New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-09-16

The New Gospel Of Food.

The New Gospel Of Food.
"Heaven sends as meat, but the devil
sends us cooks" However, it 10 worth re-
marking that cooks are now likely to come
more highly recommended. The recent
impetus given to the noble art of cookery
is an encouragement long withheld ftom an
art which. by the way. though specially
accredited to the genius and capabilities Of
women, strangely owes whatever elevation
it possesses to men. Pygmali0n's boy en-.
joys the distinction of an original discov-
erer; Achilles was NO more the svenger Of
Patroclus than the hero of the spit; Cad
mus taught the Greeks gastronomy az well
as their letters; Cato concocted famous
Brlllat-Savarin and Soyer each has not
thought it unworthy TO devote his life to
the advancement Of cookery; Monte
Cristo' is scarcely more famous than
the sauces of Dumas; and Of late
years We have had Blot-Blot, who mus.
tered his pots and kettles in Steinway Hall,
and for time bid fair to rout our American
bill Of fare with his me,su-Blot, who even
yet appears spOradically in weekly publica-
tions devoted to the ladies, to the utter con-
fusion of the country mind. Against all
these the memory of man can but recall the
facetiOus Mrs. Glass, and his mother, whose
pies and cakes he has go often occasion to
remind his wife of, and casually allude 70
at his clearinghouse. But if we are to be-
lieve the highly gratifying reports concern
ing the South KensiEgton School Of Cookery
and Judge from the attractive presentations
OF the illustrated papers, women are coming
into their own again, and that, too, with all
the eclat which attends their movements in
any direction. 1t is true that women have
never seemed t9 appreciate the dignity of
n na En- oil $h<a
possibilities Of what is really one of the
most important concerns of life, and
which, like all the really important
concerns Of life, lies Immediately in
their hands. To them the necessity Of pre-.
pairing the daily meals has been the neces-
sity Of 90 much work to be got through
with, accompanied if possible with some
delectation to the palate-that. too, an organ
which 1t has never occurred to them might
be refined and rendered susceptible Of high.
er pleasures. This low view held in the
parior, it is not probable that the kitchen
will rise even to its heights. That q beef.
steak means nything more than something
to be swallowed at breakfast. and that
coffee 10 other than liquid to facilitate the
swallowing, and that both have any other
object than to postpone for several hours
the cooke labors, are opinions that would
be considered wild and erratic by that per-
SOD; and, it is said, that there are yet vast
areas in the United States where the entire
population still live in harmonious al-
legiance to the trying pan. untroubled by
the shadow of a doubt that that article does
not enjoy the same prestige elsewhere,
and profoundly ignorant Of the pre-
ference Of skilled talent for the grid
iron. Even the best Of housekeepers
will be found to take more pride in their
jellies and paetries-ths show pieces and
gewgaws of the kitchens-than in the pro-
duction Of succulent joints and potatoes in
their jackets. boiled with judgment and dis
cretion. If the young woman Of the family
elbows any interest in culinary matters it
takes the direction of artistic delicacies
rather than Of more homely forms. But it
is rather foolish to have anticipated differ
entity. The whole bent of woman's dispc-
siriOn has been trained to deserve praise
through snowy accomplishments rather
than BY the eoberer performance of duties,
to attract ty superficial means rather than
by profundity, to place ease before thor
oughness, to dazzle rather than to shine. to
accept rather than to investigate. The
education in other respects demonstrates
this, and We have NO reason to expect her
ideas on the domestic question to be based
ON different premiees. In view of all this
the interest in cookery revived by the
South Keneington School in the particu-
lar direction it has taken. and such
works as Lady Barker's Cook Book. :"
have special significance. The depart
ure is entirely new one. proceeding
upon ideas heretofore considered secondary
in any considerations of the suhject-the
first Of these the importance of nutrition,
and the second of economy IN the prepara-
ton of food. These would seem to be
rather dry and barren propositions to the
young ladies whose crmped chignOns and
curls are seen bending over trussed chick
ems tetde the illustrated papers,, and whose
most serious efforts have been in the aerial
regions OF tummeries and syllabubs. were
it not that the whole has been brought uL-
der the wing of science, and lts'votaries ac-
quire the distinction of being scientific ex-
.plorers in an almost unexplored ield. This
though accustomed to haphazard methods
Of thinking and frizzled steaks, after
having been initiated into the molecular
changes required by heat, the instability
Of the homogeneous, the economy of
nature, and the delicacy Of chemical rela-
tiOns as observed in cookery. will not be
long in perceiying the beauties OF proper.
tione, the value OF accuracy. Of the best
adaptation o! means 20 an end, of correct
habits of observation, and in the exercise
of these. with an equally important object
Ill NlS"s OASCONCA III Ato fOLSUAS VIC SdluO
destinations shat urge on the scientist in
other lines. The science OF living Is GER
tainly as important as the science of being.
There is no doubt that. treated in this man.
Eer. cooking will derive new dignity in the
eyes Of women, correlated as it will Se to
other sciences. Does the reader not sup
pose that, if his cook understood the chem
istry of bread making and used ther.
mometer in determining tho heat Of her
oven. she would have enlarged ideas of her
duties to her position. and place less stress
on the possession OF silk gown for Sun
days and feather tor her bonnet So will
it be with her mistress when che has taken
her degree N scientific cookery; then too
large residue Of carbOnic acid in the bread
or too small an amount Of nutriment in
proportion to the quantity of the meal will
be far greater causes OF chagrin than the
wearing Of last seasons bonnet or . rem
ovated dress, and, in fact. rather akin to
failure in ecientific accuracy on the part of
Tyndall or false estimate by Huxley.
AS tor the second of these iGeas-the i'm.
saying. Simply taking one view of it, the
view matrimonial, the change would be
prOdigious. Marriages no more depend on
the price of corn than they do on the fact
that twice as much 10 required to support
household than is absolutely necessary,
owing to the incapacity of the mistress and
the wastefulness of the maids. No man
who ought to be able to marry on certain
income must wait until that income 10
doubled. But if he was assured that his
house could be conducted ON the least
wasteful methods, and on principles as
sound as lie would employ in his business.
he would be persuaded to indulge in the
luxury OF marriage rather than merely its
long hope. It may be TOO much to expect
az vet Of the mistresses this familiarity with
domestic affairs on this side Of the water.
where no such movement has gained ground;
but it is gratifying to know that the estim.