The Egyptians and other ancient races used the still interesting
and historical kail pot for cooking their food. A similar metal
pot was also used for baking bread and pies. It was closed up
and buried bodily in burning peat or hot ashes. In the ordinary
way the £ kail pot ’ consisted of a large caldron of brass or other
metal. The tripod and the caldron are the earliest cooking apparatus
mentioned. The former consisted of three rods of iron or hard wood,
which were fastened together at the top with an iron hook, serving at
the same time to hold the handle of the kettle or caldron. In con-
nection with these a kind of frying-pan was also used, which,
according to tradition, served for cooking certain delicate cakes and
fish.
In the days when there were no cooking ranges, and consequently
no boilers, caldrons were used for heating water, and also for
boiling fine articles of linen or muslin, such as the kerchiefs of the
mistress and the babies’ caps and robes. In royal households these
caldrons were sometimes of gold or silver, and pompously adorned
the great carved dressers of the day, flanked by tall chased silver
candlesticks. Frying-pans were gradually evolved from small caldrons
or marmites, and the long handles were at first called tails.
Boasting before a radiant heat has been known for many centuries.
Boasting spits were in general use in England during the fourteenth
and fifteenth centuries. Spits were then, as now, used for supporting
joints and birds before the fire. These spits were at first turned by
hand ; but for a long time after in large kitchens dogs, known as
‘ turnspits,’ were specially trained to do the duty of turning the spit.
The breed of these useful dogs has long since become extinct. The
smoke-jacks, which are still found in the kitchens of some old mansions,
were next introduced. These were turned by means of the smoke
A BROCHE SPIT, TURNED BY A ‘ TURNSPIT DOG 9
COOKING-STOVES
51
from the old-fashioned open coal range. They were the prototypes of
the clock-work bottle-jacks.
The next part with which I wish to deal is that of cooking
apparatus, stoves or ranges that are heated by means of coal. The
success of cooking has a great deal to do with the kind of cooking
apparatus used. That success depends largely on the following
points : —
(a) Perfect construction.
(b) Perfect draughts and flues.
(c) Perfect working.
Success depends, further, upon the management of the fire,
dampers and flues used, and the skill of the cook as a stoker. Coal
cooking-stoves and ranges are constructed of malleable iron, steel,
cast iron, and wrought iron. Cast-iron stoves are the cheapest made,
but they often crack soon after being used, and are not suitable for hard
wear. Such cheap stoves cannot be recommended with confidence,
because they usually waste fuel, frequently smoke, and are constantly
out of order ; whilst well-constructed stoves from reliable makers,
which are air-tight, made from malleable iron, wrought iron, and
steel, not only give more evenly and easily regulated heat, but
are better in many other respects. Good stoves should not allow
gases and fumes to escape from the fire-box into the oven ; they
should be so constructed as not to allow cinders and soot to get into
the oven, and should protect the fire-box and. oven from undue draughts,
which make the heat uneven and unreliable both in the oven and on
top of the stoves.
Page 29
Presented as published in 1901. 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
The Egyptians and other ancient races used the still interesting and historical kail pot for cooking their food. A similar metal pot was also used for baking bread and pies. It was closed up and buried bodily in burning peat or hot ashes. In the ordinary way the £ kail pot ’ consisted of a large caldron of brass or other metal. The tripod and the caldron are the earliest cooking apparatus mentioned. The former consisted of three rods of iron or hard wood, which were fastened together at the top with an iron hook, serving at the same time to hold the handle of the kettle or caldron. In connection with these a kind of frying-pan was also used, which, according to tradition, served for cooking certain delicate cakes and fish.
In the days when there were no cooking ranges, and consequently no boilers, caldrons were used for heating water, and also for
boiling fine articles of linen or muslin, such as the kerchiefs of the mistress and the babies’ caps and robes. In royal households these caldrons were sometimes of gold or silver, and pompously adorned the great carved dressers of the day, flanked by tall chased silver candlesticks. Frying-pans were gradually evolved from small caldrons or marmites, and the long handles were at first called tails.
Roasting before a radiant heat has been known for many centuries. Roasting spits were in general use in England during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Spits were then, as now, used for supporting joints and birds before the fire. These spits were at first turned by hand ; but for a long time after in large kitchens dogs, known as ‘ turnspits,’ were specially trained to do the duty of turning the spit. The breed of these useful dogs has long since become extinct. The smoke-jacks, which are still found in the kitchens of some old mansions, were next introduced. These were turned by means of the smoke
[illustration: A BROCHE SPIT, TURNED BY A 'TURNSPIT DOG']
from the old-fashioned open coal range. They were the prototypes of the clock-work bottle-jacks.
The next part with which I wish to deal is that of cooking apparatus, stoves or ranges that are heated by means of coal. The success of cooking has a great deal to do with the kind of cooking apparatus used. That success depends largely on the following points : —
(a) Perfect construction.
(b) Perfect draughts and flues.
(c) Perfect working.
Success depends, further, upon the management of the fire, dampers and flues used, and the skill of the cook as a stoker. Coal
cooking-stoves and ranges are constructed of malleable iron, steel, cast iron, and wrought iron. Cast-iron stoves are the cheapest made, but they often crack soon after being used, and are not suitable for hard wear. Such cheap stoves cannot be recommended with confidence, because they usually waste fuel, frequently smoke, and are constantly out of order ; whilst well-constructed stoves from reliable makers, which are air-tight, made from malleable iron, wrought iron, and steel, not only give more evenly and easily regulated heat, but are better in many other respects. Good stoves should not allow gases and fumes to escape from the fire-box into the oven ; they should be so constructed as not to allow cinders and soot to get into the oven, and should protect the fire-box and. oven from undue draughts, which make the heat uneven and unreliable both in the oven and on top of the stoves.