Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-09-27
From the Farmers Monthly Visitor.
Cooking Potatoes.

There ia class Of people who exceed
all others within our knowledge in the ap-
pIication of means to ends, in The methods oi
giving TO domestic life all its comforts, in
making aud preserving every thing useful,
in preparing their meat IN due seasoI, and
in furnishing not expenslvc'y, but in the
test manner, such food as is conducive to
health. That class Is the people called
Shakers. To describe single family of
this singular community, would be to de-
scribe all other families-so much are they
alike in their manners and mode OF living.
Without wishing 10 be obtruslve, We never
fail to call upon them SO often as we have
an opportunity, because VIC are richly paid
for every thing IN the information we re-
ceive. In concluding our late Fcrambu'a.
tion which touched four Of the eight counties
Of the State, we so timed as to invite our.
selves to tarry over night at Enfield. where
the sister malrons who keep "the ofice"
seem always to nave received our v'sls
with all that kindness and sociab lity which
could be desired. A good supper or dinner
is always soon read dy after our arrival; and
Friend Dyer cons nt'ng to lake simple pay
we have been emboldened to repeated calls.
We tarried with them on the night of the
27th July. They had new potatoes on The
table 4; but their old potatoes were better
! than their new. 1t was matter Of general
complain, that potatoes were not good last
year-they were wet and soggy when cook
ed and so disagreeable to the taste had
they become, that for months we had made
our usual meal generally wthccGS;; tncm.
Whether ,tey will DO agreeable to the
taste or not can generally be observed by
| their appearance when brought to the table.
| The Enfield sisters brought US some, which.
as they appeared, so they proved, 10 BE-, not
less welcome to the taste than auy we have
ever eaten they were mellow and mealy
and their fav"r was all we could desire as
! an accompaniment Of a preparation OF
mea.. On asking The method ofprcparalon
of potatoes for the table at season nearly
a month later than it is common 10 make
use of the last years potatoes, '!'e sister
having charge of he cookery discovered
the whole process.
The preparation is begun by tuking a
sufficient quantity Of potatoes from the Gel
lar, where they should always he kept until
this time. to last three or four days or a
week sprou,ing and washing them clean. If
The potatoes are TO be cooked for The morn.
ing they are then taken IN the evening, and
if for dinner before breakfast in the mornlng,
pared, not entirely, but two-,hirds or three.
| fourihs Of the skin On the outside they are
then soaked several hnmrs IN cionn cold wa
ter, which operation is said to extract ull
those dele,erous qualities which are disa.
greeable both to the eye and to the taste.
Boiled in a kettle of water until about two.
thirds cooked, large portion Of The water
is turned of, leaving the remainder 10 evaP.
orate in steam over and through the pota-
toes. The result is, that even those poia-
toes which arc shrivclled with The Iateness
of the season will come out as mealy and
fresh as the best of potatoes when taken
ripe from the ground.
W.. behave This method OF preparation
to be of such value that thousands OF those
who have felt obliged 10 eat bad Pota'oes'
will think the Shaker sister who has ena-
bled US to g We this information to the rea~
ders of The Farmers Monthly Visitor.