A student in training should carefully note the
various kinds of stoves used in the training schools
and in the elementary schools which she may have
visited ; if she has carefully observed them, she will find
that one large oven is preferable to two small ones. In
one elementary school visited by the present writer
there was a stove with two small ovens and a gas fire in
the middle. These ovens became so fierce that every-
thing was burned on the top or bottom, and only one
small shelf in the middle was available. As the shelf
was only about i foot square, it may be easily seen how
much better a large oven would be in which three of
the shelves can be used at one time.
POINTS OF A GOOD GAS STOVE
1. Oven Tap — -The oven tap is best placed in a different
part of the stove from the jets for the top, and it should
be stiff and not easily turned. Half the accidents in gas
stoves have been due to the fact that the oven tap has
been inadvertently turned, and the gas allowed to go on
escaping into the oven ; and directly the door is opened
the gas on the top lights the volume of gas in the oven,
and the unfortunate worker may be terribly injured.
2. Burners — There should be about six rings or jets
of varying size on the top, and, if possible, one large
STOVES
3
burner with a double row of holes, which may be in-
verted for grilling, or else a tile of fireproof clay may
be used to deflect the heat downwards. The essential
points in ensuring a good supply of gas, other than the
vagaries of the gas company, are —
(1) The operator must see that the air-holes are
kept free from grease, flue, and black-lead, as the gas
will burn with a yellow flame if these are blocked up.
(2) She should also see that the gas-holes are kept
free, and no black-lead should be used on these at any
time.
(3) The pipes should be * blown ’ out occasionally to
free them from the deposit of the gas.
This last must be done about once a year by a man
who understands pipes.
If there is a very poor supply of gas, it is well to
' apply to the company.
It will be necessary to exercise some judgment in the
combination of dishes cooked at the demonstration and
in the class, so that the oven and top are never unduly
crowded at one time. It is well to notice if any window
or door affects the heat of the oven, as the metal sides
of a gas oven are quickly cooled by a draught.
The use of gas for cookery is largely on the increase
in our large towns, and it is not correct to assume that
children from even the poorest districts in London are
ignorant of its use. Gas stoves are used a great deal in
the model dwellings, such as the Peabody Dwellings in
London, the ‘penny-in-the-slot ’ system being employed,
though this is more expensive in the end. It costs
about 2d. to cook a small joint, two vegetables, and a
pudding, such as would be required for an artisan’s
Sunday dinner — so that there is nothing unsuitable in
teaching children to work with gas,
1 — 2
4
instruction
IN COOKERY
STOVES
5
Good Stoves — Some of the best stoves in the market
are those supplied by the Hygienic Gas Stove
Company.
6
INSTRUCTION IN COOKERY
Page 3
Presented as published in 1908. 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 student in training should carefully note the various kinds of stoves used in the training schools and in the elementary schools which she may have visited ; if she has carefully observed them, she will find that one large oven is preferable to two small ones. In one elementary school visited by the present writer there was a stove with two small ovens and a gas fire in the middle. These ovens became so fierce that everything was burned on the top or bottom, and only one small shelf in the middle was available. As the shelf was only about i foot square, it may be easily seen how much better a large oven would be in which three of the shelves can be used at one time.
POINTS OF A GOOD GAS STOVE
1. Oven Tap — -The oven tap is best placed in a different part of the stove from the jets for the top, and it should be stiff and not easily turned. Half the accidents in gas stoves have been due to the fact that the oven tap has been inadvertently turned, and the gas allowed to go on escaping into the oven ; and directly the door is opened the gas on the top lights the volume of gas in the oven, and the unfortunate worker may be terribly injured.
2. Burners — There should be about six rings or jets of varying size on the top, and, if possible, one large
burner with a double row of holes, which may be inverted for grilling, or else a tile of fireproof clay may be used to deflect the heat downwards. The essential points in ensuring a good supply of gas, other than the vagaries of the gas company, are —
(1) The operator must see that the air-holes are kept free from grease, flue, and black-lead, as the gas will burn with a yellow flame if these are blocked up.
(2) She should also see that the gas-holes are kept free, and no black-lead should be used on these at any time.
(3) The pipes should be 'blown' out occasionally to free them from the deposit of the gas.
This last must be done about once a year by a man who understands pipes.
If there is a very poor supply of gas, it is well to ' apply to the company.
It will be necessary to exercise some judgment in the combination of dishes cooked at the demonstration and in the class, so that the oven and top are never unduly crowded at one time. It is well to notice if any window or door affects the heat of the oven, as the metal sides of a gas oven are quickly cooled by a draught.
The use of gas for cookery is largely on the increase in our large towns, and it is not correct to assume that children from even the poorest districts in London are ignorant of its use. Gas stoves are used a great deal in the model dwellings, such as the Peabody Dwellings in London, the ‘penny-in-the-slot ’ system being employed, though this is more expensive in the end. It costs about 2d. to cook a small joint, two vegetables, and a pudding, such as would be required for an artisan’s Sunday dinner — so that there is nothing unsuitable in teaching children to work with gas,
1 — 2
instruction
IN COOKERY
Good Stoves — Some of the best stoves in the market are those supplied by the Hygienic Gas Stove Company.