l or wood range, showing, (_a_) oven damper
open]

[Illustration: A kitchen coal or wood range, showing, (_b_) oven damper
closed]

THE FIRELESS COOKER

Throughout the training given in Household Management, the teacher
should emphasize the value of labour-saving devices and aids in the
home. How to economize time and energy should be a prominent feature of
every practical lesson. If time permit, a lesson may be taken to
consider specially such aids as are readily procurable, together with
their average cost. In this lesson the fireless cooker is considered.

[Illustration: A fireless cooker]

The principles of the fireless cooker are based on a knowledge of the
laws governing the conduction and radiation of heat. For this reason, an
elementary science lesson relating to these laws should precede this
lesson. Such a science lesson is part of the regular grade work of Form
IV, so if a specialist teaches the Household Management of that grade,
she and the regular teacher should arrange to co-ordinate their
lessons.

PRINCIPLES OF THE FIRELESS COOKER

1. It furnishes no heat, but conserves the heat which is in the food
when it is put into the cooker.

2. It conserves the heat in the food, by surrounding it with substances
which are poor conductors of heat.

3. Extra heat may be given the food, after it is put in the cooker, by
placing heated stone plates above and below the dish that contains the
food. The stone used for this purpose must be a good absorbent of heat.

REASONS FOR THE USE OF THE FIRELESS COOKER

1. It saves fuel and is therefore economical.

2. It saves time, because it requires no
watching.

3. It conserves the flavour of the food.

4. It obviates all danger of burning the food.

5. It does not heat the room.

WAYS OF USING THE FIRELESS COOKER

1. Food cooked in liquid:

In all cookers where stone plates are not used, only such foods as are
cooked in liquids can be prepared. Examples of foods cooked in this way
are, meat soup, beef-tea, meat stews, vegetables, fruit, porridge,
cereal, puddings, etc.

The prepared food is put into one of the food receptacles belonging to
the cooker and is placed over a fire, until it has boiled for a few
minutes. The cover is then tightly adjusted, and the dish quickly locked
in the cooker, to conserve the heat that the food and liquid have
absorbed.

2. Food cooked in dry heat by the use of