The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-22
is FINE FOR THE ARMY.
The Food Heated to a Boiling
Point to Begin With.
Then Enclosed in a Continuance
Which Holds the Heat.

Junction City. KAN. Jam 22-Tha
first thorough test of 1leless cooking to
be made in an official way i'm the army
was made in the kitchen OF the Fort
Riley guardhouse. The test was made
by Captain NJ. s. Murray, commissary
Of Folt Riley and it was witnessed by
the regular kitchen force of the guard
house, bcsides a number OF officers OF
The garrison and officers who have
been sent here for a course in the cooks
and bakers school, among the latter
being Captain L. j. Rooster, of San
Francisco, and Captain H. T. Ferguson.
cf Fort Ethan Allen. VI, both officers
Of the commissary department.
Enough fcod was cooked for 100 men.
Co1nel beer cabbage, bean soup, pO-
latoes ana custard pudding were tha
al ulles A1t were prepared IN the fire
less cocker. INST the food was placed
ia vessels On the kitchen range and
heated to the boiling point. The corned
beef was heated 10 minutes. the cabbage
hVe minutes, the bean soup ten minutes,
potatoes I'VE minutes and the custard
pudding cooked five minutes en- casse-
lole ON one vessel enclosed by anOther)
AFTER these foods had reached the tenn
&erature Of % degrees they were placed
IN the hreicss cooker where they We're
allowed to remain three hours and ten
minutes. When they were taken out
of the cooker the temDeIa tuTe of the
beef was 1929 degrees. one vessel of
cabbage 1870 degrees. another vessel of
cabbage 1855 degrees, bean soup 1874 de-
grees, pCta toes 1SS degrees, custard
pudding 1141s degrees. The six degrees
difference ina the temperature OF the
two vessels of cabbage is accounted
for by reason Of the fact that one was
in the middle of the cooker and the
other was in a corner where it was
food was Wen cooked and palatable
when served on the table. About 50
prisoners i'm the guardhouse were served
with this food, and it was so well done
that the officers and men who wit
messed the experiment remained and
partCOk of the dinner. too.
Captain Murray roasted ten pounds
of beef i'm the 6reless cooker and was
very successful in this experiment. The
roasting was done en- casserole. and
when the meat had been sufficiently
cooked it vas found to be i'm just as
excellent condition as it would have
been had it been roasted in a range
under the care of competent cook
Today Captain Murray VIII try the eX-
pertinent of roasting chickens in the
cCCkes.
This hreless cooker is a patent ar
rangement that was designed ard con-
structed especially for army use If
it proves to be a successful and prac-
ployed in the army for use on marches.
Food for the monday meal can be
heated to the required temperature at
the same time the breakfast is cook
cd The food can then be placed in
the cooker and loaded into wagon
with the dirner cooking while the
troops are marching. The cooker looks
something like soldiers locker. Tt is
about four feet square and about three
feet deep. It has six compartments
for as many different kinds of food
IT is built Of wood and the compart-
ments for the food are insulated from
the sides of the bcX and from each 9TH
or by about an inch and half Of
specially prepared paper and felt The
Commandments for food are covered by
heavy layers of felt ard the whole is
covered by a felt-hned lid that makes
81 as near alright as possible Dinner
nails constructed on the same principal
viii be introduced at Fort Riley soon
fer the benefit of the laborers who are
employed there on the construction