A set each of wire and
metal dish-covei-s must not be forgotten ; the latter should be
of plain blocked tin, and as the fluted ones soon get shabby,
these should be well washed inside and out with scouring
soap and polished with Goddard's plate powder. A French
fryer is invaluable ; it will cost 7s. 6rf. Three or four pounds
of dripping clarified should be put in at first ; this wdll
require straining. After being used once or twice, the fryer
should then be washed out with soda water, well dried, and
THE KITCHEN. 253
the fat put back ; it can be renewed from time to time with
some fresh fat, and it will keep good for weeks. When it
looks very dark throw it away and start with a fresh lot of
fat ; it can be used for fish, rissoles, fritters, &c., and one can
never tell that anything has been fried in it before, if it
attains the right heat before the frit ure is put in. It should
be between boiling water heat (212°) and boiling fat (600°),
385° being exactly right, and can be tested by dropping in a
small piece of bread. If it browns instantly it is ready ;
whatever is put into it will fry in two or three minutes.
Food cooked in this way will not be so greasy and indi-
gestible as it often is if cooked in a frying pan.
And now, last and most important of all, the stove ; for
although we may do without a great many things which
are nice and useful to have, without a stove it is impos-
sible to cook well. It may be for gas, wood, or coal, but
it must act well. Gas stoves are extremely simple, clean,
and easy to use, there are no flues to get choked, and in
towns where gas is cheap it is no doubt the easiest and
pleasantest heat to use. To keep them clean and sweet
they should be well washed inside and out with soda and
water at least once a week and polished with a little
Electric black lead. The flues of wood and coal stoves
should be thoroughly cleaned out once a week, and the
oven cleansed with soap and soda; this is very necessary
work, for if the ovens are not clean whatever is cooked
in them will be spoilt. A little thoughtful care in these
matters will often prevent much trouble when cooking.
Let a housekeeper, therefore, thoroughly master her stove
first, and understand the flues and dampers, for only in
this way will she be able to successfully cook the dishes she
has skilfully prepared. Cleanliness and care in respect of
the stove and kitchen utensils generally are as necessary
to success as knowing the right materials to use and how
254 THE ART OF LIVING IN AUSTRALIA.
Page 168
Presented as published in 1893. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
A set each of wire and metal dish-covers must not be forgotten ; the latter should be of plain blocked tin, and as the fluted ones soon get shabby, these should be well washed inside and out with scouring soap and polished with Goddard's plate powder. A French fryer is invaluable ; it will cost 7s. 6d. Three or four pounds of dripping clarified should be put in at first ; this wdll require straining. After being used once or twice, the fryer should then be washed out with soda water, well dried, and
THE KITCHEN. 253
the fat put back ; it can be renewed from time to time with some fresh fat, and it will keep good for weeks. When it looks very dark throw it away and start with a fresh lot of fat ; it can be used for fish, rissoles, fritters, &c., and one can never tell that anything has been fried in it before, if it attains the right heat before the friture is put in. It should be between boiling water heat (212°) and boiling fat (600°), 385° being exactly right, and can be tested by dropping in a small piece of bread. If it browns instantly it is ready ; whatever is put into it will fry in two or three minutes. Food cooked in this way will not be so greasy and indigestible as it often is if cooked in a frying pan.
And now, last and most important of all, the stove ; for although we may do without a great many things which are nice and useful to have, without a stove it is impossible to cook well. It may be for gas, wood, or coal, but it must act well. Gas stoves are extremely simple, clean, and easy to use, there are no flues to get choked, and in towns where gas is cheap it is no doubt the easiest and pleasantest heat to use. To keep them clean and sweet they should be well washed inside and out with soda and water at least once a week and polished with a little Electric black lead. The flues of wood and coal stoves should be thoroughly cleaned out once a week, and the oven cleansed with soap and soda; this is very necessary work, for if the ovens are not clean whatever is cooked in them will be spoilt. A little thoughtful care in these matters will often prevent much trouble when cooking. Let a housekeeper, therefore, thoroughly master her stove first, and understand the flues and dampers, for only in this way will she be able to successfully cook the dishes she has skilfully prepared. Cleanliness and care in respect of the stove and kitchen utensils generally are as necessary to success as knowing the right materials to use and how