and her sister says it has been most difficult to find any-
thing that she would fancy. I wanted to prepare some-
thing to tempt her, and as she was ordered only to have
something quite light, I thought first of getting some
sweetbreads, but they were very expensive, and so it oc-
curred to me to try a recipe I have for cooking sheep's brains,
69
Fe(K INVALID COOKERY. LEARN TO COOK!
which are as light as sweetbreads and far less expensive,
for I found by ordering the day before I could get six or
eight brains for a shilling. They should first be washed in
cold water, and then boiling water is poured over them
which whitens them. They are then dipped into egg and
bread-crumbs, seasoned with pepper and salt and fried for
a few minutes in boiling dripping or butter ✪ Sheep's Brains till they are a
light-brown. This dish proved a great success, for it was
so delicate and tempting, and J could not at first guess
of what it was made. Perhaps others may like to try it
for an invalid.
^ Why is it that young women, when their means are
limited, and especially those who intend to live in one of our
colonies where trained servants are difficult to get, why is it
that they do not first really take some trouble to learn
something of cooking ? It would not only save expense,
but, as in this case of J , an invalid will often fancy a
little dish made on purpose ; indeed careful and tempting
cooking of the very simple things an invalid is allowed, often
does as much to ensure their recovery as the skill of the
nurse and the doctor.
Learn to Cook. — And in ordinary everyday life how much
of the comfort of the household depends on whoever caters
for the family, giving knowledgahle thought to what they
are to live upon — to secure wholesomeness and variety as
well as economy. Even those who can afford to have
the actual work of the kitchen done by paid hands will
find that money will go much further, and results be
more satisfactory, if the head of the house knows how things
should be done, and can direct or criticize the work from
personal knowledge. I would say to every girl, “ Learn as
much as you can personally from the most experienced
70
USE OP TRAINING IN COOKERY
Feb.
cook you know, of the fundamental principles of cooking.
Get her to show you how to bake, to boil, to fry, to stew,
and (if she will allow it) get her to let you do it yourself.,
while she looks on and directs. Be her kitchen-maid when-
ever she will permit it, and learn how to clean the cooking-
pots, to prepare the vegetables, and evc7'y detail of the work
of the kitchen. When you are master of that, cookery-
books will help you with the rest, for you will know what
they mean and have a key to their language. But it
will be a very different thing if you have to worry out
the proper methods for yourself, and amateurs in the
kitchen, as elsewhere, always give themselves unnecessary
trouble.”
The same of course is true of housemaid’s work,i and no
time given to mastering such things is thrown away by
a girl, whether born in South Africa or coming out as a
colonist,^ who may one day have to direct others, or, as in
hundreds of cases where means are limited, set to and do
the things herself.
Such knowledge will help the household along more
smoothly and happily than the mistress being able to read
French novels. The meaning of the old English word
Page 33 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
and her sister says it has been most difficult to find anything that she would fancy. I wanted to prepare something to tempt her, and as she was ordered only to have something quite light, I thought first of getting some sweetbreads, but they were very expensive, and so it occurred to me to try a recipe I have for cooking sheep's brains,
[illustration: INVALID COOKERY] LEARN TO COOK!
which are as light as sweetbreads and far less expensive, for I found by ordering the day before I could get six or eight brains for a shilling. They should first be washed in cold water, and then boiling water is poured over them which whitens them. They are then dipped into egg and bread-crumbs, seasoned with pepper and salt and fried for a few minutes in boiling dripping or butter till they are a light-brown. This dish proved a great success, for it was
so delicate and tempting, and J could not at first guess
of what it was made. Perhaps others may like to try it for an invalid.
^ Why is it that young women, when their means are limited, and especially those who intend to live in one of our colonies where trained servants are difficult to get, why is it that they do not first really take some trouble to learn something of cooking ? It would not only save expense,
but, as in this case of J , an invalid will often fancy a
little dish made on purpose ; indeed careful and tempting cooking of the very simple things an invalid is allowed, often does as much to ensure their recovery as the skill of the nurse and the doctor.
Learn to Cook. — And in ordinary everyday life how much of the comfort of the household depends on whoever caters for the family, giving knowledgahle thought to what they are to live upon — to secure wholesomeness and variety as well as economy. Even those who can afford to have the actual work of the kitchen done by paid hands will find that money will go much further, and results be more satisfactory, if the head of the house knows how things should be done, and can direct or criticize the work from personal knowledge. I would say to every girl, “ Learn as
much as you can personally from the most experienced
USE OP TRAINING IN COOKERY
Feb.
cook you know, of the fundamental principles of cooking. Get her to show you how to bake, to boil, to fry, to stew, and (if she will allow it) get her to let you do it yourself., while she looks on and directs. Be her kitchen-maid whenever she will permit it, and learn how to clean the cookingpots, to prepare the vegetables, and every detail of the work of the kitchen. When you are master of that, cookerybooks will help you with the rest, for you will know what they mean and have a key to their language. But it will be a very different thing if you have to worry out the proper methods for yourself, and amateurs in the kitchen, as elsewhere, always give themselves unnecessary trouble.”
The same of course is true of housemaid’s work,i and no time given to mastering such things is thrown away by a girl, whether born in South Africa or coming out as a colonist,^ who may one day have to direct others, or, as in hundreds of cases where means are limited, set to and do the things herself.
Such knowledge will help the household along more smoothly and happily than the mistress being able to read French novels. The meaning of the old English word
Records on this page
Sheep's Brains