Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-08-12
De.Natured Alcohol.

Hundreds of women in our smaller
towns and rural dist riots have been privi-
| legged merely to read and to dream uf
he manifold appliances made possible
through the use of electricity and gas
| 10 the aid of these hitherto restricted
housewives comes the new fuel, de-
natured alcohol.
Both gasoline and kerosene have, in
some measure, filled the need OF the
more satisfactory fuels, but alcohol III
this application comes much nearer gas
| than do either. Alcohol ia clean and
pleasant to handle, leaving neither
| .moke nor stain on utensils used over its
flame. It burns withou; an odor, and is
exceptionally safe to use, there being
little or no possibility of danger from
explosion.
ifitis accidentally spilled, 1t evaporates
Immediately, without leaving mark or
stain to tell the tale. And when 1t can
be purchased in the neighbarhood OF
fifty cents per gallon, 1t Is not an expen-
sve fuel, il managed with the same care
expended in the use of electricity or gas.
For all practical purposes, heat is not
obtained by the direct burning OF the al.
cohol, but by means OF a burner that
converts the alcohol to gas which
burns with blue, wickless flame. The
heat is quick and effective.
The alcohol stove has passed through
the experimental stage and proven Its
right to exist. Its usual form assemblies
gas plate of one, two or three burners,
raised upon short legs, with the storage
tank at the back; the tank is not large
AZ the fuel is consumed slowly. 1t is
quite attractive enough to be used In
place of the chatting dish, as the legs are
of nickel, and the tank, aluminium. This
little stove weighs only few pounds,
and is easily carried wherever desired.
1t can be purchased for about eight dol
,ars.
With the alcohol stove before her on
the dining or serving table, the hostess
can prepare dainty supper, or make
coffee and cook eggs for breakfast, as
iaintily and comfortably as with the
most approved electrical appliance. N"r
is it less practical in the kitchen. The
heat can he regulated. from q flame In
t,nse enough for the quick cooking OF a
steak, to ''simmeribg" heat for slow
cooking,
To get the best results when using a
frying pan over an Alcohol stove, II is nd
vi.abIe to place piece of heavy tin
under the pan to distribute the heat
otherwise the heat is tuo great direc: ~
YER the bu -ner and correspondingly in
sufficient round the edges.
Slow prolonged cooking over the alc"'
hol stove is some~hat expensive. There
are, however, two exceedingly salts
factory ways of overcoming this til
:ulty; the fireesS cooker which com
pie, es, without the use Uf fuel, the cook
ug begun on the stove, is one OF them
he steam cooker in which complete
Inner may be prepared over one burner
the other.
| Among the practical appliances, tbt
fat iron heated bv means OF alcoho
holds high place. The heat can b.
regulated as desired. 1t burns To-
several hours without attention. Tb'
ron costs in the neighborhood of fiv'
dollars.
The table coffee percolator, while no
of such extreme practicability as thu
first named articles, is a convenience
especially In the family where COFFEE
forms the foundation for breakfast.
The chatting dish is rapidly filing
long felt social need with the hostes
who has been obliged to depend alun
upon her kitchen range for cooking. |
IS deserving of more common use, TO
nothing eau exceed its cosy comfort a
the family supper table. Many cream
cd and escalloped dishes, which for rea
sons of haste or convenience are pre-
pared in the kitchen, are much improv
I'D when served from the chatting dish
have the hot water pan literally sup
piled, and the second helping of the dist
will be as palatable az the first.
Other cOnveniences are cnntinuall.
making their appearance. The alcoho
lamp, requiring neither wick nor chin
ney, and in consequence but minimum
# care, a small, portable heater, a self
heating curling iron, and heated man
gle for ironing fat pieces, are in quite
common use.
This means, although some Of the ap
pliances are still in the experimental
stage, a new era in the housekeeping o
multitude of homes situated outside
the big commercial centers. The new
fuel is being welcomed by many house
wives who see through it their dream
materializipg.