CAPTAIN IN KITCHEN

[Music] the patriotic role that you the American filmmaker must take in our nation's war effort rightfully entitles you to the rank of captain in the kitchen your orders are vital to victory keep the homefront functioning efficiently make it a fortress of family strength this job of yours isn't an easy one captain not by any means for many of the accustomed home servants such as new appliances are no longer available and won't be until after the war that is why you must take exceptionally good care to make things last for a long time in this film we present fundamental facts about use and care the simple everyday ways to preserve and prolong the life of your appliances naturally time will not permit us to include every last detail about conserving each mechanical servant in your home rather we will give you the general rules which apply to all makes of appliances someday complete new lines of everything will be back but until then captain it's up to you gone are the careless days now comes our patriotic opportunity to make what we have worked for the duration your electrical appliances stand ready and eager to serve use them to the utmost but keep them in good working order and replace wholly when necessary I'll watch it captain you see someone has already wounded that iron probably by earning over zippers or hooks and eyes or maybe they tried to scratch off some burn starch and there's a cord that's certainly ready for the fray but seriously it isn't a bit safe someone may be in for a nasty shock or at least the blown out fuse the best way to keep cords from becoming dangerously frayed is simply to remind yourself and the other members of your household to handle them properly don't grab the cord and yank like this instead grasp the plug itself like this [Music] see when you handle a plug this way there isn't the slightest strain on the cord or the connections all right now appliances prepare for regular inspection by the captain in the kitchen attention first on the roll call here's your roaster he's a wonder at helping with the canning or even at preparing complete meals just remember to keep him clean both outside and in and here's mr. toaster one of the most useful recruits in your mechanized army don't leave him feeling crummy like this after his work he's one friend that doesn't mind getting the brush-off regularly please don't shake the daylights out of him trying to loosen crumbs inside also he's very ticklish so let's not stab his innards someday that fork will short-circuit and will you be shocked the easy and proper way to clean a toaster is simply to remove and empty the crumb tray at the bottom well if it isn't Colonel coffeemaker and major mixer a great team if you treat him right your coffee maker if he's really modern is likely to be the tender type that thrives on gentleness his glass containers should be handled with reasonable care and kept fastidiously clean he should of course be kept in a safe place somewhere where young cookie seeking hands won't be likely to topple him by accident the rewards of a well-cared-for coffeemaker are finer flavour and fresh aroma whatever type your coffeemaker may be a good shower directly after each use is just what the doctor ordered [Music] well here's major mixer and like most fast-moving appliances his motor needs a little lubrication now on that he goes for that Kapus clean business - and hates to be put away with batter clinging to his beaters a stiff brush and rinse will clean him properly all waffle irons have one thing in common they can't stand being put away greasy when making waffles be sure to heat the iron to the right temperature first [Music] then your first waffle will be just as brown and tasty as the rest after use the grids should be wiped clean and the iron left open to cool now for some wartime tips on washers to good general rules are never overload the capacity of your washer and always have it thoroughly clean and dry if you don't clean your washer carefully after each use the bottom of the tub and agitator are likely to become filmed over with soapy or grimy deposits the longer a coating like this is neglected the more difficult it becomes to remove another result of leaving even a little residue to dry out in the tub is a powdery grit that forms may cause undue friction on moving parts if your washer has a rotary wringer it pays to lift out the rotor and see that its base 2 is kept thoroughly clean every time you begin your wash fill to the waterline only then add clothes to the capacity of the washer and no more when you finished washing leave all controls at the off position before you pull the plug and stack the power cord and captain always be sure to drain out that hose after you've emptied the tub it's made of precious rubber and leaving water in it will shorten its useful life remember the only way to keep a washer sweet and efficient is to leave it really clean and dry if your washer has a roller type wringer be careful to dry the rolls thoroughly and leave them or on release so that the rubber can stretch and breathe hi there captain where are you sprinting to with that cleaner I see she's going to attack some dirt that's entrenched in the living room rug now she really knows her cleaning tactics she'll look around first and pick up any sharp metallic things like tax or hair pins good good she did it but I wonder how long it's been since she emptied that bag you know some folks let the dirt accumulate in there for weeks and it chokes up the bag so that the cleaners efficiency is badly impaired look now we'll see good gracious captain why in the world have you been hoarding all that dirt after this empty the bag at least once a week now and then turn it inside out for a good brushing while we're still in the living room here's a simple prescription to help your radio keep healthy and handsome remember that your radio like a fine watch is a complex arrangement of delicate intricate parts so handle it with care and consideration always try to keep your radio away from sources of excessive heat or moisture for instance don't put it near a radiator and set it a little away from the wall to allow for air circulation of course some dust is sure to gather on the chassis and tubes but don't let that worry you it won't interfere with the operation furthermore you can easily get rid of it by using the blower nozzle attachment on your vacuum cleaner that's about all there is to routine radio care of course it pays to feature-set to a periodic checkup and tune up by a professional service man and now we come to the most important guardian of family health and food flavors your refrigerator a spotless refrigerator