48 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



July, 1906 



The Kitchen 



V. — Pots, Pans and Apparatus 



By Sarah Adams Keller 



MPORTANT as the permanent fixtures of 

 the kitchen are, it would be wholly without 

 practical utility were it not properly sup- 

 plied with cooking utensils of every sort, 

 together with such devices for their use as 

 convenience may dictate or ingenuity sug- 

 gest. Essential as all these matters are it is extremely dif- 

 ficult to make general suggestions upon them. Advice 

 which might be well adapted to kitchens of one size would 

 be wholly inadequate to larger kitchens and perhaps burden- 

 some to smaller kitchens. Nor is the question fixed alto- 

 gether by size, for some cooks and some housekeepers will 

 do very much more with few utensils than others will ac- 

 complish with many. Moreover, articles which are essential 

 to one person will be completely superfluous to another. 



So well recognized are these facts that conservative cook 

 books refrain from presenting lists of necessary kitchen 

 apparatus, their authors being well aware that any list they 

 might prepare would represent only their own individual 

 ideas of what they themselves would need; it might not meet 

 the wants of the advanced cook; it might be confusing to the 

 beginner. 



The very questions of quantity and variety are themselves 

 debatable. Shall one buy every possible object, or content 

 herself with as few as seem permissible? The more articles 

 one has in one's kitchen, the more labor is entailed in their 

 care. On the other hand too few things means constant 

 awkwardness and inconvenience. Fortunately few house- 

 keepers approach the plenishing of the kitchen without some 

 idea as to what is needed. The knowledge may not be very 

 practical but it is something to go on. It is often better to 

 begin in a somewhat limited way, as it is generally compara- 

 tively easy to add, while useless articles, obtained at the be- 

 ginning, are cumbersome and add to the daily labor or are 

 regretfully added to the junk pile which is more or less com- 

 mon to every household. 



Whatever one does one must be sure to have a sufficiency 

 of cooking utensils. This is a matter that requires some 

 forethought, for the central moment in the preparation of a 

 dish is distinctly not the time to ascertain that one has not 

 tools enough. It is always better than to have to use the 

 "best" bowl because the ordinary ones have run short. A 

 more definite rule is always to have the best possible. 

 Kitchen utensils of good quality are invariably the cheapest 

 in the end; they last longer and give better service. It is 

 always better, for example, to have articles of a permanent 

 material rather than of one easily broken. Accidents are 

 more liable to happen in the kitchen than in any other part 

 of the house, and they invariably happen at the most in- 

 convenient times. It is at least some protection to have 

 utensils that will not break, and accidents are so very liable 

 to happen that this precaution will be found, in the long run, 

 to be most serviceable. 



Another good idea is to carefully study any new utensil 

 or device. Not nearly so much attention is given to kitchen 

 equipment as the importance of the work requires; but in 

 the last few years this condition has changed a good deal, 

 and new ideas, new devices and new methods are coming 

 constantly into use which the careful housekeeper would do 

 well to familiarize herself with. 



The "model kitchens," which are maintained by many de- 

 partment stores in the larger cities should also be visited for 

 new ideas and new methods. These are rooms fitted up as 

 a modern kitchen is supposed to be fitted, and while they are 

 not apt to be in practical operation, and their attendants are 

 seldom expert cooks — the only persons competent to advise 

 on these weighty matters — there are comparatively few 

 housekeepers who will not be benefited by studying them 

 attentively. Here, at least, they will find all the "new" 

 things, and can inquire as to their availability and use. 



The equipment of the kitchen can, in a general way, be 

 classed under six heads: 1, earthen, china and glass ware; 

 2, wooden ware; 3, agate ware; 4, iron ware; 5, tin and wire 

 ware; and, 6, miscellaneous. The various articles may be 

 more specifically named as follows. Not all of these articles 

 will be needed by every one, but the list is fairly complete. 

 No attempt is made to indicate the number of various sorts 

 of each. Thus several bowls will be required in every kitchen 

 hut the number must be determined by the housekeeper. 



1. Earthen, china and glass ware. — Pitchers, quart and 

 pint; baking dishes, large, small, round and oval; bowls of 

 various sizes and in varying number; cuts; cups for pop- 

 overs and custards; platters of various sizes; pie plates; 

 molds; bean-pot; tea pot; stone jars; table dishes as needed; 

 glass rolling pin; Mason's jars, quarts and pints. 



2. Wooden ware. — Wash board; bread board; meat 

 board; chopping tray; potato masher; water pail; pails, for 

 water, scrubbing and refuse; knife box; Hour-barrel cover; 

 coffee mill; ice-cream freezer; ice pick; spoons and knives, 

 assorteci sizes; brooms; whisk-broom; crumb tray and brush; 

 brushes for scrubbing, stove blacking, polishing, dusting; 

 mop; egg basket; hard wood roller pin; nests of boxes and 

 buckets; spice boxes; dish mops; sink scraper; wash tubs. 



3. Agate ware. — Double boiler; covered pots and ket- 

 tles of various sizes; sauce pans of various sizes; pans; pre- 

 serving kettle; hand basin. The variety of articles now 

 made in agate ware greatly exceeds this list. Many of them 

 are most attractive in colors and add greatly to the beauty of 

 a kitchen. 



4. Iron ware. — Griddle; dish kettle; tea kettle; drip- 

 ping pans; frying pans; gem pans; iron pot; waffle iron; 

 enameled kettle; scales; flat irons; knives and forks; carving 

 knife; bread knife, chopping knife; meat saw and hammer; 

 can opener; iron spoons; skewers; larding needles. 



5. Tin and wire ware. — Nutmeg grater; large grater; 

 apple corer; pepper box; salt, flour and sugar dredger; spice 

 box; tunnel; ice-cream molds; oil can; steak and fish broilers 

 and toast; spoon; egg beater; frying basket; strainers for 

 various purposes; colander; dish pans; milk pans; covered 

 pails; quart measure; scoops; double steamer; molds for 

 various purposes; tins for_small cakes; muffin rings; coffee 

 pot; wash boiler; dust pans; cutters; skimmers; dippers; 

 ladle; bread pans; cake pans (various) ; pie plates; meat 

 pans; molasses cans; tea canister; covers for bowls and pans. 



6. Miscellaneous. — Towels, dish, hand, and for other 

 purposes; cover holders; floor cloths; sink cloths, dish cloths, 

 etc.; canvas ice bag; linen strainers; needles; twine; thread; 

 scissors; lamp; ironing sheet and holders; coal hod, shovel 

 and sieve; ash hod; household tools. 



