Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-31


in advance of US; so far that wish could
induce every woman out of Italy, to refuse
to use anything not the equal of the Italian
madres' cooking apparatus, for its synonym,
is healthfulness and comfort Before this
is possible in the highest degree, however,
our housekeepers and housemakers must
induce our architects to join forces with
them as they do here, where there is scarce
a dwelling, even those of the poorest, that
has not its-I hardly know what to call it,
for it is neither range nor simply stove
built in a corner of the kitchen of every
apartment.
Only that it was closed at the bottom,
thought sit" was a set tub covered with
shining tiles of blue and white porcelain,
instead of made of soapstone, for the first
one saw was Just about the size and width
of one Of The double tubs that are part of
our laundries. 1t was trifie higher,
though, and in order to operate on it to the
best advantage it is best to stand on little
footstool or platform that is just as long as
the stove is.
A Description OF the Stove.
Under the stove there is semi-circular
closet reaching up about half its height, and
holding from one to three sacks (about four
bushels) of carbon, for charcoal is "the"
fuel used. On the top of the stoves there
are one, two or three openings-little square,
box-like CRATES, sinking perhaps four or five
inches, and about eight inches square; under
the CRATES there are receptacles with doors,
for ashes, and right in the center there is
the stove and about halfway up the WALL
there is built ''canopy" shaped like the
stove at the bottom, but gradually narrow
ing to the top at the front and side until it
is almost funnel-shaped where it joins the
chimney, on the outside, while inside, and
lust at the junction with the chimney, there
is an opening into the chimney, about the
size of a very small stoyepipe. Now can
YOU see why there is always good draught
without campers (Which are too often literal
exponents of their name), and why there is
neither smoke nor steam going out into the
kitchen?
For boiling, few bits of cane are put in
the square or CRATE over which the kettle or
the saucepan is to be placed; then shovel
full of charcoal is put over the canes, a light
is applied, and-if you are in hurry, over
the hole there is put curious contrivance
very like a stovepipe, perhaps two feet
high, with funnel at the top;a contrivance
that is expressively known in Italian as I'll
diavolo," possibly because it starts the fire
in such a marvelously short time, for no
sooner is it fairly on, than snap! goes the
carbon and shower of sparks issues from
the top ana sails away up the chimney.
How the Stove Is Used.
IF the articles to be boiled are vegetables,
the kettle is placed directly over the CRATE,
and s'il diavolo" is laid upon the shelf
above If, however, something more deli
cate Is to be concocted tripod about three
inches high is put over the CRATE, and the
boiler is placed on that, so there IS not even
a possibility of burning or scorching; then
! a circle of Goals is put on the outside of the
stove about the boiler. which is tightly COW
cred. 1t takes from 20 to 80 minutes to
cook this way, and everything cooked is
cooked all over.
For baking, the preliminary preparations
are the same, but the dish holding the mix
ture is placed in an outer dish of block tin,
and over it is put that wonderful magician,
the forno di campagna, that looks very like
peck or half-bushel measure, according
to its size, made of sheet iron and inverted.
There is an opening at one side, up which
slips the handle of the baking tin or the sauce
pan, whichever is used) and over which the
form" slips, settling firmly down on the
stove Under the dish that contains the
material to be baked is the charcoal fire in
the CRATE; about it glowing Goals are put
and replenished before the glow dies out,
and on the top of the ''forno" more glowing
Goals are placed and treated in the same
way. So, you see, that everywhere there is
an equal diffusion OF heat, and food thus
cooked cannot be unhealthy as far as the
process itself is concerned I have seen
mince pies, sponge cake, custards bread
and turkeys taken hence, perfectly Drowned
and ''done to a turn" as our grandmothers
would say.
When the tempting food is removed the
''forno" is hung up or placed beside il diav-
olo; the tiles are washed and everything is
finished. The "forno" wasn't invented by
an italian, though, but by Frenchman,
and it would be quite possible to use it with
our charcoal stoves. THEo. TRACY.
xx.=.,oa h,r