The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-04-17
A Macnronl Mint,

Six Italians assist Signor Scalchi In h
nlacaronl manntactory on Baker street, b,
low Seventh, Philadelphia. Three of tl
hnnds arc wolaen, and four or five babIf
are usually stacked up promiscuouslv IN
corner OF the second floor back, where tn
pasty sticks arc made. Schalcbi has tn
reputation Of making macaronl that nevc
can by any possibility be mistaken for tn
imported article. He produces cheapl
and pays his employees about twelve cent
a day each. Ills macaroni is of the mos
uncrthodox character aud qulto unhk
what usually passes under that name.
never gets beyond tho Italian quarter !,
the neighborhood Of Carpenter street
Scalch1 once, imbued with the idea of in
creaslng his business called on a whole
sale grocer In this city and unfolded
Dag OF samples OF tho best macaron
| nc could make, carefully selected fo
us symmetry and whlteness. He has neye
since known exactly how 1t was. but bf
found himself on the sidewalk, sample,
ana al. That one kick, besides bruislno
nm, Knocked away all his enterprise, and
he now carries on desultory sort or trade.
employing no drummers.
n reporter recently picked his way
among Italians who were picking rnrs
and, by circuttous route renohcd the steps
or the house where Is the Scalchi tonement.
a curious bundlo eat on tho nccond sten
ana inc reporter strobe over 1t and WAS he.
ginhlng to 60 up stairs when the bundle
arose and began to talk female Italian
On The stairs were other bundles. winch
snored and swore. After time q door
was reached on which was painted (evi.
IDENTIFY with q finger dipped III lpk) tic
legend 'f5. Scachi, Alacaronl Saloon
Scalchl himself jumped up as the re-.
porter entered the room. Hc IS small
man, with black beard aud dimnuliye
eyes His myrmidons laid down Their
work and stared vacantly, with ewes and
mouth wide open. Like a flash he prabbcd
broomstick behind the door and broupht
IL down with a sounding thwack on Ihc
shoulders OF miserable little Ncapohtnn
VINO seemed only too glad of an opportun.
ity to BIZ idle. r'O' WI"
"Worka, cobblestonc, boarding house
oam, he shrickcd, or words to that cf.
feet. VI
The effect was magical. The figures re-
sumcd their occupations. 1t may be here
statea that an American hanger-on of the
estao!shment subsequently explained that
ocaicnrs sentence was supposed to mean g:
Ivy ork, you leathcr-souled sons of ItulvI"
MS Is all the English Scalchi knows and
le makes use of 1t from the fact that his
people think it n terrible imprccatlon.
on the middle OF the floor was q large
1rock or sticky material, like paste,
from this tho macaroni was being fash
oned. The process in use was primitive
leIt vlsloIe flnger-marks, and commenced
TO beat 1t about with two little sticks.
Then a child, apparently not moro than
eighteen inches long, who looked like
round ball, caught hold of q small pair OF
bellows and began working them for dear
lfe. The air pumped hy the bellows had
passed through the stove and was hot.
Next the artist began to build his stick of
lengthwaye from the mouth OF
The tube, and as the hot air touched II 1t
became hard enough to retain the ncccs-
sary shape. The pastry pipe had, of
course, to be constantly moulded by the
hands 10 prevent Its blowing out into all
sorts of elzes and figures. The process re-
suited IN bundles Of unequal and badly.
shaped macaroni tubes, such as are never
seen in groceries. 1t was impossible to
lind ont the exact composition OF the paste,
but 1t appeared TO bo made Of coarse flour,
with a mixture OF some thick meal. A.
pan Of muddy looking water, In which a
Of gum arabic had been
was what the meal was moistencd
with. Scaichi was, Of course, unable to
explain the virtues of the different articlvs
or describe them by name, but lie danced
around and grlpned as If exceedingly
pleased with his own ingenuity, every now
and then stopping to give playful Knock
with the broom handle 10 his associates or
break over their heads any shanielully
''botched" pipo Of his national food.
In the midst of tho work, while the
leader of everything was putting ashes,
stale potatoes and other rubbish in tho
stove instead Of coal, there was rcsound-
lng yell and the child who manipulated the
bellows tumDcd hcadforcnlosJ into the
paste. For happy, solitary moment tho
boy stood perpendicular, wrong side up, Ill
the heavy mass, then he topplcd over up
setting everything on the floor. Sculchl
lost his self possession for second, but
was soon himself again. The small boy
sat In the middle OF the arena with eyes,
mouth, cara and lace plaslerGd with dough.
Inc thick paste travelled slowly but surely
over the grimy boards. Scnlohi uttered an
immortal yell, waved his brooms stick, right.
cd the crock and III a minute every living
thing in tho room, except the reporter and
the boy, was scooplng up the paste and
tossing 1t into the carthcn vessel. Tie
stuiY which adhered to the infant was
carefully sGrapcd OF and thrown in with
the rest.
Before leaving tho reporter was shown
six large boxes Of macaronl the color oi
cigar ashes. There is very little romance
about macaroni-making, and Scalchi is tht
most unntercstlng person in the world
1t appeared that tho persons who make tho
farinace0us artlclo Of food have TO study
long and icdiously before they can success
fully work by Scalchi's method, which II
| SAID to be one OF the earliest kinds.
"A Charming Custom.