New-York tribune., 1911-02-26

However much mankind i'm general and
culinary experts in particular. may have
benefited from Charles Lambs "Disserta-
ZION on Roast Pig" in which he rescued
The history of cooking from the ashes OF
antiquity. 1t must he confessed that the
later developments Of that art were quite
ignored by the essayist and they have,
indeed. been passed over by most other
masculine writer's. The reason is not far
20 seek Cooking ceased to be interesting
10 man. There was certain excitement
and delicious feeling OF wickedness &C
companyine the turning down of one $
home for the sake OF tasting how nice the
burnt pig eats" which appealed TO the
heart Of man But when pig came 10 lie
roasted on a spit or IN an oven, the slamor
was gone Man relegated the domestic
sciences 10 woman and devoted his sd
perior talents TO the killing of wild pigs
tor the appropriation OF his neghbor's pig
and the historian recorded his deeds.
In the century which has elapsed since
Charles Lamb the first. many new ideas
ihave originated concerning woman and the
lpreparation of pig. The exponent Of these
ideas is Charles Lamb the Second and he
would say: "The ancients burned their
thuts TO roast their cracking The mod
,erns roast theirs, each in her own kitchen
stove. with infinite toll and waste of fuel.
Why not have all the pigs in town roasted
i;n one big central kitchen, and let the
twomen devote their superior talents TO the
Nine arts OF living
For the practical working out of this
idea, Charles Lamb the second, who Is
really Charles Robinson Lamb, architect
iand president OF the Municipal Art Society,
ihss prepared "a plan II shows the COM
rnunity kitchen set in the centre of the
backyard space of the city block, with neat
slittle passage ways running from this
,kitchen to each private house. Here chef
and two or three assistants can prepare all
the food for all the people in the block. and
the private kitchen is eliminated. With il
90 Bridget and Mrs. Newlywed's biscuits
rand cold storage chicken, and the srocers
boy who is always late. In their place
aconles a professional cook. who never gets
out of order, perfect cooking, perfect food
,materials. perfect service, economy, health
and happiness. Five little pigs can be
roasted in one oven by one cook just as
well as in five ovens by probably more than
FIVE cooks, and the saving Of fuel and time
tcan he applied TO the perfecting of the
pigs flavor and the way they are served
Mr. Lamb told the Tribune reporter how
he happened to think OF this plan for a
community kitchen. and it seems he didn't
think Of II at all: IL was his wife. They
were sitting at the library table after din
ner one fine night. History does not state
whether Bridget had just withdrawn from
their presence with ominous mutterings.
7, ok,h
Mrs. Ella Coudie Lamb heaved a sigh.
Mr.. Lamb looked up.
What are you doing this time?' he
asked.
The answer marks an epoch in history.
I'm trying to figure out how many fami-
lies there are in this block and how many
Bridgets and how much they all cost. and
why al the cooking might not just as wen
be done in one kitchen and save all the
bother"
Mr. Lamb threw down his book, and to-
gether they tackled the problem. \ city
block is $50 feet wide and 200 feet long; al
lowing twenty feet for each house lot there
are l00 lots which means 100 houses and 100
cooks II these cooks receive an average
wage Of $50 month they cost 5000. The
houses are heated probably from furnace,
nut tlele i separate hlltntN range III
each, which burns perhaps a ton Of coal a
month. The cost Of 100 tons of stove coal
must he added 10 tho kitchen expenses. as
well as the innumerable other expenses for
stoves, utensils. refriserators and securing
soap.
on the other hand. the cost Of running
the cooperative kitchen comes TO about
one-sixth of this. 4 competent chef might
4. Ohio i
assistant cooks so each, making a cost of
ie22j for all the service needed. The wait
Tesses Of course are less expensive SER
wants and belong i'm the individual house.
holds.
But the saving of exoensc is only one Of
she obvious advantages Of the community