FoodNet

A manual of home-making

1919

Page 128

Presented as published in 1919. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
4. Rub steak phnbi thoroughly with some food oil, until the wood has aljsorbed all it will. Special care: 1 . To remove dents, put a wet pad of several thicknesses of cheese-cloth or musUn on the dent and cover if with Ji hot iron. The steam will niise the fibers of the wood much as it raises the pile of velvet. KITCHEN UTENSILS 239 2. To smooth away a rough place, rub it with steel wool, following the grain of the wood. 3. To restore the color of wood that has become darkened, use steel wool and weak hydrochloric acid. Zinc or gcUvanized iron Advantages: 1. Zinc makes a good sanitary covering for table tops. 2. It does not become tarnished readily by action of the air. 3. It is rust-proof. Disadvantages: 1. Zinc becomes tarnished by the action of damp air and is affected by salt, which prevents its lasting well on the seashore. 2. It is acted on by acids. 3. It cannot be used for cooking utensils because it is affected by both acids and alkalis. General care: Wash zinc with hot suds made of mild soap. Special care: 1. Kerosene dissolves a film of grease and helps to remove inclosed dirt. 2. Bath brick may be used for food bins, in which case it would not l)e desirable to use kerosene. 3. Scour zinc with a paste made of kerosene and baking soda, and rinse it thoroughly with hot water. 4. Acids, such as vinegar, sulphuric acid in the proportion of one part of acid to twelve parts of water, or alum and acetic acid may be used to remove tarnish, but they eat into the zinc. The metal should be rinsed thoroughly with hot water. The tarnish is likely to appear soon again. CHAPTER XI TABLE SETTING AHD SERVING BY Flora Rose "WTien an attempt is made to formalize any household prae- f ice, there is always the danger of rcnl tape. Yet some formalin ties, if based on a strong foundation of eomiiiuii wiise, make h'fe more unselfish and de light fuL A safeguard agahist iiselet^ for- mality is to keep constantly in mind this fac! — every' good rule should have a good reason. When the role is being applifn], the reason should be niatle to appear. If in any household no good reason is forthcoming for the formal rule imposed, the rule should be discarded. This is particularly true in table setting and sei'^ing where mere formality may have tleveloped to sueli an extent as to obs<*ure origuial gootl reasons for doing things. Yet most of the fondamental rules in good table set- ting are built on a sound foundation of reason. TABLE SETTING The tal>Ie itself may !>e Imre wood or it may be clothed in finest linen or oileloth. It should he clean. For each jx^rson, 20 to 30 inches of lengthwise space should l>e allowed, unless the table is round or s€|uare and seats only four or eight jiersons. Less than 20 inches means uncomfort- able crowding; more than 30 inches means difficulty in talking across the distance. Covering far the table The reasons for covering a table with tablecloth, table- square, runners, doilies, or napkins are: (1) to prot**ct the sur- face of the table; (2) to hide the surface of the table; (3) to in- sure quieter service; (4) to reflect the light; (5) to improve the 2IQ I I I I TABLE SETTING AND SERVING appearance of the tal:^Ie. If any covering is use*l» it should l^e clean, A mugh, hure, clean table is lietter than soikxl, rumpled lijien, no matter how hue and expensive.