Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1910-02-26

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 tha
baker. l know one housekeeper who
does all her cooking, baking and roast
ing with the help of a fireless cooker
and freless baker and two burner
gasoline stove. She has proved, too,
| that she accomptshes more work with
| better results at about one-haf the
cost of fuel and twice as much saving
of her own time and labor as when she
| used first class coal range.
Really the term "freless cooker" is
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 over any
kind Of fire. Then the heat is simply
retained by the cooker for several
hours or until the cooking Is com.
pleted.
tHU sIoNHofRSa00 SooSeFs
1t is not necessary to buy 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 hole In
| tlo tN -1r
| utensil In which the food LIS 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 a 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 Ia 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 fer the outside air
to enter or the heat TO escape. The
temperature the food material is when
it is put into the cooker VIII 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 high degree of
heat.
In the baker two soapstones are heat
ed for fifteen minutes directly over
| the fire, and then one Is placed above
and the other below the article to ba
baked.
Cooking Cereals In tho "Fireiesa."
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 it should be slow,
thorough and prolonged. In previoua
article the statement was made that
the breakfast oatmeal may be cooked
in the fireless 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
construction of the freless COOKER
but are not quite sure how to use one
For such few general rules may bt
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 L. q
leave the vessel uncovered. This will
permit the gases formed in cooking ia
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 smaller vessel IN which I'd
cook the food and set 1t inside the
larger utensil, surrounded by hot wa-
ter. To insure perfect success there
should be two vacant spaces in the
cooker or utensfl
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. If the piece of meat is large re-
heating it after it has been In thu
cooker four or five hours and then con-
tinuing the cooking four or Eve hours
longer will give better results
The length Of time the food Is TO be
cooked over the fire depends on tha
size and nature Of the food. A ten
pound ham should simmer, never boil,
for about forty minutes and cook In
the cooker for tan hours, with Sec
ond reheating after the first four
hours
The fireiess cooker Is not intended
for fresh vegetables OF any kind,
These, as previously stated, reduira