St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-27
GOING TO COOKING SCHOOL
A Novice Attends Miss Barnes Castro
nomic Seances.
FRYING AS A FINE ART.
Some Feminine Observations From the
Standpoint of a Young House.
keeper.

Miss Amy Barnes, graduate of the
Boston Cooking school, is giving a
course of object lessons to the ladies of
Minneapolis and st. Paul. l saw no
tice of this school in the dining room of
the W. c. T. U. Coffee Palace. and ill.,
CURED at the desk where it was held.
The pleasant-faced cashier, woman,
of course, directed me to room beyond
pair of closed doors. With some tim
idityI approached this barrier to wisdom,
and was hesitating with awe before it.
when pompous old lady with glasses
brushed by me and threw the door open
so wide that | slipped in unnotlced.
A very pretty girl, sitting by table
with pair of puncherS in her hand,
spied me, however, and demanded my
ticket. | told her l had none, and
backed toward the door, but she said
we could settle it satisfactorily with so
cents, and so cheerfully drew out my
purse and was allowed to find chair
in snug little corner.
Across the end of the room was a
raised platform; Oh this was table and
gasoline stove; behind the table on
the wall hung various kitchen utensils,
such as SkilletS, brOilerS and that. On
iron spoons and forks, and sundry little
bags and parcels. At the end of the
platform was cupboard, such as L re-
member having seen i'll my grand
mothers kitchen.
When the ladies at last stopped rust
ling about and got quietly seated, the
teacher came upon the platform.
Miss Barnes is tall, practical-looklng
woman, with an occasional very charm
ing smile, and clear, musical voice.
She wore large white apron which al
most concealed her dress. and a dainty
muslin cap confined her halr.
I'VE will consider to-day" said she,
''that method of cooking which is the
least wholesome of any, namely, frying.
Since the. present civilization Will not
give up fried food. it is plainly the
cooks duty to learn to fry Ill the least
injurious way.'
She then explained why food fried in
the ordinary way is SO ruinouS to dlgeS-
ton. The fat used is infiltrated by the
heat and usually penetrateS the whole
mass it would he much better to throw
the fresh steak upon Goals, adding sim
ply salt and pepper, than to deluge 1t
in boiling fat.
She spoke of vegetable oil which is
called cottoiene, recommending 1t III
place OF lard or beef drippngs, or even
butter. After short lecture, the class
produced note books aud pencils, and
she gave them several recipes for fried
dishes, with added instructions for the
preparation thereof. LIN a fit of absent
mindedpesS | took down the first re-
cipe, but, recollecting myself, some
what mournfully allowed the paper to
hutter to the floor, and fell to admlring
the teacher and her sklllful way OF
shredding Goldfish.
The pompous Old lady sat next to me,
and wrote with all air of condo scenson,
looking at me between the lines and
seeming to say as she threw back her
head: Il am doing this simply for
amusement: l know more about cook
ing than the whole Boston cooking
school and Buckeye Cook Book put
together;' and there was albright, black
eyed Young woman who noted every
thing in fresh, eager way, looking as
though she were making imaginary Da.
nana-fritters for some ''George, dear,
whom she expects to concoct.temptlng
and astonishing things for i'll the near
| future.
And l could just see how he would
bless her curly head for all this study
of his comfort, don't you know? Miss
Barnes then proceeded to cook ali these
things in front of our very eyes.
First" said she. 1--WE will put the eggs
and sugar together. Now. how many
| eggs do uSe?'
This part OF the programme was great
| fun. 1t was so interesting to witness
the wonderful way in which she stirred
| batters and beat eggs: and then she
| she was SO cool and uneXctable, never
splitting anything once, and her kettles
| didn't seem to boil over like some ket-
ties do, and she could slice onions with
out crying, too. How every one watched
her. with that same entranced look
| that women always wear when some
other woman is showing them tricks to
entangle poor, unSuspecting men!
After she had sUirred and rolled and
mixed for a long time, see dropped the
strips into kettle, and they came out
| beautiful golden brown color.
"HoW lovelyH eyerv one exclaimed
with enthusiasm. They we're put on a
platter and served then to the longing
| ones, who each produced a spoon. |
had none, and that old sinner-I mean
| that polnpOus, important, fat woman-
passed the fish balls with a jerk right
under my hungry eyes. and got none.
| But 1 fooled her when the chicken Gro.
| quetteS came around.
''Whatr' said to myself. ''let chicken
croouetteS, which have been fried in
cottolene, and prepared by an idealist,
go by just for fear of woman!' And
so, when they came near me snatched
one with my fingers and met the scorll-
tul glance directed at me with one of
mingled triumph and defiance. And
such delicious croquettes, am free to
say, l never ate before.
| MAY B. PERHAPS.