Upon method, skill, and economy in the
kitchen depend so much the well-being of the
household, and these can rarely be found where
the kitchen is under the rule of a kitchen maid,
or even of the modern ^^ good plain cook/'
This department is as well worthy of the best
considerations of every true ladij as any of the
many ^' higher branches '^ which claim her atten-
tion in the world to-day.
The training — even the classical training —
which she receives at school need never unfit,
but rather make her the more apt a pupil when
she gives the same amount of attention to learn
this profession which she gave to mathematics.
Brains tell everywhere, particularly in the
THE PROFESSION OF COOKERY. xi
kitchen. If our girls and young ^7 omen would
study cookery as tliey study French and German,
starting from the A^ B, 0, and progressing
upwards, step by step, studying it in all its
branches until they might be said to have
"graduated," there would then be hope that
our kitchens might become as attractive to visit
as the studio or the music room.
The knowledge of how to save labour, and
economise not only time, but strength — which
is the real test of the practical from the theo-
retical— in this profession as in all others, is
only acquired by the earnest student.
If the natural taste for this be dull, the more
need to lay to it strength of will — resolution
born of a just judgment of the importance of
the knowledge she would acquire.
On the other hand, however good her inten-
tions may be, without this knowledge a great
deal of toil will be needlessly expended ; the
result mortification, and the heavy, wearing
sense of inferiority that puts the novice so soon
out of heart.
xii THE PROFESSION OF COOKERY.
In treating cookery as a profession there will
be found ample scope for various degrees of
talent ; all who enter for it should be willino" to
pay the premium and give the necessary time
to learn it thoroughly. As the very lowliest
occupation is dignified by the manner in which
it is performed, so nothing is "^ menial " or
beneath the attention of her who would excel
or assist others to excel in this department of the
world's work_, essentially the woman's province,
where she reigns and rules by right of special
fitness.
THE PROFESSION OF COOKERY.
CHAPTER I.
Economy as the Soul ot CooUeiw
TRUE economy is tlie soul of good cookery.
There is, perhaps, no word so little under-
stood as this word economy. It is too often
considered to mean parsimony, meanness, or stin-
giness. It will invariably be found the better
the cook the more economy will be practised.
What a so-called '' good plain cook '' will
throw away or consign to the dog-kennel, an
ingenious French artiste will make into an
entree or an entremet of the most tempting
kind.
The French are a nation of cooks, and they
cannot afford to dine without soup ; yet in
England, the most frequent excuse given for
P.c. B
2 ECONOMY AS THE SOUL OF COOKERY.
the absence of the soup is the cost as well as
the trouble of preparing it.
Sometimes it is urged that '^ We think soup
disagrees with us," or ^'^ My husband can't take
soup " : and yet no Frenchman, whatever his
status in life, would think his meal complete
without his ^^ potage." Is there any reason to
suppose his digestive organs are constructed on
a different plan to his brother Englishman's ?
Page 1
Presented as published in 1894. 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
Upon method, skill, and economy in the kitchen depend so much the well-being of the household, and these can rarely be found where the kitchen is under the rule of a kitchen maid, or even of the modern "good plain cook."
This department is as well worthy of the best considerations of every true lady as any of the many "higher branches" which claim her attention in the world to-day.
The training—even the classical training—which she receives at school need never unfit, but rather make her the more apt a pupil when she gives the same amount of attention to learn this profession which she gave to mathematics.
BBrains tell everywhere, particularly in the kitchen. If our girls and young women would study cookery as they study French and German, starting from the A B C, and progressing upwards, step by step, studying it in all its branches until they might be said to have "graduated," there would then be hope that our kitchens might become as attractive to visit as the studio or the music room..
The knowledge of how to save labour, and economise not only time, but strength — which is the real test of the practical from the theoretical— in this profession as in all others, is only acquired by the earnest student.
If the natural taste for this be dull, the more need to lay to it strength of will — resolution born of a just judgment of the importance of the knowledge she would acquire.
On the other hand, however good her intentions may be, without this knowledge a great deal of toil will be needlessly expended ; the result mortification, and the heavy, wearing sense of inferiority that puts the novice so soon out of heart.
xii THE PROFESSION OF COOKERY.
In treating cookery as a profession there will be found ample scope for various degrees of talent; all who enter for it should be willing to pay the premium and give the necessary time to learn it thoroughly. As the very lowliest occupation is dignified by the manner in which it is performed, so nothing is "menial" or beneath the attention of her who would excel or assist others to excel in this department of the world's work, essentially the woman's province, where she reigns and rules by right of special fitness.
THE PROFESSION OF COOKERY.
CHAPTER I.
Economy as the Soul ot CooUeiw
TRUE economy is tlie soul of good cookery. There is, perhaps, no word so little understood as this word economy. It is too often considered to mean parsimony, meanness, or stinginess. It will invariably be found the better the cook the more economy will be practised.
What a so-called '' good plain cook '' will throw away or consign to the dog-kennel, an ingenious French artiste will make into an entree or an entremet of the most tempting kind.
The French are a nation of cooks, and they cannot afford to dine without soup ; yet in England, the most frequent excuse given for
P.c. B
the absence of the soup is the cost as well as the trouble of preparing it.
Sometimes it is urged that '^ We think soup disagrees with us," or ^'^ My husband can't take soup " : and yet no Frenchman, whatever his status in life, would think his meal complete without his ^^ potage." Is there any reason to suppose his digestive organs are constructed on a different plan to his brother Englishman's ?