The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-11-15 00:00:00

THE SCHOOL OF COOKERY.
(From the Standard.)

The School of Cookery has not only been in a certain
sense the most successtul department of the Inter-
national Exhibition, but it may fairly be said to have
been one of the most popular places of resort during
the London season. 10In Friday last Mr. Btickmaator
completed what may almost be called the hercelean
task of lecturing twice and sometimes three times a day
for six months in this modern School of Culinary Science.
From the very first his lectures attracted much public
attention, and to the end maintained their interest. In-
deed, as the time drew near for their conclusion their
popularity seemed to increase. The lecture-room
has been well filled daring the whole of the coulee,
but during the lost few weeks there has been hardly
sitting room, and all available space behind the dresser
and gas-cooking apparatus has frequently been filled by
Mies and gentlemen Parlous to hear and see something
of an art which, ae Mr. Buckmaster gar, 'is of so
mach importance to the health and comfort of domestio
life and the physical well-being of a nation." No lens
than 360 lectures have beetedelivered, in which the
making of 32 kinds of soup, made dishes', and innu-
merable forms of omelettes, es been practically illus-
trated. No less than 60,000 persona have paid for admis-
sion, and very many of them for the privilege of
tasting the various comestibles produced by the staff of
cooks, who have conducted their operations as the
lectures proceeded. The popularity of the lectures
need no other testimony than the never failing attend-
ance, epecially when we remember that Mr. Rock-
master was in the habit of devoting no slight part of
his remarks to soundly rating his audience for the
Ignorance and waste which, unhappily, are the dim
tinguiahing features of English kitchens, and of which
both rich and poor are alike guilty.
But the succeasful realisation of • happy thought of
the Royal Commissioners in establishing these lectures,
and the immense popularity they attained through the
indefatigable exertions of Mr. Brickmaster and Mr. E.
J. Cratgie, the secretary to that department of the
Exhibition, are of lees importance than the practical
results which have been already, and are likely to be
still further effected, by the temporary School of
Cookery. A wad amount of intelligent interest in the
Important subject of tasteful and economic cookery
has been awakened among all classes, especially
in the metropolis, and • very appreciable amount of
knowledge of a most practical character has
been disseminated. 01 the 110.000 tenuous who
have attended these lectures it may be assumed
that by far tbe greater part have been present, not
merely to gratify their curiosity, but to learn some-
thing which they could turn to good account. Ladies,
and especially mistresses of households in London, of
'redone grades of society have attended from time
to time, and am patient learners hate gone through
• regular course of instruction. They have thus
in turn been enabled to give instruction to their
servants at home, and many have sent their servants
to take lessons themselves. Thus a practical knowledge
of the first principles of good and economic cookery has
been widely spread. Thom who have taken the trout be
to wlcertain whether any definite and ap,reciable result
has attended these lectures have found that in a large
somber of Englifh households a revolution in cooking
has already taken place. It has been said with no little
reason that • good cook may be known by her power to
broil a chop, boil • potato, and make melted butter, to
which might be added to manfacture an omelette.
That the great majority of English cooks arc miserable
failures In one orimore of these particulars, and, inde d,
In • multitude of other pimple culinary matter., is an
undeniable fact; but it must be admitted that the
number of such ignorant servants has been diminished
by the instruction they have received at South
Kensington, or from their mistresses who have gained
It there.
Still, the lectures of Mr. Ruckmaster can hardly
be said to have effected • general reform in our kitchens,
as, after all, it can only be one here and there among
our tens of thousands of households which have re-
ceived instruction at South Kensington. A general
reform must be a work of time; and perhaps the good
already done would soon pass away unless it is supple-
mented and enlarged by some permanent school of
cookery, which shall take advantage of the interest al-
ready excited on the subject, and systematically carry on
the work so successfully inaugurated at the Exhibitiou
of 1873. That such is likely to be the case, or per.
hm,,g we may gay will be the case, is • matter for con-
gratulstion. It will be remembered that in July last
an influential meeting was held at the Marquis of
Westminster's, attended by two Royal Princessei and
a large number of ladies and gentlemen of rank, with
a view to establish tench a Rermanent school of cookery,
with its, headquarters in London and affiliated
branches throughout the country. A committee was
then appointed and, we are glad to say, matters
have so far Programed that shortly the public
will be pat in powalon of the &hens of the

:oheThno to the School of Cookery at the
Exhibftien may be attributed the permanent esta-
Niehment of an inetitution, which, if efficiently ad-
ministered. must be the m,ane of extending a branch
of knowledge by which the material rmouroes of our
' food 'supply wffi be husbanded, and so practically in-
creased, and at the same time the health and comfort
of the population widely improved. We are not aware
whether Mr. Buckmaster will be connected with the
new and permanent institution, but we are glad to hear
that Mr. B. J. Craigie will take an active part in its
development and management.
There id • still further good result flowing from the
lectures on cookery. They have called attention to
the different apparatuses for cooking, especially
those in which gm is employed, and to the economic
use of fuel. A great part of the cookery carried on in
the Scheel of Cookery was by means of gas, against
the nee of which there is etill an unreasonable amount
of prejudice. If the public were aware that almost
all the cooking at flret-class hotels and reqtaurants was
done by gas they might be induced to give it a trial.
Notwithstanding the increase in its price, an immense
saving of fuel expenditure may be effected by its use
in mold. g.
In organising the School of Cookery the Royal Com-
missioners have certainly created an interest in a sub-
ject well worthy of having more attention paid to it
than is ordinarily the case; and if the recent tem-
porary experiment Imes, as doubtless it will, in a
permanent establishment devoted to Vila useful art,
they will be entitled to the hearty thanks of the com-
munity.