The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-13

| stallation of the old regime required the
employment OF double as many domestIcs.
| but the result was confessedly too good
| to be ignored. That happened i've years
| ago and Paris kitchens are growing mo.e
| up odate at a pace no faster than the
kings Of the kitchen will allow, though the
exposition is doing wonders not only to
convince the powers behind the ranges OF
| the worth Of mechanical devices, but to
produce. eventually. what has never been
known in Paris. truly great woman cook.
II at any time during the day the range
| fire weakens there is no reckless waste
by dumping and rebuilding or restoring
with quantity of kindling wood.
Briquettes or cellumettes ianGaisie5 or
fagots are thrust here and there among
the embers and rekindle the whole in the
shortest space. Briquettes and fagots cost
three cents bundle and are made OF wood
chips, sawdust, the odds and ends OF
scraps of the wood yard all nodded into
little cakes that look amazingly like dog
biscuit and that are stuck together with
a preparation far more infiammable and
certainly far safer than the libation of coal
oil that the careless American cook pours
On her Responding fire. Ceilumettes Ian
daisies are really triumph OF the French
Interpretation of the motto waste not want
not They are corncobs. big and lite.
put through a rosin bath and a half
dozen OF these cheap devices thrust into
apparently lifeless coal will bring 1t up
into flourishing fire in the short space
of a jiffy.
Now with coal selling in France during
the winter at a little short Of s13 ton.
the French cook. In private house or res
taurant, actually expends less on the fuel
than will an American cuisuiere who can
have her coal supply at half the above
mentioned price. That is one reason why
the Partisan cook looks with dismay at
the costly electricity Go into the newest
hotels where the ranges are as big as To-
comotives and all the way from the old
Cafe vachette to the grand new Palace
Hotel ON the Champs Elysees, and 1t viii
be found that old King Coal Is still
very powerful old soul and that one OF
the causes OF exquisitely dainty French
cookery is the great number OF simple lit
tie stoves and furnaces they use for pre-
pairing various meats pastry, gateauX. etc
Out at the exposition the officials of
the academy are going to hold regular
cours de cuisine, presided over by five
of the greatest chefs in Paris. and their
talks in a way will be as valuable and
impressive as any given by professors
of the Sorbonne From London. Vienna,
Berlin and America there will arrive
representatives to lecture on the i'm
provement in food stuffs and their prep
aration as well as scientific develop
ments in furnaces. the values Of foods
prepared by the heat Of water. electricity
and gas. 1t Is in the hot water scheme
that the Frenchmen expect to score heav-
lily, and they are going to demonstrate the
superior advantages Of their little stoves.
What is sure to produce deep impress
sion on the American mind is the appear
ance and the Importance Of many OF these
academy's officials. Some OF them are
heads of kitchens. the savory odors of
whose perfectly done game and exquisitely
mixed graYies have been actually waited
around the world and some OF them, the
most important. are independent artists.
the exponents of specially and not OFF,
cially connected with any restaurant or
kitchen. Such a chef is only produced in
Paris and in his own profession he Is an |
object OF extreme envy and admiration. |
Having gone the grind and proven his |
genius he retires and lives and works In |
his own kitchen-an atelier is what he |
calls it. really beautiful workshop. |
glass rooted. walled with tiles, decorated |
with framed diplomas. valuable autograph /
letters and photographs. and furnished
with the necessary utensils in the most
lovely old fance, ancient pewter and the
sort Of copper that artists prize. About
the room are strange little balm maries. |
those shaky gas ovens that look to Ameri-
can eyes wholly incompetent for the re-
suits demanded Of them and then the
range, apt as not to be gorgeouslT deco
rated with brass and nickel work
To such a man as this come rising and |
gifted young cooks, who have already got |
diplomas and cachets from the academy |
cours and well-known restaurant chefs, |
but who wish to perfect themselves in |
some particular branch under recognized |
genius of the day. To enter one OF the
great mems classes it is essential to be al
ready accomplished and. furthermore. en-
dowed with talent and ambition.
for Benjamin Constant, Gerome. or
Rodin would no more think CT |
accepting beginner in their stu |
dos than would one of these indepen- |
dent chefs. Years of really devoted labor |
and the consciousness of great gifts have
placed him beyond the drudgery Of teach |
ing and his income flows from his reputa |
tion. |