Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-04
lCoPyriznted 1851


Fecamp's. famed for its Benedictine and Bene-
dictines OF blessed memory. We had stopped
over to take another diligence. The waiting
room. which was also dining-roorn. was too
reminiscent Of dinners past and dinners to come
to be tolerable. So. impelled by the natural
instinct after more agreeable environment, l
reached the kitchen.
The change from the grim weary waiting
room to this airy. spacious kitchen. filed with
gayety and color, had the enchantment of a
transformation scene. The three large French
windows were vine-wreathed. The range was
framed in with blue Scripture tiles. and spit
strung with fowls cheerily spun before an open
IRE. An annex to the range. also framed in
with blue tiles. was filled with holes. each re-
curing Its own charcoal flame and to be used
as the service pressed.
AGAINST THE Wall
and over doors and in panels hung copper pots
and pans arranged with as much skill as if they
were trophies OF arms and FURNISHED to the
last degree of brilliancy. Long-handled frying
pans like unstrung banjO JOS were graded down TO
baby pans for a single egg without missing
Ink, and copper measures IN Ike manner
seemed 20 go off toward a vanishing point
Many of these were beautifully wrought with
incised ornament. l will not attempt to de
scribe the personal attractions of the kitchen
the rOtUnd hostess who was cook. nor the wit
anu good IeLlOWSnlpS WhlCh evidently made the
kitchen rival of the wine-room. for we are
about more serious business. The Norman
kitchens Of the humber sort with which be-
came familiar were all arranged with reference
TO form and color. due presumably TO the fact
that they were largely living rooms, and Will
always be remembered as among the most ar
tistic rooms / have ever seen.
Perfect ventilation" said Mr.. George Post
the architect, who IS regarded as an authority
on the subject of kitchens. lis the first consid-
Grafton a kitchen. then lirbt md he
Possibilities of perfect cleanliness"
Mr.. yASDERBILT's KITCHEN
To get these In a crowded city block and half
buried in the earth. Is, in the nature of things.
difficult. Mr.. Cornelius yanderbilts kitchen
was the first of the evolutionary series of kitch-
ems which Mr.. Post inaugurated. 1t is a large
room. 33x16. There are three windows on 57th
street. and these are peculiarly constructed to
receive the light and air on which the architect
insists. bronze grating only is seen from the
street; within this are shelving panes of glass
which may be opened so as to freely admit the
air, yet will prevent the passers-by from look
ing in to see what the Vanderbilts are going to
have for dinner. for there people who en-
terrain that sort of curiosity. Another pro-
Vision prevents them from smelling the dishes
VENTILATION.
This inheres in the more essential ventilation.
The range is situated in the remote corner of
the room In order to be near the main yentiat-
ing shaft Of the house. An immense hood is
suspended above which connects with the shaft
and gathering all the steam and odors. passes
1t through and, without losing a single smell
out of the house. This is an immense advant-
age, as every one living in city houses around
which hnger the scent OF perpetual dinners
knows.
The RANGE
is in fact two ranges separated by partition
These are built ont from the wall and behind
are two horizontal boilers. Attached at one
end is the charcoal broiler. at the other is the
rooster, which consists of a low CRATE with "a
SPIT attached TO a jack moved by clOckwork
and semlclrcular Dutch oven. OF course for
ordinary occasions but one range is used.
AT this end of the room the cook moves. a
cherry table at his right hand. his copper
treasures IN pot closet at his left. the dresser
at his back. This dresser has no back except
the epameled tiles OF the wall. This, too, is a
consideration IN city, which. lacking the
necessary supply of CrOton water, is overlooked
with Croton bugs, insects which show an I'M
reasonable disposition to colonize in the seams
OF dessers, that they pry open for that pur-
pose.
THE KITCHEN MAID.
At the other end Of the room the kitchen
maid moves. At one side is the table at which
she prepares her vegetables. and opposite the
porcelain-lined sink and draining table, where
they are washed This sink is provided with
grease trap, clever arrangement by which the
grease Is chilled and adheres until it can be re-
moved, and the stOppage of pipes thereby pre-
vented. In front OF the windows is a long ia
bic for the preparation of entrees and beneath
this are closed compartments. Near by is the
chopplng block, its architecture that of the
butcher block. The pastry shares cooler
room, which the scullery maids also occupy
have been specific because this kitchen has
been thOughtfully considered. and while il has
what is needed, has only what is needed. The
floor is laid in red and gray encaustic tiles, the
there is no reason here, as Mr.. Post suggests,
why a hose should not play without detriment
to anything but dirt.
CHEFS TEMPLE
Mr.. ". K. Vanderbilt's chef has had such re-
nown that the temple in which he moves and
the altar at which he officiates must be of in
terest. Both are worth his cost to import. and
worthy his talents. Mr.. Vanderbit's kitchen
Is very beautiful to the eve The purity of
marble. the luster Of tiles and the CLEAN of
metal are what one sees. The floor is OF marble
the shelves. the tables, the sinks all the things
that are rarely moved. are of marble and cut
with the precision Of jewels. The walls are
linen with cream enameled tiles. and all the
angles are covered with brass Inoldinps
Where these meet the doors and windows. thew
are covered with these metal holdings dis
Penslng even with wooden trimming The cell
ing Is made Of white enameled tiles set in
cement But one does not imperil the head of
$4,000 cook with a loOsely-set brick, so each
tile is also secured with raised metal bolts
Accounting al this CLEAN of white and metal
Is the large double range. 1t is similar to that
already described. and set in one corner under
large semi-circular hood enriched with en-
bOssed copper Orna nents and swung from iron
bars wrought in splrals and foliations This
hood, the purpose Of which has been already
described Is so powerful an agent in carving
on the odor and greasy steam that il will watt
Rom the hand newspaper held under it,
THE COOKING UTENSILS
are in keeping with all this splendor They
are Of copper, with wrought-iron handles,
many Of them ornamented. and some of them
have bees copied from special pieces in the
tluny and other museums. Luxurious cook
Ing utensils are indeed the thing Of the mo-
ment. and wedding present not disdained is a
set of copper silver lined such as are now dis
played among gems and gold at the jewelers.
Leading from the kitchen TO the buffers nam
Try are spiral stairs entirely enclosed in glass
10 shut out possible odOr. vet retain the light
And tins Il so successfully done that although
the kitchen Is directly below the dining-ro0m
and buffers pantry, nothing disagreeble makes
Its way aloft.
CLEANED BY HOSE.
Before referring to another attachment Of
this kitchen, allusion should be made to the
drains and hose outlet in the center of the
marble door, for it is by n hose which NAV plav
fearlessly in any part Of the room that the