GaelcrAts in the Kitchen

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 89, Issue 6, 15 December 1954, Page 633

GaelcrAts in th e Kitchen

HOUSEWIVES, once they have acquired their essential kitchen equipment, tend to be divided according to two schools of thought: Those who are for ever collecting gadgets for a multitude of purposes as time and their savings permit, and those whose tastes are conservative and who prefer their old way of doing things, whatever the |ob. Ihe former may find they have acquired some useless and possibly expensive gadgets, and the latter may be doing considerably more work than is really necessary or spending more time than is needed over many tasks. This article by Evelyn E. Moore, Field Officer in Rural Sociology, Department of Agriculture, Palmerston North, gives suggestions for choosing labour-saving equipment for the kitchen and for planning drawer and cupboard space to accommodate it. r y h

'T’HE variety and scope of specialised G equipment are continually expandmg and some gadgets are so efficiently designed that even the most sceptical housewife will find them of value, pro- s vided she follows carefully the directions for using them. Tho , T . „ . . , - x . saving / lot of ri?i e saving gadgets are, of course, likely to be offset if there are inefficiencies noor quality 8 food/to 'bum badly Q or waste fuel because they have uneven or badly dented bottoms. Likewise an inefficient stove, knives and scissors which refuse to take or keep a sharp edge, or an inconvenient kitchen and badly placed cupboards and equipment will waste more time and patience than gadgets, however efficient are likely to save. emciem imeiy to save. . Therefore, when a home is being emodelled or a new home built it is better to spend money on planning and building a really efficient kitchen with durable, easy-to-clean bench tops, sink, and cupboards, and on buymg really good basic equipment, rather than on such equipment as dishwashers or electric mixers and blenders Gadgets are usually of two types the small, manually operated

ones and the more expensive, generally electrical, equipment. The former vary from egg timers to bean slicers and special types of graters, mincers, and juice extractors; the latter include mixers and blenders, pressure cookers, fruit-preserving equipment, and electric waffle irons. ~ ... Care in Selection Essential Care in the selection of this equipment is essential, as. a wide range in q uah , ty ls^ often available Before Purchase the housewife should ask herself: Is it of sturdy construction; has it parts that will rust easily and ma .ke care and maintenance difficult; 11 easy to hold and use; is it easy to wash, dry, and store, or is. special care necessary to maintain it m good condition; will much skill in opfrating it need to be acquired before it can be used efficiently; and, most important, will it be used sufficiently frequently to justify its position in a drawer or cupboard where it is apt to be in the way of other equipment? Small gadgets can be divided into several groups: First, special equipment for cutting and peeling such as potato peelers, parsley cutters, grape-

tm?rm°a£de%iis,pocs chippers, pie crimpers, and biscuit cutters; second, measuring equipment, including the various types of measuring cups and spoons, and scales; third, and SninT foods’; fourth, equipment for mixing and beating. Finally there are all the miscellaneOus gadgets which do not quite fit into the above groups such as the varied collection of tongs, jar holders, attachinT mg pans for holding spoons and food, pea shelters, cake icing sets, cake tins th annle °and S ’ cherry stoners > and ’ It is improbable that a complete set of gadgets for every task will result in a more efficiently run kitchen, for each home conforms to a certain pattern of living which naturally results in some gadgets • being seldom if ever used Also eoninment whir>h will perform more than P O task is m <^p P P fi se^ than that designed examle P en^ C lice?s r fr°e Se apt°to ly bZ f ffi use for ’ a H mite d neriod on?/ and perhap £ occuSf needed cunboard or drawer space for ”hl rest of the vear However equipment if available for grating and finely a wide | ar - et J o foods including beans root vegetables fS? soup S cheele for cheese dishes and eveffrSffs for lor cneese he s an d v ™.. ts for marmalade. taters and slicers could be m reular use and. would save time, Such equipment should be easv to assemble and wash and should also be of durable construction as far as can be judged. Articles with a well-known trade name or from a reliable manu facturer of more expensive eouiument who usually gives a guarantee should be chosen. Gadgets should also efficiently perform the tasks for which they

