Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-08-14
TEACH COOKING.
The Mother of Every Girl Should See
That She Can Prepare Food.

A rather pathetic incident came I'M
der my notice few months ago. A
young woman who had married the
man of her choice made the discovery
when too late, that she was totally
| untitled for the duties she would have
to perform in her new position. She
had no experience in cooking any
thing besides frying bacon and max
| ing tea. Even porridge was a failure
when she attempted to make it.
"The reason of all this?" you ask
| Well, her mother was so accustomed
to cook for her family that she was I'M
willing to hand over the reins to her
daughter, although the latter was
quite ready to learn. The mothers
tremely fastidious regarding his meals,
and she feared domestic disturbance
if they were not prepared in the way
he had hitherto enjoyed. No doubt
the woman meant well, but I think
that not only was her husband a
selfish man, but she was a very IN
wise woman not to consider her daugh-
ter's future happiness, and | feel
sure that every right-minded reader
will agree with me. So much com
fort and domestic peace depends upon
! the skill of the middle-class wife as
! cook and housekeeper that I wonder at
any mother expressing her unwilling
| ness to teach her girl every L.anch of
| household work. l have heard that a
! hungry man is an angry man, and
especially is this true when he comes
home from work and finds before him
a meal prepared in such a way as to
| render it unenjoyable-if not uneat-
able. The poor young wife may have
. done her best, but disappointed
| tired man will not recognize the fact:
! what he wants is the knowledge that
! his earnings are spent judiciously, his
food cooked in nice tempting man
ner and served on a neatly arranged
table.
If your daughter is at home all day,
| let her take the dinner entirely in
hand two days a week. To make it
| clear, give her certain sum in the
! morning, or the evening before, if
more convenient, and let her go out
, and purchase the necessary things for
| the days dinner, then let her cook the
| meal. If she fails, as she may do, the
! first few times, is it not better for you
| to be with her and to show her where
! she goes wrong, than for her to bear
the reproaches, if not worse, of an
impatient husband? No doubt she will
| be less careful with butter, sugar
eggs, etc., than you are, but little
patience on your part and Willingness
to improve on hers, VIII soon teach
her those little Economics in the
kitchen" which are so necessary if
you wish to make both ends meet,
with limited income. I heard a
mother say one day, 81 can't bear to
see my daughter cooking. She burns
as much coal for little stew and a
vegetable as would be wanted for a
big roast" Of course, that item has
to be watched, and if the meat is put
on to stew very early in the morning,
a small fire suffices to cook it.. A
mother is the only one who can teach
| the girl all these things-for she can
do it in her own quiet manner with
out Impotence or reproaches.
There is another side to the picture.
A man, while praising his wife's skill
as housekeeper, naturally looks with
gratitude on the girls mother who has
trained her so we'll; and in this case
the mother-in-law is not the despised
creature that writer's of fiction would
| have us believe.-Scotsman