TAKING THE GUESSWORK OUT OF GAS COOKERY
The points in buying a gas range are for the most part the same as in
purchasing an electric range. It must be of the best material, cast iron
or sheet iron or a combination of the two, the ovens usually lined with
steel, upon which is baked aluminum or a vitreous enamel. Enamels are
more expensive but their sanitary value is great. Everything must be of
the best quality, no seams or roughness can be allowed to catch food or
odors, and the stove manufacturers must give you a guarantee of almost
everlasting life.
Stoves to-day are made with and without shelves, some have the ovens
above, some below. But where the oven is below it is a great boon to
have the top at least 32″ high--38″ from the floor is better, so that
the oven is sufficiently high to obviate back breaking, and the cooking
surface high enough to eliminate the back bend for the ordinary cooking
processes. Ranges to-day are built so that there is absolutely no guess
work either in management or accomplishment.
NEW DEVICES
A recent improvement is a stove with an oven heat-regulating device,
absolutely controlling the temperature. Because this device is used by
domestic science cooking schools, cooking must be an exact science. No
especial training is required to handle this device, and it has no
working parts to get out of order; the temperature is simply controlled
and maintained by the turn of a wheel.
This enables you to bake without opening the oven door. A chart is
supplied by which you can cook any kind of dish, the time, the
temperature and the necessary decreasing or increasing of the
temperature being given clearly.
One new type of stove has the smooth top. It looks not unlike a coal
stove. It has no aching voids for things to spill into, nor can pots tip
over into the yawning chasms. This saves a lot of needless irritation,
which is important with the present high temperaments of cooks and
housemaids. This stove stands 38″ from the ground.
THE TOP
An interesting feature is that the whole top becomes heated and is
usable, whereas in the ordinary four-burner top only four utensils can
be used at once. This top is connected with a flue which draws the heat,
so that there is no waste of gas. If necessary, the lids can be raised
and the flame from the burner will just tip the utensil, the proper
position for flames. The oven in this range is so planned that it can be
opened from the bottom with either hand. Another stove has a top that is
semi-smooth and semi-spider, allowing you both systems.
Should a vessel spill over in the “smooth top,” the top catches the
overflow and it is simply washed off instead of the usual pulling out of
the tray and the messed-up burner plate, which must be scraped and
cleaned. This range is made tall and narrow, ready for the small as well
as the large kitchen.
All gas stoves to-day have the automatic lighter, which gives you
freedom from the use of matches and makes gas nearly as convenient as
electricity. Of course, gas is hotter in the summer than electricity,
and to obviate this many of the stove makers produce marvelously
contrived combination ranges of gas and electricity.
[Illustration:
_Courtesy of Vulcan Stove Co._
THE SMOOTH TOP 38″ GAS RANGE TAKES THE STOOP OUT OF STOOPID COOKERY]
Some stoves have plate warmers above and some have a shelf open and
available on which to warm dishes, which also makes a convenient rack
for dishes while the rest of the meal is cooking.
Nearly all stoves are equipped with broiler chamber, baking oven and
wire shelves. One, particularly convenient, has, instead of the two
full-sized shelves in the large oven, one shelf divided into two pieces,
allowing for more elasticity in placing different dishes in the oven.
In the stove which has the oven heat-regulating device, there are many
of the fireless cooker features with some of its drawbacks eliminated.
For example, it has no thick walls which eventually become impregnated
with odors of past meals; the time in pot watching is eliminated; you
can do other work and yet be sure that your cooking is being done well.
So much of the cooking can be done in the oven that fewer burners are
necessary. This type is made in sizes varying from 35″ wide and upward.
REGULATING HEAT
When you are ready to put the whole meal in the oven, your instruction
card will tell you the correct temperature to set the thermostat. You
can then leave the oven unwatched for a period of three to four hours.
No preliminary cooking is necessary; in fact, the things can be put on
in cold water if necessary; furthermore, the cost of cooking is no more,
and sometimes less, than with the old-fashioned hit or miss method.
Canning with this oven is simplicity itself, as there is no need to lift
the big containers to the cooking surface.
Many people prefer the fireless-cooking, oven gas stoves. These are
excellent when made by the best manufacturers and certainly help the
servantless house greatly.
The old-fashioned methods of finding out if your oven is hot are as
follows: Poking your head into the oven, perilous; thrusting an
unoffending hand therein; browning pieces of paper or a bit of flour;
burning the gas and letting it go at that; gauging the size of the
flame: but these are unreliable, for everyone feels the heat differently
and the quality of paper varies and atmospheric conditions differ. How
many times have you cooked the same thing the same way, and have had
success one day and failure the next. What waste--and how discouraging!
