When the kitchen fire is not to be had, a gas
ring, where obtainable, is certainly the nicest fire to
use, allowing as it does of any degree of heat with
the minimum of trouble, avoiding the heat and
scorch of the range when used for this purpose, and
finally giving the least trouble in the matter of
cleaning up. Next to the gas ring comes the oil
stove, and for this Messrs. Rippingille supply most
fascinating little stoves, but personally Moller’s
“ Primus ” stove (which consumes only the gas
generated from the petroleum, and not the petroleum
itself) appears to me the most satisfactory, as it
produces a moderate heat, or a fierce blaze, just as
easily as the gas ring ; moreover, a very useful
little hotplate to be used with it can be obtained
from the Household Supply Stores, 119, New Bond
Street, that will give all the advantage without any
of the drawbacks of a kitchen range. Having
obtained your stove, the next consideration is a pre-
serving pan. The nicest and most durable (but
also the most expensive) is made of bell metal ; next
B
4
PICKLES AND PRESERVES.
to this is the enamel lined pan, which is also
extremely useful in pickling, as acids do not affect it ;
and, lastly, there is the preserving pan of aluminium,
of which, though I have heard much, I cannot speak
from personal experience. But, whichever you
elect, it must he kept immaculate, aud never on any
consideration used for anything but still-room use.
Have also a couple of good hair sieves, which must
be carefully scalded and dried after use ; a jelly bag,
or a thick piece of felt-flannel, such as jelly bags
are made of, which can be tied to the four legs of a
reversed chair, set on another chair or a table (as
shown in Vol. I. for soup straining), and allowed to
droop a little in the centre, a basin being placed on
the reversed seat of the chair to receive the strained
liquid ; two or three squares of coarse muslin ; four
or six wooden spoons of varying size (the very long-
handled ones being especially convenient), which
must be kept in spotless condition, and thus kept,
are preferable to anything but silver, which house-
wives of old always used if obtainable (remember
nothing made of tin, iron, or pewter, should touch
jams or preserves, if their colour is a matter of
importance.) A good long handled skimmer should
also be at hand for sugar boiling. Besides these, be
sure there is an ample supply of jam pots of varying
sizes, with white paper and vegetable parchment, to
cover them, or, far better still, have a good supply of
Messrs. Daniel Rvlands’ (Barnsley) preserving
bottles of varying sizes. These are of three kinds,
the Climax, the Lightning, and the May Queen.
All three are alike in the matter of the fruit, &c.,
THE STILL-ROOM.
5
Page 2
Presented as published in 1902. 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
When the kitchen fire is not to be had, a gas ring, where obtainable, is certainly the nicest fire to use, allowing as it does of any degree of heat with the minimum of trouble, avoiding the heat and scorch of the range when used for this purpose, and finally giving the least trouble in the matter of cleaning up. Next to the gas ring comes the oil stove, and for this Messrs. Rippingille supply most fascinating little stoves, but personally Moller’s “ Primus ” stove (which consumes only the gas generated from the petroleum, and not the petroleum itself) appears to me the most satisfactory, as it produces a moderate heat, or a fierce blaze, just as easily as the gas ring ; moreover, a very useful little hotplate to be used with it can be obtained from the Household Supply Stores, 119, New Bond Street, that will give all the advantage without any of the drawbacks of a kitchen range. Having obtained your stove, the next consideration is a preserving pan. The nicest and most durable (but also the most expensive) is made of bell metal ; next
B
to this is the enamel lined pan, which is also extremely useful in pickling, as acids do not affect it ; and, lastly, there is the preserving pan of aluminium, of which, though I have heard much, I cannot speak from personal experience. But, whichever you elect, it must be kept immaculate, aud never on any consideration used for anything but still-room use. Have also a couple of good hair sieves, which must be carefully scalded and dried after use ; a jelly bag, or a thick piece of felt-flannel, such as jelly bags are made of, which can be tied to the four legs of a reversed chair, set on another chair or a table (as shown in Vol. I. for soup straining), and allowed to droop a little in the centre, a basin being placed on the reversed seat of the chair to receive the strained liquid ; two or three squares of coarse muslin ; four or six wooden spoons of varying size (the very longhandled ones being especially convenient), which must be kept in spotless condition, and thus kept, are preferable to anything but silver, which housewives of old always used if obtainable (remember nothing made of tin, iron, or pewter, should touch jams or preserves, if their colour is a matter of importance.) A good long handled skimmer should also be at hand for sugar boiling. Besides these, be sure there is an ample supply of jam pots of varying sizes, with white paper and vegetable parchment, to cover them, or, far better still, have a good supply of Messrs. Daniel Rylands' (Barnsley) preserving bottles of varying sizes. These are of three kinds, the Climax, the Lightning, and the May Queen. All three are alike in the matter of the fruit, &c.,
THE STILL-ROOM.