The fireless cooker should prove very useful in the lunch equipment of
rural schools, as its use should mean economy of fuel, utensils, time,
and effort. It might be made by the pupils and would afford an excellent
manual training exercise.
Many of the dishes in the recipes given may be cooked in this way, but
more time must be allowed for cooking, as there is a fall of temperature
in placing the food in the cooker. When the vessel is being transferred
from the stove to the cooker, the latter should be in a convenient
position, and the transfer should be made, and the cushion placed in
position, very quickly, so that the food will continue boiling. If the
quantity of food is small, it should be placed in a smaller tightly
covered pail, set on an inverted pan in the larger pail, and surrounded
with boiling water. When there is an air space above the food in the
cooking dish, there is greater loss of heat, as air gives off heat more
readily than water.
The following are examples of the foods that may be cooked in a Fireless
Cooker:
Apple sauce--Bring to boiling temperature and place in the cooker, leave
two hours.
Apple compote--Cut the apples in halves or quarters so that they need
not be turned. Leave them in the cooker about three hours.
Dried fruits--Soak overnight, bring to the boiling-point, and leave in
the cooker at least three hours.
Cream of wheat--Boil until thick, place in the cooker, leave overnight
and, if necessary, re-heat in double boiler before using.
Rolled oats--Boil five minutes, then place in the cooker. Leave at least
three hours and longer if possible.
Macaroni--Boil, then place in the cooker for two hours.
Rice--Boil, then place in the cooker for one hour.
All vegetables may be cooked in the cooker. They must be given time
according to their age. A safe rule for all green vegetables is to allow
two and a half times as long as if boiled on the stove.
In the home, where the cooking is much greater in amount than it can be
in the school, the saving in fuel, by the judicious use of the properly
made fireless cooker, is correspondingly much larger. For example: in
soups, from 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours use of fuel is made unnecessary; pot
roast 2-1/2 hours; beef stew 2-1/2 hours; lamb stew 1-1/2 hours; corn
beef and cabbage 2-1/2 hours; baked beans 5-1/2 to 7-1/2 hours; chicken
fricassee 2 hours; dried peas, beans, and lentils 3 hours; dried fruits
3 hours; rice pudding 1-1/2 hours.