With the particular stove in question, the novice soon becomes an
expert. As much of the cooking can be done in the oven, not so large a
surface stove need be bought; a small family can actually use a
two-burner surface.
BURNERS
The burners on all the best stoves are regulated by the gas companies,
from whom it is wise to buy, unless you are purchasing the installed,
made-to-order stove.
One firm emphasizes its burner because it spreads well; it claims there
is a saving of gas, which is quite true. This stove also stresses its
glass oven door. Now the glass oven door is a fine thing, but when meats
are being cooked, the glass becomes greased, and unless cleaned off at
once may leave furrows.
The cabinet stove is the type used practically all over this country. It
sits on high legs and has the oven (top or bottom), warmers and shelves.
The stove without shelves is not called the cabinet style. Usually the
cabinet has the ovens to right or left or below the cooking top. Some of
these stoves have a separate splasher on the side of the back wall or
the side wall; this is not absolutely necessary if the stove is so
finished that the splashing will wash off easily. Some stoves are
completely enameled, including splasher; others are just blue iron or
polished steel. Of course, there are the expensive enameled stoves which
only have to be washed for the dirt and dust to slide off.
[Illustration:
_Courtesy of Clark Jewel Stove Company._
TAKING THE GUESS WORK OUT OF OVEN TEMPERATURES BY THE USE OF AN
AUTOMATIC HEAT REGULATOR]
The vital thing in the gas stove is the burner and its regulation.
Nothing will compensate for poor burners, poor insulation, poor heating.
Some stoves are so made that the linings come out and can be easily
washed and greased with kerosene thus keeping them in excellent
condition. But keep your ovens more than spotless.
The gas supply pipe when installed with a stove should be not less than
³⁄₄″ bore. Some companies advise making an iron pipe connection with a
union coupling.
The best results for the gas range would be had if connected by a stove
pipe to a chimney but great care should be taken to avoid a down shaft.
Much moisture in a stove, which will slowly destroy it, denotes this
down draft presence. Yet sometimes the flue connection is a nuisance, as
it is at other times a necessity. In some districts the flue is
necessary by ordinance.
Top burners must be frequently cleaned and when they are removed the
drip pan can be cleaned too and the space in which the drip pan rests.
Wipe off dust from the air mixer, that is, where the air enters the
burner to make the flame cook. Grease your oven linings occasionally and
your stove will wear longer. If your stove happens to have a porcelain
enameled broiler pan, take it out when not broiling in that oven.
RANGE FACTS
Don’t use a big flame when food or water is boiling. Nearly all the good
stoves have air and gas regulating devices and with each stove the
method is explained to the purchaser. Remember that you want a blue
flame, that the tip only should touch the utensil and that the yellow
flame may mean too much gas and cause smoking or it may mean too little
air. Keep your flame at the blue point, with no yellow or white tip.
Before lighting any burner, try all the gas valves to be sure that they
are closed and that there is no gas in the range. If the burners pop out
close partly the air mixers.
The simmering burner on the new stoves is a great convenience and
economy, if the burner is perfectly regulated. In most cases the air
mixer must be nearly closed.
Cakes bake unevenly perhaps if they are set too near the front of the
oven. Be sure to put them at least in the center or better near the
back.
To prevent fish from burning while broiling or baking, grease the
gridiron. In broiling steak, if it is thick, place it 1″ from the flame.
If not thick 2″ or 3″. Keep the broiler door open while broiling. Heat
the oven for ten or fifteen minutes with the door shut before putting
the meat or fish in to broil.
Remember the tip of the blue flame is sufficient to cook; any other
flame condition spells waste.
When your burners do not light, they are probably grease clogged. Remove
them and boil them in a solution of washing soda.
Turn down the flame when the substance begins to boil.
Unusual cooking capacity in a small space is really one of the great
advantages of the new stoves. Know your space, your family needs and
then buy your stove from one of the best makers or order it through your
gas company.
Manufacturers have tried to beautify their stoves, but when you buy see
to it that you buy comfort first.
A gas range should keep in first class condition for at least fifteen
years--that is, if you buy the best and take reasonable care of it.
All kinds of stove combinations can be had: gas and coal, gas, coal and
electricity, electricity and gas, oil and electricity, etc. So every
taste, every necessity can be met in stoves to-day. There is but one
rule--buy what you need and the best of its kind.