were made, and, for example, should not have cutting blades which wear quickly and require sharpening by . a special tradesman. Though the housewife should be prepared to spend a certain amount of time in learning to use new gadgets and should follow the instructions-for their use carefully, there should not be too much difficulty in learning to use them. For example, anyone who has developed considerable speed and skill in peeling with a knife may find a peeler comparatively slow and awkward the first time it is used. However, most women who persevere and practise with a peeler find that if it is sharp and is used properly, it speeds and simplifies the work. Generally the more complicated a gadget of this type is the less valuable it is because it is often more difficult to wash, takes up room, may be awkward to store or assemble, costs more, and is often more difficult to repair or replace. Peeling, Slicing, and Cutting Equipment Apart from the standard peeling knives, a wide range of peelers is available. Though often called potato peelers, they can be used also for peeling many other foods such as carrots, turnips, apples, and peaches. Some practice is needed with the relatively new “double action” peeler before it can be used efficiently, after which most users will probably find that it peels more quickly than the

older type. An advantage of such peelers is that they are safer to use than knives and other types of peelers and prevent cut fingers, especially with children who are learning to help in the home. The value of other peelers and slicers depends largely on the amount of use they are likely to get, for in many homes seldom-used gadgets merely get in the way in drawers or cupboards. These would include ' pastry cutters, grapefruit knives, tomato slicers, egg slicers, and potato chippers, all of which are, however, efficient. Other equipment such as bean slicers, pie crimpers, and biscuit cutters is designed more for producing an attractive, even product than for saving time and labour. Measuring and Weighing Equipment Some form of measuring or weighing equipment is essential if new recipes are to be used with success by the housewife. Measuring is usually quicker than weighing, though weighing produces more accurate results with some foods such as flour and with vegetables and fruits for pickles, sauces, and jams. A spring balance is quicker to use but requires testing for accuracy occasionally and may require adjusting. For measuring, heat-proof glassware is desirable, though aluminium measures are efficient and more durable. For measuring hot liquids a measure with a heat-proof handle is desirable. Sets of measuring spoons are more accurate than a graduated measuring spoon, and are much more convenient to use for measuring bak-

ing powder and other dry foods in small quantities. Greatest convenience can probably be achieved by duplicating measuring cups—storing one near the sink and one near the stove for example— it is important that other measuring equipment be stored in convenient positions. Standard measuring equipment, that is, the cup which measures Boz. and a graduated set of spoons with a tablespoon which measures 1/16 of a cup, is the most useful to buy, as these are the measures most commonly used in recipe books. Sieves, Graters, and Mincers . Equipment for sieving, grating, and mincing is, of course, essential and the choice since imports have become relatively unrestricted is extremely varied. Mincers have been standard equipment for many years, but new points to look for are rubber clamps which will not harm the table or bench, rust-free fittings, ease of turning, a generous cup for the food, and a set of fittings for mincing foods to various' degrees of fineness. Cutting blades should be sturdy and sharp. Some of the newer types combine the functions of grater, sieve, and mincer. Though comparatively less expensive, they are of less sturdy construction and slightly more difficult to use. As they fit over a bowl, there may be an advantage to some housewives, and another advantage is that when they, are used for grating foods there is no danger of grating the fingers, as in some of the standard types.

The marmalade cutter, though of relatively limited use, is another item of equipment that may be worth its purchase money to a large household of marmalade eaters who like their peel sliced Coffee mills and spice and peel siicea. conee mills ana spice ana pepper mills are among the luxuries that might be regarded as necessities by the gourmet, but they are neither time nor energy savers. . , . , „ , , . A great variety of shapes and sizes of graters is procurable. A grater should be easy to hold and have drilled rather than punched holes, Graters with the latter are harder to use and do not grate the food as cleanly. Strainers of all shapes and sizes are also now available. As the wire screen breaking away from the metal rim is . usually the first sign of wear, the care with which this is joined is a good indication of durability. Two or three pieces of metal ribbon beneath the bowls of some serve as extra support, but may make cleaning slightly more . difficult. Conical strainers or sieves are also available, but are perhaps generally less useful, though their greater strength makes them useful when food is being sieved for purees. The size of wire screen should be chosen according to the X O e rk s tSint Uk Th y ou t gh b rir r a iSers ed rna°y S b rai 1 ? c e o r d A flnnr S O i?tor S useful Whatever t’vne Ts chosen t should be ma?k>ulated before it ?s LaAS ibnKbo easifv 1 * Siftersf are** made f plther° of c+aai «i bTPHL S aH^Ln+ntf2 U <vf frll er has the advantage of being rust free. ■ Beaters and Mixers A beater and mixing spoons are essential. Useful adjuncts which are simple to use and have no moving parts to break are the rubber scraper and the quick mixer shaped like a tumbler with special grooves in the

