The Portland daily press., 1900-08-17
THB Rl4rHRN sUPPLrEa
By Anna BarrUws.


IN the days of our grandmothers the
houses were provided with special
closets and storerooms in which to keep
a large supply Of food. But we depend
more and more upon the corner grocery
and are willing to pay retail instead Of
wholesale prices because we are saved
the trouble of caring for these things
ourselves and because the stock is con-
stantly being renewed and therefore
fresh. Yet there must be some place in
which to store our food from day to day
or from meal to meal.
A cool, clean cellar not too light, but
well ventilated, is an ideal place for
fruits, vegetables and the most perish-
able foods. The city housekeeper, how
ever, must depend upon the refrigerator,
a device of which her grandmother
hardly dreamed of. Like the stove the
refrigerator should be selected to fit the
place where it must stand. 1t should be
in a good light, but not where the sun
will strike it long and not too near the
stove. If there is a cooler place just
outside the kitchen that may be the best
place for the refrigerator, but consider
the number of steps to be taken be-
tween it and the dining room, as we'll as
the cost of the ice. Also remember the
number of steps required for the empty
ing Of the waste water pan. When there
is plumbing in the house the refrigerator
is sometimes connected with the pipes.
Such connection should not be direct but
the water from the lice may escape into
a basin placed above the pipes. Ice
ice box, but with all care in that direc-
ton the escape pipes need frequent flush
ing with clean and occasionally with
Boiling water When the different COM
parments of the refrigerator can be
taken out and scalded it is a simple
matter to keep foods perfectly for mod
crate length of time. The food should
be put in deep earthen or agate dishes
before putting in the refrigerator, as
shallow dishes take up more room all the
contents are liable to spill. One-quars
and two-quart glass jars or wide
mouthed bottles are useful for holding
milk, soup stock, stewed frints custards
and similar fluid substances which must
be kept cool 1t is very desirable to have
a separate compartment in the re-
frigerator for milk and butter.
Near the refrigerator and store closet
should hang a reminder for the things
which must be ordered from market and
grocery store.
Where tea, coffee, spices and like food
materials are kept in glass jars only
glance is needed to tell when fresh sup
ply is required.
The tin boxes in which crackers, coffee
and cocoa are put up should be saved
after they are emptied, the labels washed
off and new ones put on. The half pound
baking powder cans are good for whole
spices and the larger cans for articles
which are used in larger quantities. IT
is seldom wise to keep large quantities
Of cereal food on hand, as it becomes
rancid in a warm closet and attracts in
sects.
For many households it is wiser to buy
flour by the bag than by the barrel, and
have one bag of bread flour and another
of pastry flour a third of entire wheat
and smaller lots of corn and rye meals.
Every store closet should be well sup
piled with favoring materials, curry
powder, celery salt, beef extract and the
like are exceeding useful. A moderate,
store Of canned foods of several varieties
should be kept in readiness for emer-
gencies.