Fireless cookers are specially adapted to use on a large scale, as it is
in cases where cooking is done on a business basis that economy in fuel,
range space, and labour form such an important factor, and because there
some intelligent person will generally oversee the work of the ignorant
and careless. In their present form they are not, perhaps, adapted to
very large institutions, where many hundreds of persons are fed, since
there is a limit to the size of utensils which can be lifted in and out
of the insulating box. But for small institutions, hotels,
boarding-houses, restaurants, and lunch rooms the fireless cooker will,
inevitably, become indispensable as soon as it is understood.
The United States Army has used the fireless cooker and, owing partly to
its demand, some of the manufacturers of commercial cookers make them in
sizes appropriate for use on a large scale. For those who wish to try
them without an initial outlay of much money the home-made cooker will
be found in every way satisfactory. As an encouragement to those who
wish to use them for such purposes, it may be said that there is less
chance of failure in cooking large quantities of food than with small.
In the main, the directions for making and using cookers are the same no
matter what the size, but a few points may be suggested as more
necessary for large than small cookers.
In many kitchens there will be no space near the range for a cooker or a
number of cookers, and it will be a matter of necessity to have one
which can easily be moved. Instead of ordinary castors, use, for these,
such small iron wheels as are put on hand trucks. They will be found to
run more easily and to injure a floor much less. Select a box which will
fit under a table, when loaded, and then it will not seem to make the
kitchen any fuller than before. Fit it with two strong handles,
preferably on the front of the box, so that it may be guided when pulled
out from under the table.
The portable insulating pail may be found useful for transporting hot
food from a central kitchen to outlying dining-rooms, as is so often
done in large institutions, aluminum utensils and the lightest packing
material that is practicable being advisable for these.
The temperature maintained by a large mass of food in a well-made box,
will result in more rapid cooking than with small quantities, and this
must be taken into account with foods, such as potatoes, which are
easily overcooked.
There is always a difficulty in stating the number of persons that may
be served by any recipe, since the amount served to each varies to such
an extent with circumstances. The number indicated in this book is a
mean between the small _table d’hôte_ and the large _à la carte_
portions, and is based upon the amount served at an ordinary family
table. Three-quarters of a cupful is allowed for each portion of soup.