The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-02
A Morning in a Cooking Glass.


Wealthy Young Women Taking Lessons
depends on how they are fed" If that is
true, the interest now shown In New York
in the science and art of cooking must be
considered full of promise for the future of
the city. Culinary studies seem to offer at
fractions rivalling those of decorative art
and the various other pleasant occupations
which wealth and leisure permit. Said
young lady a day or two ago: 81 have de-
clined to join a tennis club, whist club
and an Italian class, and care only for my
cooking class" She is one of half dozen
fair representatives of wealthy families as.
ISOLATED for the purpose of studying cook
ing practically. This with many young Ia
dies signifies much more than passing
amusement, for it is said to have become a
common arrangement for mothers to relin-
quish either the whole or part of the do
mestic management to daughters living at
home. In this way whatever may be
learned in the kitchen classes is of immedi-
ate value. The study and practice are con-
tinued regularly from day to day By success
sive groups of ladies assembling in large
and cheerful room looking upon the win
dows and side walls of st. Georges Church.
A highly polished working stove near
wainscoting of tiles is a conspicuous object;
cases Of china ware closed with glass doors
stand on either side; at the center of the
room. with its brightly painted floor, is
table with an oil-cloth cover, and at this
each lady takes her seat, wearing large
white apron and having in her hand cook
cry book in the "kitchen edition., Half
the number may be youthful matrons with
the dignity of having houses of their own
newly upon them. A housewife dress worn
by one of these matrons at lesson last week
was very pretty and becoming. This was
lowered chintz, with a frill of pleated white
lace falling at the foot, with the same bor-
derlng the overskirt and laid in rows down
the trinity shaped waist; the collar was
formed of transverse double rows of lace
pleating, with edges meeting, and with strips
of the bright chintz alternating with the
lace, folded outward from the fine collar of
linen next the throat. Over the dress was
tied full white apron, and low upon this
swung the note book in long loop of rose
colored ribbon fastened at the waist, and
having a gold pencil attached. The white
and beautifully modelled arms we're en-
circled with gold bracelets.
No time is wasted in entering upon the
business Of morning This includes the
preparation of a dish by each member of the
class according TO bill of fare arranged at
readiness, provided by the instructor and
paid for by the pupils, to each of whom be-
longs the dish she produces. In preparing
the bills and deciding the allotments it is SO
arranged by members of class that the ad-
vantage of practice with different dishes
may be gained by all during the course.
Those undertaken for the last lesson by the
class of young ladies referred to were
Scotch broth, smelts d la Tartare, queen
fritters, soda biscuit, Lyonnaise potatoes
and Dutch apple pudding.
Take two pounds of the scraggy part of
the neck of the mutton.' began Miss Par
loa, reading from the book to this group of
ladies gathered around the table, on which
already appeared the mutton laid on a fresh
board. Close attention was given to the
explanation that what are called the poor
parts--such as leg and neck portions-are
really the best, because, being the most ex-
ercised, the blood courses more freely
through these, making them more nutritious
and with higher and better flavor. "Cut
the meat from the bones and cut off all the
fat," continued the teacher, and quickly
two pupils reached forth their hands for the
well-sharpened knives. The instructive talk
went on while the ladies worked at the
scraggy neck of mutton. "You could not
get cook to do what we are doing here"
said one of the two, glancing mp; ''they
would not take the trouble.'' The patient
amateurs carefully severed the clear red por-
lions from the bones, divided the different
tissues, and cut those desired into smaller
pieces. A general study was made of the
difference between fat and gristle, of which
the latter was to be retained because mice
to have little bits of it'' in the broth. Equal
care was observed in the preparation of veg
etables brought together in this dish. A
carrot was carefully cut into pieces as exact
ly alike as gold eagles; some turnips were
treated in the same way, and an onion was
cut into fine dice. All the bones were gath
cred into one saucepan, the meat with the
vegetables and some barley into another,
the cold water added to each, and all to be
gently simmered. According to former
pupils expression of the idea of preventing
rapid ebulli'ion, this dish must only SMILE
The injunction was well remembered, the
tender fingers were burned more than once
in hastily lifting the lid for assurance that
the Scotch broth was properly restrained to
a s'smile."
AS one after another became fully en-
gagged with her particular dish, receiving in
structions ON all the different points, the
scene was one of curious activity. The
smelts were prepared with extreme nicely
BY one of the pupils, washed well and
drained, sailed and dipped in beaten egg
and bread crumbs. slight girl worked
with heroic expression on the batter for the
linz xuht Job cl1a rpa1 IT,
bowl; her arms were as strong as much
practice with the violin could make them.
Another with fastidious care mixed her
queen fritters. Cold boiled potatoes were
cut into Mechanically correct cubes for
one of the dishes, and the Tartare sauce
was concoeted deliberately with eggs, oil,
vinegar, mustard, sugar, pepper, salt, onion
juice, chopped capers and chopped cucum-
Der pickles. Each pupil found sufficient
opportunity during the performance of her
own work to observe that of all the others.
Meantime the subtlest of odors were ascend
ing from the mutton pot; thence now and
then moved the teacher for observation and
additional precept. When the contents of
the saucepan with the bones had been
strained into that containing the meat and
vegetables this delectable product from the
scfaggy neck of mutton was declared com.
plete
AS mucn In earnest as the young ladies
were, there was no lack of merry words. A
little ripple of laughter went round when
one of the married students referred to the
disagreeable manners of her French CO ok.
But the work of the morning was rapidly
nearing completion. Although not quite as
"shapely" as the lady wished, the queen
fritters were fair compensation for bending
over boiling lard until pearly ears became
scarlet. At the same time the cook of the
emelts dipped these, in the wire basket, into
hot fat deep enough to float them, and they
came out in two minutes and half, accord
ing to the book, handsome brown, and
were placed on sheet Of brown paper to
drain. The lesson lasted from 10 O'Clock