Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-01-07
KING EDWARDS KITCHEN.
4 Is an Elaborate Affair and Employs
Hundreds of Domestics.

1t Is an Elaborate Affair and Employs
Hundreds of Domestips.
The royal kitchen is room of con-
siderable size. much larger, in fact,
than the kitchens of many of the lead
ing London restaurants for some hun
slreds of meals have 10 be prepared
there every day. 1t is lifted up with
black oak throughout, for which
George Ill was responsible, he hav-
ing expended $4,000 in this direction
alone. Besides the kitchen proper there
are the confectionery room, the pastry
room and the bakehouse.
The clerk of the kitchen, who re-
jolces in a salary of $500 a year, is
responsible for the conduct of these de-
partments. and he has to deal with
all the tradesmen who supply the royal
household. But the potentate of the
kitchen is the chef, who also receives
$500 a year and under him are four
master cooks, each of whom has con
troll of a small army of assistants.
while the confectionery department
is ruled by two yeomen with salaries
of 1000 and $3.50.
Such thing as unpunctuality is I'M
known in the kings kitchen. The most
rigid economy is practiced, and such
food as remains unconsumed is dis
fributed among the poor, who apply at
the castle gate every day.
The kings kitchen hides something
like $4,000 in copper and iron uten-
sis and 100000 in plate. Among the
former should be mentioned the en0r-
nous meat screen of solid oak lined
with metal, which is nearly 800 years
old. and bears the imperial badge of
the house of 1u1or-thP portcuilis and
arms Connoissec",s have sighed in
vain for this meat screen. for its
worth is inestmable. Then, there are
4 900 knives, 5000 forks and as many
spoons used for cooking and kitchen
purposes, which do not include the
5000 forks and spoons of massive sill
yer for use at the royal table. There
are 800 pots and pans, mostly of cop
per, and five scourers are solely en-
ployed to keep them brightly FURNISH
cd
MOI lar away dlC TIC HitAtE Ao'tA''''
two in number. which. although they
measure only 10 by 16 feet, hold treas
ures eighteen tons of sovereigns would
not buy.
The most valuable item in the store
room is, of course, the famous service
consisting of plates, dishes, tureenS,
epergnes and candelabra. all of solid
gold. which were made by Roundelle
& Bridge for George ". This service
is only used on state occasions. Equal
Iy famous is the emperor's service OF
silver gilt. tho worth of which may lie
vaguely cleaned from the fact that
each plate weighs a stone and the
cpergnes two bundredweight apiece.
There is one gold dish of surprising
loneliness which is supposed to have
been used by Alexander the Great be
fore the battle of Hydaspes and foi
tnvyard of six centuries it has reposed
at Windsor Another much-vaiued
niece of plate is the silver gilt fiagor
three feet in height. which was recov,
cred from an Armada wreck three cen
turtles ago. while there is table OF
solid silver. the surface of which meas
rres nine feet square and is engraved
with the four emblems of Great Brit
ain.
But perhaps one of the most cher
islled relies i'm the kings pantry, says
the london Tit-Bits. is the golden eagle
W, .tch was taken from the Tippoo Sa
bib's throne 1t is Of solid gold
throughout. the feather tips beine
pointed with priceless diamonds ana
rubies. while the beak is carved from
a fiawlesS emerald.