Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-03-11
THE NORWEGIAN DiNNEK.Box

There was pretty wooden house in the
park of the Exposition a, Paris in 1867,
called the Chalet Norregiea, at which
quantity dressed, sunny looking little Nor
wegian peasant girl used to distribute at 3,
and o'clock 2. NJ, to all passersby who
chose to taste of them, tiny cups and plates
Of hot soups. meats, stewed fowl, &C., deli
cously cooked and Of surprising fragrance
and succulence, from boilers. Just opened,
which had been on the fire only .tce minutes.
This astonishing and valuable attainment
is of very simple character, when explain
ed.
The articles to be cooked are put into a
tin kettle with close fitting lid, and just
large enough easily to contain them. An
other kettle Of the same size may be used
for anything that is TO be cooked separately
from meats, as coffee, vegetables or pud.
ding. These are boiled on the stove for
about five minutes, or until fully heated
through, as for canning, when they are pla-
ced in box, which is lined inside with felt
or wooden packing, two or three inches
thick, leaving just room to slip in the ket
ties, when the cover of the box, padded in
the same way, is shut down close, and no
further care or attention is wanted. An or
dinary stew remains in the box about three
hours, when it is perfectly and admirably
cooked, but it may remain in the box FIVE
or eight hours, and the box may be carried
or kept in any ordinary temperature with
out danger of burning. overlooking, losing
flavor or becoming cold. In five hours it
will still be too hot for hasty eating.
Already, during the Exposition, and in
Paris, the capital of the country of promi-
nent cocks, these cuisines autOmdtiques
were taken into use on large scale in ho-
tells, hospitals, &c., the economy that is
practiced in the use of fuel there causing a
high appreciation Of the con,rivance. In
1868 handsome boxes were for sale in the
iron -mongers' shops all over England, for
the use of sportsmen, &c. These Of course
we're made very neatly, ard of fancy woods,
and complete with two kettles, they cos,
about five dollars.
But for the use of woodmen, hunters, fish,
ermen, &C., every purpose is perfectly serv-
ed by small light pine box, with pad
ding of any light refuse wool. The kettles
are best of square or cubical shape, SO as
to fit closely together, just large enough to
hold dinner for cne, two or three, as de-
sired, and with not much projection or ears
or handles to prevent the lid of the box
from packing closely down on it.
The principle Of the apparatus is that Of
the ice house. In both cases the heat
from the summer air to the ice in the one
case and from the hot kettles to the winter
air in the other, is DISTRACTED in its passage
by the number of radiations forward and
again backward from particle TO particle of
the wool. all separated bv intervals Of air,
which prevent direct couduciion; and clio
yer or wheat chatf, sawdust or tan will an
swer in the one case as well as the other,
but they do not afford so many spaces or
breaks of radiation "here and there and
back again in small space and light weight
as carded wool does, or as fine crystals OF
ice (Snow) would, if it would not finally dis
solve before the heat If the kettles have
surface of bright tin they pass heat much
more slowly than if rough or tarnlshed. just
as ice receives heat slowly, and absorb, a
vast deal before it becc mes reduced to wa
ter, II only two or three boxes are actually
used the others can be filed with boiling
water to supply heat. \ box of this kind
may be very useful il a sleigh.
The most exquisite and enjoyable of din
ners NAV be provided in this way, for it will
usually be eaten with the best sauce, that of
hunger. and the dinner itself will possess
extra flavor and aroma. which would other
wise have been distilled off in steam. for the
osmazome of the meat, its most savorv
quality. is voatilzed and disslpated by eb-
ulliton.
Then, what economy Of coat. of time.
and above all, of care No fear of burning,
Of over cooking, of getting too cold, of be-
ing grumbled at-no harassing watch, no
vexation at its unavailing-no injured sto-
mach from unfit condition Of food. AT any
desired moment the lids are opened, aud the
air is filled with the appetizing odor and
warm vapot of perfectly cooked dinner,
lust at its prime. What new field for ex-
pertinent and for suggestion as to this and
that on the part ofihe philanthropic editres-
ses and correspondents of household and
social departments.-C Cor. Country Gentle
man.
THE London Athcneum tells the follow
ing story: "Mr. Brown let US call him, the
proprietor of, shall we say, the Kitchen
Sunner, was dissatisfied with his novelist,
Mr.. Jones, and told him so. jones was
then halfway through romance which ap-
peared in weekly driblets, but Brown gave
him notice to quit at once, and added that
he had engaged Mr.. Robinson to go on with
and complete the story. Jones accepted
the warning, bu, remarked that, as he had
sufficient manuscript copy to supply the
chapters for the next number, they had bet
,er he sset nm after which Mr.. Robinson