Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-08

of Washington took a representative of THE
STAR through the kitchen of his establishment
few days ago and showed him the inside
works. Roughly speaking, the cuisine may be
described as occupying two vast rooms with
smaller annexes. One of these rooms was oc-
cupied exclusively by long line of ranges
stretching its entire length and by line of
wooden tables down the middle. enough room
being left between the ranges and the tables
to allow the cooks to operate. At one end Of
the line of ranges, which was to all intents and
purposes one range with a number of CRATE
holes blazing with live Goals along it. was
iron bake oven for meats, big enough to hold
and cook the cut-up portions of a whole OK.
This was for slow baking, where time was not
a serious object; for fast baking there was a
row OF single ovens of no extraordinary size all
along the line. Immediately to the left of the
big bake oven was hole in the top of the
range 219 feet in diameter which served for
cooking waffies in the ordinary sort of waffle
irons. many being used at the same time
Close by was iron disk, set into the stove top
capable of producing
THIRTY GRIDDLE CAKES AT A 60.
With a scorchng fire this suhices to supply
u
for breakfast Vegetables came next, eight or
ten great holes being provided to accommodate
the giant pots containing them There was
one hole for boiled potatoes, another for tur
nlps. another for beans, another for carrots
and SO on. Then came an enormous cylindri-
cal brass pot bubbling away in the manufacture
OF soup stock out of the bones and meat which
filled it. After that some smaller brass pots,
though very big themselves. for the different
These
small, because it does not do to make too much
soup at a time. To keep it cooking along in
definitely spoils 1t. So it is made in small
quantities and fresh supplies are turned out
every little while, 1t being an affair only of q
little while-say twenty minutes-to turn out a
new pot of soup. All that has to be done is to
Dale out the necessary quantity of stock and
the vegetables already mashed and cut up into
cubes or otherwise for use, and let the mixture
boil.
NOW COME THE MEATS,
each of which, supposng that boiling or stew
ing is to be done, has hole for itself. blazing
like all the others with a mass of fiery Goals.
In one pot are dozen fowls boiling in another
four or five legs of mutton, in a third huge
piece OF beef la mode, and SO on. The meats
and vegetables that are to be baked, it goes
without saying-and the same thing applies to
roasting-are cooked in the ovens aforemen-
toned. This concludes the work of the ranges
Tor parboiling such vegetables as sweet pota-
toes, egg plants and cauiihower.
SUPPLYING THE WATERS.
Now, when these meats and soups and pam
cakes and vegetables are done they are brought
by the cooks from the kitchen proper just de-
scribed into the other great room, which is de-
voted exclusively to the dispensing to the wait
ers of the edibles thus produced They are
placed In covered receptacles along table in
given order-tlie meats in huge covered
dishes, the soups III big brass receptacles. also
covered, the vegetables i'll similar vessels and
likewise with the other things. Frequently in
hotels the approaches to this table are divided
of by little partitions. SO that the walters shall
not mix p their dishes or become confused in
any other way Here the pampered workers
for fees too oft begrudged come to procure
whatever their orders from the guests call tor.
As the waiter, arriving from the dining room
with his order, enters the kitchen depar tment
he goes at once to
CURIoUs-LooKING STACK OF SHELVES.
which is really steam heater, each shelf being
in fact hollow slab of iron with steam pipes
connecting. These shelves are covered with
hot dishes, of which he takes what he needs for
his present purpose, and. going up to the long
table. applies for whatever he wants In
corner of the room to the left is gentleman
of color engaged III stabbing oysters with light
ming rapidlty. From him he procures as many
OF those toothsome blvalves on the shell as are
requisite. On a table close at hand he finds
few dozen soup tureens, or which lie takes one
or two, maybe, and has them filed by the per-
son In charge of that course Surprising that
he wishes to procure fish or meat he SIMPLY
goes to the long table and asks of the car
vers who stand III line on the opposite side to
serve him. Ii it is question of ice cream,
buildings, pies or cakes, they are obtainable
over the same table, being supplied originally
by the employees who devote their professional
attention to freezing the aforementioned of
these articles and by others who bake the re-
naming three.
sKILLFUL CARvERs.
1t is worth saying that the men employed as
carvers are of necessity very skillful in their
art and correspondingly well paid. 1t might
be supposed that walters who showed pro-
fciency would be elevated from time to time in 10
the rank OF carvers but such is not tine case
Carving Is an occupation-in fact, a trade-in
itself, and. like any other trade. requires long
apprenticeship before the novice is trans
formed into an adept. There is such a thing.
too as genius for carving; all men are by no
means alike III their capacity for it. The first
thing to be learned in the trade of carving is
that brains and not muscle is the essential
requisite. Have we not seen such fowl as a
duck-itself the most difficult of birds to dis
sect gastronomicaily -fall apart under the dex-
ferrous manipulation of aslenderLanded woman,
while another like il would be seized by a brawny
man unskilled in ornithologica! anatomy and
rendered limb from limp amid the SCATTERING
of gravy, finally landed, perhaps, in the lap OF
the lady next to him? Great experience as
well as aptitude, lis necessary to tine hotel
carver, who must make every joint and roast
go the longest possible way, cutting thin slices
and otherwise contriving to get the greatest
available number OF helps out of given num-
Der of pounds OF flesh.
AS FOR THE BREAD AND PIES AND CAKES
used in the hotel. they cooked IN a great
bake oven, which occupies half of another an
mex room close by the kitchen proper. Two
bakers come every evening early and work I'M
til O'Clock in the morning. turning out the
necessary number of loaves and other bakable
things for the next days consumption. Nap
kins and cutlery, with table cloths and silver
plated things, are supplied to the walters as
they require them from still another annex
room adjoining the dishng-out apartment.
Nuts and fruits, by the way, stand in dishes on
side table, ready to be picked up as they are
wanted. The waiter on serving fresh course
takes away the soiled dishes and fetching them.
down stairs, hands them through hole il the
partition to another annex yet. where severa;
men and maids are employed continually in
washing them. After they washed they are
carried out andlai on the steam-heated shelves
already spoken OF, ready to convey other
courses as fast as they are needed. Such is in
brief, the manner in which the kitchen depart
ment of a big hotel is conducted.
HOW PROVISIONS ARE OBTAINED.
word should be added, however, with rela-
ton to the manner in which the provisions
which supply a hotel Of the frst-class are