Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-01-31


The gas stove at the Teachers College
IL feeling better. Some oficious persons
have been saying that when Misc Anna
Barrows gave her lecture on the tireless
cooker the nose of the gas stove would
be put out of joint. Nothing of the
kind happened, however. In fact, the
stove found itself 80 essential to the vel.
fare Of the flreless cooker that 1t seemed
to CLEAN with added complacency before
the hour was over. There were all kinds
of cookers, too, so that 1t means q great
deal to the stove. From vulgar little
things, made out of sugar buckets and
water pals, to pompous mission oak
affairs, which looked as II they fed on
nothing less rich than venison stew and
plum pudding, they all we're dependent
on the fire, for they all pretended to be
fireless.
"The only advantage Of the cooker
over an ordinary stove," began Miss Bar
rows, 'is that 1t can be used In various
predicaments when you can't use the
stove" 1t would be absurd, OF course,
to put something in 1t when you, have
space and time to watch II over flame.
But If you have large amount OF meat
or grain to cook, or If you want to 60 on
and leave your dinner cooking, then the
tireless ia very convenient. Tough fowl
can be made very good. indeed, by this
slow process of cooking. Just cut them
up, bring the pieces to boil, and let
them stay in the cook or all night. Large
pieces of meat, too, like ham and tongue,
are really better cooked this way, as
they do not slice so we'll II cooked quick
Ily. The harder cereals, such as cracked
wheat, require longer cooking than can
be afforded over gas, and dried fruits and
vegetables like peas and beans should Do
brought to boil over flame and then
put In the firsess.
"All these are elementary matters.
There are however g few tricks in the
trade which you may need to know.
zone of the greatest complaints against
the fireless is that 1t cannot be used for
small quantities. But it can. Just I'LL
your large kettle with boiling water
and put small cans inside 1t. You can
cook half dozen things In this way at
the same time"
To illustrate this device Miss Barrows
had five cans-empty cocoa and baking
powder tins. Into one she put veal
loaf mixture, into another dried lima
beans, into others two kinds of rice pud-
ding, and into another some prunes.
Then she filled in the Ohinks between the
tins with potatoes. When the class
period was over every body had taste of
the finished products, and were full OF
enthusiasm, especially for the beans,
which had been supposed to be utterly
unpalatsble things. Even prunes were
found to be edible, too, though one girl
was heard to groan that there was no
hope of there being like that at the
dormitory.
1.-THE only danger about using the
cooker" Miss BarrOws explained, sis
that things may spoil in hot weather in it,
if you don't heat them through before
putting them in, or If you let bit of the
meat, for example, stick out of the
water. Then, in hot weather, everything
should be brought to boil again over
the stove before 1t is set away. Luke.
warm things just out OF the cooker may
spoil.
"a good way to save heat, OF course,
is to warm the cooker before you put
your food In. Set a kettle of hot water
in it, and let the whole thing get hot.
Another way of using the fireless is
as a means of saving heat. A can OF hot
water can be kept hot in this way for
twenty.four hours. Bread, too, can be
put to rise in q warmed flreless cooker.
1t is equally true, of course, that Ice
cream and lettuce can be kept cool in
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