The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-09-02
MAKING MAcARoN,.
The Labor Is so ExbRusting that the nIes
iInvo to Work In Relays.


One of the industries carried on in the
Italian quarter on 1l2th street is the manu.
facture of macaroni. Fifteen workmen are
employed. The work is done in o rear room
on the second floor. When reporter called
the other day the proprietor, who is round
faced Neapolitan, said:
:" We use -four from hard winter wheat
and the best we can get of its kind. We
pour the flour into these tubs and put in
about one gallon of water to thirty pounds
of flour. We do not measure It the men
let in little water, and they know when
the dough is right" F
Two men were leaning over the tubs that
had apparently been put into the room by
the builder for wash tubs. They allowed
the water to run slowly from the faucets
into the mixture of flour, all the time stir
ring, lifting, punching, and pulling it with
their hands rs if death awaited their first
stop to rest.
" 1t is very exhausting work." said the
boss. When they can work no longer
two others, who are resting in the next
room, will take their places. They shift as
often as every hour some days. When it is
thoroughly mixed the dough is kneaded on
the table,
The table was big stout one, built on
the opposite side of the room. Two long
levers projected over it, the ends of which
we're loosely fastened to the wall a short
distance above the table by stout swivels.
Round blocks, like pestles were suspended
under the levers. The dough, in huge
patches, was placed under the levers, and
then three men took hold of each lever adj
justed the pestles over the dough, and threw
their weight on them. They worked the
levers in short arcs of circles, and their
exertons made dough at once stiff and
hard, and yet withall very tough and tenac.
ious.
How do you make it into strings"
"That is easy. See."
Some men were placing huge loaf of
The dough into vertical copper cylinder
with strong screw above it, the machine
looking something like an old-fashioned
hand cider press. On top of the dough the
men placed piston that fit the cylinder
nicely, and then they ran the screw down
ON it. They then clapped hold of three
long levers and began to walk around, but
they did not walk rapidly nor easily. When
tho screw began to get good hold, little
slender streams of dough shot down through
small perforations in the bottom of the cyl.
inders. As fast as they reached length OF
wo feet or more they were cut off by man
who hung them over wooden frames and
carried them away.
:" We dry them on those frames eight
days. said the boss. When the air ia
moist we dry them longer. Big holes in
the cylinder make macaroni; little holes,
verniceli. Sometimes it ia rolled thin, like
sheet of paper, and cut up with razors
into different shapes. We call the pieces
senaasa dt metont, or what you call melon
seed capelletti little hats, and occli di
perntct-partridge eye, according to the
| shapes. These are used to thicken soup,
but we do not mako much OF them. The
macaroni has the largest sale but only Ital-
ians can cook it. 1t is easy to say boil 1t
in pure water, dress it with concentrated
m Mt gravy and grated cheese, and serve it
hot, but who can do it In Genoa the
macaroni is colored with saffron. Neapoli.
tans use only pure flour and pure water.
When Noapoitan macaroni is cooked by an
italian it has very faint greenish tinge.
In Italy tho King, the lazzaroni, oil eat
macaroni every day. You should see them.
Zobini, there at the tub, he can swallow a
macaroni three feet long and never break it.
No man can do SO we'll in this building. II
Zobini were in his own country he would
be famous man; but he would have no
gravy nor cheese with his macaroni, so he
,tays here. "-Noao York Sun.