Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/726

 A chafing'dish in aluminium, that is both useful and ornamental. Its cleanliness and dainty appearance make it most suitable for table cookery WOMAN'S HOME 698 lor the chafing-dish ; here we shall only point out the extreme convenience of the electric utensil. It is pre- ferable, for obvious reasons, to either spirit-lamp, gas- ring, or charcoal for table cookery. The complete outfit for chafing -dish cookery comprises a spoon, for mixing, serving, or stirring, a fork for serving, a skimmer to remove grease from the boiling dish, an egg-poacher, an omelette-dish, and a tray for standing the chafing- dish upon. The Electric Griller Next in order of convenience as a beginning in electric cookery should be placed the electric griller, which, made of aluminium, and .standing on four legs, is only a little less portable than the chafing-dish, and is capable of boihng, grilling, toasting, and of heating water as well. This is in itself quite a com- plete range, and sufficient to cook an ordinary meal in ordinary vessels. Such a grill could be purchased for about 30s. to 35s. complete, and the cost of running would be about i|d. an hour. Its cleanliness is a very im- portant consideration ; it needs no special fitting, and can be operated anyhere where a wall-plug is avail- able. It can be used as a griller or hot-plate only, or both together, if necessary. . The grill illustrated is made of cast iron, with polished top. Its simplicity of con- struction will be readily seen. Hot-plates and Pood Warmers By means of the chafing- dish or griller a whole meal can be satisfactorily cooked, but it is surprising how much can be done by a simple hot-plate. Made of cast iron or nickel, these are carried out in various forms and sizes, and can be utiHsed merely for keeping things hot at table or for actual boiling and cooking. An ordinary kettle can be quickly brought to the boil on a hot - plate, food can be kept simmering, saucepans can be placed on it, and these hot-plates will be found most useful for griddling scones, pikelets, etc. Whether as 'an addi- tion or as a substitute for certain other utensils, the hot-plate is certainly a useful possession. The smaller sizes in cast iron are quite inexpensive, and the more elaborate nickel- plated patterns are very handsome for table use. Egg-bollers One of the most in- genious and essential ne- cessities for the breakfast- table is the electric egg- boiler, which can be made in artistic patterns in brass, antique bronze, and silver plating. This is capable of boiling from one to four eggs, according to size and amount of current. Toasters To ensure a supply of hot and crisp toast no electric menage is complete without some form of toaster. There are various designs made, either independent toasters or in combination with other apparatus for electric cooking. In one design which we have seen two slices of bread may be done simultaneously by fixing them in to the doors which swing outward and downward, so that the bread can be inserted Making coffee on the breakfast-table by electricity. The immense convenience and perfect adaptability of electricity as a cooking agent is rapidly bringing it into general use. It is peculiarly well suited to the needs of dwellers in flats