The first image shows one type of steam kitchen. An open or closed grate held a wood, coal or
charcoal fire which heated water in the boiler part of the range. The resulting steam
was carried by pipes (the upper line in the first image) to specially designed
receptacles. The lower pipe refilled the boiler from a water tank. A spigot or tap on the boiler gave access to
the hot water for other purposes.
The second type of steam kitchen had recessed containers - similar to
steam servers at buffets in modern restaurants. Two examples were made by
Slater of Birmingham, UK and Gleason of Philadelphia, US in the 1810s. In the
above image, John Slater’s “steam and water reservoir” - A - was a foot deep, into
which square pots were lowered. B -
Oven/roaster. C - Fireplace to heat the
water above it.
Some well-known people and various establishments had steam kitchens: the Prince Regent at Brighton, James Watt, Jr., Vice President Aaron
Burr, Georgetown College, hospitals, inns, prisons and steam ships.
Although never achieving the popularity of the more conventional ranges
and cook stoves using heated air, steam kitchens were certainly one of the more
innovative devices built to replace hearth cooking.
The article I wrote on early steam kitchens (1790-1830s) has just been published in Petits Propos Culinaires (PPC 101), the long running food history journal is published in Great Britain.
“Early Steam Kitchens” in Petit Propos Culinaires PPC101. London: 2014
p15-33
More posts on Steam Kitchens - HERE
©2014 Patricia Bixler Reber
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