New-York tribune., 1902-03-03
PUBLIC KITCHENS PLAN.
RECENT CONFERENCE OF BROOKLYN
WOMEN-MRS. ELLEN H RICH
ARDS GIVES HER IDEAS
OF SUCH PROJECTS.

J. From time TO time for many years discussions
have arisen regarding the practicabity of public
kitchens where the poor could buy wholesome and
inutritive cooked food small cost. and sporadic
attempts have been made. here and elsewhere, 10
establish such places. As a result of recent re-
Sival of the question conference held by the
household economic department of the Brooklyn
Institute. but the speakers for and against such
projects about balanced
Mrs Andrew Jacobs gave a comprehensive
count of such enterprises in France, Holland Ger
many and Switzerland. where, in many instances
they only solve difficult problem IN furnishing
properly cooked food to the poor but to owners
per cent investments. She regretted that there
is nothing like them in this country, and recalled
the volks Kuche, Of Berlin. Germany. started IN
1866 with a fund Of about $1,000. which has multi
piled about tenfold. Since the kitchen is self-sup
porting, there is odun of charity and the people
patronize It without loss of sef-respect. There
many other kitchens of the kind in Berlin. In all
of them during single year 2,7A,4l9 portions OF
food were sold one-sixth of which carried to
the homes and the rest eaten the premises. A
portion IS sold for about six cents, and is estimated
contain average Of Il grams of proteid. %
grams Of fat and 1913 grams OF carbohydrates Sue
cessful enterprises OF the kind have been started
in many other parts OF Germany. There are public
kitchens in Holland Sweden, Norway, Russia and
various cities OF Italy. the year 1891 S.03l 900
portions OF food distributed from the thirty
one kitchens Of Paris at average cost OF two
cents.
SOUP KITCHEN THAT FAILED.
A soup kitchen started in this city at No. 34l
F5Udson-st. in 1891, but II did not pay and was
abandoned in 1887. A kitchen has also been main
tained with some success in connection with the
work of Hull House. Chicago.
A kitchen proposed in Brooklyn fifteen
twenty years ago. 1t was the idea of prominent
baker, who familiar with similar work In Scot
land Shares were offered at IS each but the de-
sired amount not raised and the plan failed.
Mrs. Jacobs said that the smallest sum upon
which kitchen be started is $500 Among the
advantages urged by Mrs Jacobs for public kitch-
Is the improved food lessened cost and its
sanitary preparation away from washtubs and liv
ing rooms. Such enterprises she thinks will dimn-
ish the work Of the mother, give object lessons in
cleanliness and enable young and women on
the small salaries that getting be the rule Of
the day to marry earlier. since families live
more economically on food from such places.
Replying TO objector TO the plan, who thought
the home idea would be nenaced, Mrs. Linda Hull
Larned president Of the National Household Eco
nonic Association, said that the idea Of the home
must be preserved and 10 further that end food
should be sold for consumption in the home. She
thought ii would be desirable to remove. not only
all cooking but all washing. from all homes. She
believed that the cooperative plan would succeed
first with the laundering because people like to
have their food cooked in their own way even
though it be a very bad way. Appreciation OF good
food is a matter Of education among large part
of the population
A speaker told Of orphan asylums where the chill
Gren do a large part Of the cooking under the di-
rectfon Of a domestic science instructor. They
learn to enjoy the work and to do it well. She
suggested that possibly such wards Of the State
could be employed TO help solve the vexed do
mestic service question
THE NEW-ENGLAND KITCHEN.
The New England Kitchen opened in Boston
in 1890 It's object the first TO supply plain,
wholesome cooked food TO the poor of the city, and
in order reach those in most need of IL branch
establishments opened in various parts of the
city and deliveries were made 10 tenement homes.
Regarding this period of the kitchens history Mrs.
Mary Hinman Abel. then its director, said:
We must know how people live. how they cook.
aLG ~tas tnes 1 9uy ygre6ices fbey have in order
.uliar tastes ata ,;Fcnry J 1Ian 9f refoTn, ~
After the kitchen was opened careful attention
toners Beef stew was demanded from the first,
and there were many caS TOT m GuInipltngs bi IN ai
of meat and potato with gray balls OF that old
enough to condemn it. scientific authority
forbade its manufacture II was ionnd II thab h the
delay serving, and must also be prepared at the
last moment, when there was the greatest pressure
OF work But the call continued, and it was evil
dent We were bracing ourselves against very
Macaroni was thought Of a substitute .,t,o for
ooPdlnsS Sc1ired DGI eees which were then forty
dozen Finally, 1rlen9 sugges6eG gg6 vim Pa1'e me
noodle method, proved success. the paste Pd oeing
mis- couid ne done in the afternoon leisure OF the
previous day At this hour also dne d nFa cut uG into
same way, so that all could be put toEeCh and
next morning with the necessary ulspdttCL, en-
thoroughly cooked. The result was an iiFits IT.
delicious dish which has been a great "a ;tlTt u
and which like the pea soup, IS great 'iiUi-P
in perfect nutritive quality. at low cosl. . ,ra-
Fish chowder was another dlsh Ihdt "dS D.
pared TO meet an evident demand; ana mere, ,dIS o'
ordinary nethods have been adapted 10 our iS,en
resulting In a dish 50 popular that We nave oI'
sold. Fridays. seventy quarts OF tlIs s-1rirg
Tomato soup was called for in the ear sPi - lS
and I'm making II had before US qulte ~ ,ba
problem In providing with its pleasant aclg g o',y
arno,nt n riItrir1ruf that we had resolved oud
customers should nave IN each dish 10 ,n glS9 ex "
broth Favored with tomato "ouiI pe 80, 80 In
persive: a very acid soup could not be eatedd u y
sufficient quantities give nourlshfIth' ai a.
was thought hest TO somewhat neutraIize the aciu
while adding a good quantity Of broth sugar "" ,
found TO give a distinctly sweet taste "h'o" "