Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-06
THE OLD BRICK OVEN.
How Cooking Wa. Done On the Early Days-
Home Experiences.

Prom the Troy Times
Every Saturday, long years ago. nv mother
used 20 bake IN a brick oven. We had stove in
the kitchen, but its oven was imperfect, so she
chung 70 the brick one. The bows brought in the
long oven wood. IL was heated 20 perfection.
When the wood was reduced 20 Goals and the
Goals were mostly taken out the temperature
was tried. not with thermometer. for these in-
struments were then scarcely known. but With
the hand II the hand could be held therein
while its owner counted thirty the oven was
just right for the proper baking OF pies. II the
hand was scorched the oven was left open Tor
few minutes TO coos Of. After the pies aud
cake came the bread. and then for we were
Connecticut lankeesl the pot OF beans and the
loaf Of rye and Indian bread were put in TO
bake Tor the saturday nights supper aud the
sunday dinner. MANY beans have eaten else
where in many parts of our land. hut never did
bean have the same favor. never did pork
have the same crispucss or brown bread the
same richness as used 20 be produced in the old
family brick oven
On extraordinary occasions such as quilting
parties, trimming days. wedding- and funerals,
old Nance was called in Go bake for us. She was
the nelghhorhood caterer. an African 10 the
Africans. How the oven glowcd ~ the fr.
shone on her yellow turban and was reflected
from her honest black face, What wonderful
wedding cake she would make, What palatable
funeral meats she would bake, Her midmorn-
ing dram was always set upon the mautelpiece
and how timber her tongue would become after
she had tossed it Of
Bike kettles were used 10 .supplemant the
brick ovens. To tins day they are used on
southern plantations. These were kettles. or
ovens. placed upon the Goals in huge hreplaces.
on the covers OF which were put Goals so that
both top and bottom would bake alike.
Johnnycake and shortcake were often baked
unNn board Tilted n % IL.
hearth. The turning Of these cakes required q
seight-of-hand trick incomprehensihle Go NV
youth. but my mother always did n dsftlv
enough Small tim bakers closed on three
cake board
The second stove in my fathers kitchen was
rotary. and we had large circular tin baker,
narrowed toward the top rs 60 admit of a
small cover. This baker was set over the lids u
the stove. in which all things could lie baked
Nv mother always chung. however 20 the brick
oven. The oven Mood had to be brought in
from the shed ON Friday. Nv youngest brother
ten wears of age. one Friday afternoon of a
slippery winters day. engaged NV sister Lab.
two Years his junior. to aid him in carrying it
In She slipped upon the ice. silver from Tho
wood caught in her eveid and tore open the
skin. 1 was much younger than she. but can
well remember how all screamed and ran
into the room where INV mother had a quilting
party. She was woman of nerve and of quick
the screams she broke her thread from the Quilt
and IN a second sewed mp the torn evelid Ny
frightened brother ran for the surgeon When
he came he said: Woman. you have saved that
chids eve"
The modern stove. with its improved oven.
found its way into our house and the brick oven
gradually fell into disuse
Cookery in these latter DAYS has become a
science. Cook books leave no room for guess
work We no longer mix our ingredients ~ tho
woman said she made her brown bread: First
pu; in what meal | think I will need: then
what rye the meal will bear. next a good-sized
pinch of salt; next little -four. a triie Of
moasses and ms much water OF milk as / think
II wants, and then bake il till / see il il done"
Some women have such an aptitude for cook
ing that dishes will turn out well even though
put together like stray pieces Of silk in a crazy
patchwork But the most of want an exact
rule. We want 20 be sure we can count the
thirty before place orr pies in the
oven. Hence the value OF cooking
schools and OF excellent cook books,
though pupils at cooking schools are apt
TO be like Miss Jennie. who last year wished 20
learn the mysteries Of the art She took
course. but when asked how long she baked her
bread she replied II do not know. for Susan
baked it," When questioned about the guam
tity of butter in her cake she answered: ''Susan
got the butter for me-" So il was Susauls
bre ad and cake after all