If the heat is too intense the bag will burst. Now carefully lay the bag on the grid shelves or wire broilers — never on solid shelves, being careful to place the seam side of the bag up. This is imperative, as otherwise the juices of the food being cooked may cause the seam to open, and dis- tribute its contents over the oven. Once placed in posi- tion, roasts and entrees on the lower shelf, about an inch from the oven floor, fish on the middle shelf, and pastry on the top where heat is most intense, — do not move or open the bags until the schedule time of their cooking is accomplished. In placing the article to be cooked, take care that the bag does not touch the sides of the oven and that it is not too close to the flames. When the time limit of cooking has expired, take up the bag from the shelf by drawing with the wires, not across them, which is apt to tear the bag made ten- der by charring. Slip on to the lid of a pot or flat tin held just beneath the grid and thence to the heated platter. To secure the gravy, stick a pinhole in 14 STANDARD PAPER BAG COOKERY the bottom of the bag and allow it to drain on to the platter, or serving dish. Rip open the bag from the top and throw the charred fragments away at once. If to be served hot, arrange at once on a heated platter or other dish, with its appropriate garnish. POINTERS FOR PAPER BAG COOKERY. I. In the case of a coal-heated oven with solid shelves a wire broiler or " grid " should be substituted as the heat must be allowed to circulate on all sides of the bag. II. The size of the oven makes no difference but it must be kept clean. III. In the case of a fowl or joint see that there are no rough edges or bones protruding that will be likely to pierce the bag. IV. Do not season the article to be cooked too highly as none of the seasonings are dissipated during the cook- ing as is usually the case in ordinary boiling or roasting. V. For cooking fruit, grease the outside of the bag. VI. In removing the bag from the oven, draw with the wires, not across them. VII. To brown things at the last of the cooking, if; necessary, puncture a few holes in the top of the bag. VIII. If a bag breaks in the cooking, as it sometimes will if the heat is too intense, do not try to remove the article being cooked from the bag, but slip the whole into a new well-greased bag. The use of two bags is bet- ter than one when things require long cooking or for meats with much fat or juicy dishes. While it may cost a bit more, it will save much anxiety lest the bag burst. IX. To avoid havingany chance drippings soil the oven floor, slip a thin tin baking sheet or shallow dripper un- der the broiler, letting it rest flat on the bottom of the oven. Put in a little hot water and this steam will keep STANDARD PAPER BAG COOKERY 15 the bag moist and do much to discourage its breaking. Indeed, in baking any kind of fruit cake, which requires slow cooking, quite a little water in the drip-pan under- neath is advisable. X. In baking pastry and cake, a few tiny holes should be made in the upper side of the bag before put- ting in the oven. This will brown the surface of the cake delicately. XI. Do not let the bag touch the sides of the oven or the gas flames.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

If the heat is too intense the bag will burst. Now carefully lay the bag on the grid shelves or wire broilers — never on solid shelves, being careful to place the seam side of the bag up. This is imperative, as otherwise the juices of the food being cooked may cause the seam to open, and distribute its contents over the oven. Once placed in position, roasts and entrees on the lower shelf, about an inch from the oven floor, fish on the middle shelf, and pastry on the top where heat is most intense, — do not move or open the bags until the schedule time of their cooking is accomplished. In placing the article to be cooked, take care that the bag does not touch the sides of the oven and that it is not too close to the flames. When the time limit of cooking has expired, take up the bag from the shelf by drawing with the wires, not across them, which is apt to tear the bag made tender by charring. Slip on to the lid of a pot or flat tin held just beneath the grid and thence to the heated platter. To secure the gravy, stick a pinhole in the bottom of the bag and allow it to drain on to the platter, or serving dish. Rip open the bag from the top and throw the charred fragments away at once. If to be served hot, arrange at once on a heated platter or other dish, with its appropriate garnish. POINTERS FOR PAPER BAG COOKERY. I. In the case of a coal-heated oven with solid shelves a wire broiler or " grid " should be substituted as the heat must be allowed to circulate on all sides of the bag. II. The size of the oven makes no difference but it must be kept clean. III. In the case of a fowl or joint see that there are no rough edges or bones protruding that will be likely to pierce the bag. IV. Do not season the article to be cooked too highly as none of the seasonings are dissipated during the cooking as is usually the case in ordinary boiling or roasting. V. For cooking fruit, grease the outside of the bag. VI. In removing the bag from the oven, draw with the wires, not across them. VII. To brown things at the last of the cooking, if necessary, puncture a few holes in the top of the bag. VIII. If a bag breaks in the cooking, as it sometimes will if the heat is too intense, do not try to remove the article being cooked from the bag, but slip the whole into a new well-greased bag. The use of two bags is better than one when things require long cooking or for meats with much fat or juicy dishes. While it may cost a bit more, it will save much anxiety lest the bag burst. IX. To avoid havingany chance drippings soil the oven floor, slip a thin tin baking sheet or shallow dripper under the broiler, letting it rest flat on the bottom of the oven. Put in a little hot water and this steam will keep the bag moist and do much to discourage its breaking. Indeed, in baking any kind of fruit cake, which requires slow cooking, quite a little water in the drip-pan underneath is advisable. X. In baking pastry and cake, a few tiny holes should be made in the upper side of the bag before putting in the oven. This will brown the surface of the cake delicately. XI. Do not let the bag touch the sides of the oven or the gas flames.

Standard Paper-Bag Cookery