A manual of home-making

Thernios in>ttlcs may be used iis miniature fireless cookers for a small aniouiit of cereal or other food requiring long, slow (cooking. I STOVES AND COOKERS 219 TABLE XIV. — Time-Table for Use with a Fireless Cooker Food Cereals: Corn-meal Cracked wheat Cream-of-wheat Farina Hominy grits Macaroni Rice Rolled oats Vegetables: Beans, dried (soaked and cooked in the same waU*r) Beans, string Cabbage Carrots Onions Potatoes Dried fruits: Apples Apricots Peaches Prunes (soaked and cookcnJ in the same water) Meats: Beef, boiled Beef, pot roast Chicken, stewed Ham, !x)iled Mutton, leg or shoulder, boiled Mutton stew Breads and puddings: Brown bread Cup custard, steamed Suet pudding Propor- tion of food to looter 1 to 6 1 to 5 1 to6 1 to7 1 to 5 1 to4 1 to 4 1 to 3 1 to 4 1 to 1 1 to 1 1 to 1 1 to 1 1 to 1 1 to2 1 to 2 I to 2 1 to 2 Minutes for boiling on iheaUwe 10 25 5 5 15 5 5 5 15 30 30 20 20 10 30 30 Hours in the cooker 6 or all night 8 or all night 2 or all night 2 or all night 8 or all night 2 2 3 or all night 6 or more 2 IH 2 2 2 4 or all night 4 or all night 4 or all night 4 or all night 3 5 3 7 6 4 5 I 5 CHAPTER IX METHODS OF KEEPING FOODS COOL Some of the niethocls of keepirig foods eool that were used by primitive people are still resorted to, sometimes with certain modifications. The use of vessels f>ermittio^ evaixinition, (he running water of .streams, eaves or holes in the ground, packing with grasses, all have lent their principles to more elaborate eooling methods and refrigerating systems of to-day* Hefrigcrators. Ordinary household refrigerators, even of the best make with the best insulated walls, are by no means as effective in saving ice as might be desired. Three points to consider in purchasing a refrigerator are low temperature^ dryness, and sanitation. The low temperature is ol>tained by ice and proper insnhition* The ice eompartmcDt shouJd be large enough to hold at least 50 or 75 pounds of ice and should lie kept tilled in order to avoiti a fluctuation in temyKTature whicli is favorable to the growth of micro-orgahisios that cause fowl to spoih The location of the ice compartment at the side is thought to Ix? LK^tter than across the entire top. The dfxir for icing is perhaps more con- veuiect at the side than on the top. A rear icing-<loor can be made at a very smal! additional cost; if the refrigerator is to be placed where rear icing would eliminate much tracking across floors, it is worth considering. Insulation is accomplished by a de^d air space between the outside ca^ and mineral felt, cork, aslK?stos, or whatever insulating material is used. The wood should Ije of such a kind that it will not warp. There should be no wtxjd where water can come in contact with it, since damp wood is an excellent place for micro-oi^anisms to lurk. There should be a gocxl circulation of air in order to keep the 220 I METHODS OF KEEPING FOODS COOL 221 atmosphere dry. The eold air from around the ice should go U the bottom of the refrigerator aiul then travel to the top before it a^ain goe.s over the ice: the inside opeoings, therefore, should be large enough at the bottom and the top to permit the free passage of air.