Wood. — As an exclusive fuel, wood is but seldom used for cooking
purposes in England, though in many parts abroad it is still widely
used as household fuel. Man’s first fires were unquestionably made
of wood, and it is still an essential ingredient throughout the world, as
scarcely a coal fire can be lit without the aid of wood. Hard wood is
the best for cooking purposes, such as oak, maple, and hickory.
Soft wood is good on account of its kindling properties ; the resin
which most soft woods contain causes them to burn more freely, the
principal kinds being pine, fir, spruce and cedar.
GASEOUS FUELS
Gas. — Gas ip now largely, and in some establishments exclusively,
used for cooking purposes. This is mainly due to the great strides
that have of late years been made in the manufacture of gas cooking-
48
THE NEW CENTURY COOKERY BOOK
stoves. The modem stoves are vastly superior to the old patterns,
and the ventilation of the ovens is now so perfect that roasting and
baking can be done quite as well in gas ovens as in coal-heated
ovens.
Coal gas was originally the only gas used for fuel. Now, however, ,
air gas and water gas, as well as natural gas, are so utilised. The
most perfect fuel is obtained from coal containing a due proportion of
hydrogen. This is known as coal gas, and is the most efficient of all
gaseous fuels, being a pure hydrocarbon fuel, and eminently suitable
for both heating and lighting purposes.
Acetelyne, or water gas, is a mixture of carbon -monoxide and
hydrogen.
Air gas is a mixture of air and vapour of gasoline.
Natural gas is obtained from the earth by boring very deep. The
latter gas is similar in composition to coal gas/and equally as good.
The water and air gases are both very deficient for heating purposes,
and cannot therefore be recommended.
There are two kinds of systems of burners adopted in gas cooking-
apparatus, those which provide luminous flames, similar to those
used for lighting purposes (the burner inserted brings forth a white
flame), and those fitted with burners producing atmospheric flames.
In the latter case the gas is diluted with air before being burnt. The
products of combustion from the luminous burners are chiefly steam
and carbonic acid, whilst the products of combustion from the atmo-
spheric burners are steam, carbonic acid and carbon-monoxide. The
latter produce a blue flame and the former a white flame. Luminous
gas flames are preferable where a radiant heat is required ; but
atmospheric gas is more generally used for all kinds of cooking
purposes, because it is found to be more powerful and more effective.
ELECTRICITY
The same electric current which serves for lighting streets and
houses can be utilised for cooking. Domestic machines, such as
knife-cleaners, coffee-grinders, boot-cleaners, &c., are also worked by
means of the electric current.
There being no combustion at all in the use of electricity, it is
claimed that cooking done by its aid can be performed with much
less heat than is the case with coal or gas, the reason being that no
fireplace is needed, thus no loss of heat takes place. Electricity will
in course of time revolutionise our kitchen arrangements. At present
it is but little used, no doubt owing to the comparatively heavy cost
' of electric currents.
LIQUID FUELS
Page 27
Presented as published in 1901. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Wood. — As an exclusive fuel, wood is but seldom used for cooking purposes in England, though in many parts abroad it is still widely used as household fuel. Man’s first fires were unquestionably made of wood, and it is still an essential ingredient throughout the world, as scarcely a coal fire can be lit without the aid of wood. Hard wood is the best for cooking purposes, such as oak, maple, and hickory. Soft wood is good on account of its kindling properties ; the resin which most soft woods contain causes them to burn more freely, the principal kinds being pine, fir, spruce and cedar.
GASEOUS FUELS
Gas. — Gas is now largely, and in some establishments exclusively, used for cooking purposes. This is mainly due to the great strides that have of late years been made in the manufacture of gas cooking-
stoves. The modem stoves are vastly superior to the old patterns, and the ventilation of the ovens is now so perfect that roasting and baking can be done quite as well in gas ovens as in coal-heated ovens.
Coal gas was originally the only gas used for fuel. Now, however, , air gas and water gas, as well as natural gas, are so utilised. The most perfect fuel is obtained from coal containing a due proportion of hydrogen. This is known as coal gas, and is the most efficient of all gaseous fuels, being a pure hydrocarbon fuel, and eminently suitable for both heating and lighting purposes.
Acetelyne, or water gas, is a mixture of carbon -monoxide and hydrogen.
Air gas is a mixture of air and vapour of gasoline.
Natural gas is obtained from the earth by boring very deep. The latter gas is similar in composition to coal gas and equally as good. The water and air gases are both very deficient for heating purposes, and cannot therefore be recommended.
There are two kinds of systems of burners adopted in gas cookingapparatus, those which provide luminous flames, similar to those used for lighting purposes (the burner inserted brings forth a white flame), and those fitted with burners producing atmospheric flames. In the latter case the gas is diluted with air before being burnt. The products of combustion from the luminous burners are chiefly steam and carbonic acid, whilst the products of combustion from the atmospheric burners are steam, carbonic acid and carbon-monoxide. The latter produce a blue flame and the former a white flame. Luminous gas flames are preferable where a radiant heat is required ; but atmospheric gas is more generally used for all kinds of cooking purposes, because it is found to be more powerful and more effective.
ELECTRICITY
The same electric current which serves for lighting streets and houses can be utilised for cooking. Domestic machines, such as knife-cleaners, coffee-grinders, boot-cleaners, &c., are also worked by means of the electric current.
There being no combustion at all in the use of electricity, it is claimed that cooking done by its aid can be performed with much less heat than is the case with coal or gas, the reason being that no fireplace is needed, thus no loss of heat takes place. Electricity will in course of time revolutionise our kitchen arrangements. At present it is but little used, no doubt owing to the comparatively heavy cost ' of electric currents.
LIQUID FUELS