Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-09-27
EVOLUTION or THE CAKE.
Ludwick. the Onge, bread Max "r, the Faith
er of the Inkn Hnkers.

er of tn. Cake Bakers.
In 1754, Christopher Ludwick, nat
i've OF -Darmstadt. baker by
trade. settled in Philadelphia and
opened shop on Fifth street, above
Race, which was then quite suburban.
Ludwick had been both soldier and
sailor, having served in the former ca
pacity in the Austrian army during the
war against the Turks, and afterwards
on one of the ships Of Frederick the
Great. He sailed TO both the East and
West Indies and learned to make pas
tries Of all sorts. He soon acquired
reputation in Philadelphia as a baker
OF gingerbread. which was then consid-
cred quite a luxury, and in few years
he became the possessor Of a com.orta-
bic fortune. When the war for inde-
pcndcnce began Ludwick took ain act
i've part in the affairs of the struggling
colonies, and in l776 acted as a volun-
tecr, serving without pay. In l777 the
continental congress appointed him
Baker General to the army. He was
required TO furnish one hundred pounds
OF bread for every one hundred pounds
of flour that passed through his hands.
Ludwick protested that he would not
make himself rich in that way. He
said he could make l3j pounds of
bread from one hundred pounds Of
flour
lie was as good as his word, and as
long rs he could obtain flour the con-
tincntal soldiers did not suffer for
bread. Washington had great respect
for his shrewd common sense and
sterling integrity. He often invited
Ludwick to dine with him and spoke
OF the shrewd old baker AS ''his honest
friend" One of Ludwick's insepara-
bic companions in the continental
camp was an immense china bowl,
which he had purchased in Hong Kong
during one of his voyages thithcr. His
name was engraved around the silver
rim. 1t was generally kept filled with
rum punch, which he dispensed to his
guests always with this toast:
Health and long life
To Christopher Ludwick and wife"
This bowl is still in existence. The
war crippled him financially. but he
still managed to live in considerable
comfort from the proceeds of his gin
gerbrcad sales. One of his most valu-
cd possessions was letter from Gen.
Washington thanking him for his ser
vices as baker general" He called
this his diploma" and hung it. suita-
bly, framed, in conspicuous place in
his little shop. Before he died his for
tune mcndcd and he left considerable
property in charity and an excellent
recipe Tor making gingerbread. He
died in 1901 and is buried in the Luth-
eran cemetery at Mount Airy His
tomb is now gray and moss-grown.
The closing lines OF the inscription
read AS follows:
Reader. such was Ludwick. Art
thou poor? Nencrate his character.
Art thou richp Initiate his example"
Christopher Ludwick was the father
OF the fancy-cake business in Pniladel-
phia. In his time homely molasses
gingerbread was luxury. To-day one
Philadelphia bakery puts on the mar
ket between two and three hundred
style, OF pastry, and is constantly add
ing to this stock every day. There are
five great bakeries in the city engaged
in the manufacture of cakes. They
ship their goods all over the country,
to China, Australia, the East Indies.
and that home of pastries, England.
Christopher Ludwick mixed his dough
in wooden trough, and baked his
sweetcakes in an old-fashioned brick
oven. A dozen labor-saving machines
take the place of the old hand labor,
and the patent ovens are heated by
steam. Ine dough is kneaded by hand.
No machine has been invented yet to
do that sort Of labor, but the crude
dough is rolled out, stamped, cut, and
placed in the oven entirely by machin-
cry. The Daking-room is kept as clean
As pin, the bakers dress in white and
a slovenly mau is instantly discharged.
One thousand barrels OF Hour is daily
manufactured into pastry, and Philu-
delphia is the only city in the country
that manufactures the celebrated
West Indian honey goods" one of
the component parts of which is pure
bce-honey gathered among the flower
scented groves Of the Great and Little
Antilles. Retail dealers in the city,
grccerymcn, hotels, ETC., are supplied
daily with fresh goods. One house
keeps dozen wagons on the road de-
livering goods to city customers. the
homely gingerbread that was a luxury
in Christopher Ludwick's time is rare
ly called for. The popular palate has
been educated to esteem a richer class
of goods, and new and more expensive
styles are being introduced every day.
Ehiladeiphia Ttmes