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Classic
Cook Books
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page 357
hooks and nails on which to hang basting-spoons, ladles, cooking forks and
spoons, the chopping-knife, cake-turner, etc. A set of drawers close at hand for
salt, pepper, and spices is also convenient. There should never be bevel,
beading, or molding on kitchen window or door frames; and the kitchen door,
leading to the dining room, should be faced with rubber and closed with a not
too strong spring. Not less than three large windows are desirable in every
kitchen, which should be cheerful, pleasant, well ventilated, convenient, and
clean.
In houses of the old style there was either no pantry at all, the kitchen being
furnished with a dresser and shelves, or it was merely a small closet to hold
the articles in less common use. In modern houses the pantry is next in
importance to the kitchen, and it should be so arranged as to accommodate all
the appliances used in cookery, as well as the china, glass-ware, cutlery, and
other articles for the table, unless a dresser is used as before suggested. In
arranging a plan for building, the pantry should receive careful consideration,
as next in importance to the kitchen; it should be sufficiently roomy, open into
both the dining-room and the kitchen, and, in order to "gave steps," should be
as convenient to the range or cooking-stove as circumstances will allow. The
window should be placed so as to give light without infringing on the shelving;
the shelves should be so arranged as to not obstruct the light from it; the
lower ones should be two and a half feet from the floor, and two feet or more in
width, and project about three inches beyond the closets and drawers below; and
the part near the window, where there is no shelving, may be used for molding
and preparing pastry, and such other work as may be most conveniently done here.
Other shelves, or a china closet, should be provided for the china and other
table furniture in every-day use. The pantry should have an abundance of drawers
and closets, of which it is hardly possible to have too many--the upper closets
for the nicer china and glass, and the lower ones to hold pans and other cooking
utensils in less frequent use. The drawers are for table-linen and the many uses
the housekeeper will find for them. If possible, the window should be on the
north side, but in any case it should have blinds for shade, and a wire gauze or
other screen to keep out flies. Instead of spreading shelves with paper, a neat
marbled oil-cloth is better, as it is easily cleaned.
Use a cloth to wash potatoes. It is no trouble to keep one for this purpose, and
it will save hands and time. Some prefer a brush. Tie a strip of muslin on the
end of a round stick, and use to grease bread and cake-pans, gem-irons, etc.
Have two large pockets in your kitchen apron, and in one of them always keep a
holder. A piece of clam or oyster shell is much better than a knife to scrape a
kettle, should you be so unfortunate as to burn any thing on it. If you use a
copper tea-kettle, keep an old dish with sour milk and a cloth in it, wash the
kettle with this every morning,
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Classic
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