Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-03

kIrCHEN ECONOMY.
IL ever in the history of eur country there
has been period when the strictest domestic
economy becomes a religious necessity, that
Rmboldened by political dissensions, unhappy
excitement and universal prostration Of busi.
ness, want, and, in tens Of thousands of in
stances, stark famine. have, since the advent
Of 1881, thrust their hideous visages into homes
heretofore sacred from the visits Of such un-
welcome intruders.
Leaving entirely out Of the question all that
our husbands and fathers have done towards
1nsugurating the crisis that now threatens In
crush as under its iron rule, let u.s. wives and
mothers, managers Of the internal Home De-
psrtment, reflect calmly, and inquire of our-
selves IL We have not thoughtlessly sent out
our cards broadcast, inviting the unwelcome
guests TO our homes.
The honely, oldtimed aphorism that "a
woman can throw out with n teaspoon faster
thsn a man can throw in with a shovel -
when or wherever il was first uttered, is as
true to-day ss in the moment of its inception.
now many of Us thoughtlessly throw out not
only our husbands income. but something
over, that by the exercise Of little econom,
zeal forethouSht might be laid by as a sinking
fund agsinst the possible day when that in.
come shall be diminished or entirely fail?
In the general household economy, one of
the most prolific, and beyond question the
most constant source Of waste, is the kitchen
drainage. Take the average Of all our Amer
lean homes, and Of all the material that goes
into the Kitchen, twenty-five per cent goes
out as ofsl, sheer waste, when six per cent
ought, In all cases, to be the maximum. And
yet 1t is scarcely possible to find that cook or
nousekeeper who will not argue stoutly that
she Is as saving and prudent as ever cook or
housekeeper was And they honestly believe
IT. for habit is their education, and it ia rather
their edueation than themselves that is at
fault, though that fact does not argue that
they ought not to improve their kitchen edu-
cation.
With such examples before us as that of the
Sovereisn Of Great Britain, and q thousand of
our owa countrywomen, the peers Of Queen
victoria herself, no woman need blush to su-
PerSise, or even to put her hand to the duties
OF ner own household. But it is rather to that
class Of women to which belong-they with
Wnom Kitchen economy is a necessity as we'll
as virtue, rather than to those, whose bus
oand state securities, railroad stock, bank
DIVIDENDS, ocean steamers" and q quarter of
million at interest, insure an income beyond
tneir possibility Of expenditure, that 1 now
address myeelf, advising nothing beyond the
bare results of my own practical experience,
put most emphstically enjoining upon them
tae Importance Of kitchen economy few
PLAIN. practical hints as . finale to my present
exoraipm
Don't throw away the crusts and bits of
stale bread. II you have scorohed or burned
loaf, don't Gu. of the crust and throw it
away That is needless waste. Crumb it
fns and boil it with your coffee. It improves
the favor Of all the ordinary kinds, as Rio,
Lsguira, st. Domingo, &C., and takes nothing
from that Of Java and Mocha; Besides it is an
excellent corrective and tonic where the stom-
ach is disposed to undue seidity.
Don't waste the crumbs and bits of stale
bread. Il 10 absolutely wicked. Soak in a
quart Of sweet milk, beat in two eggs add a
teaspoonful Of allspise, little nutmeg. bake
20 minutes, and you have delicious pudding,
sufficient for six reasonable persons.
save all the odds and ends Of meat left at
dinner, whether beef, veal, mutton, pork or
ham, chop it with cold boiled potatoes into
hne mince, and brown nicely in the dripping
pan for breakfast. The person who refuses
such a hash, has no appreciation Of the excel
lent in cookery.
Don't dash recklessly out into the kitchen
sewer the water in which you have beiled any
sort OF meat, fresh or salt, containing ounce
of grease. 'Tis ounces makes the pounds. Let
1t stand until cold, skim il carefully off, and
put 1t with others Of the same sort, and when
you have q quart or so, heat and clarity by
pouring gently of and straining. Set il by
for shortening. Il is better than leaf lard for
all ordinary pastry, and is a clear saving of
ninety per cent in shortening. We consume,
think, our due share Of pastry, for plain,
everyday people, and my cookery in that
line, if the testimony Of our neighbors goes
for anything, stands at a premium; neverthe-
less, with family Of seven, L don't consume
Is pounds Of leaf lard per annum.
As. however, with all economy, there will
be scraps and tags Of fat meat that cannot be
converted into cooking material, another as
economical disposition may be made of them
Save carefully until enough is obtained TO
make hEe pounds of grease; then try out and
cleanse, buy q can Of concentrated lye," and
by following the simple directions on the
wrapper, twelve pounds of excellent hard
soap may be obtained, with small labor. and
far superior to any Of the soaps sold in the
shops. i manufacture all the soaps, of every
quality, used in my family, from such odds
and ends, at q cost Of less than one dollar a
year.
SAVE THE RAGS.
With family Of four romping girls, all un-
der twelve years Of age, and one boy, the ju-
nior Of three Of the girls, there is of necessity
q rather extensive wear and tear of cotton
fabrics. Nevertheless. when worn past all
Offices Of decency, We do not permit the mate
rial to 60 entirely to waste. Every shred is
carefully bestowed in the bag, and sold 70
the itinerant dealer in such merch sndise, the
proceeds supplying rs always with all the
baskets, brooms, dust brushes and dust-pans
We need.-Ihrs. E. d. Kendall, tn Country
Geuflsun1