178 On the Construction of Kitchen 



But the evil does not stop here. This unscientific 

 and slovenly manner of cooking renders the process 

 much more laborious and troublesome than otherwise 

 it would be ; and (what by many will be considered of 

 more importance than either the waste of fuel or the 

 increase of labour to the cook) the food is rendered less 

 savoury, and very probably less nourishing and less 

 wholesome. 



It is natural to suppose that many of the finer and 

 more volatile parts of food (those which are best calcu- 

 lated to act on the organs of taste) must be carried off 

 with the steam when the boiling is violent ; but the fact 

 does not rest on these reasonings. It is proved to a 

 demonstration, not only by the agreeable fragrance of the 

 steam which rises 'from vessels in which meat is boiled, 

 but also from the strong flavour and superior quality of 

 soups which are prepared by a long process over a very 

 gentle fire. 



In many countries, where soups constitute the prin- 

 cipal part of the food of the inhabitants, the process of 

 cooking lasts from one meal-time to another, and is 

 performed almost without either trouble or expense. 

 As soon as the soup is served up, the ingredients for 

 the next meal are put into the pot (which is never 

 suffered to cool, and does not require scouring); and 

 this pot, which is of cast iron or of earthen-ware, 

 being well closed with its thick wooden cover, is placed 

 by the side of the fire, where its contents are kept sim- 

 mering for many hours, but are seldom made to boil, 

 and never but in the gentlest manner possible. 



Were the pot placed in a closed fire-place (which 

 might easily be constructed, even with the rudest 

 materials, with a few bricks or stone, or even with sods, 



