National Republican., 1883-12-22
CooLshops vs.. CooIrs.

One of tho greatest troubles pertaining to
housekeeping is the difficulty, not TO say the
almost impossibility of obtaining good do
mestcs. Ladies no longer pride themselves,
rs in days gone by they were won't to do, on
their knowledge and skill in the preparation
of wholesome and savory dishes; and since
they have seemingly given up their teachings
cooki ng in the family has become lost art.
The complaint is general from New York to
New Orleans of unsatisfactory servants and
bad cooking. 1t is not ony the ignorance
and indiiIeron co of tho ladios or female heads
of households which is responsible, but the
continued changes of servants is tho great,
aud no doubt, chief cause Of the trouble.
Servants no longer remain in the same house,
hold for number of years, as formerly, but
change from house to house and from one
city to another.
The heads of the domestic household
therefore have no encouragement to train
their servants and teach them
culinary knowledge and skill, oven
where they possess IL themselves. What
servants nowadays learn In one
house they unlearn in another A
thoroughly skilled housewife is succeeded
by one ignorant of all the arts of good cook
cry. Ono of the results of this is to drive
men to clubs and restaurants, as badly cooked
meals induce dyspepsia, encourage drinking,
and tend to disgust of the family table The
wives see the result, but frequently do not
know the cause. and home rs an attractive
place becomes moro of u sentiment than q
reality. Is there no remedy for this state of
things? The conditions of good living are
nowhere so abundant rs in this favored coun-
try-fi5h, flesh, fowl. milk, eggs, fruit, and
vegetables-and nowhere So cheap or so good.
The product of tho farm, the garden, tho
orchard, the dairy, the forest, the rivers, and
the sea are heaped in tempting profusion in
our markets. No one is obliged to eat what
does not agree with him, nor what does not
suit his palate Every ono can have his
choice. But as the prosest has it, "God sends
the meat and the devil sends the cooks"
Where are the cooks to come from? The old
system has had its day, never to return.
Cooks are no longer to be graduated in
the school of the private kitchen. Are
we all to be driven to hotels, or
must we get our meals at restaurants?
Hotels are too expensive and restaurants, as
now conducted, are only suited for young
men and bachelors. The remedy seems to
be to get meals cooked from shops in tho vi
cinity and sent to the dwellings. This is tho
best solution which now presents itself
Already in New York, which always takes
ments, the cookshop has become a recognized
institution, over seventy cookshops (not res
taurants) are in successful operation there.
Families are supplied at reasonable rates with
excellent meals, excellent because we'll cooked,
and the cookshops find the business prohta-
bic. Wagons especially built for the pur-
to customers in covered dishes at appointed
hours. The larger the custom the moro profit
to the shops, and to enlarge the custom tho
charges must be moderate and made to come
within the means of the customers. As soon
as cooking, pure and simple, becomes a
recognized way of making q living, and
making money over and above mere
living, the ambition of excellency in the
art will be fostered, and competition will
assist in perfecting and cheapening it;
cooks of established fame will have their
journeymen or apprentices, and neophytes
hoping to tako their masters or employers
places and succeed to their custom on their
retirement, and we will have line of well
educated persons in the art of cookery.
After all, the establishment of the cook
shop will be but a return to tho ancient
regime. The cookshop was an ancient and
honored institution. Professional cooks play
part in the dialogues and plays of
the old line of civilization, as types
of calling as we'll known as that
of the soldier merchant or architect, and as
much respected as either. Cooks have be-
come distinguished in modern times 1t is
said that Prince Mensokotf was once cook.
Delmonico is one of tho wealthy men of New
York, and the Vidois, of New Orleans, have
achieved fortune. Tho Grand Monarch of
France ennobled q Spaniard who displayed
great genius as cook. May not tho man
who leads the movement in Washington hopo
to become ono of the commissioners of
the district, if not the President ofthe United
States. Failing in either of these, if his work
is thoroughly successful, he may reasonably
expect to retire on large fortune, and have
a statue in ono of the reservations or 'storiod
bust in the cemetery. How could "Home,
Sweet Home" have ever been written had it
not been for tho cookery in the '1owly,
thatched cottage" which made homo bloss-
ing? Tho good cook has large share in the
poetry of homo.
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From n Generous Foe.
M. H..