The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-01-15
SURFMEN WHO COOK WELL.
Men In the Life-saving Stations
Along the Coast Live Nicely.
(Chicag0 Inter Ocean.J

The retired surfman was inclined to
be laxative. and after filing his pipe
with a liberal supply of rough ana
ready" and applying match to 1t ne
said:
I often read about these chefs who
do the cooking for the millionaires and
get enormous salaries. In my opinion,
they get more than they are really
worth. for there are so many Ameri-
cans who could do the work as well.
Today there is a small army of men do
ing service in Uncle Sans life-saving
stations along the coast who are the
best of cooks. As a rule. their knOwl-
edge Of the culinary art is not con-
fined to the preparation alone of plain
dishes, but includes pastry cooking and
bread baking as well. I know surfmen
who would do credit to any mans
kitchen. / spent more than twenty
years in the life saving service, and
have taken an active part in feasts that
were fit for the gods. II more recent
years I have been guest at some Of
the best hotels in the country: I have
dined at the homes of wealthy men,
who prided themselves on the ability
of their high-salaried French and Ital-
ian chefs But for all that ] still know
of men in the life saving service who
could discount some of these chefs.
. "A
: at each life saving station, in addition
to the captain or keeper. Every man
] has to take his turn as cook except
4 the captain. The same crews do duty
/ year after year, with seldom q change.
/ When one drops out through old age or
disability the new man who fills the
vacancy is supposed to have some
( knowledge of cooking. AS a rule, the
additions to the crews have had a year
I e n
men. and during that time they are
drilled in the art of meat. vegetable
and pastry cooking, and bread making.
They take an interest in this part of
the work. and when they become regu-
! lars they are well qualified to take their
turn in the kitchen. Each member of
! the crew does his trick Of one weeks
cooking, and then has six weeks off.
In this manner each man has a chance
to demonstrate to his fellow surfmen
his ability as a caterer. Each tried to
Guido the other IN making his week one
OF gastronomic joy. New and delicious
dishes come along quite frequently.
/ Usually some wife, sweetheart or moth
1 er has instructed the cook how to pre-
pare the dainty.
AS bread. pie and cake bakers the
surfman have few equals. Through
/ force Of circumstances they all become
{ expert bakers. Delicious pies and pud-
/ dings, and cakes are products of the
+ life saving station kitchen stoves. As
game cooks many of the men excel.
Wild fowl are ever plentiful in the
waters along the coast, and there is
hardly a day passes during the fan
winter, and spring months that does
not find ducks, geese, or some kind of
snipe on the surfmens bin of fare.
The men who shoot the game know
how 20 prepare it. At nearly all sea
sons Of the year fish of a dozen va
rieties are plentiful
There are no better fed men in the
country than the life saving crews
The cost of all the good food they eat is
small. Every article purchased for Ia
bic use is accounted for in a davbook
and at the end of each month the
amount expended Is divided into eight
/ shares, and each man, the captain in
cluded, pays his portion, which rare
+ " amounts to sum exceeding IS a
/ month.
Il tell you. on S month the surf
men live better than the average man
does on $50"