FoodNetArchive

Cookery for every household

1914

Page 14

Presented as published in 1914. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
It is often better to hang many of the smaller utensils that are constantly being required, such as strainers, measures, jugs, &c., as they are more easily reached than when put away in drawers and cupboards. A supply of groceries, too, especially such things as are frequently wanted, should always be kept in the kitchen itself and be ready to hand. Then there is a great art in keeping a place in order when once it is well arranged, and this gift of order, which would seem to be inborn, is, alas ! one of the most difficult to acquire. Still, no good work can be done in a muddle, and it will generally be found that it is the best cooks who make the least mess and use the fewest dishes and utensils. When cooking is going on there must always be clearing up at the same time, and when the making of one dish is finished, everything for which there is no further use must be put away before another is started. Often, too, a small washing up can be managed now and again, and thus a big one at the end avoided. Cleanliness. — The kitchen and all that it contains must be kept spotlessly clean, this is imperative both to health and comfort. Cleanliness is one of the first attributes of a good cook, it ought therefore to form the groundwork of all training, as without it there can be no good results as far as cooking is concerned. Not only must the kitchen itself have its systematic daily and weekly cleaning, the utensils, too, must be kept in good condition, and their cleaning must never be neglected nor put off from one day to another. “ You can judge a workman by his tools ” cannot be better applied than to a cook, as no woman who has any pleasure in her profession would put up with a dirty saucepan nor an untidy kitchen — the scrupulous cleanliness of both should be her special pride and care. Below are given a few general rules for the clean ing of a kitchen and its contents. Cleaning the Kitchen. — This may be accomplished all in one day or by degrees, as is found most con- venient. If the kitchen is a large one and there is much to be done, the latter plan is generally the better of the two, as the work is then less obtrusive and it does not upset the comfort of the household so much as a big turn-out would do. The flues and range might be cleaned one day, with the scrubbing of the floors and tables to follow, the cupboards and windows another day, and the larder and out- side premises another, and so on. This is entirely a matter of arrangement, and must be planned to suit the ways and circumstances of each individual household. The following are a few hints regarding the various cleaning operations : To Clean the Range and Flues (see pp. 16-17). The Walls. — These should be kept well dusted. To do this, tie a clean soft duster over the head of a long soft broom and sweep every part of the wall with this, moving the brush up and down in long straight lines and being particular to remove all dust from the corners. The ceiling can be cleaned in the same way. When the walls are covered with some washable material, such as varnished paper, paint, or tiles, they should be well washed