An Ideal Kitchen: Miss Parloa's Kitchen Companion: A Guide for All Who Would Be Good HousekeepersParloa, Maria
General
An Ideal Kitchen: Miss Parloa's Kitchen Companion: A Guide for All Who Would Be Good Housekeepers
Parloa, Maria
Cooking, American; Home economics; Kitchen utensils; Kitchens
Extending the length of one side of the room have a tier of shelves,
beginning about a foot from the floor and running as high as the top
of the wall closet. Tin cans of meal and sugar, stone jars of salt,
and jugs of molasses and vinegar may be kept on the lower shelves; and
mixing-bowls, mixing-pans, stone-china measuring-cups, etc.,—indeed,
all utensils for which no other place has been provided,—may be kept on
the upper shelves.
In some place near the door of the pantry have a hook or a roller for a
towel, in order to avoid taking steps across the kitchen whenever the
hands require wiping.
Now, if a kitchen and pantry be built or reconstructed on this plan,
the cooking can be done with comfort, and the washing of dishes will
not seem so burdensome as it does in the ordinary kitchen. Even if
one find it impracticable to follow all or many of the suggestions
made, pains ought to be taken—whatever the plan of the kitchen be—to
concentrate the work, obtain good light, good ventilation, and ample
table-room; and all measures which are calculated to insure cleanliness
and to make the kitchen an attractive place should be adopted. There
must be a closet near by for brooms, brushes, dusters, etc.; and there
should be a cold room near the kitchen, in which to keep most of the
perishable stores. In case there be no room of this kind, it will be
well to keep the refrigerator in the pantry.
THE STOREROOM.
A storeroom well arranged and properly managed is a source of economy,
security, and comfort to a housekeeper. It should be kept locked except
when stores are being put in or taken out. Light should be furnished by
a small window. For a household of moderate size a room 7 × 5 feet will
suffice. In the ground-plan given on page 10 no provision is made for
such a room on the first floor, but there would be space for one if the
china closet were made smaller and there were no closets in the back
hall.
Broad shelves should run all round the room, and there should be a
movable set of broad, firm steps—say two or three steps—for use in
reaching the upper shelves. The floor and shelves should be planed
smooth, that there may be no grooves nor defective places where any
substance which may be spilled will lodge, giving a disagreeable odor
to the room. The shelves must be made strong, so that no danger shall
arise from putting a great weight of stores on them. A tier of three
shelves will be enough. Have a space of about twenty inches between
the shelves. Do not have any of the woodwork painted. The walls may be
plastered or sheathed. If plastered, they may be whitened each spring,
if necessary. This will freshen and sweeten the room. The shelves and
floor may be cleaned once a month, and the other woodwork washed twice
a year. Care must be taken not to use much water. The room should be
kept dry, as well as clean, cool, and dark.
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