Fireless Cookery

The Fireless Cooker has become an important factor in the home. There are a number of kinds offered for sale, but the principle is the same with all; namely, the preservation of heat by the use of non-conducting materials. The device ordinarily used is a rectangular box lined on all sides with some substance which will prevent escape of heat, with spaces or wells for the insertion of stone or metal discs or radiators and vessels containing food to be cooked.

Among the advantages of this method of preparing food are: the improvement in flavor occasioned by the slower cooking with little opportunity for evaporation; the improved appearance of food that is subject to considerable shrinkage when cooked by ordinary methods; the saving in labor, as the cooking practically takes care of itself. Dinner may be prepared in the morning, placed in the cooker, and without further attention be ready to serve at any time after 3 or 4 hours. While the time required for cooking is somewhat longer than in the usual methods, the actual time consumed in preparation of a meal is considerably reduced.

Prepare food for cooking as usual. Place in special vessel, designed to fit into wells of Fireless Cooker, and heat on range or over gas flame until ordinary cooking temperature is reached. Put into cooker with one or more radiators which have been heated for 10 or 15 minutes over hot fire. For roasting, radiator should be hot enough to brown a pinch of flour immediately. Close cover, fasten lightly so that the steam may escape and allow cooking to proceed for time specified in recipes.

For baking cake, apples, etc., proceed as for roasting. The time required for baking is slightly longer than that specified for regular ovens. For cake ordinarily baked in a moderate oven, heat radiators hot enough to brown a pinch of flour in half a minute.

The Fireless Cooker is especially convenient for the preparation of cereals, meats, vegetables and other dishes that are ordinarily boiled or roasted. Remember that foods should be thoroughly heated before putting into cooker.