Fowlers Household Helps | Page 7

Burners--Pick the holes open with a large pin and apply a vacuum cleaner to take out the particles of dirt.
Flour for Burning Kerosene--Wheaten flour is the best extinguisher to throw over a fire caused by the spilling and ignition of kerosene. This should be a matter of common knowledge, since flour is always within convenient reach.
Use for Old Newspapers--Old newspapers clean stoves beautifully, as well as being useful for polishing kitchen windows.
To Take Rust from Flat-Irons, tie some yellow beeswax or paraffine in a cloth, and when the iron is warm, but not hot enough to use, rub with the wax and then rub it through sand or salt.
A Good Stove Polisher--A piece of burlap is a very good polisher for the kitchen stove or range when it is hot. It does not burn readily, and for that reason is better than flannel or cotton cloth or paper.
Wire Rack for Use Under Pies--When taking pies from the oven, do not put them on the flat surface of the table to cool unless a high wire rack is put under them. The rack helps to keep the crust crisp and they will not be soggy.
Marble Slab or Plate Glass for Mixing Board--For mixing cake and pastry an old marble slab or a piece of plate glass is better than a wooden board.
To Prevent Cakes from Burning--Sprinkle the bottom of the oven with fine, dry salt to prevent cakes, pies, and other pastry from burning on the bottom.
Wooden Bowl When Washing Silver--When washing silver, use a wooden tub or bowl if possible. There will be less danger of the silver getting scratched or otherwise damaged.
Tissue Paper for Greasy Dishes--Very greasy dishes should be wiped with soft tissue paper before being washed.
To Skin Tomatoes Easily--Tomatoes nearly always have to be skinned before being used. To do this easily, place them in a basin and pour boiling water over them. Let stand a minute, and then drain.
Another method is to rub the tomatoes all over with the back of a knife to loosen the skins before peeling. This is said to be better than scalding.
To Peel Sweet Potatoes Easily--Before putting sweet potatoes in the oven, grease the skins and they can then be peeled easily and without any waste of the potato.
To Prevent Roasted Meat from Drying Out--To prevent roasted meat, which is to be served cold, from drying out and losing its flavor, wrap it in cheesecloth while it is still hot.
When Food is Too Salty--When you have put too much salt into cooking food, stretch a clean cloth tightly over the kettle and sprinkle a table-spoonful of flour over the cloth. Then allow the contents of the kettle to steam and in a few moments the flour will absorb the surplus salt.
To Remove Fish Odor from Hands--A few drops of ammonia in the water in which you wash your hands will remove all fishy odor from the hands after preparing fish for cooking.
To Remove Onion Smell from Pans--The disagreeable smell of onions which clings to pots and pans so stubbornly can be quickly removed by washing and drying the pans, then scouring them with common salt, and placing them on the stove until the salt is brown. Shake often, then wash the pans as usual.
To Prevent Onions from Making the Eyes Water--Scalding water poured over onions will keep the eyes from watering.
Hint When Baking Bread--When baking bread or rolls, put a saucepan full of boiling water into the oven. The steam rising from it will keep the crust smooth and tender.
To Make Meat Tender--A tablespoonful of vinegar added to tough meat while it is boiling or roasting will make it more tender.
To Keep the Lid on a Boiling Pot--A teaspoonful of butter dropped into the water in which you are boiling dry beans, or other starchy vegetables, will stop the annoyance of having the lid of the pot jump off, as it will otherwise do. The butter acts the same as oil on troubled waters and keeps it calm and manageable.
To Take Fish Taste from Forks and Spoons--To remove the taste and smell of fish from forks and spoons, rub them with a small piece of butter before washing. All taste and smell will thus be entirely removed.
How to Judge Mushrooms--Sprinkle a little salt on the gills of mushrooms to judge their fitness to eat. If the gills turn black the mushrooms are fit for food; if they turn yellow, the mushrooms are poisonous.
Orange Peel for Cake Flavoring--Do not throw away orange peel, but dry in the oven. Grate the yellow part and use for flavoring cakes. It will give a delicious orange taste.
How to Prevent Fish from Breaking Up When Frying--When frying fish, if the pieces are put in the hot fat with the skin side uppermost, and allowed to brown