Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-11-22
NY EXPERIMENTS WITHIN ,APEi
BAG COOKERY. "


When Soyer's paper bag method OK
cooking was first brought to my atten-
ton by friends who rightly or wrongly
seem to have a high opinion Of my
abilities as a cook. I admit that l was
skeptical Of it's practicability. Indeed
I was more than that was rather
firm in my belief that it could not prove
out. But I was induced to put the
system to a trial-and. 10 and behold
the very first trial made me an en-
thusiastic follower Of NJ. Soyer. Since
then have been doing all my cooking
by the Soyer method, and each sue
ceeding day more than ever convinces
me that any woman, simply by follow
ing Soyer's general directions. and
using that good common sense and
care which are essential to all good
cooking, can master the Soyer paper
bag method of cooking in a very short
time, and will find it a great boon both
to herself and to all the members of
her household. - j.
Practically every advantage that M.
Soyer claims for his. paper bag method
tof cookery over the present greasy pot
and pan system. Of cooking 1 have
found by actual experience to prove
out. But as NJ Soyer himself says with
engaging candor: a"The success of the
system depends entirely on how 1t is
carried out. Some people have imag-
med that all I urge amounts to a
general use Of the bag in in place of
the ordinary saucepan, without any at
Itention to the conditions that are es-
sential to good cooking. Good cooking
requires time. care. attention to detail,
taste and a temperature suited to the
particular dish being cooked. The paper
bag does not abrogate any of the rules
that apply to efficient work at the
kitchen table" =
1t is true, beyond pcradventure Of
doubt. that paper bags will never cook
a fine meal off their own bat, as 1t were.
but nv experience has taught me that
the bags, plus moderate use Of brains,
a trifle of experience and certain
deftness of manipulation that comes
with experiences will unqueStionably
simplify the problem of living by les
senins sensibly the cost and the drudg-
ery of the Kitchen The use Of the bags
must be learned thu, same as any other
art of the kitchen. but. repeat, to
the housewife who brings common
sense ia bear upon this matter the
time of learning will be surprisingly
brief.
Following NJ. Soyer's general direc-
tions for paper bag cookery. I speedily
learned that there are sundry COM
mandments to be observed while pur-
suing his method Of cooking
The first and greatest of these is to
get the right bag. which is made es-
1 f~r i,u to rat
less even when crumbly crisp. sanitary
and to be had In sizes big enough to
hold a Thanksgiving turkey or tiny
enough for single chop
Next, nearly as important. is to
grease the bag inside literally. using
butter. lard oil, drippings or a very fat
rind Of bacon. Grease thoroushly-it
is tho dry spots which crisp, crack,
leak and make trouble. But beware
laying q bag empty Of all but grease In
the hot oven to spread the grease,
Even a few seconds of heat make the
bag crackle and hard to handle. Use
soft grease, whatever the sort, rubbing
It on with the fingers. Mops and but
ter brushes can be used, but they do
the work less completely.
Further. proportion your bag size
to what it Is destined to hold. The
closer the fit Of bag and contents, the
better and the more even and COM
pact the lay Of the food. the less trouble
in handling. Fold over the open end
at least three times and fasten with
strong wire clips. IT, perforce. the
bag Is too big. cut of the end and
then fold over the clip. Also. 1 have
found 1t very satisfactory to fold and
clip empty corners, altho this is not
essential to success. Where bag and
food touch the paper holds its texture.
whereas in empty single ply spaces 1t
crisps rather easily and is likely to
break at touch.
Use 4 footed wire broiler, or very
open grid shelf, in the oven. All paper
lbas cooking u done in the oven. II a
sas oven, II must be lighted eight to
ten minutes before putting in the food
and kept at blazing heat until the bag
corners scorch lightly; then slacken the
heat . third or even half turnout the
rest Of the time OF cooking.
Be sure to lay the bags in the oven
with the seam uDpernost. especially II