Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-11-22
AN EMPRESS IN THE KITCHEN.
She Looks After II, Superintends
Every thing, and II Is Wonder
full Place.


She Looks After 1t. Superintends
Everything. and II Is Wonder
full Place.
The Empress Of Austria is the best
royal housekeeper IN Europe. says the
New Ycra sun. She is as thoroughly
acquainted with the details Of the inn
perial Austrian kitchen as her husband
is with the details Of the imperial
Austrian government She superiu-
tends the household affairs Of the big
palace at Austin capital with the
greatest care. She receives personally,
reads and acts upon reports from
cooks, buffers, keepers Of the plate,
and keepers Of the linen. Cooking
devices which have become incon-
venient or Anticipated are abolished
only at her command. New methods
of preparing or preserving food arc
adopted only at her suggestion.
Changes in the personnel OF the
establishment are made for the most
part only in obedience 10 her orders.
Consequently a person can eat, drink,
sleep, and be served better in her
The kitchen in which the food for
the bluest blood OF Austria is cooked
is huge room with all the ar
engagements at each end for preparing
fish, fowl, and beast for the table.
Fifty chickens can be cooked at once
on one of the big whirling spits.
Against the side walls from floor TO
ceiling stand scores upon scores of
.l.,f Il Ill Ia, "A - r
which are warming. the meats are
carried to the carying-room, whence
they are returned to the kitchen ready
to be served. The boiling, and baking,
and frying, and carrying, and cutting
occupy small regiment of servants.
Twenty five male cooks in white clothes
dress, spit, season, and stuff the meats.
As many female cooks prepare the
vegetables, the buildings, and the
salads. A dozen or more boys hurry
the birds, fish, and joints from the
kitchen 10 the carving-room, where
long lines Of carvers slice and Joint
everything laid before them.
The kitchen utensils fill big room
opening into the kitchen. This room
is the ideal of German housewives.
The high walls are covered with pans,
kettles, griddles, and covers, which
shine as only German hands and
German muscle could make them
shine. There are soup tureens
in which a big boy might be
drowned, kettles in which twins could
play house, and pans which would
hold half dozen little Hanses or
Gretchens. In short, about every
culinary utensil on the walls is of the
heroic size, suggestive rather Of the
Missouri barbecue than of the feasts
Of crowned heads and diplomates at
at one Of the first OF courts.
For days before the great court
festivals the whole Austrian court
kitchen staff, from the head court
cooking master" down TO the Youngest
scullion, work like mad. The chiefs
hold repeated consultations in their
council chamber, often debating hour
after hour with all the earnestness Of
a parliament or congress concerning
the best methods OF preparing fowls,
sauces, cakes, and soups. The menu,
as selected by the chiefs, is submitted
TO the master Of the provision depart
ment, so that he may immediately
order from the city whatever the
cellars of the castle lack.
The Aus trian court dinners are fam
Gus on the continent. The delicacies
which result from the protracted meet
ings in the council chamber OF the
chefs are often so fine that favored
guests not infreQueDtly observe the
old German fashion of taking "A choice
bit home TO their friends in the name
OF the empress and with her best
wishes. All that remains of a court
feast or dinner is sent TO the Viennese
hospitals. On the days just after the
banquet the empress is very busy look
ing over the reports and inventories of
the frau head keeper of the napkins,
and the frauelin head keeper of the
tablecloths, and the herr head guard
ian of the imperial china, and dozen
other like functionaries with jointed
titles. She reviews I'll these COM
munications with conscientious care,
and orders with strict attention to min
ute details the replacement Of all that
has been lost, broken, or deiaced.