Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/95

Rh Weights and Scales.—Our list of utensils may well start with this most important article or series of articles, as a good set of weights and scales is absolutely necessary to every cook. The cook should bear in mind always to put the weights away in their respective places after they have been used, and to keep the scales in thorough order. In weighing butter, lard, or anything that is of a greasy nature, a piece of paper should be placed in the scale before putting in the substance to be weighed. By doing this much labour will be saved. There are many reliable kinds of weighing machines, but the ordinary shop scales and weights still remain the most popular, and the price of a set of weights and scales, with weights sufficient to weigh from ¼ oz. to 14 lbs., is 18s. 6d., and to weigh 28 lbs., 22s. 6d. Spring balances to weigh up to 200 lbs. cost about 11s. and will often be found a great convenience.

Mincing Machine.—This time- and labour-saving invention is almost indispensable in elaborate culinary preparations. The intending purchaser has a wide choice as regards price, size and variety in form. Although the principle is practically the same in all machines, they differ in many respects some doing their work more thoroughly than others, besides being more easily adjusted and kept clean. The "American Two-Roller Mincer" is to be highly recommended in this respect, because the rollers are lined with enamel, and the knives so arranged that they may be easily cleaned. These machines are made in several sizes in two qualities, and may be procured at any ironmonger's, and cost from 9s. 6d. to 12s. 6d. Ordinary mincing machines may be obtained at from 4s. 3d. Mincing machines answer admirably for quenelle meat, rissoles, etc., where the meat is mixed with other ingredients; but meat to be served as collops or mince is better cut by hand, as the particles of meat must be separate for these dishes, not crushed into a fine mass. Suet may be more quickly and satisfactorily chopped on a board or in a bowl than by a mincing machine, for, no matter how much flour is mixed with it, the suet sticks to the blades of the knives and forms itself into a compact mass. There are, however, chopping machines in which the knife acts on the material on the same principle as chopping by hand. They are not generally used in small households, but in large kitchens where much chopping of this description has to be done, they are most useful.

Brawn Tin.—This utensil is invaluable in preparing brawn or collard head. It is a tin cylinder placed on a foot or stand, into which the superfluous gravy escapes when the meat is placed in the cylinder and put under pressure. For this purpose the bottom of the cylinder consists of a movable perforated plate. The cylinder is not soldered along the junction of the ends of the metal of which it is composed, but the ends overlap, and are movable, one over the other, to a certain extent. By this means the cylinder is rendered expansive and will expand from 6½ inches in diameter to 8 inches. It is sold at 4s. 6d.

Tongue or Brawn Presser.—This article may be used for making either