The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-08-10
new USE FOR SILVER.
A French Fancy that is Being Intro
duced in New York.

, "And is that fish kettle, too?
asked man of salesman at Til
fany's.
"No, that is to cook asparagus in.
"And what is it's price?"
i "a hundred and ten dollars"
The latest fancy in expensive ap
pointments for the homes of mill
ionaires is bimetallic cooking uten
sils. They are made of heavy cop
per, with cemented and welded lin
ings of one-sixteenth inch sterling
silver. The idea is Parisian, ano
the vessels themselves are imported
from France. They are still com
parative novelties in Paris, where
the hobby has gone to such an ex'
tent that no fashionable kitchen i;
considered properly furnished un'
less the food prepared there need
touch no metal but silver from the
time it arrives from the market un.
til it becomes a part of the family
anatomy.
PROBABLE CUSTOMERS.
Every hobby claims a reasonable
excuse for existence. 1t is alleged
in this case that food cooked in
copper or brass becomes permeated
with verdigris, which is rank poison,
and that iron kettles are only lit
tie less injurious. Against japan
ned and porcelain lined pots and
kettles is urged the assertion that
the lining cracks or wears away i'm
perceptibly, leaving spots where the
poisonous metal touches the food
in process Of cooking. A substan-
tial lining of a harmless metal like
silver renders the pot absolutely
safe. Hence Partisan people who
can afford the luxury have become
convinced that their health demands
silver; and an effort is being made
to convince New York people who
have money of the truth of the same
axiom.
"They are so new," continued
the salesman" that we have not sold
any considerable number of these
utensils yet. But we expect to
make large sales. People were over
from the Fifth Avenue hotel the
other day examining them. But
we probably won't sell any to large
hotels unless hotel patrons come to
discriminate in favor of houses who
do cook in silver. The chief market
will be wealthy private families.
Besides being perfectly healthful,
you see the union of the copper and
silver is very handsome. A little
polishing of the kettles will make
kitchen shine, and give it an air of
good appointment.
"But We do expect some hotel
trade. There will be family hotels
which make point of perfect cui-
sine and perfect appointments. We
will also probably furnish few of
the best seashore hotels and doubt
less a number of health resorts and
hotels in the south, such as Mr..
Flagler's Florida place, for instance.
You see the utensils have the fur
ther advantage of durability. They
are expensively and heavily made,
and will wear practically forever"
WHAT THE BEAUTIES LOST.
The utensils did not differ in
shape from those ordinarily seen
in modern kitchens. In fact the
uncuth peculiarities of kitchen ves-
sells were little exaggerated. Some
of the pieces were exceedingly
heavy, and the larger ones had
turned rims of hand beaten metal.
There were every size and variety
of casse roles, or stewing dishes.
The smallest, without a lid, and
which held, perhaps, cupful, was
$3.50.
"To boil an egg or heat cupful
of consomme for a single light
lunch," explained the salesman.
The ordinary-sized stew dish, such as
a family might require, was marked
$40. The largest size costs $40.
"Now, this fish kettle said the
salesman, "would boil, / should
say, three-pound cod. This big |
strainer and litter, which rests on
the bottom during the boiling, is
Of solid sterling silver, like the lin
ing. The cost of the kettle is $85.
We expect to sell great many of
them. This larger size, for small
salmon, say, costs $115. That as
paragus kettle at $40 of course
can be used for certain other vege-
tables besides. Here are omelet
pans of various sizes. This one for
! two-egg omelet costs $3.50. This
largest size is $12. They range be-
tween, according to size. Here are
frying pans at 50 and $1O.5O. They
are for the chef to toss cakes in;
playthings, you know" Boiling
kettles were of all sizes. A good
one,, corresponding in. size to our
&. iron kettles, was
@85. One much smaller
md higher cost $50.
Mice for boiling calves heads
when you don't want TO break
n N ~ 4