New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-01
TIE COOKING HABIT.
Irom me Wcckly Tribune

When one reads over q well written recipe and
notes that quantities. measures, and qualities are
accurately given. and that tae succession IN which
each ingredient should be used Is stated IL seems
TO be a very easy matter to make tAo dsh thus in
dicatcd and make 1t successfully.
When one sits by and watches tho operations of a
skilfu cook, her def handling of materials. her
ready way Of accomplishing desired results, her
avoidance OF diGicutics--whIt she does seems rs
though II might be easily done by anybody. SO
does il seem easy to accomplished pianist TO
play on the piano, to brilliant vocalist TO sing
diyincy," TO an eloquent preacher to deliver a
sermon to professional chemist to perform expert
mcnts to practised writer to throw of an article
to a great painter to produce masterpiece, but
everybody knows that this ease is the result OF
persistent. protracted and pain-taling effort.
decided procliyity for any of these accomplish
menls must be supplemented by years of industry
before great success is obtained Son type setting
engraving, ploughiag laying brick, and every
other industrial occupation, the slulful hand is
the uractised hand-the hand winch works au-
tomatically with the automatically working BRAIN
Cooking u no exception. The skillul COOK is the
practised cook the habitual COOK the cook who has
served her apprenticeship and learnt her trade
thoroughly.
A great many mothers shirk the task of training
their daughters in domestic industries hugging the
delusion TO their hearts that when their daughters
are Obliged to get under the burden they will learn
soon enough how 10 bear it easily and gracefully.
A. many daughters put of the evil day Of familiar
lty with homework in its homely details thinking
there's time enough to learn that when have tor
The result il when they set mp housekeeping for
themselves year or two or three or q lifetime Of
wrctched meals wretchedly prepared, fnghtlul
dependence on incompetent dishonest servants,
and all the evils resulting from dyspepsia. defcc-
tive nutrition and unnecessary waste
Instrumental musicians lay great stress on form
ing the hand" early in childhood and girls of eight
and ten, perched on piano stools their short legs
dangling, practise for hours the piano that their
hands may be " formed" There is no greatlobjec-
ton to THIS, prehaps, any more than there is TO
standing little bits Of boys up on the table and
teaching them how TO speak their pieces" aud
forming their voca, ORGANS 10 clenr enunciation
and agreeable meditation and their limbs and
bodies to graceful and appropriate posture and
gesticuaton. Iii as important to ultimate sue
cess that the cooking habit shoud be formed early
as that the musical habit or the eOcuti0nary habit
should be formed early. The little girl who ia per-
rnttei first 10 help In I'll the operations NJ cooking
and gradually admitted 20 full partnership In the
work acquires habit of mind hat Is useful to her
IN every other industry she may apply herself TO.
There are a score OF things to be kept in mind and
looked out for in tho preparation OF the simplest
meal, aud one unaccustomed to tho task is almost
sure to forget something and TO be sadly worried
and haTasscd with the endeavor whether success
full or nor, of making everything como out even.
II has always seemed to us that the best time to
confirm girl in the habit Of cooking and habits Of
general housekeeping Is during the years occupied
by her transition from girlhood to womanhood All
teachers Of girls know Of how little comparative