The suburban citizen., 1902-01-11
WHITE HOUSE KITCHEN
IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN INTRO
DUcED IN RECENT YEARS.

Kitchen Are still There, But Not
Used-How State Dinner is Cooked
The present kitchens in the White
House are directly under the famlly
dining room and buffers pantry IN the
northwest corner Of the basement. Ihe
original kitchen, which was used as
such from the time that Nine. Abigail
Adams was it's mistress until Mrs. LIN
coins regime, was in the central part
of the basement, in what Is now the
engine room. The great hreplaces'
brick ovens and heating crannies are
still there, but the room is just under
the shadow of the wide front porch
and must have been a dark place Tor
work at its best. That was probably
the reason why Mrs. Lincoln had IL
changed to its present sunny corner.
When Mrs. Harrison came in she
found it very different place from
what it is now. The floor was then
sunken and broken, there was wooden
waiscoting, and all the woodwork was
infested with that bane of the wash
ington housekeeper, reaches. The rats
and mice had literally taken possession
and for a while it seemed that they
were going to retain it in spite of all
that she could do. She tried every eX-
terminator in vain, and then she gave
the entire basement a general renova-
ton. In the kitchens and laundries
the sunken floors were taken up and
the remnants Of the decomposed wood
en- planks, with cart loads Of filthy
dirt. were removed. When solid
foundation of Potomac clay was
reached she had the present firm ce
ment floors put in. All of the wood
work was torn out, and the clean
white tiling which now makes these
rCOoms so bright was substituted. This
did away with the rat and mice nuis
ance, but it NYasS~ not until Colone
Bingham, the present efficient super
intendent Of public buildings aE%f
grounds, put in his perfect sanitary
system of plumbing that they were
able to cope with the roach pest
There are two kitchens, a small one
to the west and the main one leading
out Of it, which is about forty feet long
by twenty-five feet wide. Both rooms
have the cement floors, while the walls
are wainscotted to the height of six or
eight feet with white tiles. These
rooms are supplied with every modern
kitchen appliance. Over on the south
side of the large room is a great hood
ed range covering almost the entire
wall and provided with numberless
baking and warming ovens. In the
centre of the room is long deal table,
and suspended from the ceiling direct
ly over it is a mammoth circular swing
on which are hanging the cooking
utensils, brass kettles and pans shin
ing like FURNISHED glass. Over on the
north side of the room are two closets
reaching from ceiling to floor Their
upper parts are shelved and filled with
'tinware and crockery, while the lower
is divided into -four, meal and cereal
bins, with other compartments for SUI
gar salt, spices, etc. Over to the south
side are the sinks and appliances for
dishwashing while on the north, un-
derneath the big windows with their
ground-glass panes, are the side tables.
In the northeast corner of the family
kitchen, which is furnished on small
er scale in the same manner as the
larger one, is the dumbwaiter, where
the food for the dining-room is sent up
to the buffers pantry.
As may be imagined, 1t is something
of an undertaking to prepare all of the
viands in these kitchens for the state
dinners which are given each winter
in the Executive Mansion, but that it
is done in so faultless manner reflects
credit upon those who manage It, The
state dining-room is a stately, spacious
apartment, but it can only seat forty
persons, and Is now too small for the
number of guests who must be enter
tanned at these official functions. For
that reason during the past three years
the tables for these dinners have been
laid in the long Tiffany corridors-an
expediency which should make us re-
alize the necessity of larger dwelling |
house for the President Of this great |
nation.
On a night OF state dinner the en-
tire floor of the mansion is turned into |
a fairyland Of beauty. Every nook, |
corner and available space is filled with |
palms, tropical plants, cut flowers and
patriotic decorations. Chains Of vari- |
colored electric lights are swung across
the ceiling, over the mirrors, and fire.
Quently outline the floral designs. The
table is as handsome as rare buds and
blossoms, cut glass, priceless china,
silver and fine napery can make 1t.
The dinner usually comprises from six
to eight courses, and is about two
hours in being served. The White
House cook, who is a capable, middle
aged German woman, bearing the
given name of Anne, prepares all the
food, with the aid of her two assist
ants. On the night Of the dinner the
are reinforced by the
three laundry women, as, despite the
tales which occasionally go the rounds
Of the newspapers of the fabulous