lid, sides, and bottom for mixing, and made either of plastic or aluminium. It mixes milk shakes for children, flour and water for thickening, and custards, and whips cream quickly and efficiently and is easily washed and stored. Care should be taken to avoid denting a i um i n j um mixer, as this causes to leak, and the instructions should i so fo e followed carefully. Wooden spoons with a flat side and straight bottom are also worth searching for, , as they are effective in reaching right to the junction of the side and bottom o f the saucepan when sauces and soft custards are being stirred. There are also specially shaped and slotted spoons and scoops or combination spoons and beaters, most of which are Miscellaneous Gadgets During repent years there has been During recent years there has been a great increase m the number of gadgets designed to make new or novel types of baked goods, such as special types of cake tins, cutlet pans, e SS. poachers, and the various items designed for one purpose such as pea shelters, spoon holders (for the sides of saucepan), the gadgets designed to unscrew the lids of preserving jars, and cake-icing sets. nnubtlpcc a went manv nf thpqp bought on Th? sour of the moment S be feldSm, if ever, used Often such equipment is chosen for its novelty value rather than for its durability and ease of cleaning and care, but a really useful gadget of this type will also be of good design and durability. Storage space may also need to be considered for a small kitchen, as overcrowding of cupboards and drawers can cause great inconvenience. Whether such gadgets as fairy irons, cutlet pans (in addition to an ordinary frying pan), wire fish baskets, special fruit preserving equipment, pressure toasters, the various types of coffee makers, and moulds for cold cookery will be of real value to

n + u a housewife depends usually on the amount of entertaining she does, whether she enjoys and does much baking, cooking, and preserving, and whether the novelty foods produced by some specially designed gadgets will tend to pall on acquaintance. Others may possess . disadvantages which outweigh their advantages. For example, there are sandwich tins with a small rotating lifter which does remove the cake efficiently and prevents it sticking to the bottom of the pan, but it is extremely difficult to clean under the lifter, detracting from its value. chSenTt iTnreferablTto select a few utensils each of which will perform a number of tasks rather than a us™' er gadgets with individual uses, The articles should be sturdily constructed, with smooth, seamless surfaces and free from rough edges whenever possible. They should enable the work to be done efficiently, in moderate time, and with a minimum of effort, and should be reasonably easy to clean. Handles should be comfortable to hold, made of a durable material, and firmly fastened to the utensil with no unnecessary grooves. , Electrical Equipment and Large Eauioment equipment The large, more expensive items of equipment naturally cause even the most enthusiastic gadgeteer to think twice before embarking on a purchase which may prove an expensive white elephant. Such equipment includes pressure saucepans,. preserving equipment, electric mixers and blenders , waffle irons, jugs, toasters, coffee percolators, hot plates, roasters, grills, and portable stoves. All can be useful time savers,

but are not equally useful to everyone. The pressure saucepan, for example, though in constant use in some homes, has been relegated to a dark corner of the cupboard in others, It has frequently proved a boon to the housewife who, through a variety of outside interests, finds she has little time to spend in her kitchen. With the aid of a pressure saucepan she can provide her family with a wider variety of menus, and such economical dishes as stews, soups, suet puddings, and slow cooking meats and legumes can all be included in the menu without great inconvenience, many cooking easily in the period that it takes to prepare the rest of the meal. A quick, high heat to raise the temperature in the cooker rapidly also adds to its speed and convenience. Points to look for include an absolutely level base for economical heating on coal, electric, and . heat storage ranges, ease of serving (high narrow cookers are apt to be awkward to handle in this respect), a simple £S 6 eas e yP of cTanta r £ e ’St r ?roS eC c h om' fortable handles, and convenient size. Generally the medium or large pressure saucepans are more useful—even for a small family—as a wider variety of foods, such as a whole fowl, may readily be cooked in them. Electric jugs and plungers have been widely used for so long that the majority of housewives have learnt, if only by a process of trial and error, of the points of construction, which tend to provide the best service and durability. A guarantee, a solid metal element and non-tarnishable metal for the jug, ease of cleaning, a goodquality plug and cord, and insulated handles on metal jugs are indications

