1. The brickwork of the flues may be too small for
the amount of flame and smoke which is to be driven
up them. Supposing the oven fire smokes, this causes
the flues to smoke ; then, if the operator opens another
flue door — say, over the boiler — there is not enough
STOVES
9
draught over the oven for it to be heated, and the heat
is deflected on to the boiler.
2. They may be too large, and then it is impossible
for the flue door to prevent the flame and smoke
driving up. This goes on each side of the door of
every flue, and it is impossible to make any special
part of the stove hot.
3. The flues may communicate with one another,
or leak into one another or the chimney. This causes
the heat again to be distributed and so wasted, and
may be due to defective masonry.
After the stove has been properly set the proper
working of the flues is simply a question of their being
kept clean; and the fire being carefully stoked.
The top of the hot plates and the flue doors should
be removed, and the flue-brush, which must be of a
suitable size to work freely up and down, should then
be inserted. The soot will fall to the bottom, and so
will be found underneath the oven and boiler, and this
should be very thoroughly raked out. Every teacher
should be able to clean her own flues. It is no good for
her to assume that flues are clean because she is told
so, if the oven is not becoming as hot as it should be
from the size of the fire.
It is a great pity if the stoves are placed in such
a position as to be easily affected by the wind. I have
in my mind a certain little stove which will bake any
pastry when the wind is in the west or south, but when
the north or north-east winds blow it is impossible to
cook anything in the oven.
If a stove which has burned satisfactorily ceases to
work, and the operator knows that the flues are clean,
it would be well to have it thoroughly overhauled by
an expert to see if any bricks have fallen across the
IO
INSTRUCTION IN COOKERY
flues, or whether they have begun to leak. Sometimes
the fire-clay next the oven slips away, and leaves a
non-conducting space of air between the fire-heated
clay and the oven.
Regulation of Heat — If the oven is not provided
with a damper, and is becoming hotter and hotter,
after the required heat is reached it may be slightly
cooled by placing a small tin of water in the oven, and
also by using a cool oven sheet, and opening the door
slightly and very carefully. The entrance to the flue
must have the fire raked away from it.
In baking large cakes in an oven liable to burn at
the bottom, the cake tin should be placed in a deep
baking tin filled with salt. This is a good non-conductor
of heat, and will prevent the bottom of the cake being
scorched ; or tins with a corrugated false bottom may
be used, or the tin may be placed on one or two bricks.
Rice puddings may be placed in a similar tin containing
water.
Many ovens are provided with a knob which directs
the heat either to the top or bottom. The little venti-
lators in the oven door, when open, allow the steam to
escape, and assist the oven to brown its contents.
When closed they prevent the escape of the steam.
If there is anything spilled in the oven, salt is the best
thing to put on it, and this will prevent the smell
rising to the top of the house.
Page 5
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
1. The brickwork of the flues may be too small for the amount of flame and smoke which is to be driven up them. Supposing the oven fire smokes, this causes the flues to smoke ; then, if the operator opens another flue door — say, over the boiler — there is not enough
draught over the oven for it to be heated, and the heat is deflected on to the boiler.
2. They may be too large, and then it is impossible for the flue door to prevent the flame and smoke driving up. This goes on each side of the door of every flue, and it is impossible to make any special part of the stove hot.
3. The flues may communicate with one another, or leak into one another or the chimney. This causes the heat again to be distributed and so wasted, and may be due to defective masonry.
After the stove has been properly set the proper working of the flues is simply a question of their being kept clean; and the fire being carefully stoked.
The top of the hot plates and the flue doors should be removed, and the flue-brush, which must be of a suitable size to work freely up and down, should then be inserted. The soot will fall to the bottom, and so will be found underneath the oven and boiler, and this should be very thoroughly raked out. Every teacher should be able to clean her own flues. It is no good for her to assume that flues are clean because she is told so, if the oven is not becoming as hot as it should be from the size of the fire.
It is a great pity if the stoves are placed in such a position as to be easily affected by the wind. I have in my mind a certain little stove which will bake any pastry when the wind is in the west or south, but when the north or north-east winds blow it is impossible to cook anything in the oven.
If a stove which has burned satisfactorily ceases to work, and the operator knows that the flues are clean, it would be well to have it thoroughly overhauled by an expert to see if any bricks have fallen across the
IO
flues, or whether they have begun to leak. Sometimes the fire-clay next the oven slips away, and leaves a non-conducting space of air between the fire-heated clay and the oven.
Regulation of Heat — If the oven is not provided with a damper, and is becoming hotter and hotter, after the required heat is reached it may be slightly cooled by placing a small tin of water in the oven, and also by using a cool oven sheet, and opening the door slightly and very carefully. The entrance to the flue must have the fire raked away from it.
In baking large cakes in an oven liable to burn at the bottom, the cake tin should be placed in a deep baking tin filled with salt. This is a good non-conductor of heat, and will prevent the bottom of the cake being scorched ; or tins with a corrugated false bottom may be used, or the tin may be placed on one or two bricks. Rice puddings may be placed in a similar tin containing water.
Many ovens are provided with a knob which directs the heat either to the top or bottom. The little ventilators in the oven door, when open, allow the steam to escape, and assist the oven to brown its contents. When closed they prevent the escape of the steam. If there is anything spilled in the oven, salt is the best thing to put on it, and this will prevent the smell rising to the top of the house.