The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-18
UNCLE SAM
ISSUES A
COOK BOOK
An Official Manual Tells Chefs
How to Prepare Food for
the Nations Jack TarS.

Washington. Aug. 1s.-The nost highly
recommended cook book In the world has
gone through its first edition. and prep
arations are being made to get out the
second. The volume. bound in very sub
stantial canvas. bears the imposing title
General Mess Manual and Cook Book.
U. 8. Navy"
| The title page says that for use on board
the vessels OF the United States navy II
has been prepared under the direction OF
the paymaster- general and published by
authority of the secretary of the navy.
The book is divided into three parts
the general mees. the commissary store.
! which Is the marine counterpart OF the
exchange IN the army, and the prepara-
ton OF food. That part OF the book set
aside for the consideration OF the general
mess remarks that the general messing
system is now obligatory upon all the
| vessels OF the navy.
Until about Is months ago II was the
| custom TO divide the men on a ship into
messes OF about 20 each. generally accord
1 Ing TO their ratings. The landsmen. the
| ordinary seamen and the able seamen
| ate by themselves in messes. Each mess
had its own steward, who took the
money the men I'm his mess gave him and
bought the supplies of food. He also
| cooked and served It That system meant
that the better paid men got the better
food
REFORMED BY CONGRESS.
little more than a year ago Con-
gress decided that all the enlisted men In
ha ha
should fare alike. So the general mess
system was introduced. Now men of all
ratings mess together. and Uncle Sam fur
nishes the food. also the men to cook Il
and the men TO serve II, just as he does
for the army.
all satisfactory. Congress failed to pro-
vide milk or any OF the condiments, and
the quantity OF food furnished was not
enough TO satisfy Jacks cravings. The
doctors and the dietary sharps said the
supply was ample, but Jack shook his
head.
Congress believed the web foot" and
increased the allowance by about rs per
cent. There was also some complaint on
the score OF the ability OF the cooks 10
prepare the food. and the department de-
cided that there should be an official cook
book.
Under the head of Organization and
Administration the cook book remarks
that the messes shall be arranged accord
Ing to divisions, and not according to the
rating OF the men, so that all the men ac-
customed 20 work together shall also eat
together. Each mess is 20 have a mess
mant-in civil life a waiter--who shall re-
ceive the food from the cooks and place
II upon the table.
But IL any man thinks he IL not getting
all that Is coming 10 him he 10 not at
liberty to swear at the messman.. In
stead. he 10 TO state his grievance 10 the
captain by going ito the mast II the
captain does not correct the trouble II
Is his privilege to complain to the secre-
tary Of the navy.
Tipping the waiter. either by individ-
uals or by the whole mess, Ia absolutely
prohibited. The book says the messman
shall receive no extra compensation.
CHIEF COOK RESPONSIBLE.
cooks are TO be rated according to ability.
and the senior cook Is to get all tho
blame for burnt steaks. muddy coffee
and overdone eggs, unless he reports the
shortcomings OF his assistants. He Is
also responsible for the condition of the
galley.
The ships cook cannot go on strike
or resign except at the risk of being sent
to q lonely prison for three or four years
for insubordination. On the large ships
there are TO be a meat cook, n man TO
look after the vegetables, and still an
other whose sole duty IL is TO make tea
and coffee. There are also 20 be two
bakers, but the senior Is to be responsible
for the quality OF the bread.
Exactly half the book Is devoted TO
the publication Of recipes. The first is
from Boston. * tells the cook 10 soak
five gallons Of beans In fresh water, and
50 pounds of salt pork also Ia fresh water.
over night.
Put the beans IN a copper ana let
them come 10 q boil" says the recipe,
then add Is pounds of the pork. Con-
tinue boiling until the pork Is tender.
then remove. In a separate copper boil
tho rest OF the pork until tender. Cut
up six pounds OF stale bread. brown I'm a
pan and add"
The mixture Is bean soup, something
that Jack has been singing about evor
since beans were discovered 10 be good
for sailors The recipe holds the place
OF honor for that reason. Beef soup,
vegetable soup and macaroni soup all
come after the time-honored ''puree OF
the bean" !
FRANKFURTERs AND SAUERKRAUT |
The tastes OF the sailors OF German
extraction are consulted. Under the |
caption "Frankfurters and Sauerkraut,"
the book tells the cooks to boil 90 pounds |
OF Frankfurters for IL minutes Then |
IL says 10 wash seven gallons OF sauer- |
kraut In cold water and place In n covered |
pot with one gallon OF water. adding two |
pounds OF dried apples and one pound OF |
beef drippings. after which the whole |
mass IL 10 DO boiled for 30 minutes and /
then 10 be seasoned with pepper
Under the head OF Vegetables" there /
Is n recipe which begins with tho inJunc- /
tion TO quarter two barrels OF cabbage /
preliminary 90 boiling it. When tho /
sailors want spinach or Brussels sprouts /
the cook Is 10 carefully wash two barrels /
NJ each For one mess Of mashed po-
tatoes 80 pounds are 10 be pared
These are the allowances for the crews
n very small ships say for 100 men. on
the allowances are to be six
lines as large. For pies for 100 men II is
estimated that there ought 90 be 30
pounds OF fresh fruit and so pounds OF
four for one baking.
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