From "Win the war"
Cook Book (1918) published by St. Louis county unit, Woman's committee,
Council of National Defense, here are a few ideas to save kitchen fuel.
TO SAVE GAS OR FUEL
Save Gas: Never leave burner lighted while preparing material -
better to use an extra match.
When oven is used plan to bake at same time a roast, apples,
potatoes and a pudding or cake.
The boiling point is 212 F. No amount of heat will make it higher.
Notice this and turn flame accordingly.
There are three-cornered sauce pans: 3 vegetables or sauces may be
cooked at one time.
And here is some further advice from: Jennie June's American Cookery Book (New York, 1870), by Jane
Cunningham Croly.
Arrange work so as
to save fuel as much as possible. Mix bread at night, so that it will be ready
to bake with that "first fire" which always makes the oven hot in the
morning. Prepare fruit over night, so that pies or other things can be quickly
made and baked immediately after. Prepare hashes for breakfast, over night.
Have the kitchen and dining room put in order before retiring to rest. Have
kindlings and whatever is needed for building fires laid ready, and the fire in
the kitchen raked down, so that it can be built up in the shortest possible
space of time. This is not only a saving in the morning, but will be found
useful in case of illness in the night, when a fire is often required at a
moment's notice.
Try to buy in as
large quantities as possible, so as to save the perpetual running out to the
grocery. Supplies on hand also enable the housekeeper to provide a more varied
table, with far greater economy than is possible where everything is bought by
the half a pound, more or less.
Every family that
can possibly find means to do it, or a place to properly keep the articles,
should commence winter with fuel, potatoes, apples, flour, and butter, enough
to last till Spring. A good supply of hominy, rice, farina, Indian meal,
preserved fish, and other staples, including sugar, should also be laid in, not
forgetting a box of raisins, one of currants, a third of soap, and a fourth of
starch.
There is such an
immense saving in soap well dried, that it is surprising so many housekeepers
content themselves with buying it in damp bars. Starch also is frightfully
wasted by quarter, and half pound purchases, which are frequently all absorbed
at one time, by careless girls, in doing the washing for a small family.
Regularity is the
pivot upon which all household management turns; where there is a lack of
system there is a lack of comfort, that no amount of individual effort can
supply. Forethought also is necessary, so that the work may be all arranged
beforehand; done in its proper order, and at the right time. Never, except in
cases of extreme emergency, allow Monday's washing to be put off till Tuesday;
Tuesday's ironing till Wednesday, or Wednesday's finishing up and "setting
to rights," till Thursday. Leave Thursday for extra work; or when that is
not required, for resting day, or half holiday, and as a preparation for the up
stairs' sweeping and dusting of Friday, and the downstairs' baking and
scrubbing of Saturday.
As the recipe for the day, I give you a
little something from Jennie June:
Mock Duck.
Procure a steak cut from the rump of beef, and fill it with a
dressing made of chopped bread, pork, sage, onions and sweet marjoram, and well-seasoned;
sew it up, put a slice or two of pork, or some of the dressing, on the top, and
set it in a pan, into which pour a pint of water; cover down tight, and let it
cook slowly in the oven three hours; then take off the lid, brown quickly, and
serve hot.
Quotation for the Day.
The object of cooking is to make food healthful, and palatable; the
secret is therefore, how to combine elements and flavors, so as to produce the
best results.
Jennie June's American Cookery Book.(1870)
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