The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-02-13
GENTLE HEAT COOKING.

1t is simple method of reasoning to
say that the greater the heat the quicker
| the cooking is done. / have often seen
the fire increased in an emergency to
make the already boiling dishes cook
more quickly. 1t is such an illusion of
the senses that they never seem te think
Of timing the difference 1t needs bit
OF science to understand why boiling
water can never be made any hotter than
2l50, unless the steam is forciby detained
by immense pressure. So women have
wasted their own physical strength in the
unnecessary heat, have wasted no ons
can calculate how much fuel, have vast
ed food in many ways, and have kept our
style of cooking in a state of needless
barbarity.
The gentler the heat used is doubtless
one secret Of the superior deiicacy and
richness OF the Frensh cookery. We find
that some of their directions give certain
numbers OF sheets of paper for cooking
certain dishes. We 90 not intend to fol-.
low their example 10 this, for we have
not the utensils necessary to make paper
very available as fuel, nor would it BIO
economical in this country. We do not
necessarily take tho French authority for
example in anything, but we take hint
from anybody, and improve on it if we
can.
With gentle heat and tight covers
we may have just the amount of juice we
like in our vegetables. It is not even
necessary to have the heat quite up to
the boiling point. Two hundred and ten
Fahrenheit will cook them perfectly, but
as this involves frequent trials with Their
mometer, [ prefer to keep them simmer
ing. A glance will decide this. or per
haps the ear, if the hand at the same
time rests on the cover. Many kinds of
meat can be cooked in this way very nice
ly- A rump steak three or four inches
thick, kept closely covered and cooked in
its own juices alone, will be far more ten
der than when put In the oven, and this
without basting and without fat, the lat
ter having been trimmed off closely
With mushes the Improvement is equally
great, principally because it dispenses
with the stirring. Mushes are stirred to
prevent their sticking and burning though
it is not nearly as efhcacious for this pur-
pose as many imagine. 1t is the starch
h.. IL
stirring, SO that in some cases the dish
is more likely to burn with stirring than
without. This is true Of samp, the south
ern l:oinipy. With four or five tarts
water In a tin vessel. it will cook usite
smartly during the four or FIVE hours ne
cessary to make it tender without burn
ing but stir it a little. and it will be
quite iikelp to scorch. If i, barely SIM
'ners. however, it will cook just as fast,
aud lie in any danger Of scorching. If it
needs more water. add it boiling hot
keeping the samp even full. The small
honiay mostly used at the North has
been found so difficult to cook, even
ever raging fires, that the hominy boiler
Ea- been devised for it, al entirely super
duous article for that purpose in some
kitchens | wot OF. One part hominy i
poured slowly into three PARTS water aud
stirred five minutes, or until it sets (docs |
net sink, then cover closely and put |
81 here it will barely simmer tiirce-iouiths |
IF an hour, or an hour, according to its |
Stir it as little as possible IN |
taking ap with a large spoon, and if a |
good article. it VIII lie light, delicate, deli /
::oas and quivcr air.es. Ike Il jell. i
From, Science of Health.