The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-08-03
.FIRELESS COOKER IS
COMFORT IN SUMMER
Latest Devices Will Boil or.
Bake Equally Well-Many
Made at Home.

made for the housekeeper for hot
summer days there is probably moth
ing quite equal to the fireless cooker,
| which is by no means new, but which
has come into use in this country dur
| ing the last few years.
In it's simplest form, the fireless
cooker is any kind of box filled with
hay or excelsior, in which may be
placed pots or kettles after their con-
tents have been cooked for short
time, on the stove. In it's latest per-
lection it is a chest composed Of metal.
provided with a nonconducting lining
or filling, which preserves every par
ticle of the heat put into it, which Is
strictly sanitary in all its parts, which
will boil or bake equally well. In this
capacity for baking the most recent
development possesses distinct ad-
vantage over the cooker which would
only stew or simmer.
one Of the newest fireless cookers
has a gas attachment so that food to
be cooked in 1t can be started by
lighting the gas and not moved when
the gas is turned off.
Enterprising housekeepers have
made flreless cookers in window seats,
in trunks, and in boxes. Sugar buck
cts and water pals have taken part
in the home made procession as well,
and newspapers, excelsior. felting, as
bestos and other materials have been
utilized for the baking.
For Predicaments.
One advantage of the cooker is that
1t can be used in various predicaments
when the stove cannot be used. If
you have q large amount Of meat or
grain 10 cook, or IL you want to go
off and leave your dinner cooking, then
the fircless is 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 then let them stay in the cooker
ill night. Large pieces OF meat, too,
like ham and tongue, are really bet
ter cooked this way, as they do not
slice so well If cooked quickly. 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
be brought to boil over a flame and
then put in the fireless.
One Of the greatest complaints
against the fireless is that it cannot
| be used for small quantities. But it
! can. Just fill your large kettle with
| boiling water and put small cans in
| side 1t. A half dozen things can be
| cooked in this way at the same time.
Here is simple experiment. Take
! ave empty cocoa or baking powder
cans. Into one put a veal loaf mix
, lure, into another two kinds OF rice
| pudding, and into another some
| orunes. Then I'LL the chinks between
the tins with potatoes. You will find
that all will cook to delicious con-
| sistency.
In hot weather food cooked In the
| flreless cooker should be brought to a
boil again before being set away in
| order to prevent danger OF souring.
Lukewarm things just out Of the cook
| err may spoil.
A good way to save heat, of course,
is to warm the cooker before you put
your food in. Set q kettle Of hot water
| In 1t, and let the whole thing get hot.
Another way Of using the freless is
as means Of saving heat. A can of
hot water can be kept hot this way for
| "a hours. Bread. too. can be put to
| equally true, OF course, that ice cream
and le''.-ce can be kept cool In 1t.
Corned Beef.
The article of food which demands
the longest preliminary cookery is
corned beef. for this Is solid and not
especially porous. But when this has
| so minutes-the length Of time depends
upon the size Of the piece-it may be
! taken from the stove, at a stage when
it's proper cookery has only fairly be-
/ gun, be transferred to the fireless cook
err. covered closely there and left to
simmer out its own salvation for any
| number Of hours you choose. When
! II comes out Of the cooker at the end
| OF several hours retirement It will not
| only be found hot and done to q turn,
| but of a savoriness and tenderness i'm
possible to compass by ordinary cook
| cry.
Any stew or boiled meat or pot roast
| Ia g.
ment. For the pot roast the meat Is
scared in the kettle, allowed to cook
, until heated through. and then put into
| the tlreles cooker. There is nothing like
1t for soups and stews, and the fuel
saved is requaled by the savoriness
odOrs Of the meat so that they can
1 not escape. Vegetables which demand
I long, slow cookery are also prepared
| In, the freless cooker; so are jams and
marrrlalades and other fruit conssrves
that require long cooking.
roasting meat and baking bread and
cake in fireless cooker Yet this may
be done by the aid Of system of
heated plates either Of steel or soap
stone. These are made hot over the
flame of the gas or oil stove or on top
cooked meat or loaf Is put in the res
ervoir between them and left there till
done.
The fireless cooker is useful as a
| work save as well as fuel economist
| and a comfort maker. BY it's aid the
houskeeper can make her dinner ready
in the cool Of the morning. tuck II into
| the cooker, and go about her other
work with an easy mind, secure that
when II IL time for dinner she will
find the food ready. hot and well
cooked, and having only to be trans.
| erred 10 dishes.