THE HEAT SAVER

It is a part of common information that the in- habitants of northern countries make extensive use of non-conducting substances, like wool, for prevent- ing the escape of heat from a vessel in which cooking is going on. It is strange that we do not make more use of such appliances, for they have often been de- scribed and illustrated; it is probably because they are not found ready-made, and with a complete list of directions for use. The writer made and used a cooker of this sort, and after considerable modifica- tion and experiment it became a very useful thing in the kitchen. If you wish to cook meat at the proper temperature, this contrivance makes it possi- ble to do so, and is also very saving of fuel. Directions for Take a packing box measuring, say,

making Heat

Saver. 2 feet each way and cover the bottom

with a layer of packed wool 4 to 6 inches thick ; set into the middle of this another box or a cylinder of sheet iron and fill the space between the two with a layer of wool, 4 to 6 inches thick and closely packed. Into the inner compartment put your ket- tle of meat or vegetables already brought to the boil- ing point and having a tightly fitting cover, and over this press a thick pillow or woolen blanket. Then fasten down tight over all, the lid of your box. As the heat in the water must finish the cooking already begun, its amount must be rightly proportioned to the amount of food to be cooked, e. g., two quarts of water to 1-j- Ibs. beef rib, were used. The water was brought to the boiling point, the meat placed in it and allowed to boil for five minutes, the pot was

Treatment of Tough Meat. 45

then tightly covered, placed in the box and allowed to remain three hours. At the end of that time the meat was tender.