FORM IV: JUNIOR GRADE
THE KITCHEN
At the beginning of the year's work in Form IV, several lessons should
be spent in reviewing the methods of cooking and cleaning taught in the
previous year. This may be done by reviewing former recipes and by using
new ones which require a knowledge of these methods. As the pupils work,
they should be closely observed, and, without the teacher giving undue
assistance, their weak points should be carefully strengthened. The
length of time spent on the review will vary according to the ability of
the class. This can be plainly judged by their habits of work. The new
recipes given them should be such as they are likely to use at home, so
as to encourage home practice. These recipes will also enlarge their
collection in their special recipe books. Some of the following may be
useful: creamed potatoes, potato omelet, stuffed potatoes, stuffed
onions, corn oysters, baked tomatoes, spaghetti with tomato sauce,
macaroni and cheese, scalloped apples, plain rice pudding, ginger
pudding, sago pudding, tapioca cream.
THE KITCHEN FIRE
Up to this time the pupils have been allowed to manage their individual
table stoves or a gas range. They should now be taught to understand and
to use an ordinary coal or wood range. Two lessons will be necessary for
this purpose. After each lesson has been taught, the remainder of the
period should be spent in some kind of practical work which can be
accomplished in the time. Some cookery which requires only a few minutes
may be reviewed, such as tea, cocoa, coffee, toast, bacon, apple sauce;
drawers and cupboards may be cleaned; silver and steel may be polished;
designs for wall-paper, dishes, curtains, and dress materials may be
drawn; household accounts may be computed; sewing may be finished.
LESSON I
REQUIREMENTS OF A KITCHEN FIRE
In introducing a lesson on the kitchen fire, ask the pupils to imagine
that they have built a new house, which the workmen have just vacated.
Before they can move in it must be cleaned. What kind of water is best
for cleaning? Hot water. What is necessary to provide hot water? A fire.
Find out from the pupils and then write on the black-board what is
necessary for a fire. What is the first requisite? Something to burn.
What do we call such a substance? _Fuel._ Where shall we put the fuel?
In a _stove_. Why is a stove necessary? To confine the fire.
Using a candle as fuel and a lamp chimney as a stove, light the candle
and place it in the chimney. It burns only a short time and then dies
out. Why? Because the oxygen of the air in the chimney is all exhausted.
Then what is another requisite for a fire? _Oxygen._
Imagine the room to be a stove and the chairs, books, tables, etc., to
be fuel. The air in the room also contains much oxygen, so that in this
room we have three requisites for a fire. It is very fortunate for us
that something else is needed. We shall try to find out what it is.
Watch while I hold these strips of paper over this lighted gas stove
high enough to be out of reach of the flame. What happened to them? They
burst into a flame. What did the paper that I held receive that it did
not get when it was lying on the table? Heat. We shall try a match in
the same way, also some thin shavings. They also burn when they receive
heat from the fire. Then what is another requisite for a fire? _Heat._
Name all of the requisites for a kitchen fire. _Fuel_, _stove_,
_oxygen_, and _heat_.
NOTE.--Just here it is a good thing to impress
the care that is necessary in regard to
gasolene, coal-oil, benzine, etc., or any
substance that burns at a low temperature.
Bring out the fact very clearly that it is the
heat that makes fuel burn, that a flame is not
necessary.
HEAT
Experiments to show on what the amount of heat required depends:
1. Heat together two strips of paper of the same size but of different
thicknesses and observe which burns first.
2. Heat together a strip of very thin paper and a match which is much
thicker than the paper, and observe which burns first.
3. Rub a match vigorously on some surface and observe the result.
Conclusions.--1. The amount of heat required to make fuel burn depends
on:
(1) The thickness of the fuel.
(2) The substance composing the fuel.
2. Some substances burn at a very low temperature.
NOTE.--This will explain the order of laying
the fuel for a fire and the use of a match in
lighting it.
OXYGEN
Experiments to show the means of obtaining oxygen:
1. Light a candle, set the lamp chimney over it and observe the result.
2. Raise the chimney by supporting it on two small pieces of wood. Note
the result.
3. Cover the raised chimney with a piece of cardboard. Note the result.
[Illustration: Experiments to show the necessity for oxygen]
Conclusions.--1. A fresh supply of oxygen is constantly required.
2. Two openings are required to ensure a constant supply of oxygen, one
below the fuel and one above it.
3. Oxygen is obtained from the surrounding air.
4. The passage of air through these openings creates a draught.
It will be necessary next to lead the class to see that the supply of
oxygen can be controlled:
1. By the relation of the openings:
(1) Openings directly opposite each other cause
a rapid circulation of air or a "direct
draught".
(2) Indirect openings cause a slower
circulation of air or an "indirect draught".
2. By a cross current of air which tends to check the draught.
FUELS
A discussion of the fuels may next be taken. With pupils of Form IV it
will not be wise to go into too many details regarding these. Besides
the classification of the commonest ones, they may be compared from the
standpoints of cost, and of the time and labour required in their use.
Classes of Fuels:
Liquid--coal-oil, gasolene, alcohol
Solid--coal (coke), wood (charcoal)
Gaseous--natural gas, coal gas.
NOTE.--Electricity is a means of producing
heat, but cannot be called a fuel.
THE KITCHEN STOVE
LESSON II
In developing the construction of a practical coal or wood range, it is
a good idea to use the black-board and make a rough drawing to
illustrate the details, as they are given by the pupils. These details
should be evolved from the knowledge gained in the preceding lessons,
and the drawing should not be an illustration of any particular stove.
After the best practical stove, according to the pupils' ideas, has been
thought out and represented on the black-board, they should examine and
criticise the school range and the stoves at home. They are then ready
to be given the responsibility of managing any ordinary range.
* * * * *
The following are the necessary details to be considered regarding a
kitchen stove:
Material.--(1) Iron, (2) steel
Shape.--Rectangular.
Compartments.--(1) Fire-box, (2) ash-box, (3) oven, (4) passage for hot
air, (5) other compartments if desired, such as water tank, warming
closet, etc.
Dampers.--(1) Front damper--below the fuel, to control the entrance of
oxygen to the fuel. (2) Oven damper--above the fuel at the entrance to
the pipe, to control the heat for the oven, and also to control the
draught. (3) Check damper--at the front of the stove above the fuel, to
admit a cross current of air to check the draught.
Management of the stove.--(1) Lighting the fire, (2) heating the oven,
(3) arranging for over night, (4) cleaning and care.
NOTE.--Openings below the level of the fire
increase the draught, and those above the level
check it.
[Illustration: A kitchen coal 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 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.