Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-05-28
KEEPING THE
DINNER HOT
NiE chief advantage ir beginning
dinner with something ljita

%IiT chief advantage n beginning
dinner with something like
grapefruit melon. ar stravher-
ries or clans or oysters IL that thev
may he made ready anv time within
an hour or SO of dinner and need NJ
further preparation TN placed on the
table to 10 served Tha gives tho
cook or one Who IS IN charge of the
prepa ration of dinner At least ton min
utos leavae for tho nnal heating or
cooking of the FIRST cooked course For
the simple home dinner that IS not
served according - clockwork this is
2 great help for ono need never have
The finishing touches IN cooking done
till tho diners arc AZ hand
If there are chops or steak. one need
not even begin II till tho family has
assembled from off7ce. country clnh. or
garden II IS mistake to keor steaks
and ohops IN the oven FOR long time
under too SLOW heat as this dries
them ont When the housewife or cook
docs not know exactly what time din
ner is TO be served II is better not to
begin this operation at all tin Just he
fore serving tho first course.
Fried food Of all sorts should not he
cooked till the last minute. as IT he
comes soEEN and indigestible when
kept for a length If time and il is
utterly ruined when dipped for a sec
ond time in the hot erea Sc With Gro
1uettes the only way 10 reheat them
after they have been cooked once is ~
place them in a hot oven and allow
them to heat through
There is little problem connected
with keeping q stew hot II you are
to have flour gravy il Is better 70
make this some time before the stew
is TO Ice serN ed. cook II very thoroughly
and carefully over direct heat and then
place the gravy and stew in the top
OF a double boiler and keep It Just
warm enough So that IL will not lurnp
10 not let il cool and then reheat at
the last minute This causes Jumps
and film TO form over the top of the
gravy.
Some persons have but one idea in
reheating food or keeping il hot for
delayed dinner That is to put il in
the oven Really, this is criminal so
far as the interests OF good cooking go
The principle involved in the steam
"a bie is the one to make use Of The
steam table, YOU know. is the device
used in restaurants and cafeterias TO
keep viands hot and appetizine some
times for many hours As the name
indicates this is done with steam You
can get the same results by putting
the food you wish to keep hot in a
bowl or pan that will ht exactly into
pan in which you can keep boiling
water Also fit cover over the bowl
containing the food Keep enough heat
under the pan to keep the water steam
ing. but not actively boiling
Boiled potatoes sometimes are i'm
proved 10y being kept for a little while
out Of the water in which they have
been boiled. for the simple reason that
they improve in flavor If allowed to
become a little dry II YOU have an
old-fashioned stove. place the potatoes
in the pan from which the water has
been entirely drained. and over the top
spread a dry. clean cloth This alb
sorbs the moisture evenly. without al
lowing the potatoes TO become dry on
top. If you have n gas stove. the pan
with the cloth on top may be slipped
into a cool oven. Baked potatoes may
be kept for a little time in the edge
Of an open oven, but baked potatoes
are not easy TO keep hot 1t is best TO
plan TO have them only when YOU are
reasonably certain Of the time when |
dinner may be served |