stone plates:

In this method the food is cold when it is placed in the cooker, and all
the heat is supplied by stone plates placed above and below the utensil
containing the food. These plates are heated for about twenty minutes
over a fire, before they are used in the cooker.

Examples of food cooked in this way are, roasts of meat; baked fruit,
such as apples; baked vegetables, such as potatoes or beans; cakes, such
as plain cake or fruit cake; quick bread, such as corn-bread and
biscuits.

3. Food cooked in liquid, aided by the heat of one stone plate:

In cases where the original heat absorbed by the food is not sufficient
to complete the cooking as desired, a heated stone plate may be placed
in the cooker below the utensil containing the hot food. The stone may
be necessary for one of the following reasons--

(1) Because the amount of food put into the
cooker is too small to contain much heat. It is
always better to have the food nearly fill the
dish.

(2) Because the time required is so long that
the heat of the food and liquid becomes
exhausted before the cooking is completed.

(3) Because it is desirable to finish the
cooking in less time.

A HOME-MADE FIRELESS COOKER

Use a large wooden box or a small trunk with a close-fitting cover. Make
it as air-tight as possible by pasting thick paper all over the inside.

Pack it level with clean sawdust or excelsior (the latter preferably),
until just enough height is left to set in a covered granite pail, which
is to be used for holding the food. Place the pail in the centre, so
that its top edge is just about half an inch below the top of the box.
Then pack in more excelsior very tightly around the pail, until level
with it. This will shape the "nest" for the pail.

[Illustration: A home-made fireless cooker]

Make a thick cushion, or mat, of excelsior to fit in the space between
the level of the excelsior and the inside of the cover. Cover the
cushion with cheesecloth or denim to keep it intact.

NOTE.--Only food cooked in a liquid can be
prepared in a home-made cooker.

CHAPTER VII

FORM IV: JUNIOR GRADE (Continued)

STUDY OF FOOD

The pupils have been working with some of the well-known foods in all of
their recipes and should have a fair knowledge of how to prepare them in
simple ways for the table. It is now time for th