Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1910-03-18

cookers meat may be roasted and
bread, cake and pies baked most sue
cessfully without requiring the slight
est attention after they are put In the
baker. | know one h~ousekeeper who
Toes all her cooking, baking and roast
ing with the help Of a freless cooker
and a ireless baker and a two burner
gasoline stove. She has proved, too,
that she accomplishes more work with
better results at about one-half the
cost of fuel and twice as much saving
of her own time and labor as when she
used a first class coal range.
Really the term '6reless cooker" is
a misnomer. and a much better name
would be heat retainer" for there
must first be heat enough to bring
whatever is to be cooked to the boil
ing point or until 1t has been heated
throughout to at least $50 degrees.
This can be accomplished yer any
kind of fire. Then the heat is simply
retained by the cooker for several
hours or until the cooking is com
pleted.
The Homemade Cooker.
1t is not necessary to buy a cooker,
though one or more should be included
In every up to date kitchen equipment.
Very satisfactory ones have been
made out of a wooden box or pail lined
carefully with hay, wood, excelsior or
paper, which is covered with outing
flannel or asbestus, leaving a hole In
the center to fit closely around the
utensil in which the food is cooked.
The principle involved in using the
cooker is that the receptacle is made
Of and lined with some nonconducting
material which holds the heat IN the
food until it is cooked. For this rea-
son q wooden box, barrel or pail Is
used for the outside part. This is
lined three or -four inches thick with
wool, paper, excelsior or in some cases
with exhausted air. A space is left
In the center which fits closely around
the covered granite utensil In which
food is cooked. A padded owe fits
tight over the top of the cooker, thus
allowing no chance for the outside air
to enter or the heat to escape. The
temperature the food material is when
Ii is put into the cooker will be re-
tanned for several hours, and the fall
In temperature is very gradual. The
principle is the same for freezing as
In cooking, a low temperature being
retained the same as a high degree of
heat.
In the baker two s~oapstones are heat
ed for fifteen minutes directly over
the fire. and then one is placed above
and the other below the article to be
baked.
Cooking Cereals In the "Fireless."
The ireless cooker is especially
adapted for foods that require long,
slow cooking, but is not intended for
articles which require rapid boiling.
1t is particularly well suited for ce-
reals of all kinds, because the princi-
pie underlying the cooking of all
starchy foods is that 1t should be slow.
thorough and prolonged. In a previous
article the statement was made tlhr
the breakfast oatmeal may be coc$d
In er~The-dlrec&e
Tor doing this are as follows:
To two cupfuls of boiling water add
one teaspoonful of salt. Stir in gradu-
ally one cupful of oatmeal. Let 1t boil
directly over the fire for five minutes,
then place in the cooker for eight
hours or overnight. If the oatmeal Is
cold in the morning reheat over ho'
water.
Many persons are familiar with the
construction of the tireless cooker,
but are not quite sure how to use one.
For such q few general rules may be
helpful.
Some General Directions.
AS there is no evaporation in the
cooker, use less water with cereals OF
any kind.
While cooking the food over the fire
leave the vessel uncovered. This will
permit the gases formed In cooking to
escape. This is particularly necessary
In preparing chicken and other meats
for the cooker.
If the granite utensil used in the
cooker is too large for the amount of
food, use a smaller vessel in which to
cook the food and set it inside the
larger %utensil, surrounded by hot wa
ter. To insure perfect success there
should be two vacant spaces in the
cooker or utensil.
This method of cooking is splendid
for chicken fricassee, stews of all
kinds, pot roasts. soups and for any
meat dish which requires slow cook
ing. II the piece of meat is large re-
heating it after 1t has been in the
cooker four or FIVE hours and then con-