Morning journal and courier., 1880-06-29
Boston Baked Beans.
The New England City's Fnvorfte Dish A Weekly Consumption ofTvvO Hundre'

The New England City's Favorfte Dish
 A Weekly Consumption ofTwO Hundred
 Barrels.
 From the Boston Heraldl
 Though Boston has acquired some fame as
 large consumer of this esculent, baked
 beans have been from time immemorial a favorite dish throughout New England. The sturdy men and women of generations ago,
 who braved dangers and hardships in plant ing an independent colony, added strength to their sinews and muscles by eating simple food, of which baked beans were a much cherished ingredient, and of all ancient dishes none have stood better the test of time and the oaprices of the capacities of the people. But it is a little singular that, while New England is so large consumer of baked beans, and New Englanders, more especially the residents of Boston, have acquired the mystery of cooking them perfectly, the dish is not in much favor elsewhere, and that the knowledge of baking them properly is ex- ceedingly limited. It may be said that one circumstance is due to the other-that is, that where it is not known how to bake beans properly, they are naturally not popular ar ticle of diet. If the method and process of baking were patented, 1t could hardly be more exclusively held by New Englanders. In New York and other municipalities, con- tempt is often expressed for the Athenian love for baked beans, and yet not long ago 8 fashionable clubhouse, on the occasion of @ special gathering, sent by express to this city for 20 two-quart pots of Boston baked beans. This manner of obtaining dish they affect to despise is frequent tly resorted to, undoubt- edly with profit alike to the buyer and seller. An experienced baker of this city, being ask ed why baked beans were not as popular in New York as in Boston, 5said: Because they don't know how to cook them. They don't soak them enough, boil them too much, and then take them out of the oven before they are half baked.'' But 1t would be easy enough for them to learn how to cook them?" ''Well, if it is, they don't learn. That much I know"
 There is lunch counter in one of the bus jest sections of New York, where genuine Boston baked beans are served, which is re- ported to be doing thriving business Tray elers in the West and South have noticed in the windows of restaurants in cities and towns placards announcing Boston baked beans, but on entering and eating 8 dish, find but little resemblance between iNRnd the ''home articIe.'' Custom has prescribed eith- CT Saturday night or Sunday morning as the ''correct time" for eating baked beans, and the scene at the bakers then is the busiest of the week. Among the hundreds of bakers in the city there are but few who do not ''put to soak'' on Friday night from one to five barrels of beans, which, added to the number cooked in private dwellings, will give one conception of how well deserving is Boston of her fame a bean-consuming city. A well Uniformed gentleman estimates that the consumption of beans in Boston is about 200 barrels per week, or about 1000 barrels per year. One reason why Boston baked beans are considered better than any others is that almost invariably they are baked in brick ovens over night. Besides baking quantity to sell the bakers, for the nominal sum of 5c. per pot, receive and bake the beans that are by their customers, thus adding ma terially to their own profit and the conven- fence of the public. It is 8 fact, certainly not universally known, that there is in Bos- ton an establishment devoted exclusively to the baking of beans, entirely separate from canning institution. It is the only establish ment of the kind in the world, probably, and it is exceedingly doubtful whether it could live anywhere else. At all events, attempts have been made to establish similar institu- tions elsewhere, and nothing but failure has been the result, and 1t is now plain enough that a bean-eating community is requisite to support bean-bakng establishment. The success of the Boston bean bakery was as- sured from the start, and it's enterprising proprietor has climbed up the road to wealth by the bean alone, without assistance from the pole. Every night in the week the fire under the spacious brick oven is in full blast, and two teams are kept busy daily in deliver ing the pots and their smokng-hot contents. Of the customers of the bakery, fully one half are restaurant keepers, who pay 20 cents for two quarts of beans, and then retail them at 10, 15 and 25 cents plate. The bakery consumes from 1900 to $500 pounds of beans per week, land it's oven has the capaci- ty to bake 45O pots in asingle night. It is, perhaps worthy of note that the bakery is located in a fashionable quarter of the city, within stone's throw of Washington street. In conclusion, it may be said that the Athe- nian fondness for baked beans continues to increase rather than to decrease, and that, in spite of what the world may say, Bostonians daV mnrninpS