How often a refrigerator should be cleaned depends upon the way it is used. If nothing is allowed to spjll or rub against the sides or shelves, or, when this hap- pens, if it is cleaned away at once, and if nothing stays there until unfit for food, frequent scalding is un- necessary. Every week or fortnight when the ice is nearly out remove shelves and scald them thoroughly and wash throughout. Glass and stone jars, deep earthen and agate plates are the best utensils in which to put foods away in the refrigerator. The principle of the refrigerator is exactly that of Freezer ICE. 31 the Aladdin oven — a closet with shelves is put inside a case of non-conducting substance. On the same plan, our ice cream freezers are built. ice cream The outer tub is a non-conducting substance to pre- vent the entrance of heat. There are jugs for hot water and coolers for ice water constructed according to the same idea. Salt is mixed with ice because its affinity for water will cause the ice to melt, and when a solid changes to liquid form, heat is absorbed from the surrounding objects. Cracked ice about the size of coarse rock salt is used, the proportion being three parts ice to one of salt. Ice cream, custard, or fruit juice to be frozen, should be more highly flavored and sweetened than if it were to be eaten at an ordinary temperature. The organs of taste are benumbed by the cold, and a stronger flavor is necessary to produce an effect. The cost of ice for making frozen desserts is less than the cost of fuel for cooking many. PREPARATION AND PRESERVATION OF FOODS Uncooked Food Preserving Food All processes of cooking are the result of gradual evolution. Nature ripens fruits and seeds in the sun- light. Dry nuts and seeds are stored by squirrels and other creatures. Primitive men were but little in ad- vance of the squirrel when they saved different grains and pounded or parched them for food. We may understand better the origin of our proc- esses of cooking if we first consider the foods avail- able without special preparation. Tropical countries have always afforded a variety of fruits capable of sus- taining human life. It is estimated that many more persons may be supported on a given piece of ground planted to bananas than by the same surface planted with any crop in a temperate climate. The breadfruit, fig, date, and raisin are other important fruit foods. In temperate climates without knowledge of agricul- ture mankind must depend largely upon animal foods, and doubtless here would come the first application of heat to change the flavor or to aid in preservation of the food from day to day. The drying of fruits and the smoking of meats natu- rally were the earliest methods of preserving foods. Probably the preservative action of smoke was acci- dentally discovered and the salting of fish may have been derived naturally from its association with salt water. Since all foods are mainly water it was an immense advantage to wandering tribes to reduce their burdens 32 PRESERVING FOOD. 33 by drying their foods,, Even the most primitive house- keepers discovered that in proportion as food parted with water it was less liable to ferment, mould, or de- cay, though the scientific reason for this that most bac- teria can live and develop more rapidly in fluids has only been discovered recently by bacteriologists.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

How often a refrigerator should be cleaned depends upon the way it is used. if nothing is allowed to spill or rub against the sides or shelves, or, when this happens, if it is cleaned away at once, and if nothing stays there until unfit for food, frequent scalding is unnecessary. Every week or fortnight when the ice is nearly out remove shelves and scald them thoroughly and wash throughout. Glass and stone jars, deep earthen and agate plates are the best utensils in which to put foods away in the refrigerator. The principle of the refrigerator is exactly that of Freezer ICE. 31 the Aladdin oven — a closet with shelves is put inside a case of non-conducting substance. On the same plan, our ice cream freezers are built. ice cream The outer tub is a non-conducting substance to prevent the entrance of heat. There are jugs for hot water and coolers for ice water constructed according to the same idea. Salt is mixed with ice because its affinity for water will cause the ice to melt, and when a solid changes to liquid form, heat is absorbed from the surrounding objects. Cracked ice about the size of coarse rock salt is used, the proportion being three parts ice to one of salt. Ice cream, custard, or fruit juice to be frozen, should be more highly flavored and sweetened than if it were to be eaten at an ordinary temperature. The organs of taste are benumbed by the cold, and a stronger flavor is necessary to produce an effect. The cost of ice for making frozen desserts is less than the cost of fuel for cooking many. PREPARATION AND PRESERVATION OF FOODS Uncooked Food Preserving Food All processes of cooking are the result of gradual evolution. Nature ripens fruits and seeds in the sunlight. Dry nuts and seeds are stored by squirrels and other creatures. Primitive men were but little in advance of the squirrel when they saved different grains and pounded or parched them for food. We may understand better the origin of our processes of cooking if we first consider the foods available without special preparation. Tropical countries have always afforded a variety of fruits capable of sustaining human life. It is estimated that many more persons may be supported on a given piece of ground planted to bananas than by the same surface planted with any crop in a temperate climate. The breadfruit, fig, date, and raisin are other important fruit foods. In temperate climates without knowledge of agriculture mankind must depend largely upon animal foods, and doubtless here would come the first application of heat to change the flavor or to aid in preservation of the food from day to day. The drying of fruits and the smoking of meats naturally were the earliest methods of preserving foods. Probably the preservative action of smoke was accidentally discovered and the salting of fish may have been derived naturally from its association with salt water. Since all foods are mainly water it was an immense advantage to wandering tribes to reduce their burdens PRESERVING FOOD. by drying their foods,, Even the most primitive housekeepers discovered that in proportion as food parted with water it was less liable to ferment, mould, or decay, though the scientific reason for this that most bacteria can live and develop more rapidly in fluids has only been discovered recently by bacteriologists.

Principles of cookery