the chafing-dish especially useful. Cold
meat, or cold fish of any kind, may be
converted into a tempting plat on the
chafing-dish, and it is no small boon to
the mistress of the house to find that she
can spare her cook, prepare a savory en-
tree, and entertain her guests at the same
time by cooking the principal item of
her wash-day lunch on the chafing-dish.
Most useful is it, too, when unexpected
company makes necessary an addition to
the meal that was just enough for the
family before the unlooked - for guest
arrived. Then is the time when the
hostess flies for the magic utensil, and
with eggs, or cheese, or sardines, or a can
of lobster or salmon, prepares a delicious
entity tiiat supplies all former deficien-
cies.
CHAPTER II
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
The housekeeper of either sex who cooks
on a chafing-dish should always be care-
ful to have all the ingredients at hand
before beginning operations. Many a
good dish has been injured, if not actu-
ally spoiled, because the cook has had to
wait at the last moment while some one
hunted for the pepper, or measured the
milk, or rushed for the lemon-squeezer.
Most of the measuring should be done in
advance, and each ingredient should be
put in place by the hand of the one who
is to do the cooking.
The woman who makes much use of
the chafing-dish will find it advisable to
$xactkaf J5ugge0fion0 9
provide herself with a few utensils which
are to be kept sacred to her service.
Among them should be a graduated
measuring-cup of agate iron-ware or of
glass, and two or three small bowls in
which she may break and beat eggs.
One of these should be a pint, another a
quart bowl. The cook may also have a
wire egg-whip, although the eggs can
usually be beaten satisfactorily with a
silver fork.
For stirring the compounds in the
chafing-dish there should be a long-han-
dled wooden spoon with a rather small
bowl. Such a spoon makes no noise as
it rubs against the side of the dish, while
the friction of a silver fork or spoon on
the metal produces an unpleasant rasp-
ing. Some cooks prefer using for pepper
the little wooden German spice-mills, and
claim that they thus get fuller strength
than from the ready-ground condiments.
A word concerning chafing-dishes.
There are many makes, and they are of
many materials. The longing of most
hearts is for a solid silver, or heavily
silver-plated chafing-dish. These are
handsome, durable, and costly. Let
those who cannot afford to buy such
console themselves with the knowledge
that they can cook just as successfully
in a chafing-dish of agate-iron, copper,
brass, or nickel, or even of the block-tin
known as Britannia-ware. The chief ob-
jection to the last material is common
to the brass and copper also — the diffi-
culty of keeping it bright and clean.
On this account the nickel is to be pre-
ferred, for this material does not tarnish,
and requires only a dip in hot water and
a rub with a chamois to look as good as
new. It is not so elegant as the silver,
but that is of little consequence, since
the proof of the pudding is in the eat-
(pracf icaf JJuggeeftone / /
ing and not in the dish in which it is
cooked.
Page 2
Presented as published in 1894. 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 chafing-dish especially useful. Cold meat, or cold fish of any kind, may be converted into a tempting plat on the chafing-dish, and it is no small boon to the mistress of the house to find that she can spare her cook, prepare a savory entree, and entertain her guests at the same time by cooking the principal item of her wash-day lunch on the chafing-dish. Most useful is it, too, when unexpected company makes necessary an addition to the meal that was just enough for the family before the unlooked-for guest arrived. Then is the time when the hostess flies for the magic utensil, and with eggs, or cheese, or sardines, or a can of lobster or salmon, prepares a delicious entity that supplies all former deficiencies.
CHAPTER II
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
The housekeeper of either sex who cooks on a chafing-dish should always be careful to have all the ingredients at hand before beginning operations. Many a good dish has been injured, if not actually spoiled, because the cook has had to wait at the last moment while some one hunted for the pepper, or measured the milk, or rushed for the lemon-squeezer. Most of the measuring should be done in advance, and each ingredient should be put in place by the hand of the one who is to do the cooking.
The woman who makes much use of the chafing-dish will find it advisable to
Practical Suggestions 9
provide herself with a few utensils which are to be kept sacred to her service. Among them should be a graduated measuring-cup of agate iron-ware or of glass, and two or three small bowls in which she may break and beat eggs. One of these should be a pint, another a quart bowl. The cook may also have a wire egg-whip, although the eggs can usually be beaten satisfactorily with a silver fork.
For stirring the compounds in the chafing-dish there should be a long-handled wooden spoon with a rather small bowl. Such a spoon makes no noise as it rubs against the side of the dish, while the friction of a silver fork or spoon on the metal produces an unpleasant rasping. Some cooks prefer using for pepper the little wooden German spice-mills, and claim that they thus get fuller strength than from the ready-ground condiments.
A word concerning chafing-dishes. There are many makes, and they are of many materials. The longing of most hearts is for a solid silver, or heavily silver-plated chafing-dish. These are handsome, durable, and costly. Let those who cannot afford to buy such console themselves with the knowledge that they can cook just as successfully in a chafing-dish of agate-iron, copper, brass, or nickel, or even of the block-tin known as Britannia-ware. The chief objection to the last material is common to the brass and copper also — the difficulty of keeping it bright and clean. On this account the nickel is to be preferred, for this material does not tarnish, and requires only a dip in hot water and a rub with a chamois to look as good as new. It is not so elegant as the silver, but that is of little consequence, since the proof of the pudding is in the eat-
Practical Suggestions 11
ing and not in the dish in which it is cooked.