that the rest of the workmanship is good. Electric jugs with trailing cords provide an element of danger where there are small children, and the various types of gadgets designed to prevent jugs from tipping are good investments. Alternatives to jugs are the various insulated heaters which can be permanently installed over a sink. Their desirability depends on the quality of the hot water service already available, the demand for instant hot or boiling water, and the need for safety where there are small children. ' Mivew tieclrlc fixers Most housewives who plan their meal cookery and baking so that they make good use of their electric mixer will find it a useful time saver Howd • :n J* nensive item of eouin- ® er, r s an e p consideration would P e * a “ before the nurchase of an P i s “ r p D F to ensure that the / b e b | tt ® on Xboa?ds or benches the renewal °‘ her equipment, or the Purchase 01 other labour-saving equipment - Tn make the best use of electric m j X ers they should be installed in a permanent and convenient position on a bench or special cupboard so that they are instantly available for all small tasks as well as the larger ones. There are two mam types of mixer available-models, with a detachable mixing unit which can be carried across the room and used, for example, at the stove, and models in which the mixing unit and stand are all in one piece. All types of mixers are provided with at least one bowl, and some have quite a variety of attachments

for different tasks and two sizes of bowls. , ' ~ ... Most essential are multi-speed control with a dial which is easy to read and easy to reach and a motor with adequate power for all mixing jobs, It 1S also desirable that the motor give a constant speed at any setting, even with the heaviest batters, ana that it should run quietly. The blades in some beaters are designed to avoid spattering and the necessity for contmually scraping the mixture into the centre of the bowl, and in a welldesigned beater they should just clear lhe bottom of the bowl when in position. The bowl platform should also be , able to be shifted so that the beaters will be in an off-centre posiwhen a large bowl is being used, and the platform Should turn easily so that mixing is done thoroughly even with stiff batters. It should also be easy to remove the beater blades for cleaning and the motor unit if it is a Portable type. Sealed-unit types which require no oiling, and others which = i a- “ Sequent, oiling = e available. Mixers will do many more kitchen tasks through a variety of attachments sucll as tbe grater and mincer, juice a^° r ’ c an £,^ v^ age wl^F h also purees fruits and vegetables. The a nfver V let wat?r or or ru J gfo the motor and if it is a °yne wh£h requires regular oiling to Member always to regular oiling, to rememoer always to ao mis. Blenders do work that mixers cannot do without special attachments; they will liquefy or puree fruits and vegetables, mince meats, crackers, and dry bread, grate foods such as cheese, chocolate, and orange peel, mix the

liquid ingredients for cakes, and waffle, and pikelet batters, mix milk shakes, and blend other liquids. They require the same care as mixers, and though slightly less expensive than mixers are, in most homes they are less generally useful. Like other equipment mixers should be smoothly finished, easy to clean, and of sturdy construction, and bowls should be heat proof and deep enough to prevent food spattering easily. Other Electrical Equipment Toasters nowadays are sufficiently common for most people when choosing a toaster to know the points to look for, which include heat-proof insulated handles, easy disposal of crumbs, ease of operation, and an element consisting of flat metal ribbon on mica sheets, as this is one of the most durable types. The automatic toasters, though they originally caused considerable trouble, have been improved. However, as they are controlled by relatively delicate . mechanisms, more care for trouble-free performance is required than for a conventional type. It should be possible to set the toaster easily for new or stale bread, brown or white, and to remove half slices of bread easily. A combination of clock and thermostat control that assures perfect browning at every setting regardless of any fluctuation in voltage would also be desirable. Some practice in obtaining good results may be necessary. Electric hot plates, plug-in stoves, and grillers are items which may be useful in the small flat or occasionally in a country kitchen where coal or other fuel is used for the main cooking. In these cost is apt to be a good indication of durability and general

usefulness. The cheaper models are apt to be slow heating, poorly insulated, and suitable for cooking only the most simple dishes, and also not entirely trouble free. The best models have two cooking units on top, one with higher wattage for fast heating and also supplying three heats, and have well-insulated ovens, thermometers, and bottom elements, which

may also be controlled on high, medium, or low heats; permanently attached heavy-duty cord is also desirable. Electric coffee makers and percolators, waffle irons, grillers, fruit preserving outfits, and pressure cookers may all be regarded as luxuries in the average home, and even then the prospect of a fair amount of use would be necessary to justify their purchase. If they are going to be useful, such points as ease of cleaning, a non-tarnish-able finish, heatproof handles, a well- insulated base, and guaranteed servicing with regard to the replacing of burnt-out elements and correction of other

faults which may develop should be considered. Waffle irons should have baking grids of solid cast aluminium, a base broad enough to catch any excess batter, and a temperature indicator. Fruit bottling outfits may be desirable for the housewife who preserves a lot of fruit and who demands a high standard of quality in the products.

