Foreign fruits are good, but indigenous are better. Nature
adapts the; product of every climate to its dietetic require'
ments.
— 482 —
CULINARY EVO LUT I O N
HINTS TO THE MISTRESS OF THE HOUSE
Housekeeper or Cook. This word has been sadly misused
as an excuse for idleness, dissipation, and ignorance in domes'
tic* matters. We will hope that the advancing progress of the
age will teach its bearers to unite the useful virtues of “lady”
of older days with the charms and graces of a more inteb
lectual and cultivated period.
On the “lady” of the house devolves the task of provid'
ing food for her household; it should be her care that no
waste or ignorant misuse should squander the property of her
husband — most frequently the bread'winner for the family —
and that nothing is lost because of carelessness or bad cook'
ery. She is to take care that there is no lack through fault
of hers, nor any drawback to domestic comfort through im
judicious rule; no neglect caused by the love of idle pleasure.
“Lady” means a “breaker or divider of bread,” and is very
significant of the true duties of a woman. It is the watchful
eye of the mistress that keeps the home beautiful with the
freshness of cleanliness and the calm of repose, and through
her vigilance alone will the servants prove faithful in the
performance of their duty. It is her thoughtfulness that
provides — very often her self'denial that purchases — the com'
fort of others.
The mistress of a family commands daily a small realm
of which she is queen. Let her rule with justice, meekness,
and quietness. The most self' governed person will always
govern best, and we should have fewer bad servants if they
were all under the firm and patient training of an employer
who understood what their duties really were, and required
the best fulfillment of them, compatible with the frailty of
human nature. Good temper, patience, and a knowledge of
domestic matters, come first therefore in the list of require'
ments for a model housewife.
After thestf, we shall name “early rising,” which is very
important. A lady will find it best to give her servants
orders for the day, “before breakfast,” if convenient, and,
to do this well, she must visit the larder herself early that
she may judge of what is required. Her cook should have
a book — slate and pencil, and enter , the orders for dinner on
one leaf of it that there may be no mistakes made in them.
On the other leaf she should be ordered to enter daily the
amount of milk, bread, etc., bought on1 the previous day,
— 483 —
CANCEL’S C UL INAR Y E N CYCLOPEDIA
which the mistress should then transfer to her commonplace'
book, to be entered in the account'-book at the end of the
week. Pay all your bills, “if possible,” every week. If some
few remain to be paid quarterly, do not on that account delay
to make up the week’s accounts. You will then be sure of your
expenditures. Take care that the butcher always brings a ticket
of weight with the meat, fish, butter, eggs, and have those
weight tickets brought to you weekly in order that you may
compare them with the entries in your book. All meat etc.,
brought into the house should be weighed to see if the
ticket is correct, and for this purpose a pair of scales should
be kept in the kitchen; groceries, etc. should also be tested
as to weight, on receipt of them.
Page 244
Presented as published in 1920. 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
Foreign fruits are good, but indigenous are better. Nature adapts the product of every climate to its dietetic require' ments.
— 482 —
HINTS TO THE MISTRESS OF THE HOUSE
Housekeeper or Cook. This word has been sadly misused as an excuse for idleness, dissipation, and ignorance in domes' tic* matters. We will hope that the advancing progress of the age will teach its bearers to unite the useful virtues of “lady” of older days with the charms and graces of a more intellectual and cultivated period.
On the “lady” of the house devolves the task of providing foodor her household; it should be her care that no waste or ignorant misuse should squander the property of her husband — most frequently the bread'winner for the family — and that nothing is lost because of carelessness or bad cook' ery. She is to take care that there is no lack through fault of hers, nor any drawback to domestic comfort through im judicious rule; no neglect caused by the love of idle pleasure. “Lady” means a “breaker or divider of bread,” and is very significant of the true duties of a woman. It is the watchful eye of the mistress that keeps the home beautiful with the freshness of cleanliness and the calm of repose, and through her vigilance alone will the servants prove faithful in the performance of their duty. It is her thoughtfulness that provides — very often her self'denial that purchases — the com' fort of others.
The mistress of a family commands daily a small realm of which she is queen. Let her rule with justice, meekness, and quietness. The most self' governed person will always govern best, and we should have fewer bad servants if they were all under the firm and patient training of an employer who understood what their duties really were, and required the best fulfillment of them, compatible with the frailty of human nature. Good temper, patience, and a knowledge of domestic matters come first therefore in the list of require' ments for a model housewife.
After these, we shall name “early rising,” which is very important. A lady will find it best to give her servants orders for the day, “before breakfast,” if convenient, and, to do this well, she must visit the larder herself early that she may judge of what is required. Her cook should have a book — slate and pencil, and enter , the orders for dinner on one leaf of it that there may be no mistakes made in them. On the other leaf she should be ordered to enter daily the amount of milk, bread, etc., bought on1 the previous day,
— 483 —
which the mistress should then transfer to her commonplace book, to be entered in the account-book at the end of the week. Pay all your bills, “if possible,” every week. If some few remain to be paid quarterly, do not on that account delay to make up the week’s accounts. You will then be sure of your expenditures. Take care that the butcher always brings a ticket of weight with the meat, fish, butter, eggs, and have those weight tickets brought to you weekly in order that you may compare them with the entries in your book. All meat etc., brought into the house should be weighed to see if the ticket is correct, and for this purpose a pair of scales should be kept in the kitchen; groceries, etc. should also be tested as to weight, on receipt of them.