taste from odavH or remnants of food previously eooked. For convenience, all equipment to i>e iis(k1 in connection with the cooker, sucli lis hot plates, hooks^ racks, and cooking uten- sils, should he kept near ttio cooker. A shelf, a cupboard, or an iniproviseti cal>inet made from a box may serve as a convenient storage place.