FoodNet

Instruction in cookery (Methuen's text-books, Thompson)

1908

Page 16

Presented as published in 1908. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
The cooking of dinners for a given number may be made a very valuable part of the instruction. The child’s mind will then associate a certain quantity of food with a certain number of people, and a certain amount of time for cooking that food. She will see also the order in which dinners should be cooked, as some things take longer than others, and some dishes are spoiled by being kept hot. In the afternoon classes a meal such as ‘ high ’ tea or supper should be cooked, and instead of the potatoes and greens cooked in the morning, the children might learn how to make various wholesome beverages, and scones and cakes. The proper making of tea and coffee, which is so unusual an accomplishment, might be taught, and useful hints given of the pernicious effect of tea which has been stewed too long. APPENDIX TO CHAPTER III BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT It has been suggested to me that it might be valuable to give the dimensions and equipment of a centre in this book. Few teachers are happy enough to design and equip their own building. Few cooking centres that I have seen come up to my ideas as far as the architect’s designs are concerned, though in London it is a teacher’s own fault if the centre is not properly equipped. The plan given comprises the kitchen, children’s 3—2 36 INSTRUCTION IN COOKERY cloak-room, small teacher’s room and lavatory, a gallery for the children’s desks, and one cupboard in the wall, one coal stove, and a gas stove to the left of the demonstration table. There are also four other tables with a second shelf about a foot from the ground. These are much better than fixed counters, as they can be moved for cleaning. The building shown in the plan is larger than most cookery centres in the Metropolis, but is about the size of the laundry centres, which are, as a rule, larger than the cookery centres. Apart from its size, it has a teacher’s room and lavatory leading off the main room, which, if they were adopted as an essential part of every cookery centre, would add enormously to the teacher’s comfort and health. Again, if the centre is. built in the playground of a school, it must be placed sufficiently far from the offices provided for the children. (See diagram, p. 37.) EQUIPMENT Furniture 5 tables 6 feet long. 1 small table for writing. Desks to seat eighteen. Blackboard. 3 chairs. 1 towel-horse. Sitting-room furniture for teacher’s room. 3 cupboards. Crockery (T 0 be renewed once a year) Tea-set — cups, saucers, tea-pot, milk jug. 1 bread pan. 8 hotpot dishes. OF CENTRE 3 small glass dishes. 6 small meat dishes. 2 large meat dishes. 18 mixing basins. 4 large mixing basins. 6 half-pint pie dishes. 2 one-pint pie dishes. 12 gill pie dishes. 12 dinner plates. 12 soup plates. 12 pudding plates. 12 cheese plates. 12 gill pudding basins. 6 half-pint pudding basins. 12 stone covered jars (for stores). 3 tumblers. 2 vegetable dishes. “ I sink r— CyPSOAftO I II CLOAK MOM THE SYLLABUS FOR CHILDREN 37 lavatory OOOBl III ■ ■ Teachers Room 1 . 1 G-allE r V r 1 GAS STOVE | table | I TABLE | UJ (u _I -J 05 m < < y- K W UJ _j -1 CD < y- (- TABLE CUPBOARD COAL STOVE LARDER 38 INSTRUCTION IN COOKERY 1 tureen. 2 moulds. 6 white jugs. Ironmongery 6 baking plates (to fit oven). 3 baking tins. 2 bread graters. 4 cake tins. 2 dozen small cake tins. 2 colanders.