Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/676

 b5o KITCHENX CGDKERY Conducted by GLADYS OWEN All matters pertaining to the kitchen and the subject of cookery in all its branches vyill be fully dealt with in Every Woman's Encyclopedia. Everything a woman ought to know will be taught in the most practical and expert manner. A few of the subjects are here mentioned : Raiii^es Recipes Tor Cooking for Invalids Gas Stoves Soups Cooking for Children Utensils ' Entrees Vegetarian Cookery The Theory of Cooking Pastry Preparijtg Game and Poultry The Cook's Time-table Puddings The Art of Making Coffee Weights and Measures, etc. Salads How to Carve Poultry, Joints, Preserves, etc. etc. For the sake of ensuring absolute accuracy, no recipe is printed in this section which has not been actually made up and tried. HOW^ TO MAHE A FIRELESS COOIiING=BOX How the Box is Made — The Principle Upon Which it Works— The Time Required for Cooking— The Efficiency of tlie Box as a Culinary Utensil 'To the busy housewife who desires to vacuum flask, only in this^ase hay is the ^ minimise labour and trouble in every ~ possible way, a fireless cooking-box is an invaluable possession. It is quite easy to make and manage, and, once started, it will be found to provide a most economical and effectual means of preparing food. The first step towards obtaining the cooking-box is to secure a substantial wooden chest. For a medium-sized family this should not be less than one foot eight inches in height, depth, and breadth (interior measurements). The lid must fasten se- curely with a hasp or lock, and must lie fiat, and the wood must be stout and free from knots or cracks. A carpenter would prob- ably make such a box for about ten shillings, but a cheaper method would be to purchase a packing-case, such as are sent filled with goods to grocery stores. How- ever, the plan first named will prove more satisfactory, as the wood will fit together more securely, and the box will be of the exact size required. It is an excellent plan, should there be any fear of leakage through cracks, to line the box throughout with brown paper, sticking it in place with strong paste. The cooking- box, of course, cannot make heat, but given a certain temperature, it will retain it for a long time, in accordance with the principal adopted in thf» FiKeless cookery. The kind of box required non-conductive medium. Thus it will be^| quickly realised that it is necessary to take every precaution against admitting cold air. A considerable quantity of hay will be required, as it must lie very closely. The method of packing is as follows. Cover the bottom of the box with hay to the depth of about six inches. Then place in position the cooking vessel — for a box of this size it should hold about a gallon — and continue packing all round the sides of it. The rest of the hay, in order to make it easier to manage when the can is being moved in and - jb out of the cooking-box, should be stuffed into p a cushion. This'should be made with sides, after the fashion of a mattress, and should measure exactly the same as the interior of the box and about six inches in depth. The cooking-box will not work properly if it is padded with less than a given amount of hay, and the dimensions here described will allow for at least six inches of packing on every side, as well as at the bottom, and top. As soon as the box is stuffed it will be ready for experiments. If it is properly packed it should be quite easy to take the can in and out, as it will have- formed a nest for itseli with solid walls of hay. For first trials, an ordinary. milk-can with a round handl#'