The packing between the lard can or outer container and the
bucket which is to hold the food should be a poor conductor of
heat. Among the materials which are usually available in most
farm homes for use in this way are: excelsior, shredded news-
LABOR-SAVING DEVICES 253
papers, straw, hay, lint cotton and wool. The lard can is lined
with sheet asbestos about % inch thick. The nest or well, as it
is called, in which the bucket of food is to set is also lined with
this asbestos. The packing is placed between. If possible, have
at least 4 inches of this insulation between the lard can and the
bucket. If two wells or nests are to be made, such as is the case
when an old trunk is used for the outer container, 6 inches of
packing should be placed between the two nests.
First Hne the lard can or other utensil used in its place with
asbestos, then place 4 or more inches of the packing in the
bottom. Make the nest of asbestos, being sure that it is large
enough so the bucket can be placed in it easily. Set this in the
lard can and stuff in the packing firmly between the nest and the
sides of the can. Make a collar of sheet asbestos to fit between
the sides of the can and the nest, fitting this over the top to hide
the packing. This should fit tightly. When this is done, make
a cushion of muslin and fill with the packing. This should be
4 inches thick and it is fitted on top of the fireless cooker, filling
the space between the top of the bucket and the asbestos collar
and the top of the lard can. Place the cover on the lard can or
other container and the fireless cooker is made. In this type of
cooker the food is heated to the boiling point in the bucket and
placed in the nest. The insulation retains the heat which com-
pletes the cookery. No radiators are used. The homemade
cooker is adapted to cooking cereals, stewed and boiled foods;
the commercial devices with their discs which may be heated and
placed under and above the foods may also be used for baking
and roasting.
Layer Steamers
Steamers on the market nowadays have two pans which fit
into them above the water so that two or more kinds of foods
may be steamed at the same time. While this is being done,
another food may be stewing or boiling in the bottom part of the
steamer kettle. When kerosene or gas stoves are used, this type
of a steam kettle reduces the amount of fuel used in preparing
a meal. In addition, they provide a saving of food value. In
boiling foods, especially the vegetables, some of the food value
dissolves in the liquid in which they cook. If this liquor is
254 THE FARM COOK AND RULE BOOK
drained off, it is frequently thrown away so the food elements in
it are lost. Steamed foods retain all of their nutritive value
because they are not cooked in water.
Care of Refrigerators
Page 124
Presented as published in 1923. 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
The packing between the lard can or outer container and the bucket which is to hold the food should be a poor conductor of heat. Among the materials which are usually available in most farm homes for use in this way are: excelsior, shredded news-
papers, straw, hay, lint cotton and wool. The lard can is lined with sheet asbestos about % inch thick. The nest or well, as it is called, in which the bucket of food is to set is also lined with this asbestos. The packing is placed between. If possible, have at least 4 inches of this insulation between the lard can and the bucket. If two wells or nests are to be made, such as is the case when an old trunk is used for the outer container, 6 inches of packing should be placed between the two nests.
First Hne the lard can or other utensil used in its place with asbestos, then place 4 or more inches of the packing in the bottom. Make the nest of asbestos, being sure that it is large enough so the bucket can be placed in it easily. Set this in the lard can and stuff in the packing firmly between the nest and the sides of the can. Make a collar of sheet asbestos to fit between the sides of the can and the nest, fitting this over the top to hide the packing. This should fit tightly. When this is done, make a cushion of muslin and fill with the packing. This should be 4 inches thick and it is fitted on top of the fireless cooker, filling the space between the top of the bucket and the asbestos collar and the top of the lard can. Place the cover on the lard can or other container and the fireless cooker is made. In this type of cooker the food is heated to the boiling point in the bucket and placed in the nest. The insulation retains the heat which completes the cookery. No radiators are used. The homemade cooker is adapted to cooking cereals, stewed and boiled foods; the commercial devices with their discs which may be heated and placed under and above the foods may also be used for baking and roasting.
Layer Steamers
Steamers on the market nowadays have two pans which fit into them above the water so that two or more kinds of foods may be steamed at the same time. While this is being done, another food may be stewing or boiling in the bottom part of the steamer kettle. When kerosene or gas stoves are used, this type of a steam kettle reduces the amount of fuel used in preparing a meal. In addition, they provide a saving of food value. In boiling foods, especially the vegetables, some of the food value dissolves in the liquid in which they cook. If this liquor is
drained off, it is frequently thrown away so the food elements in it are lost. Steamed foods retain all of their nutritive value because they are not cooked in water.
Care of Refrigerators