itself. The latter is the most economical and most efficient arrangement. How little fuel is required to cook a good dinner in an oven can be learnt from the use of those forms of cooking apparatus which work with ]petroleuin. The cleanest of all sources of heat is sinrit of toine, but the Excise laws of this country make its use difficult. Wood- spirit may be used, but is liable to impregnate the air with its odour. Spirit was applied to some forms of elementary cookery by Soyer, but his methods and apparatus have not survived the enthusiasm of novelty. At present spirit is mainly applied to effect the final ebullition of water for making coffee or tea. Gas is also a relatively clean material for the production of heat, but is liable to considerable waste, and, in view of the exorbitant prices exacted by the monopolists of London and other places, is not applicable to general use, and never economical. As an auxiliary in the kitchen, particularly at times when there is no large coal-fire alight, or as a continued moderate source of heat for apparatus which has to be kept warm, particularly the water-bath, or bain-marie, it is of great value. Charcoal, next to wood, once the most frequently used source of heat, is now little employed in the more northern part of Europe. It was essential for the old form of braising, particularly for the production of top-heat over the braising-pan. It will be useful in all places where gas or petroleum, or common coal, or wood, are less easily obtained ; but where gas is available it will supersede charcoal. It is not improbable that the progress of science will teach us more economical and cleaner modes of applying heat for cooking and warm- ing, such as the use of hydrogen and carbonic oxide (water- gas), or electricity converted into heat ; but at present coals are the principal source of heat in the kitchen, and their use as such, and in the form of coah (or coke), will probably become more and more specialised. 54 THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY Movable Apparatus required for an Ordinary Establishment. There are some skilful inventions relating to cookery which would be of great value if the practical executants of culinary art were of a more Athenian novelty-seeking disposi- tion. We remember the introduction of Captain Warren’s culinary apparatus, and have not changed our opinion of its great value for every establishment the authority of which will succeed in seeing it used according to the pre- scription of its inventor. We read in ‘ Wyvern’s ’ work (p. 17), that when he was staying once with a friend on the (East Indian) hills, the water for his bath was brought in the outer vessel of a ‘ Warren’s patent cooking-pot,’ and further, the host said ‘ that the inner vessel made a capital tom-tom for beating a sholah,’ Here, then, we have the example of a good instrument completely diverted from its proper to inferior uses. But on p. 19 the same author finds that his native Indian cook fully appreciated ‘Warren’s fish-kettle and vegetable steamer.’ This introduction will explain why and under which conditions we believe that a Warren’s cooking-pot may be part of the heavier sort of movable apparatus.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

itself. The latter is the most economical and most efficient arrangement. How little fuel is required to cook a good dinner in an oven can be learnt from the use of those forms of cooking apparatus which work with petroleum. The cleanest of all sources of heat is spirit of wine, but the Excise laws of this country make its use difficult. Woodspirit may be used, but is liable to impregnate the air with its odour. Spirit was applied to some forms of elementary cookery by Soyer, but his methods and apparatus have not survived the enthusiasm of novelty. At present spirit is mainly applied to effect the final ebullition of water for making coffee or tea. Gas is also a relatively clean material for the production of heat, but is liable to considerable waste, and, in view of the exorbitant prices exacted by the monopolists of London and other places, is not applicable to general use, and never economical. As an auxiliary in the kitchen, particularly at times when there is no large coal-fire alight, or as a continued moderate source of heat for apparatus which has to be kept warm, particularly the water-bath, or bain-marie, it is of great value. Charcoal, next to wood, once the most frequently used source of heat, is now little employed in the more northern part of Europe. It was essential for the old form of braising, particularly for the production of top-heat over the braising-pan. It will be useful in all places where gas or petroleum, or common coal, or wood, are less easily obtained ; but where gas is available it will supersede charcoal. It is not improbable that the progress of science will teach us more economical and cleaner modes of applying heat for cooking and warming, such as the use of hydrogen and carbonic oxide (watergas), or electricity converted into heat ; but at present coals are the principal source of heat in the kitchen, and their use as such, and in the form of coal (or coke), will probably become more and more specialised. Movable Apparatus required for an Ordinary Establishment. There are some skilful inventions relating to cookery which would be of great value if the practical executants of culinary art were of a more Athenian novelty-seeking disposition. We remember the introduction of Captain Warren’s culinary apparatus, and have not changed our opinion of its great value for every establishment the authority of which will succeed in seeing it used according to the prescription of its inventor. We read in ‘ Wyvern’s ’ work (p. 17), that when he was staying once with a friend on the (East Indian) hills, the water for his bath was brought in the outer vessel of a ‘ Warren’s patent cooking-pot,’ and further, the host said ‘ that the inner vessel made a capital tom-tom for beating a sholah,’ Here, then, we have the example of a good instrument completely diverted from its proper to inferior uses. But on p. 19 the same author finds that his native Indian cook fully appreciated ‘Warren’s fish-kettle and vegetable steamer.’ This introduction will explain why and under which conditions we believe that a Warren’s cooking-pot may be part of the heavier sort of movable apparatus.

The spirit of cookery