The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-14

the Juragua Iron Company. Mr.. Michael
son, it will be remembered, established
soup kitchen in Santiago last year.
The difficulties Of housekeeping are much
increased in that climate by the lack of
ice. In the cities where ice can be pur-
chased by the well-to-do, good beef is
seen on the tables. But in the country the
beef is tough, because it must necessarily
be cooked almost directly after the ami
NAL is killed; therefore poultry is the sta
pie meat; fowls are abundant
"A favorite dish is chicken cut in small
pieces and stewed with rice and toma-
toes. Another national dish is rice with
fried eggs. Fat for cooking Is called
'manteca. Foods are fried in lard oleo-
margarine or olive oil, l would not ven
ture to say that there is no butter in the
Province of Santiago but 1 never saw
any. Though the cattle are fine, the cows
give little milk. Condensed milk IS used.
Rice with tortillas is a staple dish of the
poorer classes. The rice, when boiled APP
pears with every grain separate and Slight
~ hard, though thoroughly cooked. Tortil-
las are made of imported cornmeai, and re-
semble johnny cake Another dish is red
beans and rice-arrOZ-cooked with bacon
-tooino. The peasantry are also inordi-
nately fond of sugar cane, and if they
can get enough of it TO chew they appar-
emily want nothing more. The natives are
partial to fritters of bananas oranges or
other fruits, and to the red bananas cut
in slices and baked In fat. Tomatoes with
red pepper are much used for sauces. A
favorite salad is made of tomatoes and
Spanish onions cut in slices and dressed
with vinegar, oil, pepper and salt The on
ions that are sold here as Spanish onions
are not nearly so delicate In flavor as those
l ate in Cuba. The aguacate pear is much
used in soups and salads. The bread is
good, and, so far as my experience goes, is
always served fresh but not hot. A pecu-
liar fruit is the chirimoya which tastes like
ice cream.
THE Cubans have no meal corresponding
to our breakfast. A cup of coffee only is
served TO the women, and the men take
an appetizer which they call 'manana.' The
breakfast almuerzo'-is served al il
o'clock, and in well-to-do families consists
of five or six courSes-sOup, fish, meats
rice, pastry and fruits, and French wine
and rum; black coffee is always served
with cigars or cigarettes. Cheese and qua
va jelly usually appear a every meal and
are served in the same course. AT or Z
o'clock comes the 'comida,' corresponding
to our dinner, and it differs from break
fast only in being somewhat heavier. Soups,
meats, Salads vegetables and desserts are
served.
I'm the absence of butter, jeliies and
preserves of various kinds are much used
Though l have heard of the unudiness of
Cuban houses, I must say that in all of
those that / visited the table linen was
spotless and the meals were daintiiy
served, though the housekeepers alas!
threw the refuse into the streets for the
vultures 10 devour. Many delicious bey-
erages are made from the native fruits.
A favorite drink is the milk of the green
cocoanut mixed with water.
THE ants, ormjgas' are among the
trials of Cuban housekeepers. Tt is most
difficult TO keep provisions free from them
The legs of tables and of bedsteads are
often set in vessels of Oil or water with
oil on top, to prevent their ncursions
Lizards, scorpions and tarantulas also
find their way into the houses, and I have
seen the great land crabs in some of the
houses of the poems in the country. The
bodies of these crabs are about nine inches
long, with legs of ten or eleven inches.
A friend of ours who was engaged in the
construction of the Juragua Railroad, at a
place known as Crab Summit on account
of the enormous number of these crea-
lures, told us that when he was encamped
near the Summit he discovered one morn
ing that some Of his garments had disap-
peared, and found them several yards
away from the camp in the possession of
crabs, who were scuttlng off with them as
fast as possible. But this may be only a
crab story. These crabs are not ealable."