Milford chronicle., 1910-09-02

cookers meat may be EOasted and
bread, cake and pies baked most sue
cessfully without requiring the slight
est attention after they are put in the
baker. l know one housekeeper who
does all her cooking. baking and roast
ing with the help Of a freless cooker
and freless baker and a two burner
gasoline stove She has proved, too,
that she acco. ,,lishes usore 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 "hreless 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 it has been heated
throughout to at least 1S0 degrees.
This can be accomplished over 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 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 m the
food until it is cooked. For this rea-
son 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 cover 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
it 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.
II th, hoi-o, f,,-r, soo rstOnas are hoat-
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 "Firelsss."
The fireless cooker is especially
adapted for foods that require long,
slow cooking, but is not intended for
articles which require rapid boiling.
It is particularly well suited for ce-
reals of all kinds, because the princi-
pie underlying the cooking OF all
foods is that it should be slow,
thorough and prolonged. In previous
article the statement was made that
the breakfast oatmeal may be cooked
In the freless cooker. The directions
for 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 it boil |
directly over the fire for five minutes. !
then place in the cooker for eight |
hours or overnight. II the oatmeal Is |
cold in the morning reheat over hot |
water.
Many persons are familiar with the |
of the tireless cooker, !
but are not quite sure how to use one. !
For such a few general rules may be |
helpful.