The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-07-09
Philosophy of Cooking.

This subject contains an epic poem,
for, upon the cooking in our families.
depends in large measure the mental
and physical health of its members.
With poor cooking comes poor diges-
ton, followed sooner or later by dys-
pepsia, with its attendant train of evils.
In the sad dyspeptic we often see the
ultimate result of poor cooking; some
times one or two generations remote,
but nevertheless true. As Americans
even as New England people-we are a
race of dyspeptics, and if this means
one-half the present population have
disordered digestion, the fact is self
evident that the generation next to fol-
low must be two-thirds, or even more
dyspeptics. From the present outlook it
would seem our nation may soon be de-
scribed as ''blue bluer, bluest."
The question that now arises is, from
whence is the saving power to come?
Hardly from the physician, for his skill
and power are but limited to stay the
growing evil From whom then shall
we expect salvation? answer from
the daughters of our land. When they
shall bring their fine brain of quick in
telligence into the work of healthful
cooking, a decade of years will not
have passed before a change for the bet
ter will be noticed. With many it is
mot little wine for thy stomach's
sake" but, ''eat whatever is set before
thee, asking no questions for consci-
ence's sake" Now when a young lady
when every young lady-shall take
along with her studies physiology and
scientific cooking, when she studies
these Understandings and practically,
and will they not be conscience ques-
tons for humanity's sake?
l would censure no one, but am
moved to speak with earnestness upon
this subject. When young lady leaves
school with definite life-purpose or
not, in nine cases out of ten, if one
half the time and thought were given
to healthful cooking that is now given
to fancy work into multitudinous va
rieties, the human race would doubtless
be greatly benefited thereby. But"
hear some impulsive Miss exclaim. 81
haze tried and tried and cannot get
good bread, the witches are in my
sponge" and indeed it may seem thus
to you; but investigate a little-find out
the secret place wherein the ''witch''
abideth. If you are persevering, never
fear; in the light of this nineteenth CEN
tury you will exercise the evil genius.
Have you not learned in your philoso-
ply and chemistry that there is no eff
feet without cure? Find out the cause
of hundred at present mysteries to you
concerning domestic cookery and OBJ
serve the effect.
If the same blundcr is made in loaf
of bread twenty-five times, will not ma
tive common sense lead one to seek the
cause and avoid it the twenty-sixth?
Most surely.
But little faith is to be placed in the
assertion that some people have
"knack' for cooking If so, it has been
acquired by years OF practice and obser-
walton. ! am no enthusiast upon the
question, but since the daughters must
soon glide into the place of the mothers
and follow in this round of duties, how
important, how essential that this under
lying stratum of the family happiness
good, healthful cooking-be well under
Stood. Eugentc EiCtridge. IN Good
HOuSekeeDl3l0.