The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-11-30
For the Times.
Union County Agricultural Fair.


ton for the manner in which the various depart
nents were managed. Yet il would be strange
if there were not some things Objectionable, and
shall take the liberty of expressing my disap-
probation Of the way i'll which the cooking match
es are managed.
might touch upon the horse racing and dog
shows, but as these things are not very interest
ing to ME, l will say but little about them.
When we scacely pick up paper but what con-
taihs q report OF u dog with the rabies, or some
case Of hydrophobia, think 1t high time some
etfectual steps were taken to curtail the number
of worthless dogs, instead of encouraging the
rearing and keeping of more. good yard
dog sensible person would object to they are
useful but the keeping Of u dozen or mere
hounds-as l know of Sumo men who DDS
foolish and extrayagant, to say the least of 1t.
But what particularly object to is the man
ner in which the cooking matches are managed
at our State and County Fairs, and while object
ing would resPecty draw the attention of those
whose duty and pleasure it may DO to prepare
the printed programmes, toa plan "a "mi:ie otcn,
mSis5a SSish .th,sk TSa!a give more genera! salts
same time more thoroughly test each contestants
competency as n cook than any plan hitherto
adopted. 1t may seem rather premature TO
write of this thus early, but as our Fair has 50
recently closed, and while fresh in .he minds of
many, think il best to breach the subject now,
that those whose business it will be to prepare
the regulations, &C., may have ample time to
digest the subject before the next annual meet
ing OF the Society, and doubtless improve upon
my plan.
The cooking matches, as heretofore managed,
are open to much improvement. Why, the way it
is now managed the real lhouse-keeper-th the wife
and mother-sands no chance Ut all . for tho
contestants are limited to such youthful age
that it is mostly school misses or if not at school
they ought to be, judging from their a,e) or very
la.lt
1t is quite true there was no cooking done at
our late Fair, for II premium, but from what
can learn it was more the fault Of the weather
Than the youthful contestants, who came weH
prepared TO cooh. IL is f~osy-t Will not
to dispute, that "Sweet sirtceH," with sleeves
rolled up, showing plump round and dimpled
arm, looks vastly more interesting to the mas
culne eye than the staid, sober Mairon OF, per-
haps, five and thirty; but that is not the thing.
If the cooking matches arc designed to awaken
the LuuSe-kccpcr to \ more earnest effort TO pre-
pare more palatab and diges:ibc dishes for
her household, how very little encouragement
does she recsi,e when dcbarred the privilege of
contestins her proficiency, simply because she
Is occr age. 1t is n fact no one, presume, will
attempt to dispute, that if q general canvass of
Oil tho white ladies who do their own Cooking
was made,-ladies # refinement and intelli-
gence, too-thcre would be great many more
of the age Of 3J or I5 than III or IL. | strong
ly objccI to limiting the contestants to dny par
ticuiar age; but fearing more might desire to
cook than it would be convenient to sup
Ply with stoves, it would, / think, be very
good idea to limit the age from IL to 30 or 30.
rhe bill Of fare no! to be priAtet a'ens he pro-
or written slip of paper, eractty alike, given ter
each competitor as they take t!.eir places 10 DC =
gin the cooking.
If the contestants were to furnish the mate
ilais for getting up the dinner, (Which | think
they Should) i'll the general regulations 1t could
simply be stated that those desiring to cook
should bring with them-in very small quauti-
ties, ef COURSE meal, flour, lard, batter, bacon
beef, chicken, &C., and from those mat eras Ind
bill OF fare must be made. vi course from thd
material have MeHtionel very plain dinnd
would be expected, but those whose business il
is TO prepare the Programme could decide on
something different. The bill of fare should
not comprise any very elaborate dishes, but
something which it is supposed any one accus.
toned to cooking might understand, and then
the one wlo can, on the spur of the moment
without any previous training in any two
more dishes, prepare the best meal, should
he entitled,-and very juSHy,-to the premium
But when the bill Of fare is given out r0eekS
before, anySchooi girl who may never have turned
hoe cake bciLre, can, with Mama to direct and
prompt her, soon learn to- cook the dishes named
IN it SO we'll that she'miglit even excel an older,
msrc experienced and more competent cook |
Will state, TO enforce what have said. that during
Fair, not hundred years ago, nor a hundred
miles from here. l have been informed on goud
authority, young lady came to cook for The
premium, who brought her biscuit dough with
her, which she had prepared ut home under the
maternal eye, beef steak all chopped, &c., pre-
pared, ] presume, under the same expernced
orb. or couse, sEcct sixteen would stand prct-
~ soel chance To get the premium but with
no prcSious knowledge of what the bill of fare
was to I've, each contestant would, neccssalily
have 10 depend OIL her merits rs general good
COOK, not only on Mrcc or JOmr dishes but, from
being 50 well accustomed to the business, would,
like o1eWho had mastered some particular study,
be ready to be examined in any portion Of the
book. Some may exclam, 1.-The cooking matches
are designed to stis'ulatc the young ladies to be
sDod cooks; but | have never yet seen one mas
ter ihcart At County Far, learn all there was
tobelcarned by preparing few dishes for exhibi-
ton. Experience and common sense goes Il long
way i'll the makeup Of good cook. | have
necessary ingredients in her composition. All
the cook books irr the country could never make
Of such all one - real. reliable csoks.. suppose
cDanon StHSs might be called gift Lurt1c 9TH
cr recommendations calibc easily acquired; and.
don you see that this would stimulate sweet
sixteen or ci -hteen, whichever she may be, to
lnI the heavy burden of cooking from oil the
maternal shoulders, TO her own strong and more
supple onesT In the end i,wuu!d be the means
OF teaching her, not only some of the first prin-
ciples of cooking but fit her to be a real help
III her home, and show her, also in after life how
TO add brightness, comfort and happiness, to a
home of her own.
believe it .Gas Fanny Fcrn' who said.