Many housewives thus
go to the labour of preparing a hot dinner twice a day, but this may be
avoided if the following directions are carefully carried out:--Prepare
the mid-day meal as if the father were at home, and serve him first. Put
his portion--savoury, vegetables and gravy--in one soup plate, and cover
it immediately with another. Do the same with the pudding, and put both
dishes away in the pantry. A good hour before they are wanted put into a
warm oven. (If a gas oven is used, see that there is plenty of hot water
in the floor pan.)
When quite hot the food should not be in the least dried up. This is
ensured by having the oven warm, but not hot, warming up the food slowly,
and, in the first place, covering closely with the soup plate while still
hot, so that the steam does not escape. I have eaten many dinners saved
for me in this way, and should never have known they were not just cooked
if I had not been told. Of course, a boiled plain pudding or plum pudding
can be returned to its basin and steamed and extra gravy saved and
reheated in the tureen.
SUNDAY AND MONDAY.
The cook needs a day of rest once a week as well as other people. And this
should be on a Sunday if possible, so that she may participate in the
recreations of the other members of her family. This is more easily
attainable in summer than in winter, for in hot weather many persons
prefer a cold dinner.
Pages:
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92