Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Household Science in Rural Schools Part 8

_Principles of Cooking._ Conley, G. American Book Co., New York .52

_Home Economics._ Flagg, G. P. Little, Brown & Co., Boston. (McClelland, Goodchild & Stewart, Toronto). .75

_Lessons in Elementary Cooking._ Jones, M. C. Boston Cooking School Magazine Co., Boston 1.00

_Food and Health._ Kinne, H., and Cooley, A. M. Macmillan's, Toronto .65

_The School Kitchen Text-book._ Lincoln, M. J. Little, Brown & Co., Boston. (McClelland, Goodchild & Stewart, Toronto) .60

_Food and Cookery._ Metcalf, M. L. Industrial Education Co., Indianapolis 1.00

_Household Science and Arts._ Morris, J. American Book Co., New York .60

_The Science of Home-making._ Pirie, E. E. Scott, Foresman & Co., Chicago .90

_Elements of the Theory and Practice of Cookery._ Williams, M. E., and Fisher, K. R. Macmillan's, Toronto 1.00

LESSON I: DISCUSSION OF FOODS AND COOKING

_Management of the kitchen stove. Cooking by dry heat. Baked vegetable or fruit._

SUBJECT-MATTER

_Foods._--The body uses food to build and repair its tissues, to provide heat and energy, and to regulate the body processes. Foods differ from one another in their composition and in their ability to a.s.sist the body in the performance of its varied functions. These differences have led to the cla.s.sification of foods into five groups, which are spoken of as the five food-stuffs or food principles.

_Cooking._--While some foods can be used as they occur in nature, most of them are made more acceptable by the application of heat. Heat softens the structure of vegetables and fruits, makes tender the tissues of meat, prepares starch for digestion, develops the flavour in many foods, and destroys the parasites and germs that may be present. The five food-stuffs are differently affected by heat--some require slow cooking, others require intense heat. Hence, it is necessary to study cooking, in order that each food may be properly prepared.

_The stove._--A knowledge of the construction of the stove and the methods whereby heat is obtained is imperative if one is to be a successful cook. For all stoves three things are necessary--fuel, a supply of oxygen, and a certain degree of heat, known as the kindling point, whereby the fire is started. The supply of oxygen is regulated by dampers and checks so arranged as to admit or cut off the draught of air.

The creative dampers are doors or slides that come below the fire box.

When open, they admit the entrance of air, increase the draught, and facilitate combustion.

The oven damper is a flat plate which closes the opening into the chimney flue, to decrease the drawing of the draught. When the oven damper is closed, the heat from the fire remains in the stove and pa.s.ses around the oven.

Checks are doors or slides higher than the fire-box, which, when open, allow the cold air to pa.s.s over the fire, r.e.t.a.r.ding combustion.

A stove is also provided with means for disposing of the ashes, soot, and the gases formed. All parts of the stove are so arranged that they may be kept clean.

(See Twenty Lessons in the Care of the Home. Lesson I)

PRELIMINARY PLAN

There should be provided for this lesson (from the homes of the pupils or the school garden), some fruit or vegetable in season that can be cooked by dry heat. Each pupil may be able to bring an apple or a potato. The teacher should be sure to have an oven that can be well heated for baking and to have the fire well started before the lesson begins, so that the oven will be ready for use.

Lessons in geography and nature study should be correlated with the cooking lesson, to give the pupils an opportunity to study the source of foods and the reasons for cooking them.

One of the pupils should write the recipes on the black-board before the lesson hour.

RECIPES

_Baked Apples_

Wash the apples, core them, and cut through the skin with a knife, so that the apple can expand in baking without breaking the skin. Place the apples in a baking-dish and fill each cavity with sugar. Cover the bottom of the dish with water one quarter of an inch deep and bake until the apples are soft (20 to 45 minutes), basting them every 10 minutes.

Place them in a serving dish and pour the juice over them. Serve hot or cold.

_Baked Potatoes_

Select smooth potatoes of medium size, scrub carefully, and place in a baking-pan. Bake in a hot oven from 45 minutes to one hour. When soft, break the skin to let the steam escape and serve at once.

METHOD OF WORK

Discuss very briefly the food that is to be cooked and the method of cooking it. Have as many apples or potatoes baked as there are members of the cla.s.s or as the baking-dish will hold.

a.s.sign tasks to special members of the cla.s.s.

As quickly as possible put the vegetable or fruit in the oven to bake.

While the baking is in process, take up a general discussion of foods and cooking and a special discussion of the food which is being used and the method of cooking that is being employed.

Give as thorough a lesson on the stove and combustion as time permits.

Examine the baked article and discuss the methods of serving it, the time for serving, and so on.

Use the finished product for the school lunch or have it served daintily in the cla.s.s. Encourage the pupils to bring a dish to school in order to take the results of their work home for the family meal, if a school lunch is not served or if they do not need a lunch. Give careful directions for washing the dishes and supervise the housework carefully.

(See pages 52, 53, _Household Management._)

_Note._--It may be necessary to go on with some other recitation before the baking is completed, in which case one member of the cla.s.s should be appointed to watch the oven.

Questions Used to Develop the Lesson

What food have we on hand for use to-day?

Does this food need cooking? Why?

How shall we prepare it for cooking?

How shall we prepare the oven?

How shall we care for the fire?

How long will it be necessary to cook this food?