FoodNet

Principles of cookery

1910

Page 11 · 1 recipe record on this page

Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
When a sauce or soup is too thick water may be added. On the other hand, when such foods are too watery the surplus often may be evaporated by cook- ing rapidly, uncovered, for a short time. Besides kettles of various shapes, the double boiler and the steam cooker are important utensils dependent Boiler* for use upon water. The double boiler we owe to the inventive genius of Count Rumford. Here is one ket- tle set in another containing water, and so long as there is water between a food and the fire no browning can take place in the food. This utensil is especially associated with compounds of milk and with the cook- ing of cereals. Though the food in the upper part does not quite reach the boiling point, this disadvantage is more than balanced by the long time which may be allowed for cooking with no danger of burning. The steam cooker is found in many patterns, all on the same general plan. It differs from the double boiler in having several parts above the kettle contain- ing the water, each with perforated bottom, so that the steam and vapor have direct access to the food. The"bain marie" is a French device to serve the same end. One large kettle of water contains a number of 2t> PRINCIPLES OF COOKERY. Making Tea Coffee Coffee Pot for Drip Coffee. deep sauce pans. This is especially useful for food already cooked which is to be kept hot for intermittent serving in restaurants. The prevalent idea that all food must be served the moment it is cooked is due in many cases to imperfect methods for keeping it warm. For tea and coffee a moder- ately soft water is generally con- sidered best. The different kinds of tea re- ceive their name from the local- ity where they grow and from the size of the leaf, the younger leaves furnishing the choicer varieties. (See the illustration and descrip- tion given on page 139 of Food and Dietetics .) To make tea, use an earthen pot, fresh boiling water, and from one-half to one teaspoonful of tea for each half pint of water. Leave covered in a warm place to steep for three to five minutes and serve. For cold tea drain from the grounds at once. Names mean little in brands of coffee further than to indicate the original home of a special variety of the plant. The berry improves in quality for several years but loses flavor after roasting and more after grinding. One pound of good coffee measures about one quart and will make at least thirty full cups of strong coffeeCoffee. Thus one pound should supply one person for a month COOKING IN WATER. 27 or four persons for a week. It is better to buy coffee in small lots often, unless it is ground as used. Coffee may be steeped like tea or boiled. All things STEAM COOKER WITH DOORS. considered, the drip coffee pots are most satisfactory and the beverage thus made is more economical and uniform and probably less injurious than when it is boiled. 28 PRINCIPLES OF COOKERY. ICE