Choice and Care of Utensils 



i35i 



Steak planks. — With the passing of wood for other uses many persons 

 are just discovering that meat cooked on a well-seasoned oak plank has 

 a flavor unlike any other, and comes near to filling the desire for " some 

 new animal " which every household voices from time to time. A home 

 carpenter may earn much gratitude by making one of these planks. It 

 should be oval, one inch to one and one half inch thick, about eighteen 

 inches long by twelve 

 inches wide, with a de- 

 pression at one end for 

 holding the juices and 

 with grooves leading 

 toward the depression. 

 The meat or fish, when 

 done, is usually sur- 

 rounded b y mashed 

 potato, put back into 

 the oven until the 

 potato is browned, and 

 served on the plank. 

 It is really a develop- 

 ment of the board set 

 easel-fashion in front of 

 the camp fire for cook- 

 ing fish or corn bread. 

 As sold in the shops the 

 planks are furnished 

 with trays on which to 

 bring them to the table, 

 but any oval tray 

 fulfills the same 

 purpose; in fact, the 

 plank may be made to 

 fit a tray already in 

 use. To make the 



planks nonabsorbent, after thoroughly cleansing them rub in all the oil 

 (suitable for coming in contact with food) that the wood will take up. 



Skewers and toothpicks. — A list of utensils would not be complete with- 

 out the mention of wooden skewers and toothpicks. For testing cake, 

 wooden toothpicks are as good as, and much cleaner than, broom straws. 

 Skewers are helpful in cleaning corners, or, covered with several thick- 

 nesses of cheesecloth, in keeping free from crystals the sides of the sauce- 

 pan in which sugar is being boiled down. 



Fig. 23. — Paper utensils 



