The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-23
DOUBLE USE FOR HER COOKING
SOUTHERN WOMAN'S GIFT PAYS
WINTER AND SUMNER.

In the summer l am visiting caterer at
a popular suburb OF New York.
The speaker was q Southern woman
who came to New York twelve Year, ago
in order to earn her living and educate
her four children.
-You see people who go into tho ooun-
try for the summer have to take about
what they can get In the way Of servants
she went on. If the average cook can
bake cakes In the winter she certainly
doesn't do 1t in the summer.
1.-THE reason ! went to Blanktown was
that a woman who bought my cakes and
candies at the exchange said one day
while I wa waiting near the cake counter
that her main reason for dreading the
summer was that she couldn't get any
decent sweets TO eat without sending into
town for them. In the country it was
hard 70 got a decent dessert.
AS she was leaving the exchange I
walked up TO her and after explaining
that I was the baker Of the cake she had
ordered and Of the candy she had under
her arm I asked II II might not be wise
for her to give me a regular order for the
summer. She wanted To. do it, but when
we came to discuss the matter both OF
us agreed that 1t would be rather hard
for her to tell Just what she would need
so far in advance.
She said II only lived within tele-
phone distance she could give mi regular
orders each day in the week. In reply
I told her IL she would get me enough
custom to make it worth while l would be
perfectly willing to come out for the sum
Nor. She said she would try and I said
Id think it all out.
1T was very pleasant thinking about
anything hat would enable me to take
my children out OF town for the hot
months. You see We lived in a cramped
apartment on the top door Of an uptown
house and besides the heat and dust there
was the noise day and night.
when that wrote and said abe
had secured regular orders from three Of
her friends and know OF q house that could
be had for o reasonable rent I almost
jumped for joy. I had made up my mind
to accept any Offer that would pay DUR liv-
ing expenses,
sOn talking the matter over with this
arst patron Of mine I suggested that in
stead Of giving me q daily order they
should let me come to them twico . woek
for three hours. I could use their ma
terials and have the assistance Of their
cook and in that way it might be moro
satisfactory and equally cheap.
She was willing and so were her three
friends. My idea wal to get tho baking
for six families. This would allow me
TO bake for them all twice q week ia their
own kitchens and leave me time mornings
and evenings to keep things n'my own
homo in running order.
After ] landed at Blanktown bag and
baggage one OF the women who bad en-.
gagged 20 have me twice a rec decided
to rent her place and 20 elsewhere for the
summer. Tho result was that only had
enough custom to keep me busy four days
in the week.
Hunting about for another customer
to take her place I wal told on all sides
that II I'd have regular baking days they
would give me regular orders. There
wasn't much in the way OF a kitchen In
undertaking | determined to mako q trial.
I let it. be known that two days in the
week I'd bake to order.
The second week I had as much as !
could do. The third week ! was sorry
l had pledged myself TO bake in the homes
me only at the rate Of s. a day, while bak-
ing at home was brin ging me in three
times as much. As ! believe in sticking
to agements | stuck to mine without
letting on about losing money.
The following summer was able to
get a better house. but when ! informed
my old customers that | would no longer
bake 10 their kitchens they all raised a
row. They were willing TO pay me al
most any price but wouldn't agree To- eat
my cakes and pies unless ] did bake them
in their own homes.
AS they had been the means Of giving
me my start l made a compromise. !
agreed to bake for them for the same
length OF time twice each week for double
the money, 1t is really cheaper for them
even at that price.
AN of them have large families and
entertain extensively for persons OF their
means. Now it is much cheaper to paw
your cakes. pies, breads and rolls will
be above the average than to depend
On a suilen or ignorant cook who oftener
thnn not ruins your materials. am an
amiablc woman with a good digestion,
but | am sure ! would not be either il !
had to eat the pies and cakes that 1
have seen in some peoples pantries. 1t
wasn't because they had cheap servants
They were paying their cooks S25 q month
and over, with every convenience.
Now that have my work systematized
I begin my morning baking at Q o'clock
opaA ps Gho NV AAc /
these days have both a coal and a gas
range I always agree - take the ran q
the regular cook doesn't prefer. Istipu-
late that II shall be in perfect order and
cleaned before | get there.
AS a general thing the cook rcsents
or appears to resent my first appearance
In her kitchen. OF course it Is TO my in.
terest to make friends with her. for as
poor as she may be ] know how the
family comfort depends on her.
in three hours with q willing cook to
help me I can fill the average pantry so
full of pies, cakes, bread and other good
things that II will smell and look like a
bakeshop. A good baker is not an econ
omy when II comes TO the amount con-
sumed. People will eat five times as
much good bread and cake as they do
Of poor stun.
All my regular customers admit that
they underestimated the capacity Of their
and friends when | first came to
them. There is seldom either cake
or pie left in their pantries from one bak-
% another. Once in a while l find IN
loaf Of bread, but not often.
The days ! bake at home I often have
refuse orders. ! have never found
anybody I could trust entirely, so l would
refuse an order than be in doubt
about filing 1t with lake or pies up to my
I'd. | have a maid OF all work
who assists me to a certain extent. and
when l am particularly rushed during
the fresh fruit season ] have one and some
times two extra women
They pick and clean tho fruit and do
other simple things that ut first I could
.A -. ~ H.