The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-09-06

other tools, which hang against the
wall above the dresser. The floor is
paved with red tiles. All the utensils
are necessarily small in proportion to
the limited size OF the fireholes in the
fourneau and of the dishes served In
France. which, habitually, are only
sufficient for the wants of each single
meal. But of course they rise in di-
mansions and quantity with the impor-
lance Of the establishment, and in the
houses of the rich people the supply of
copper utensils Of every form is some
times alarming to look at, especially
when one thinks of the amount of
poisoning which might be done with
them by dirty or homicldal cook.
In the smaller houses, on tho contrary,
copper is almost entirely suppressed; it
costs too much to buy, and is too
troublesome to keep clean; it Is replaced
either by iron or vanished brown
earthenware saucepans, called poelons.
In many middle-class families the entire
cooking is performed in those awkward
poelons, which cost from six cents to
twenty cents each, according to size;
indeed, they are, in spite OF their lum-
bering ugliness, especially good for all
dishes which inquire slow stewing; no
vessel is so admirable for simmering.
The pot IN which bouillon is made is
also of earthenware, but the Importance
Of its functions has created for it the
special designation of marmite.
Tea kettles not existing In France,
water is boiled in a covered TIN Jug,
called bouillotte, the handle Of which
is coated with osier to protect the hands.
This bouillotte heats water veryrapidly,
but it has one objectionable defect-it
never sings. That charming faculty
Of the kettle is unknown to and unap-
preciated by the French, who simply
regard their bouillotte as a necessary
tool, and have no idea that the addition
of spout would convert it into melo-
dious companion, whose friendly muir
murings are sweet to lazlly listen to on
winter night. But this Is only detail
The French system, as whole, il
singularly perfect. Its economy of
fuel could scarcely be carried further,
its cleanliness is complete, and as it
permits cheap cooking of the smallest
quantities Of food, it is the first cause
Of the infinite variety of nourishment
which is one Of the privileges of French
life. 1t suppresses cold meat, that
nightmare of the American husband,
because, as 1t costs no more to prepare
small dishes than large ones, no one
ever loads himself with more than
enough for the day. 1t gives out no
heat-even In summer the warmth of
the fourneau is scarcely perceptible a
yard away, the volume of fire is so
small. There is no smoke, excepting
from the special roast-grate, and that
is too small to give much of 1t.
The four walls of the kitchen itself
limit the field of action of the cook,
and there she cooks, washes the plates,
cleans the knives, pollshes the spoons
and forks, cleans her masters boots,
mends her own clothes and irons her
caps and cuffs; and all this is done,
smartly and handily. in space which
Is sometimes only SIX feet by fourl In
addition to these various merits, the
French kitchen offers peculiar facili-
ties for spying the servants and for the
exercise of the mistress own skill in
the preparation of crafty dishes.