“ How can you taste your wine with Haifa pickled orange
in your mouth?" asked the uncle in Punch of the undergraduate
nephew, who Avas winking Avisely over a glass of port ! How
can you, in like manner, feel that you have had a good dinner if
some one is perpetually pressing you to spoil it with a bonbon?
In serving coffee to the gentlemen, it should never be
poured into cups. Some are sure to like cafe noir, and it is
horiible to ha\^e only half a cup ; while if the cups are fairly
filled to meet this Avant, they Avill still more horribly overfloAv
if milk is poured into them. So let the coffee be served in the
pot on a tray, Avith brown sugar, boiled cream or milk, and a
liqueur bottle of best cognac for those Avho like it.
In India it is customary to speed the parting guests Avith
cigars, &c. The best plan is to have a table in the verandah,
and servant in attendance Avith soda-water, Avhisky, cigars,
&c. More guests avail themselves of the privilege Avhen
served in this way.
CHAPTER VI
THE DUTIES OF THE SERVANTS
In the following chapter the authors have adopted the division
of labour which obtains in Bengal and Northern India. In
Bombay, Madras, Ceylon, and Burinah the manner of life is
so different, that residents in these Presidencies will find it
necessary to piece the duties of the various servants together
into a new classification. Nevertheless, it is none the less
certain that the work has to be performed, whether the
worker be called by one name or another; also, that the
majority of servants, from Himalaya to Cape Cornoiin, aie
absolutely ignorant of the first principles of their various
duties. The rnasaul doing the lamps in Bombay is quite as
likely to do them badly as his congener, the Bengali bearer,
while the Madras butler’s besetting sins are not far removed
from those of the Oude khilmutgar. The authors, therefore,
believe that, given this slight difference in classification, the
followino- brief outline of household duties will be found
useful all over India. To facilitate this alteration, they give
a comparative table showing the work assigned to each ser-
vant and the approximate Avages demanded by good servants
of each class at the present time in the various Presidencies.
BENGAL.
BOMBAY.
MADRAS.
CEYLON.
BUEMAH.
1. Bearer, 8 rs.
to 10 rs.
Head of house,
valet, house-
maid.
2. Cook, 14 rs.
to 40 rs.
As a rule caters
also.
1. Butler, 15 rs.
to 30 rs.
Head of house,
valet, wait ; does
marketing.
2. Cook, 15 rs.
to 20 rs.
Cooks.
1. Butler, 16 rs.
to 30 rs.
Hoad of house.
As Bombay.
2. Cook, 10 rs.
to 25 rs.
Cooks.
1. Appu, 20 rs.
to 26 rs.
Head of house.
As Bombay.
2. Cook, 20 rs.
Cooks.
1. Boy, or but-
ler.
Same as Mad-
ras. Double
wage.
2. Cook.
As Sfadras.
The Indian Housekeeper and Cook 55
BENGAL.
BOMBAY.
MADRAS.
CEYLON.
BURMAH.
3. Khilmutg6r,
8 ra. to 10 rs.
Waits at table.
3. Masauls, 10
rs. to 16 rs.
Waits at table.
3. Mateys, 10 rs.
to 15 rs.
Waits at table.
3. Boys, 12 rs.
to 15 rs.
Waits at table.
3. Mateys, 20 rs.
Walts at table.
4. Khansamah.
10 rs. to20rs.
Housekeeper
and head waiter.
Head, as it were,
of tlie commis-
sariat depart-
ment. A useless
servant.
4. None.
4. None.
4. None.
4. None.
5. Musolchi, 5
rs. to 8 rs.
Scullery man.
5. Cook's Boy,
5 rs.
Do.
5. Tunny ketch,
5 rs.
Cook’s help ; a
woman gene-
rally.
5. Kitchen
coolie, 5 rs. to
10 rs.
Page 36
Presented as published in 1898. 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
“ How can you taste your wine with Haifa pickled orange in your mouth?" asked the uncle in Punch of the undergraduate nephew, who was winking wisely over a glass of port ! How can you, in like manner, feel that you have had a good dinner if some one is perpetually pressing you to spoil it with a bonbon?
In serving coffee to the gentlemen, it should never be poured into cups. Some are sure to like cafe noir, and it is horrible to have only half a cup ; while if the cups are fairly filled to meet this want, they will still more horribly overflow if milk is poured into them. So let the coffee be served in the pot on a tray, with brown sugar, boiled cream or milk, and a liqueur bottle of best cognac for those who like it.
In India it is customary to speed the parting guests with cigars, &c. The best plan is to have a table in the verandah, and servant in attendance Avith soda-water, whisky, cigars, &c. More guests avail themselves of the privilege when served in this way.
CHAPTER VI
THE DUTIES OF THE SERVANTS
In the following chapter the authors have adopted the division of labour which obtains in Bengal and Northern India. In Bombay, Madras, Ceylon, and Burma the manner of life is so different, that residents in these Presidencies will find it necessary to piece the duties of the various servants together into a new classification. Nevertheless, it is none the less certain that the work has to be performed, whether the worker be called by one name or another; also, that the majority of servants, from Himalaya to Cape Comorin, are absolutely ignorant of the first principles of their various duties. The masaul doing the lamps in Bombay is quite as likely to do them badly as his congener, the Bengali bearer, while the Madras butler’s besetting sins are not far removed from those of the Oude khilmutgar. The authors, therefore, believe that, given this slight difference in classification, the following brief outline of household duties will be found useful all over India. To facilitate this alteration, they give a comparative table showing the work assigned to each servant and the approximate wages demanded by good servants of each class at the present time in the various Presidencies.
BENGAL.
BOMBAY.
MADRAS.
CEYLON.
BURMA.
1. Bearer, 8 rs.
to 10 rs. Head of house, valet, housemaid.
2. Cook, 14 rs.
to 40 rs.
As a rule caters also.
1. Butler, 15 rs.
to 30 rs. Head of house, valet, wait ; does marketing.
2. Cook, 15 rs.
to 20 rs. Cooks.
1. Butler, 16 rs.
to 30 rs. Head of house. As Bombay.
2. Cook, 10 rs.
to 25 rs. Cooks.
1. Appu, 20 rs.
to 26 rs. Head of house. As Bombay.
2. Cook, 20 rs. Cooks.
1. Boy, or butler.
Same as Madras. Double wage.
2. Cook.
As Madras.
The Indian Housekeeper and Cook 55
BENGAL.
BOMBAY.
MADRAS.
CEYLON.
BURMAH.
3. Khilmutg6r, 8 ra. to 10 rs. Waits at table.
3. Masauls, 10 rs. to 16 rs. Waits at table.
3. Mateys, 10 rs. to 15 rs. Waits at table.
3. Boys, 12 rs. to 15 rs. Waits at table.
3. Mateys, 20 rs. Walts at table.
4. Khansamah.
10 rs. to20rs.
Housekeeper and head waiter. Head, as it were, of tlie commissariat department. A useless servant.
4. None.
4. None.
4. None.
4. None.
5. Musolchi, 5 rs. to 8 rs. Scullery man.
5. Cook's Boy, 5 rs.
Do.
5. Tunny ketch, 5 rs.
Cook’s help ; a woman generally.
5. Kitchen coolie, 5 rs. to 10 rs.