Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-02-15
HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.

HOMEMAKERS COLUMN.
oorrespondsnce ON topics Of interest % the hd1e.
IN sodcited. Address: Editor h0n1nr9 ~
CoLUlU. Oxford Democrat Sousn s1''s NO.
Some Thoughts by the Way.
II has been said BY some prominent
official. who has been investigating tine
cause Of the present high prices OF FOOD
snnnlies. that the telephone has doubled
the cost OF living. At fr:t, We were 10.
credulous, but after thinking over toe
matter little we are disposed to believe
that the statement Is not largely over
drawn. In the first place the dealer is
Obliged to rent telephone and pay some
one TO attend to the calls. Then, a.
housekeepers find 1t comparatively
easv matter to telephone when anything
is needed, they are often negligent 10
the matter of supplies kept In the house
and give small orders for delivery more
than once in day or once In two OF
three DAYS. Each Of these several trips Ia
a matter of expense to the dealer. When
paving for goods We must keep In nina
that the consumer has to pay for all that
has been put into every article, from ita
original source to the time 1t Is landed at
our door; that IL for producing, storing
and handling the product, and 1t includes
also the living expenses of all connected
from first to last with this particular
product, as we'll as q margin Of profit.
Besides. the very fact that the price OF
any food product has been raised exerts
an influence in sending the price OF
other commodities higher.
Then. too, our standards of living have
been raised. We demand clean dairy
products, and meats from creatures that
have been fed, housed and otherwise
cared for in q wholesome manner. All
this means large outlay OF money on
the part of the producer. Stalls kept
immediately clean. fresh, white suit
for milking, and appliances for cooling
milk In q house set apart for the pur
pose, all tend to increase the price Of
dairy products. But all these things In
dictate an advance in civilization and
having once enjoyed this hygienic clean
Illness. We are satisfied with nothing
short of it.
But are we home. makers showing OH
recognition of this rise in the standard
of food production as fully as we oughts
Are we careful in our treatment OF these
high-priced foods after they are put into
our hands? VIII is the condition OF oul
refrigeratorsp Are shoppers placed IL
milk bottles when the milk is set asidei
How long are extra supplies OF dairy
products left, either open or closed, IL
the hot kitchenp Having once secured
clean, pure food, to some extent, will II
not nav us to look more carefully into
some of the practices in our own particu
lar domains. our kitchens and dining.
rooms?
The gospel of clean hands is not giver
the attention it deserves. School, even
college girls and boys, rush from tn.
street, the classroom or the playground
to the table, and, without the washing
of the hands, break bread, handle chops
rolls, cake, even cellars or cream cakes
| To be sure, especially out of doors in th'
winter, the hands may be protected b!
gloves, but even then they have beer
in contact with books-not always frest
and cleau-with doors, often will
money, and sometimes with the strap
in street cars.
Often in schools of one session-as II
most high schools, where only half al
hour 10 given for lunch-the washing
facilities are very inadequate. Private
soap dishes, such as can be rolled In tht
individual towel, should be considered
necessary part of the school outfit o
each pupil. And school authoritie
should see to it that ample convenience
for clean water supply are provided
OF course the individual drinking cul
has long before this been accepted as
prime precaution against the spread o
disorders.
1t is for such distempers as influenza
typhoid fever, etc., that unclean hand
become q "microbe carrier IN
schools and colleges of to-day, whil
they may not ignore culture for culture
sake, are aiming to push practical sub
iects more into the foreground; ant
what can be more practical than the pre-
sentation, once or twice year, OF lect
ure on the duty of absolute cleanliness
There are Others to whom the gospe
of ENTHUSIASTICALLY ranked next t
godliness-should be preached oft ant
again, aud with no diminution of earnest
ness. We refer to all those who are II
anywise engaged in the handling OF food
and most especially the handling o
food that is not to receive the purifying
effects of heat. The butter maker, sh
who carves cold meat, cuts bread or pas
try, who prepares oranges, grapefruit
berries and the like, no less than tn
cook and baker, can not be too scrupu
llous in the care of her hands. The fnge
nails should be closely and neatly pared
then soap, nail brush, water, lemo1
skins, anything that will aid in the car
of these useful members OF the bod.
should be freely used many time eacl
day to keep the hands in scrupulous
condition. Running water, hot and cold
adds to the ease with which cleanliness
may be secured, but the want of 1t
never an excuse for lack OF thoroughnes
in this particular.
The tasting of food by the cook |
often a necessity. Beauvilliers, or on
of his contemporaries, in giving advic
to cooks, suggests that the index finge
should ply constantly between the sauce
pan and the mouth. It may be simple
to wash the finger than q spoon, but
"lest we forget" it we're we'll to form
the habit of turning little Of the MKT
ure from the spoon in the saucepan to
second spoon, for tasting. The tw
spoons need never come 10 contact
True, If the contents Of the saucepan bo
after tasting has been carelessly done, n
harm may result, but it is the part o
wisdom to cultivate such clearly habit
that it would be we'll nigh impossible
even when great haste Is necessary, +
loverstep the finer niceties and proprie
ties of the kitchen.
Too much emphasis cannot be laid O
this matter of cleanliness. In the mode
kitchen q set basin for the personal us
of those employed in the kitchen IL
much a need as the sink is for dishes
Right habits are easily formed; constrai
ones self to wash the hands before touch
ing bread, fruit, etc., and the habit
soon acquired and cannot be droppe
without qualms of conscience Bosto
Cooking School Magazine.
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