FoodNet

Elements of the theory and practice of cookery

1901

Page 11

Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
To check the fire slightly, open the slide in the check damper. To check it decidedly, open the check damper itself. All other dampers must be closed. To keep a fire over night. — Fill the fire-box with coal ; close oven, lower front, and chimney dampers, and open the checl^ damper. 24. Kindling-point. — Why is it, with active oxygen always in the air, ready to devour, that chairs, tables, PREPARATORY LESSONS 17 houses, do not take fire and burn ? Simply because a substance must be heated to a certain degree before it will begin to unite with oxygen. Except for this, everything combustible would have burned up long ago. The temperature to which a substance must be raised before it will burn is its kindling-point. This point differs for different substances. See how we take advantage of this fact in starting a fire. We first light a match, the phosphorus ^ on which kindles from the friction of striking, setting on fire the sulphur mixed with it. This, which has a somewhat higher kindling- point than phosphorus, in turn ignites the wood of the match, the kindling-point of which is higher still. Coal will not take fire from a match, because its kindling- point is so high that the match burns out before the coal becomes hot enough to burn ; but paper may be lighted from a match, wood from burning paper, and coal from burning wood. To start a fire three things are required : oxygen^ fitel^ and some means of raising the fuel to its kindling -point. THE GAS RANGE 25. Some of the advantages of a gas stove or range over one burning coal are, (1) it saves time and labor, (2) it does not heat the kitchen uncomfortably in summer, and (3) it is, if managed IV ith care, more economical, because no fuel need be burned when the stove is not in use. 26. Connections. — The range should be connected with the largest main pipe accessible (not less than one-half inch 1 Phosphorus burns, though slowly, at the ordinary temperature. It must, therefore, be kept under water. 18 THEORY AND PRACTICE OF COOKERY bore inside measure). If within six inches of the wall, the connecting-pipe should be protected by zinc or tiling. 27. The range and its parts. — A range of ordinary size has : — 1. Four top burners, for saucepans, kettles, etc. 2. One or two sets of oven burners, for heating the ovens. 3. A baking oven, for bread, cake, and large roasts. 4. A broiling oven (below the burners) with rack and pan, for steaks, chops, etc., for small roasts, for toast, and for dishes to be browned. 5. Gas-cocks, one or more to each top burner, two to the oven burners, to regulate the supply of gas. 6. An oven lighter, or "pilot light," at the right-hand side of the oven, for lighting the oven burners. 7. A stove-pipe, connected with the chimney, for carrying away gases produced by combustion. The broiling oven is heated directly from the oven burners, the baking oven by currents of heated air passing around it, as in a coal range. Some ranges have a small top burner, called a simmering burner; all ranges should have a mov- able sheet of iron under the top burners. The connecting pipe is sometimes fitted with a gas-cock. Air is admitted to the burner through holes in the supply pipes. This makes the gas burn with a blue and very hot flame. How TO Manage a Gas Range