New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-19
HOUSEKEEPING IN ITALY.
HOW THE KITCHEN LOOKS.

der allegiance to the law Of the land. which "
picturesqueness and acknowledgements versus
common sense. But the results are eminentIy
satisfactory and palatable. what more could be de-
sired?
IsoIetta. our cook. has lived with us many years.
and possesses those traits which rare among
hired servants, namely. gratitude and affection
toward her padroni She Is attached to every MEM
Der OF family, but her heart warns with especial
devotion toward her "Signora She Is even
anxious to go with TO America. and ~
ready TO give UP father. mother and lover
that she may follow us; step 10 Which
OF would never consent. Enc Is
gentle. swcct-voiced and graceful: her SOFT bisck
hair waves over her forehead. and her large brown
eyes look out from under their long lashes with an
expression OF trust and fidelity Many are the good
things which Isoetta sends to table from this
quaint old kitchen with It's brick floor It's huge
farlng chimney all begrimcd with SCOT and smoke.
and it's dazzling copper sauccpans hanging on the
wall in military order.
Our kitchen is the type OF all well-to-do kitchens
In Italy. From the front hall We enter a long. mar
room; at the further end there Is window
opening into the side street and we can look over
into the suite OF rooms In the palace
the way. with its uncurtained windows and dusty
panos. The floor OF kitchen is paved With red
bricks, originally, have every reason to believe.
laid evenly But II has Already seen many dec
AIDES OF good service. and during our occupation
Ing appearance. az though tidal wave had swept
over 1t at some previous period OF it's existence.
You have. In consequence. slightly unpleasant
feeling of uncertainty You stumble OF sudden
into a depression. rise on the crest OF b.llow.
The object Of greatest interos; In the and he
only one which is strikinsly unfamiliar is the cook
ing apparatus Extending almost the entire length
Of the room It Is built on; from the wall and IL In
fact neither more nor less than a solid block OF
masonry abou. ~ feet long. feet high and fee,
deep We might call 1t counter built Of bricks
and mortar. and covered with heavy stone slab.
Above this hangs the harlng chimney cap. pro-
jecng It's black gaping mouth over the entire
length OF the counter AT regular intervals in the
stone slab there are three openings about foot
square and n foot and hat deep. with a CRATE
at the bottom OF each. and the face OF the coun-
ter three corresponding openings which con-
meet with the upright ones below the CRATE. and
thus serve for a draugat charcoal fire IL made in
each CRATE and Is coaxei into life with A primitive
fan OF cocks feathers The tea-keite. soup-pot.
double boiler. saucepans frying pans and hsh-kettc
all jostie another around the edge Of two ~
these apertures. each ebowng ia neighbor with the
most amiabe and unrufled temper. after the man.
of a Italian crowd. trying to see which can
get the nearest 10 the fire without seriously inter-
ferlng with the respective boiling. smmerny or
frying privileges OF the others They al. seem play
full and merry. Notwithstanding their nodcum u
heat, and always perform their duty in most COM
menaabe The third aperture Is reserved
for state occasions two being considered amply suf-
ncent for ordinary family for small
dinners
An oven in private house is unknown The
bread is bought at the bakers and the cake and
pastry at the confectioners. our joints roasted
On a spit in front OF red-hot coas. which are piled
the top OF the slab against the wall and
directly under the chimney The meats kept
thoroughly basscd with the drippIngs from the pan
which stands underneath the spit. and
stant.y turned 50 that every part Is brownei and
crisped in the most appetzing manner. For bak-
ing vegetables and puddiass have contrivanos
known "forno di compagna," which. being In
terpreed. signifies n country No one. In
deed, would be so bod to charge /; with being
anything else than most countrlfed country oven.
We might call 1t large inverted tin sieve wit aoot
the holes. The dish be baked Is placed over
one Of the aforesaid square apertures. which has
fire somewhere in the bottom of 1T: the Inverted
sieve Is over it, and covered with red-hot cea,A
Should any one be tempted call this unprogres.
sive method. will merely say that the pudi ding,
when competed. Is all that could be desired and II
the proof Of the pudding is in the eating suppose
may claim. without being accused of presu,np.
ton. that the proof of the cooking Il in the pud.
ding The only drawback to this method IL that one
cannot have more than one bakel dish for dinner
The fuel used for cooking ~ always charcoal.
Every Monday morning a startling appartIon walks
IN at our back dora tail. uncanny looking man.
the whites OF his eyes g.eam.rg brilliantly from out
of a shining jet-b.ack face his back bent low
der the weight OF two heavy bags Of charcoal This
Is our weekly supply Of kitchen fuel. for which we
pay 10 cents For kidding wood we use canes
which stand IN a stack In corner Of the kitchen
Living. as We do. at the top OF the house. with
seventy feet intervening between us and the ground
noor naturally do not luxurlte In cellar
where stores can be kept In large quantities.. and
cverythlng therefore. Is bought In homeopathic
viii
form Is the custom OF the country. and We always
bow gracefully to custom. IL makes life 20 much
more smooth not 10 struggle against tradition.
Custom Is kind In lta;y. and allows the poor 10
live. poor man can 20 10 marke, ana buy the
leg Of turkey Tor three cents, as dainty for
his sick wife: II that 10 beyond his means. he
can for two cents get the head. neck and fee, Of
chicken and make a mlnestra tbroth Little at q
time" and pay as you 60. are two household
notices in this land OF thrift No need Of a re-
frigerator OF Ice. The delicious spring water 70
as cool as though 1t had been iced among the hills
1t is drawn up in 2 tin bucket from the fountain
in the courtyard below. heavy wire runs from
the pantry window to the fountain underneath,
and long rope and pu.eS and an iron ring which
attaches the bucket to the wire. complete the ap-
paratus. The bucket slips easily down the wire;
It dip, into the basin. and is then gradually drawn
up: It swsys from side to side. the water sp'ashes
out at every turn, but /; reaches the top at least
half full.
The meats, game and poultry, 4 kept a day or
two are hung In the open air and decorate me OUT
side of the kitchen window The butter aud eggs
brought fresh every morning before Ore tk,ast
Nothing ever tastes good as thdt tfesniy
churned butter, without sat- and as sweet as sosdi-
fled cream IL is in fact little else. At O'Clock IN
the morning. the canpagna, the cows are
MIXED. and the fresh milk is brought into the city
in large cans. In the early hours. .half-waking
and haf-dreaming when the dawn is beginning 10
steal through the cracks In the shutters. we hear
the tnkling of the mules bells and the rafting OF
the milk-cans the contadini. looking like John
the Baptiss In their sheepskin trousers drive
through the streets and de!Yer the mix at the
"vaccar' The milk is then heated. the cream
raised and churned. and the butter made and de-
livered in time for o'clock breakfast. The
pretty. fresh. thin pats one quarter and one-half-
pound pats stamped with the figure OF a COW. are
danty arranged 10 tempt the most fastid!oue
appetite. each one lying ON large. green leaf
Iso.etta has not been idle either during these In
definite early hours; she has already done the mar
kctng and has made out her little daily bill, which
she will present TO the sgnora and account for every
soldo she has spent There are no passbooks and no
bills running up TO vague amounts. to surprise one
at the beginning of every quarter: everything runs
smoothly and quietly. with regularity. though now
an an IA trin