The upper pan is called the blazer and may be used over boiling water in the lower pan, for the cooking of eggs, milk, cheese, and such foods as need moderate heat, or for keeping cooked foods warm or hot. Either pan may be used directly over the flame for quick cooking, for creamed dishes, left- overs, oysters, sauteing, and foods which need to be served the moment they are done. Chafing dish cooking is best adapted to informal suppers, emergency luncheons, and light housekeeping. In schools without equipment many cooking principles may be illustrated with a chafing dish, or the alcohol stove. ELECTRICITY Electricity is the ideal way of using heat for cooking pur- poses, as only a small amount of the heat is wasted, it being conducted directly to the utensil to be used. The manipulation of the apparatus is easy, there is no time lost in lighting matches, and no unpleasant odor from smoke or other products of imperfect combustion. The expense, both of the outfit and the electricity at present prices, prohibits its general use, but every opportunity to learn of its methods should be improved. CHAPTER XV LAYING THE TABLE These directions are not intended merely for occasional dinners. They are for every-day home life ; and though every detail may not be adapted to all families, yet any housekeeper, no matter how limited her means, who has a table, a cloth to cover it, and dishes for food, may follow the principal suggestions. Habits of order and neatness may be cultivated at a pine table, with twenty-five cent table-linen, and the cheapest crockery. Meals may be served in a proper way, even if one cannot follow every change which fashion may suggest. First, air the room ; wipe the table and cover with a silence cloth. Place the center of the cloth in the center of the table, and have the middle fold uppermost, and straight with the edge of the table. The space at the table occupied by the furnishings for one person is called a " cover " and the furnishings are called the " service." In common parlance it is called a place. Allow about twenty inches for each cover, more for a meal of several courses. Arrange the service about one inch from the edge of the table. Leave a clearly defined space between each cover that there may be no question as to which cover the service belongs. In the center of each cover lay a plate inside up ; one plate at each end of the table and those at the sides opposite each other; or if the table be round arrange the covers at equal distances apart. When bare tables are used place a doily under each plate. At breakfast or dinner where hot plates are needed, place them all in a pile in front of the one who sits at the head of the 59 60 SCHOOL KITCHEN TEXTBOOK table and serves the main dishes. This person is usually called the host, and the person at the opposite end who serves the coffee, cereal, or soup, salad, and dessert, is called the hostess. At the right of the plate lay first the knife with the sharp edge toward the plate, then the spoon with the inside of bowl up, the spoon needed first at the outside, the ends of handles even w^th edge of the plate ; a tumbler with top up just above the tip of the knife.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

The upper pan is called the blazer and may be used over boiling water in the lower pan, for the cooking of eggs, milk, cheese, and such foods as need moderate heat, or for keeping cooked foods warm or hot. Either pan may be used directly over the flame for quick cooking, for creamed dishes, leftovers, oysters, sauteing, and foods which need to be served the moment they are done. Chafing dish cooking is best adapted to informal suppers, emergency luncheons, and light housekeeping. In schools without equipment many cooking principles may be illustrated with a chafing dish, or the alcohol stove. ELECTRICITY Electricity is the ideal way of using heat for cooking purposes, as only a small amount of the heat is wasted, it being conducted directly to the utensil to be used. The manipulation of the apparatus is easy, there is no time lost in lighting matches, and no unpleasant odor from smoke or other products of imperfect combustion. The expense, both of the outfit and the electricity at present prices, prohibits its general use, but every opportunity to learn of its methods should be improved. CHAPTER XV LAYING THE TABLE These directions are not intended merely for occasional dinners. They are for every-day home life ; and though every detail may not be adapted to all families, yet any housekeeper, no matter how limited her means, who has a table, a cloth to cover it, and dishes for food, may follow the principal suggestions. Habits of order and neatness may be cultivated at a pine table, with twenty-five cent table-linen, and the cheapest crockery. Meals may be served in a proper way, even if one cannot follow every change which fashion may suggest. First, air the room ; wipe the table and cover with a silence cloth. Place the center of the cloth in the center of the table, and have the middle fold uppermost, and straight with the edge of the table. The space at the table occupied by the furnishings for one person is called a " cover " and the furnishings are called the " service." In common parlance it is called a place. Allow about twenty inches for each cover, more for a meal of several courses. Arrange the service about one inch from the edge of the table. Leave a clearly defined space between each cover that there may be no question as to which cover the service belongs. In the center of each cover lay a plate inside up ; one plate at each end of the table and those at the sides opposite each other; or if the table be round arrange the covers at equal distances apart. When bare tables are used place a doily under each plate. At breakfast or dinner where hot plates are needed, place them all in a pile in front of the one who sits at the head of the table and serves the main dishes. This person is usually called the host, and the person at the opposite end who serves the coffee, cereal, or soup, salad, and dessert, is called the hostess. At the right of the plate lay first the knife with the sharp edge toward the plate, then the spoon with the inside of bowl up, the spoon needed first at the outside, the ends of handles even w^th edge of the plate ; a tumbler with top up just above the tip of the knife.

The school kitchen textbook