FoodNet

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

1908

Page 4

Presented as published in 1908. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
It will be seen from the accompanying illustration that these stoves have a second top oven, which can be heated by the waste heat from the bottom one, or the burners may be deflected downwards and a capital ‘ browning ’ chamber made. The sides are packed with slag wool, which makes it less liable for the heat of the oven to be suddenly reduced by a draught, and the heat is retained longer after the gas is extinguished. All the burners and oven fittings can be removed by any amateur, and so it is easy to clean them. The stoves are very easily taken to pieces for cleaning, and it is not necessary to remove them to the manufac- turer’s for this purpose. If the enamel top of a stove has been very much neglected, it may be quickly cleaned with a little spirits of salt. The oven tap is guarded at the side by a perforated arrangement of metal, in which the fingers have to be inserted to turn it on. Thus nothing can catch in the tap and cause it to be turned on without the knowledge of the operator. An illustration of Fletcher and Russell’s stoves is also given as frontispiece. These stoves are admirable in every way. The oven tap is well at the side. This firm’s stoves have for years been supplied all over England, and most London teachers use them. COAL STOVES Undoubtedly those coal stoves which are not set into the wall, but are placed out in the room, are most convenient for a class. They are very easily transferred from one place to another, and the setting of the flue pipe is almost the only point about which it is necessary FLETCHER AND RUSSELL’S GAS STOVE STOVES 7 ' to be particular in these stoves. The pipe should not be carried directly out into the air, but should run straight up for about 10 feet in height. If it com- municates with an ordinary chimney, the stove may be placed in front of an open fireplace. The fireplace should be stopped up with a large piece of sheet-iron ; this will prevent any down draught interfering with the proper drawing of the stove. 8 INSTRUCTION IN COOKERY As long as the flues of these stoves are kept clean, and the above directions observed as to setting, these little stoves are admirable in every way. Some of the best are sold by Smith and Wellstrode, and cost about £5 apiece. In a permanent cookery centre, or room only used for cooking, a fixed stove should always be provided in addition, and of these one of the small Eagle ranges or a small Westminster may be recom- mended. The advantage of the ‘ Eagle ’ range is that the flues are made of iron, and therefore the builder who sets it cannot exercise his individual fancy in making brick- work flues. Many of the varying accounts one hears of ranges are due to defects in setting them, and unless the bricklayer understands his work, the work- ing of the stove, however good it may be, is entirely spoiled. In the £ Eagle’ ranges a great advantage is attained by having two flues for each oven, both directly leading from the fire, and these enable the oven to be heated evenly, either from the top or bottom. In most ranges the heat has to travel round the oven before it reaches the bottom, and a much larger and better fire is required There is no doubt that in many ways these ranges effect an enormous saving in fuel. Flues — There are three possible defects in building flues :