Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-04-05
West POINT MEALS
Kitchen There Is a Model of
Economy.
Records Are Kept to Show Supplies
Issued and the Disposition Made
Of tho Materlal-AbsoIuteiy
No Food 10 Wasted.


West Points famous kitchen is the
secret of the ruddy cheeks. the up
held heads and bright eyes of the
sturdy young cadets, the Housekeeper
asserts. An enticing menu for break
fast. dinner and supper is daily fur
nished at an average cost OF 61 cents
per day per cadet! The 61 cents a
day includes besides the foodstuffs
the wages and beard and service for
tifty-six help. the table linen, china,
pots and pans, breakage and wear and
tear and laundry, everything save
rent for the building. light and heat.
The average housekeeper struggling
with increased prices will inquire
wearily "How?"
Well, West Point does not do 1t by
economy-that is. as economy is gen.
orally understood. 1t buys the best
of everything, and serves everything.
In unlimited quantities. Steaks served
are sirloin or porterhouse, roasts are
prime ribs, butter and milk are the
finest the market affords. or course,
the institution gains an advantage by
purchasing in large quantities.
The cold storage rooms running off
on all sides of the main kitchen al
ways boast full supply of meats. but
ter. eggs, vegetables and fruits, while
the dry storage rooms hold a still
greater supply of dry foods. Usually
there Is at least $4,000 worth of food
on hand. But the saving effected by
buying in large quantities is negligi-
BILE when compared with the saving
effected by good management.
How many housewives keep an ac-
count of wasted food. of spoiled food.
of damage done to pots and pans and
linen?
West Point records show every day
the supplies issued to steward, baker.
chef. peeler. They note the food
spoiled and condemned and destroyed.
Its weight and value, the weight and
value of all wastage. the wear and
tear on machinery. the breakage of
china. An account of all food is kept.
an average of the cost of the days
rations. The record for service is
also carefully made out. With fifty
six help the service for the cadet mess
is costing $1,000 cents day.
This sounds. in ordinary phraseol-
O6Jf hhS uOIt f"'t4eT tnhti II ~ WOl'Lu.
But this enormous kitchen has but
three men to run It and one Is fire.
ouer tly away on army business. A
set OF carefully planned record cards
and two small books comprise the
bookkeeping supplies, and 1t takes the
Pergeant in charge but small part OF
his day to keep things up to date.
And such records breed thrift. They
fhowed that West Point was using too
much butter The officer In charge,
Cant c c. Estes. and his assistant
Sergt. George D: KEGS. put their heads
together to decide upon reducing the
Fupply, They wanted the cadets to
have all the butter they desired, but
they thought the amount used enor
nous. At that time the butter was
served in large Jumps on a platter and
the men helped themselves. Then
the Off GERS had the butter cut in the
kitchen. but the dishes proved SO
faulty that much time was lost The
market was searched for a sui able
dish, but none was found. So these
army officers, recognizing an emerg
rncy, designed dish. had 1t made of
lin, found it successful. then had 1t
made of china The butter is cut in
the kitchen Every man has all he
wants. But West Point is saving $34l
a month on butter,