The sun., 1900-08-12
NEW ENGLAND FIREPLACES
rraTURE or THE PAST THAT "0LD
UOuE WEEK" RECALLS.
uhat Wonderful Places Those Firepiaces Were
and what Delightful Cooking Trey Pro-
d,c.d,-rhe Routine In Some OF the Old
u,n.. nm the Uiiis-Ihe Advent Of stoves.

SAYS Boston Wpnidi'' ""' ""' WI anu ''"'e"
NJ in the Granite liliiH
Notwithstanding the science and technic alty
ri modern roo6rry nrd the consummatc skill
,ln, has ben called upon 10 create wonderful
,u,roctiors OF toothsomeness, j think II fact
NAT the cooking done at those old brick fire.
Los nos. csscd Il flavor that II not eQualled
,yrp in these days Of high-salaricd chefs and
,t,i,nt ranges OF course, those vigorous,
healthy rcoIlr WHO were reared In the hillside
,,r5,bou-rs had constitutions and appetites
,baty,rrunyor affected with desire for pamper-
i,, NOR th, slightest touch of catering TO sensi-
,t,.toma,h~ When the hard work ing mother
of,b, hous. stepped TO the front door and blew
,b, dinner horn, there was no uncertainty about
,h. immediate presence OF guests at the little
ir,tubla that stood in the middle Of the kitchen
eoor for tn, dining room and sitting room
., th,., days were the kitchen. the living
room III, We called il, where We ate. visited.
dd the houscwork and not so infreQuently slept
,cold winters night. When meal time came.
u,.v,r ready for 1t. We had no doubts about
tie matter
the centre, the axis Of the New England
family institution was the fireplace. the engine
., .ri,irnanc, and harbor Of good cheer. The
,raat towering chimney was built In the centre
ol the house, ~ that by the openings on the
sides il should make heating for the three rooms
tho living ROOM parlor and bed room. The
kitchen fireplace consisted Of a great opening
above IN, wide stonchCarth of about four feet
I'm length and the same in height. leading TO the
throat o. the chimney. on the left side, Sc
curev fastened by stout staples let into the
bricks swung tho huge crane on which a
9 l.py h. az Il no IN va la
small iron rot or kettle or the iron teakettle
Occasionally, when company was present and
big dinner was desired. the families which
had the luxury would bring out the big brass
kettle and over the furious Goals boiled dinner
would b. speedily prepared This brass kettle
was regarded aS expensive, and the household
that owned one was apt TO be of neighborhood
rrrr'r for thrift and forehandcdness. My
parents were poor and. therefore, Il big iron
kettle was our dr"'ndence.
"On the right of the fireplace was the enor-
nous brick oven, About foot from the floor
W., an ron door opening into an ASH receptacle
Here back for four or five feet was huge
chamber where aSh"1 were packed back, 10
remain until spring and the days for biln soap
an abpnlin' the neighbors' arrived. Above
th., door that opened on the ash bin was an
other leading into the big brick oven.
sunday morning was the stated and regu-
lar occasion for beans. You see We did not fol-
hy the SATURDAY night beans custom OF the
city. The preparations for this Sunday repast
began on Friday evening, when my father
dltiiuly brought IN great armfuls Of oven
wood as We called il lie used to save apple
trrn limbs and brush because they made an
intensely hot fire These were hcaped down
near the wall right on the kitchen floor. just
fancy how Camplikr it Ma>, During the even.
mg mother hli put the beans In soak and
ct the Indian noal sifted, the apples all
sliced for the pies or the pumpkin stewed. and,
IN short, attended to the numerous prepara-
tory details to be ready for business bright
-Four O'Clock would find this iron woman
~ and stirring. She Just started a blaze in
the fireplace. With that well going, she would
call to my father who was not usually so exer-
c-ed about arising, Jack. amt YOU never
gOin' ter Kit up? aud at the same time begin
to pile the brush into the brick oven, The fire
would be left 10 burn for from one to two hours.
