Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-12
BosToN's BEANS!
A Record of 100000 Quarts at Cost
of Over $8,OO0,000, in 1904.

Boston baked beans are known
around the globe. In the city of Bos-
ton alone about thirty two million
quarts of baked beans are devoured
annually, to say nothing of the pork
that goes with them and the brown
bread that is also served. There are
factories or bakeries which handle
nothing but baked beans from one
years end to the other. One of the
largest of these, which supplies restau-
rant; wholly, bakes 14,00O quarts of
beans a week Other bakeries also fur
nish brown bread. while nearly every
bakcshop that makes bread, pastry and
pies also bakeS beans several times a
week There are bakeries with ovens
that hold 1900 quarts each.
In 1904 Boston spent about sS.247. S42
| for beans before they We're baked,
| There were 6S eco barrels received in
| the city. which, on the weight basis,
| was $1,000 pounds more than We're used
| in 1903. Each year consumption has
| been steadily increasing. until 1908 will
| find the bean bill of the Hub close to
the million mark. On the basis OF
| about 100000 population, this is an
average Of about 81 quarts to an in
| dividual
Taking the average height of a Bos-
| tonian as five feet six inches and the
| height of a bean pot as ten inches, one
can easily figure that a Bostonian in
| a wear eats more than two and five
| sevenths times his own height in baked
beans, and more than his own weight
| There are twelve plates of beans served
in restaurants from each pot of two
quarts Boston pays for baked beans
in year the price of two of Uncle
Sans modern battleships.
Dweilers in Little Italy and the
Ghetto of the West End take as kindly
| to baked beans as do the natives OF
| New England stock. In fact baked
| beans possess charm for people of
| all natonalitics who go to live in Bos-
ton, permanently or temporarily. Ev-
erv time q convention is held there
people from all parts of the country
make a dash FOR the nearest restaurant
| and call for some of the baked beans
| of which they have heard so much
| One bakery, in the heart of the italian
quarter turns out 1000 quarts daily, en-
tirely for italian consumption.
The preparation and baking Of beans
| is an interesting operation. In estab.
lishments where beans only are bakec
it is done on Il huge scale. There arr
great kettles that hold two or three
bushels OF beans and into these thf
Hoone nra mt to soak and parboli
Then the pot of earthernware, varying
il size from one quart to two gallons
are ranged around on tables and tilleo
FROM, the big kettles. Every quart oi
beans is carefully picked over an6
sorted and cleaned of all dirt ant
"dead" beans before being put into
the kettles The ovens are huge bric%
affairs. glowing red with heat. Ex
parts consider that beans cannot be
properly cooked except in a brick oven
Z Some of the covers hold 1000 quart:
each. Filled with the loaded pots
they present a sight worth beholding
SO hot are the ovens that long HANDLED
fiat shovcls are used to take the bis
pots in and out.
The following recipe is considered t.
be the best for baked beans: To on
quart of beans pea beans or medium
yellow eyes kidney or other variety
use one pound Of pork (bean pork, 1eal
and fat in streaks. with a solid piec
of fat on top): two tablespoonful o
molasses. Salt as needed Fill the po
of beans with hot water and bake al
day, adding hot water as it evaporate
from the top, keeping the top fairl,
well covered with water. The por
should be cut in halves. one piece be
: ing placed in the midst of the beans
half way down. and the other half ol
top Some people put an onion in tn
middle of the beans. Sometimes a lit
: tie mustard is added, if desired.-NeN
York Tribune.