PAPER-BAG COOKING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1192, 29 July 1911, Page 10

PAPER-BAG COOKING.

AN INTERESTING EXHIBITION.

There was a very large ga'.heriug of' women at tho Exhibition yesterday, all eager to see tho famous system of "paperbag cooking" for thomet'lves. The enclosure in front of the little pavilion occupied by Jlrs. Foster Denny (who, during (ho wholo time that tUo Exhibition, has been running has been engaged in giving demonstrations of cooking by gas) was packed.as closely as it could be, and all tho passage way outside was thronged by patient women, thankful if they could even get a glimpse of the fascinating proceedings, or learn what tilings were liko from some moro fortunate neighbour. The galleries upstairs worn likewise pneked, but, if tho occupants managed to get a bettor view of things they had not the joy of having them passed to them for closer inspection, aud of hearing the explanations which were given.-

Before tho operations were begun, tho shcpls of paper lying upon the table, surmounted by a. number of paper-bags of varying size, were surveyed with interest. To look at, the paper is just liko that which is wrapped round butler, but, as a matter of fact, it is specially prepared for cooking, and quantities of it wore sent from Messrs. Gordon and Gotch, much of it being sold beforo the after, noon was ended. Tho sheets aro really said to bo of vegetable fibre, and are quilo grease-proof, ns the cooking showed. The first thing to bo done is to make tho ba? according to the size of the various things that are to bo cooked, and Mrs. Foster Denny had had a number of bags made ready for use. Neither glue nor gum must be used, but just ordinary flour paste for fastening the sides together. The first things to bo cooked were some little sago puddings. These wore put into small moulds, and then slipped into a bag, tho open end of which was then pasted'- together, folded up, and the bag placed in tho heated oven. This was watched with tho greatest interest, but, when it was announced that the next thing to bo made was beef ten, feelings became intense. The miuccd-up beef, salt, and pepper were placed in the wonderful lwg (half n pound Of beef lo half n pint, of water), tho ends were scaled up in the usual way, and the bag was placed in the oven, and left to cook. Closely rivalling it in the attention paid ■by the spectators were the cooking of pome steak, and also a fish. Mrs. Denny explained that, when cooking anything of a juicy nature, like meat, it was necessary to use two bags, and, accordingly, with each of these, two bags were used. The inside, asicl, again, (lie outside of the inner bag were groaswl, and then it was placed inside (he dry hag, with, of course, tho necessary amount of salt and pepper, both bngs being waled. Stuffed tomatoes, a custard, kidney and bacon, a.nd' sausages wore h!so put in the magic bass, and placed in tho owns which, by (his lime, were about as full as they could bo of purioiisly-ehapcd paper packages. ]f tho interest with which the proceedings wen' watched was keen wliilo the various dishes were beiiic proimrrd for the ovpn.e. it was as nothing poHß»vs> to that felt as each one was t.ilcc-.i from thorn, and peeled from its paper covering. Never before, 'surely, was beef loa so scrutinised, and tested, and smelt, and, re.illy, il could stand all criticism. Tin fish vas beautifully done, with a flight tinpe of brown upoii one.side. The greatest curiosity was expressed over tho ' steak. Would it be brown or just grey looking, like stewed slenlt? Jt was tho latter, but, strnngo to say, the sausages man'need to become most desirably brown, unlike the other. Tho sti'.fled tomato, which, when cooked, vns hnndod to the throne to -inspect, excited tho greatest admiration, so uushruukea it looked, and

eo-perfectly cooked. Indeed, it was a fact to bo proud of that it safely returned to Airs. Denny, without any mysterious fate befalling it. , . When cooking with these 'it is necessary to use tho grilling shelves in tho oytra, with spaces botween tho bars, an<l tne-n place over them sheets of wire-i-fT ng, ns? rclered with ia ' on > to l«ep them stift. Then placo the bags upon them, and tho air can circulate freelv both he<w and above them. The great advsni--1 s< ? ot T ' llls f° n » of cooking are very eviior one thing, there is absolutely no odour, and think of what that means Ymlu ?l irg or cauliflower! ail that has to bo done , is to cut them up mto suitable sizes for tho bag, pour the necessary amount of water into tho latter, put in tho salt and tho pinch of roda, closo tho bag, and leave them to their fate in the oven. All the nutrition, is retained in the food, and, as there is no shrinkage in size, it is a decidedly economical form of cooking. Another advantage is that no food becomes tainted in the least degree by ajiy other food that might be cooking at the same time. Yet another one is rhat no constant attendance is needed—basting or anything of that kind. Abovo all—and possibly this might outweigh in value all other advantages—there are no horrible, greasy, sticky pots and pans to be washed up afterwards.

So far, the world has taught us that every rose has its thorn, but paper-bag cooking (if all bo true that is said of it) would seem to be quite without such tiresome disenchanting things as thorns-or drawbacks. In a little while it is quite an easy matter to tell , when' a thing should be "done." Most of the dishes cooked yesterday took from twenty minutes to half an hour. Two tarts-most delicious things, passed around for inspection—were gazed at with Waging, and, Bad to relato, only one "returned to Mrs. Denny, while others repented of the lost opportunity. A demonstration of paper-bag cooking, Wttt the. Soyer bags, takes place this ftfternoon. at the Exhibition.