untI the bricks We're almost red hot Then
mother took ng-handled iron shovel and
proceeded 70 draw the fire, as 1t was termed.
she carefully raked out all tho brands and threw
item into the fireplace. With hemlock broom.
broom made Of helnlock boughs tied on to an
oaten stan, for We had never heard Of the con-
Of the oven was swept clean, In went the bean
pot, an iron bread pot containing the brown
bread. made much as II i to-day, big yellow
dish ful! OF, Indian, pudding batter, then the
was made Of scalded milk sweetened With mo-
lasses, a couple of eggs and corn meal stirred
Irto ITO tyntil very thin batter had been formed
wheat -four and u little saleratus., With pinch
Of salt. There was a wooden lid that fitted
inside the outer, or, iron door OF the oven and
cake; were Withdrawn in a short time, com
pletely baked, but all day and night the beans.
brown bread and Indian pudding were left TO
slowly develop to the right stage for the famous
Sunday breakfast And what a feast II was.
Dear me, how good those beans tasted De-
licious. simply delicious. Il all the description
can give. Tucked away In the centre ~ the
placed so that the cunningly sliced rind should
be uppermo-t The brown bread and Indian
Pudding were incompatible, Nothing ever
tasted better.
sunday evening, as a follower OF this heavy
feast OF beans and brown bread, We had light
sipper OF bread and milk or milk porridge;
tn, latter was made by scading milk and
ihickening with a BIZ of Indian meal. favored
WIN plnch OF SAT- , L.
For roasting meats, there was used the
famous Dutch oven This was contryance
Of Sheet iron, about as large around as the
l'ps loot hlgh. compact iron box, win
do07 IN front, This was set on the hearth,
well back among the Goals When the pan OF
neat Ind been placed within, the live Goals
MHr" piled under, around and atop the oven.
BY this means, a perfect roast could be had.
me ronS'ing was done SO evenly and grad
Nlliy, Interd | thnl; IL was the slowness
Wlth which our baking and roasting we're done
Mdt accounted for the ndescrbable flavor and
roma That everything seemed to have.
m among m" other appnrtenances were the
hUl' Nh BAKERS, small eases OF tin, say 1901
Or 1907 and a half in length resting upon short
- or standards so that the bottom or the
n,1Her would be perhaps three inches above
u" hearth These were used for baking wheat
constant e,
70. when one side had been properly done
We incentive housewife must turn the baker
Solhn Tor the toasting OF the other Then
,nsrn was the great iron frying pan, with It's
,,andIe tnv three feet In length and intended
!" pe held or balanced above the Goals while the
eEHS or ham were being fried
We hal many dish and compounded many
al ingredient little used to-day. Among them
r'alG rr'lG hahhoGks bean porridse, hnsty pudd ng,
rHnlhy and noIasses, pork and Goldfish,
"u,Ii.' @""in ddpi pudding, and apple dowdy' Itls I
n,, n,, Ma' llnrd with pie crust then q layer OF
a.F!es, splccd and sweetened: noxt, another
,ry Wy .. PIE crust then, layer OF apples again.
raa % n c0YsFIg Gsb Of crust I'll nsaed nNEsa 'ne
- u" tafest ot treats and when mother wanted
wu \ Keep us children on our good behavior
= ~ TS Induced, sometimes, BY the promise to
=. lcn my father was especially fond. con-
s'lrI OF thin batter Of rye or corn meal.
veg W. with little saleratus and sour mix,
sahe Pork and Goldfish was the frying Of
~ o ltieces o. salt pork and dropping IN pieces
~ coIlisIi The pork and Goldfish were fricd
,"Hpuher and formed dish much relished,
H',a H'a u,iS little heavy fiominy and milk,
ao9Inn' and nolasses and other combinations
a,ulliy We're rated a. real delcacies.
,, Aoout once month the farmer went to
t., usually distant four or five miles. fe
n'N n aplg perhaps bushel OF wheat, two or
n4 n,4 ana when he first bad begun to husk he