The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-11-18
FARM AND GARDEN.
Baked Beans.

There are beans and then there are beans!
This is dictum that we necd not argue, IN
Yankeeland. where the favOrlte vegetable is
mjs.cooked in as many different ways as there
are 10 make poor bread. We always sympa-
thiZed in the jeremiade OF the outsprked Gail
Hamilton (what lc0uLd have become of her If
she had kept pent up for the past dozen years y
over the decay Of New England knack, in
modern days in preparing the regulation
Sunday morning breakfast. We believe she
classed it with the most-to.be lamented of the
lost arts. There are many manifestations of
this loss; among which are the slippery, slop.
DIV, yellow beans of the corner bakery-intact,
globuar, perversely individual, which no man
is justified in guessing are either steamed,
boiled or baked. 1t Is fundamental axiom in
correct bean. baking, that no dish can be
right that is "unmushed." A whole bean is
confession of failure IN cook. Then there
are the baked beans of the restaurant, dry.
UNDERGONE WaHy, aggrava,lng mess "A son
OF a yankee, who will make away with" a
plate Of the average eating house beans, when
he can get an apple.pi nine days old, or sand
witch that has been used as sign not more
than a week, is degenerate scion. And then
there are the fashionable" baked beans; serv.
ed in a shallow, dainty platter, more adopted
to display the china than to do Justsce 10 tle
generous, historic dish--lnnocent OF pork,
bleached until they are tlavorleSs, ana then
cooked to death Beans cannot survive style.
1t is as fatal to them as ii is to spare-rlD, or
roast-oysters, or any Of the good old-tlme lux
uries. We have interviewed, speclaliy LOT
this occasion, Il housekeeper whose DaKed
beans are worthy fthe renown OF mat ahces,
tor of hers, who helped through the war OF
the revolution bv seeing to it that the soldiers
home on furlough, or in adjacent camps, al
WAYS had good rye-and.lnjun bread and bak
ed beans fit for patriot And she says that
the only secret about it is ito have them just
right"
You want to soak them over night, or par
boil them in two or three waters until they
are at the cracking point. II your appetite is
not robust enough to eat pork and you have
art enough to cook them without it, all that is
required IS to season the dish to the fine point
of half pinch of salt, a single shake OF the
pepperbGx and n lump of butter neither too
large nor too small, and have piece OF fresh
sparerib roasted separately to serve with
them The beans must also be of Just the
right consistency when put into the dish Tor
baking So far we believe, 1t is all clear,
If you have stamina enough for pork, praise
your ancestors and kind heaven and put the
sweet criscrossed piece of seasoning meat,
with its possibilities of crisp rinds, in the cen
tire of the dish with slices ornamenting the
sides. All you need Of the oven is to have II
"neither too hot nor too SLOW" The beans
must then simmer until they are "just done"
To secure the exact shade of brown over the
top, and the precise degree OF heat and moist
ure inside needed to bring each individual
bean to the very point of cracking ard Goa
lescing with its nelghbor-wthout entirely
doing it!-that is all the direction one needs
as TO baking If it isn't clear, you must learn
as the boy learns TO swim. And then as to
serving 1t is the sign Of an etfee and over.
ripe social despotism to dish OUT pan OF
baked beans. Assert your independence, and
preserve the integrity of your result by plac-
ing them upon the table in the Dish IN which
they were cooked Let the servant pass
around the empty china, if you wish, to as.
sure the family or guest that you have 1t. And
have enough left to know the luxury of cold
beans that have a heart In them Thus shall
one of our glorious New England institutions
be restored, to add lustre to the centennial
year-G0lden Rule.