Planning Storage for Gadgets In the majority of modern houses the total amount of cupboard and drawer space is adequate. However, it is often not well planned. Shelves may be too deep, too far apart, too low or too high, and drawers may be too shallow, too deep, too narrow, or placed in the wrong places for convenient storage. Bins are sometimes badly designed, doors may be hung the wrong way round, and other faults may become apparent in the gleaming and supposedly efficient modern kitchen. It is particularly important, in planning the best place to store time and labour saving equipment, to make a note of these faults and make a special effort to store the equipment where it can be found easily and quickly and where it is at hand when needed. For example, potato peelers and peeling knives should be stored by the sink, and rolling pins, measur-

ing spoons, pastry cutters, and rubber scrapers at the. bench near the flour and sugar bins, where cakes and puddings are prepared. . In the storage of all utensils, therefore, and particularly of labour- saving gadgets, there are two simple rules: Allow adequate storage space at the. place where the equipment is to be used and plan the storage space to fit the equipment. Small gadgets are usually most conveniently stored on hooks on a wall or bracket. If it is felt that this gives an effect of untidiness, they can be placed on the insides of cupboard doors, or a special door, built out from the wall only the depth of the utensils to be stored, can be built with hooks on the inside, being easily opened when the equipment is required, but compact and out of the way the rest of the time. Drawers should be well built so that they open and shut easily and with partitions, as this makes selection easier and

quicker. Deep drawers are generally unsatisfactory for equipment, as it is difficult to sort out what is required. Seldom-used utensils often clutter up storage space with the result that drawers become over-full and difficult to close and it becomes difficult to find quickly the utensil needed. One way of sorting out non-essential equipment and planning the best storage space for that used frequently is to lay out the contents of some bulging drawer or cupboard on a corner of a bench and put the utensils away again as they are used. What is left at the end of a fortnight can then usually be relegated to high, out-of-the-way cupboards or even the rubbish tin if it is obvious it has been superseded by more efficient or modern gadgets. Safety in storage and use is also an important consideration. For example, heavy equipment should be stored at or below bench level, and bowls, plates, and tins should not be stacked precariously, one on top of another, requiring perhaps only a small jolt to bring them tumbling down. Electric jugs and other electrical equipment should never be used with long, trailing cords, which are not only apt to fray and wear,'but are an open invitation to infants, who can seriously injure or burn themselves by pulling over jugs of boiling liquid. In this respect, when a kitchen is being planned or remodelled it is a good idea to plan the number and position of points for electric appliances carefully and to make allowance for possible future purchases. The housewife who wishes to make her kitchen as labour saving as possible should aim not only at the ’acquisition of an all-electric kitchen or a-mere accumulation of labour-saving gadgets, but should keep always in mind the tasks performed, especially those that take a long time, and should aim at reducing this time. This may be accomplished by purchasing a mixer or dish washer, or it may be by reorganising and replanning the kitchen, or even perhaps by the simplest of all methods reorganisation of equipment, time, and working procedure, as poor or casual organisation may be the greatest time stealer of all.

All photographs by Bell Studios.

A Simply Made Drawstring for Curtains

A A r rh,y n a 0 a 0 0 a:-a, q q. f, p g v v | RS is the curtain rod held in | place by the supporting brackets j A. B and C are the ends of a ,continuous cord which passes through all the curtain rings and which is attached firmly at X and Y to the two rings on the inside edges of the curtains. When B is pulled the centre rings move A q apart and when C is pulled they * are drawn together. B$

CURTAINS attached by curtain pins to rings on a curtain rod are frequently drawn across the window by being grasped by the edges and pulled. This method has obvious disadvantages. An arrangement by which they can be operated with cords without the curtains being touched can easily be made with very little effort and no expense beyond the purchase of a few yards of blind cord and two tassels or acorns for the ends of the cord. The curtain ring at either end of the rod is held rigid so that it will not move when the cord is pulled (it can be slipped over or tied to the bracket supporting the rod).. The cord is then threaded through the rings and attached firmly to the two middle rings. When one end of the cord is pulled the curtains are drawn apart, and when the other end is pulled they are drawn together.

—MAUD B. STRAIN,

Field Officer in Rural Sociology, Department of Agriculture, Dunedin