brings a gay smile to the whole kitchen and all you need to keep the porcelain looking bright as sunshine is a nice soft cloth and some lukewarm water with a little mild soap in it use warm water on the inside too when you defrost that's a good system to follow clean the inside of your refrigerator whenever you defrost then the whole job gets done at one time you know how to defrost of course the important thing is to do it regularly because a blanket of frost on the freezing unit makes your refrigerator work overtime and that costs you extra money when defrosting it's well to remove the ice cubes and fill the trays with fresh water then you'll be sure that your newly cleaned box won't be tainted by any food odors it is also advisable to take out the drip tray empty it and rinse it clean after a rinse with a couple of quarts of water in which you've stirred a spoonful of baking soda to banish grease stains the interior of your refrigerator will be truly spotless and have that healthy clean fragrance now we're all set to turn on the switch and put in the food of course your refrigerator will be more efficient if you're careful about proper food storage to help avoid overcrowding remember to place leftover foods in small containers and never to store foods that do not require refrigeration in other words use your refrigerator only for those foods which must be kept in prime condition here's a close up to show you just how an expert home economists arrange things in this refrigerator it's only common sense of course to put the most perishable foods nearest to the freezing unit most people also know that keeping everything covered helps prevent moisture from collecting on the freezing unit and then you don't have to defrost so frequently this is one place where it's perfectly safe to keep all your eggs in one basket [Music] speaking of eggs have you seen the new book called how to cook a wolf by MFK Fisher it's one of those timely books that is full of ideas for saving money preventing waste and improving flavors one idea for instance is testing eggs for freshness if you have a doubtful about the freshness of an egg just drop it gently into a bowl of water if it sinks promptly then it's okay but if it stands on end or bobs up then it's none too fresh [Music] and now for a real trick in frying eggs first heat the skillet till the butter or fat begins to sizzle next put in the eggs and here's the trick immediately turn down the heat and cover the skillet turn off the heat and wait two minutes while we're waiting for those eggs captain I'd like to tell the world you look mighty sweet in that nice flowered apron it certainly goes to show that a practical kitchen uniform can still have plenty of style and charm well I guess those fireless fried eggs must be just about done yes there they are and wait till you taste the difference they'll be firm yet tenders can be and not one bit leathery or singed why not enjoy some eggs made this way for breakfast tomorrow just remember to turn off the heat immediately when you place the eggs in a preheated skillet and covered them with a tight lid after that little side excursion with the eggs here we are back again at the refrigerator to show you the details of proper food storage now that you're taking fewer trips to market to conserve gasoline your refrigerator plays a more important role than ever by helping you keep intact the flavor and nutritive values of the foods you must now buy and cook in greater quantities with Victory Gardens in so many backyards thousands of families have been enjoying the unmatched goodness of dewy fresh homegrown vegetables and few dishes are so satisfying to the taste for so rich in natural minerals and vitamins as a big bowl of mixed salad serve one often to give a healthful balance to your meals [Music] you'll find that if you tear the lettuce instead of cutting it the leaves will stay crisp longer there we are everything's in your dressing and seasoning or just as you like them and a thorough mixing completes the pretty picture nice work captain it sure does look good but when it comes to hot dishes here's one duty every homemaker has do right by your range reasonable care will make your range last a long long time and plain common sense will suggest many economies for instance lid lifting and opening the oven door caused wasteful heat loss if your range has a multiple oven feature use the smaller oven whenever possible also serve simple skillet suppers like this frequently everybody likes them and they save time and money [Music] say now isn't that a meal fit for a king it isn't that little red and white house coat you're wearing fit for a queen captain let's get a good look at it there we are the material is really something special a new cotton seersucker that never needs ironing who could ask for anything more practical than that you know if we could only push those cabinets aside we'd put on a little show of kitchen fashions for you right here the stores are featuring so many attractive ideas these days in dress saving aprons and smocks well well well will wonders never cease first thing you know we'll have the stage all set see it must be done with mirrors okay captain here's your cue well ladies here's a pop one schmuck you can wash right with the dishes because it has the dishes printed right on it catch on yes captain that's strictly from China [Music] this cute little flowered apron is made of permanent glazed chintz and permanent means you can wash and iron it over and over again without affecting the shine or pattern the colors will stay bright and the super smooth finish really resists spots and stains when it's your day to have the bridge Club at your house this pretty smock of glaze chintz will come in mighty handy it protects your afternoon dress perfectly and there'll be no mad dashing upstairs for a last-minute change [Music] the very latest idea in kitchen fashions is matching ensembles of chintz or poplin now you can buy or make tiebacks curtains and tablecloths of exactly the same materials as your favorites mocks and aprons [Music] see here's what I mean isn't that matching smock and curtain a swell idea it certainly personalizes and peps up your kitchen and pep is just what we need today for where there's pep there's action action is the only thing that can win the daily race against father time but you'll outdistance the old fellow if you'll be faithful to your command as Captain in the kitchen so let every American home maker here and now take this pledge for victory to make home appliances outlast the enemy by keeping them clean handling with care and lubricating regularly in other words captain keep them working [Music]