[Gutenberg 41406] • Paper-bag Cookery

"Paper-Bag Cookery" is the method of cooking food in a hot oven, having previously enveloped each article in paper, and thus cooking them in hot air and in the steam generated by their own juices. The method is fully explained and its advantages are clearly and incontestably set out in the following pages, but it may be well to sum up the latter succinctly in their order here that they may be taken in at a glance. The greatest advantage of all is, of course, the great improvement in flavour and the retention in the food of its highest nutritive properties. (1) Food cooked in a paper bag is superior in flavour and of higher nutritive value than that cooked in any other way. The next advantage is its economy in time, in money, and in labour. (2) Food cooked in a paper bag loses practically nothing in weight. (3) By cooking the entire dinner in paper bags in the oven an immense saving in fuel is effected. (4) Food cooked in a paper bag takes, as a rule, a much shorter time to cook than when cooked by any other method. (5) The entire meal may be prepared and placed in the bags overnight, thus saving considerable time during the busy morning hours. (6) Joints require no basting, and provided care is taken to lower the gas sufficiently to prevent scorching the bags, the food can be left to look after itself until the proper time for dishing up arrives. A very great advantage both to mistress and maid is the cleanliness of the process. It is undoubtedly an advantage when doing without a servant to have no pots and pans to soil one's fingers, or to roughen one's hands with the necessary strong soda water for cleansing kitchen utensils. (7) No pots and pans to clean. No blackened saucepans to scour; no dishcloths to wash out, after washing the pots, thus saving soap and soda. The bags used in cooking are merely burned up. (8) No constant and expensive renewal of pots, baking dishes, fireproof ware-frequently far from fireproof-tin saucepans burned through in no time-enamelled dishes from which the enamel so soon wears off. An ample supply of paper bags for an average family will cost at the utmost no more than sixpence per week. (9) Comfort in kitchen and sitting-room. There is absolutely no smell of cooking during the preparation of meals, a very great advantage in houses where the kitchen is not completely shut off from the rest of the house.