One of the great French ^^ chefs '^ has said
that English meat could not be surpassed ;
when good, it needed no sauce with it, being of
a richer quality itself. That is true, but only
when one can purchase of the best.
Take a butcher's shop in a provincial French
town : your first thought on entering would be
'^ how very little there is to buy/' and you see
all there is too — each piece set out on a separate
hook, the well scrubbed tables and counters ;
while as to fat (!) there is scarcely a morsel to
be had.
Every part of the different animals has its
own special destiny to fulfil, no portion is of
greater honour than another. Madame's eye
is ever on the watch for the morsels for her
'^ragout," and the ^' marchand de f rites " has
been beforehand with them all, collecting the
suet for his frying-pan.
Then, again, amongst the vegetables : Eng-
lish vegetables are not inferior in quality, yet
they lack the freshness and the crispness — also
the cleanliness — which makes this part of the
market so attractive to visit in French towns :
6 ECONOMY AS THE SOUL OF COOKERY.
neither is tlie supply any tiling like wliat it
ought to be. Perhaps the ^' Small Holdings
Act" may cause a change for the better in this
respect.
In the present day, when the prices o£ pro-
visions have so much increased, and still show
an upward tendency, it is very needful for
every family throughout the country to do all
in their power to lessen the consumption of
meat, thereby rendering it cheaper to those
possessed of less wealth than themselves. It
is a great mistake to depend too much upon
meat.
Where bones are thrown aw^ay, and fresh
meat is bought for soup making, it is certain
that much nutritive matter is absolutely wasted,
which under better management might bo
turned to good account.
Of the many delicious and even charming
dishes composed of vegetables, few, indeed, are
much known in English households ; yet their
medicinal value is great, while they satisfy the
appetite, and save the pocket at the same time.
A dainty ^^plat de legumes,^^ served either
before or with the joint of meat, thereby acting
as a damper to the appetite, would be found to
be true economy, especially in houses wdiere
ECONOMY AS THE SOUL OF COOKERY. 7
healthy children call to be fed. The variety —
ever capable of being extended — of these dishes
call for chapters to themselves.
AVith regard to economy in cookery, it will
have been seen, therefore, that it consists not
so much in living plainly, but rather in so
managing and arranging the various dishes
which compose the meal, that one shall spare
the other — by the use of simple means, lessen-
ing the consumption of the more expensive dish
or joint.
For the average housekeeper to do this easily
and effectively, she must bear in mind at least
two points : first, to keep herself an courant of
the commodities which are in season ; the time
when any article in the market is most plentiful
and cheap will generally be found to be the
time when it is most wholesome for food.
'^ Early '' or forced varieties are rarely de-
sirable for ordinary food, however tempting
they may appear, and they are but seldom
bought by the truly thrifty housekeeper.
Page 3
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
One of the great French chefs has said that English meat could not be surpassed ; when good, it needed no sauce with it, being of a richer quality itself. That is true, but only when one can purchase of the best.
Take a butcher's shop in a provincial French town : your first thought on entering would be "how very little there is to buy?" and you see all there is too — each piece set out on a separate hook, the well scrubbed tables and counters ; while as to fat (!) there is scarcely a morsel to be had.
Every part of the different animals has its own special destiny to fulfil, no portion is of greater honour than another. Madame's eye is ever on the watch for the morsels for her "ragout," and the "marchand de frites" has been beforehand with them all, collecting the suet for his frying-pan.
Then, again, amongst the vegetables : English vegetables are not inferior in quality, yet they lack the freshness and the crispness — also the cleanliness — which makes this part of the market so attractive to visit in French towns :
neither is the supply anything like what it ought to be.. Perhaps the "Small Holdings Act" may cause a change for the better in this respect.
in the present day, when the prices of provisions have so much increased, and still show an upward tendency, it is very needful for every family throughout the country to do all in their power to lessen the consumption of meat, thereby rendering it cheaper to those possessed of less wealth than themselves. It is a great mistake to depend too much upon meat.
Where bones are thrown away, and fresh meat is bought for soup making, it is certain that much nutritive matter is absolutely wasted, which under better management might be turned to good account.
Of the many delicious and even charming dishes composed of vegetables, few, indeed, are much known in English households ; yet their medicinal value is great, while they satisfy the appetite, and save the pocket at the same time.
A dainty "plat de legumes" served either before or with the joint of meat, thereby acting as a damper to the appetite, would be found to be true economy, especially in houses where
healthy children call to be fed. The variety — ever capable of being extended — of these dishes call for chapters to themselves.
With regard to economy in cookery, it will have been seen, therefore, that it consists not so much in living plainly, but rather in so managing and arranging the various dishes which compose the meal, that one shall spare the other — by the use of simple means, lessening the consumption of the more expensive dish or joint.
For the average housekeeper to do this easily and effectively, she must bear in mind at least two points : first, to keep herself an courant of the commodities which are in season ; the time when any article in the market is most plentiful and cheap will generally be found to be the time when it is most wholesome for food.
"Early" or forced varieties are rarely desirable for ordinary food, however tempting they may appear, and they are but seldom bought by the truly thrifty housekeeper.