The Cook County herald., 1897-09-04

&sg,ik Wv MA&A themselves ready
E.hANNssssM# pupils, using the
2st iM NW&S& strange cook n g
q utensils with an
adaptation that has no awkWardness
in it, says writer in the American
Kitchen Magazine. They are not
quick, but exact, and nothing seems to
be too much trouble, although one wo-
man said: She make us wash our
hands very much when we cook The
yeast lesson is often asked for, and
as We teach the simple potato yeast,
without hops, it is quickly learned and
very helpful in putting good bread into
the homes. Occasionally we have
found on visiting the cabins an array
of crisp, brown loaves that would do
credit to Boston cooking school
The physician complains that these
people eat too much meat, SO We have
confined our lessons during the sum-
mer to luncheons and dinners with
out meat, the women doing all the
work of preparing and serving the
meal and afterward making the kitch-
en- tidy, under direction. They do 80
well and are so good-natured and the
pleasant smile is always lurking in
the corners OF their eyes or trembling
on their lips, ready to break and ripple
over the face at the slightest provoca-
ton. Even the old women, whose lives
have been spent under the conditions
} so hard that there is no grace or beau
ty left in the scanned and weather.
beaten faces or the bent figures, show
a hearty friendliness in their pleasant
smiles that explodes the idea of the
hard-visaged Indian SO long pictured
as typical of the race. Sometimes, how
ever, they are loath to confess igno-
rance. Our laundress, Rose Medicine
Bird, professed perfect familiarity with
the<s scrubbing brush and attempted to
i use it onr absence On our return
: we found her sitting in the pool of
water looking woefnlly at the brush;
on seeing us she said: He no good.
He no make it dry Gimme towel
Teaching cooking in the Indian
homes gives opportunity to exercise
much ingenuity. After collecting from
out-of-the-way corners, scrubbing,
securing and washing, we are often
q
ing-pan, biscuit-pan, and perhaps
knife, fork and spoon, but these last
are not always to be found. The tin
can comes into use On all occasions,
although we find few at the cabins.
but the absence of markets brings
good many to our home, which are
carefully washed and made to do duty
as pals, cups, receptacles for tea, coffee,
sugar, rice, oatmeal, and even as bak-
ing tins, the pretty round loaves CIV
ing us dainty circular slices for our
poached eggs. OF food materials, also
we find but scarce supply. Flour, bak-
ing powder and salt is the limit in
many houses, and if by chance the
supplies include sugar and lard we
are fortunate and extend our lessons.
Milk and butter We find in only one
or two homes, where by much encour-
agement we have been able to intro
duce them. But with the few conven-
fences it will be a long time before the
use of milk will be. a regular and per-
manent custom. Some of the. dishes
cooked by the Indian women would be
appetizing were their habits more
cleanly. We cook our squash by Mrs.
Mary Bears recipe. Perhaps you would
like to try it if it is not already famil-
lar to you. Cut the squash into half
inch cubes, put in a baking-tin with
butter or drippings to season. Bake
in the oven forty minutes or until soft.
Sprinkle with sugar, salt and a very
little pepper. Return to oven for ten
minutes, stirring once. If the squash
be of good quality it has the flavor of
-caramels (O, nuts (?), something
good, I don't know just what. But our
work is not confined to cooking-one
day in each week is sewing day, when
we are glad to welcome our women
and give them help in what ever work
they are doing-cutting garments,
mending, making over. The four re-
manning days are devoted to visiting,
then the lessons receive practical
demonstration in their own homes and
become Of real value to them, we hope
We plan to help in whatever may be
on hand-cooking, serving meals,
mending or making garments, attend
ing the sick, bathing baby, or in as
sisting in making home neat We have
81 grown to think that nothing is out
of our line and to adapt ourselves to
all situations, even to sleeping in the
cabins when attending the sick. al
though the last is a severe trial. Once
in two weeks, on Saturday morning,
the agency commissary is a busy place
when the Indians come for their issue
of rations. It is a gala day and they
come in holiday attire. Gay prints,
gayer blankets and bright faces give
& color and animation to the scene. which