New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-11-07
Science in tho Kitchen.

Science in tho Kitchen.
At recent meeting of the Women's Con-
gress, in Boston, the following essay, writ
Ten by Mrs. Miller, of Geneva, New York,
was read by Mrs. julia Ward Howe:
Man is defined as the only animal that
cooks his food. 1t has been said that good
cooking is the first element of civilization
and the better the cooking the higher the
civilization.
Says DR.. Willard Parker, of New York:
"H you wish your son to be tiger, feed him
him bread and milk" Says another: "Tell
me what man eats, and l will tell you
what he is"
May l ask if we are not quite as Deepen
dent on the quality and preparation of the
food we eat, as on its distinctive nature
Are not the dishes of our tables wholesome
or hurtful, as the Ingredients are good or
poor, and as they are well or lily prepared
Let us take the beefsteak, bread and rice of
daily use; does not thick, tender beet
steak, well brOiled, rare, and served hot,
simply in its own juice give strength of
body and corresponding baoyanoy of spirits,
while on the other hand thin, oush beet
steak, fried until its flavor is gone. erved
luke warm, half covered with fat, cause
weakness of body, depression of spirits and
irritability of temperl Does not bread
made from good flour, mixed with the
right proportions of salt yeast and water,
then raised, baked and properly cooled,
crafty the taste and easily accomplish its
work of nutrition! How striking in contrast
is that bread made of poor flour, mixed
without regard to proportions, allowed to
stand until its sweetness is not only gone
| but has given place to an acidity which Is
| more than destroyed by an over quantity of
soda, then, insufficiently baked and when
| taken from the oven SO covered that the
| lao al.
ness! This bread is eaten from sheer neces-
sity, and its assimilation is labored and
meagre. Does not good rice fused as
| vegetable) we'll washed and so boiled that
every grain stands out white and alone,
4 tempt one by its mere beauty to appropriate
Its nutrtive qualities9 Whereas poor rice,
unwashed, boiled into soggy blush mass,
is SO unattractive, that if eaten at all. it is
without that relish which adds so greatly to
the good effect of food.
Is it not strange that we should intrust
| this important science of cooking, on which
depends life, health and happiness, to igno-
rant women whose only interest in the work
is that it brings them money! Not that
they are to blame, poor things! Money is
the great necessity of their existence.
Clothes, food and shelte, they must have,
and a surplus to meet the demands of their
loving hearts, which are ever pleading for
the parents in the old country. They work
laboriously and faithfully in the darkness
of their ignorance; it is hard for them and
hard for US, and with many ladies who
know no more of cooking than do the SER
wants they employ, a good share of life is
spent in compa'nings, which result only in
mutual dissatisfaction and torment.
Why should we live in this miserable
way wheh the means for improvement are
within our reachl Let us establish schools
for the thorough training of girls, and boys,
l IN hto e. and 10
of all sciences that concern the household
These school might be kept in connection
with restaurants or boardinghouses, by in
telligent, practical cooks who would work
with their pupils in the kitchen, showing
them the various effects of heat, in baking
boiling, broliug, frying and stewing, OF
meats, vegetables, fruits, -four and meal
They would also open to them all the mys.
teries of breakfast, dinner and tea, not fail
ing to teach them what to do with the sur
plus of each meal, that nothing may be
. wasted. At the same time special attention
} would be given to the neatness OF person,
} cleanliness of the kitchen and all utensils
and the careful handling of everything
that is used In addition to this practic a
, teaching, two hours should DO spent ever,
/, day in oral instructi0n-in answering ques
tons from the class and in general remarks
, The course of teaching might be com
pleted in three months and pupils received
on the terms OF ordinary apprentices. AT
an incentive for passing this course Their
should be promise OF higher wages, bu
! only on condition of having received u Ger
, 'tifcate of full qualification tor all the dutie
} of a cook. Higher wages would be mos
chez riully given-not only for the satisfac
ton of knowing that this most importan
, department of Housekeeping is under intel
i. ligent direction, and that the meals ar
, henceforth 10 be inviting and palatable, blu
also for the assurance that care, neatnes
J and economy are to rule; nothing to b
wasted by experiment. Bits of bread, re
J mains of joints and vegetables, and even o
} desserts, all brought into use in tempting
and excellent dishes. No half-used can o
, tomato left to become deleterious from thu
tin when exposed to the air; no pickles mad,
} green by the use of a brass kettle; none Of
the small fruits discolored and injured by
! standing in tin, and no surplus use os sod,
, to destroy the favor of bread. No NOR,
anxiety about the safety OF household stores
such as flour sugar, spices, meats, milk
. etc.-all being carefully guarded agains
dust, insects and the extremes of heat ant
cold. No more wasting of coal and destroy
ing stoves and ranges by excessive heat
/ No one would would object to paying highe
wages for this release from the long line o
trials that follow in the train of Ignorance
Who would net consider money well open
J in thus securing peace of mind and securt,
) OF spirit! Would they not also gladly maxi
their kitchens more attractive admitting a
: much light as possible, and keeping then
} well painted and whitewashed.
> Let the kitchen be directed by intelli
gence and skill. and it becomes "a vel
spring CT Joy" to the whole house W.
must have good tables if we would hav
health, happiness and refinement Not tina
the tables should groan with rich and costly
viands-not that there should be great
, variety; but the two, three or four dishe
should be well chosen and perfect OF thei
kind, both in the cooking and the servin 2
r This, in connection with the neatness an,
, order which are ind ispt nsable to the CON
, forts of the table, will give it the high ranl
to which it is 80 justly entitled. That it i
a great power ip the famly y, all must admit
, whether for evil or good depends not onl
r on the manners and conversation of thOs
, who surround it, but also on the prepare
) ton, arrangement and appearance of tn
l dishes. If poorly cooked and badly serve
J the influence is on the side of evil; but
, well cooked, savory and inviting, the eiiec
} is to scatter clouds and gather sunshine
} and ii it is our habit to eat moderately an
slowly, this influence will deepen into on
lives, helping 10 make them genial, lovin
, and strong.
The Inter.Oceanic Canal.
, A late Washington dispatch says tina