On the Theory and Practice of Cookery 



603 



The practice of these places is to provide 

 daily a \-ariety of hot foods, as soup, broth, 

 potatoes, rice, cabbage, pudding, tea and 

 coffee, besides bread and butter, cold pressed 

 beef and ham ; and every ration, except meat, 

 is so apportioned as to be sold at the uniform 

 price of a penny. The meat costs three half- 

 pence ; and, with the view of clearing off the 

 remainder of the soup after the proper dinner 

 hour, so that a fresh quantity may be made 

 every day, it is the practice to sell the soup 

 and broth, at half-price, from six o'clock to 

 eight o'clock in the evening, and then to give 

 the remainder away. All the articles are of 

 the best qualit)', and are well cooked. They 

 are bought by contract at wholesale prices ; 

 and, although they are sold so cheaply, yet they 

 yield a small profit, and so give the system 

 the stability of a commercial enterprize. 



Very recently, too, :\Ir Riddle has pro- 

 posed that arrangements might be made 

 for cooking dinners on a large scale, and 

 sending them out to the houses of the poor. 

 He proposes to prepare, daily, good rations 

 of roasted, baked, and boiled meat, with 

 vegetables, and to send them out in 2 lb., 4 

 lb., or 6 lb. tin canisters, all ready for imme- 

 diate use, and kept warm in little compart- 

 ments of a properly-constructed cart. There 

 would be no difficulty about this, and the meat 

 might be delivered in excellent condition, and 

 with great punctuality. None but those who 

 are acquainted with the utter helplessness of 

 the poor in the matter of cooking food, or 

 who know the difficulties of even better classes 

 of persons in this matter, can form any notion 

 of the value of such a proposition ; and I 

 should be glad to see it realized. 



FASHIONS FOR THE MONTH. 



FROM what I have seen at the various 

 operas and theatres, I can only say 

 that the fashions for evening dress are not 

 yet fixed. I have observed many white robes 

 in muslin and more square decollete bodices 

 than any other form. 



A particularly original toilet struck my 

 attention : this was a kind of white taffeta, 

 ornamented with galloons of gold. First skirt 

 .short (that is to say, without train), with five 

 small cut volants; between each volant, three 

 galloons of gold, rather large, and formed in 

 squares. Tunic to match, ornamented vdth 

 two of the same volant. Watteau bodice, 

 with square de'coUete' bodice ; behind, a small 

 cut volant around the bodice, which opens on 

 a chemisette of white blonde, with spots of 

 white silk. Flat sleeves ornamented by 

 bracelets of gold galloons to the elbow, and 

 (a great novelty) a pair of small epaulettes 

 with a gold trefoil, set on the robe like a 

 uniform. The principal part of the epaulettes 

 is in gold, the fringes in white silk and 

 sold. 



A sash of white gros graine with algerine 

 stripes (across) completes this toilet. 



The knot of the sash was very large, with four 

 coques set like the sails of a mill, and having 

 large and short pans. 



I here give you details of a few chapeaux. 

 A demi-fauchon, ruby velvet, in front of a 

 coquille ornamented with black lace ; on the 

 side a bow of velvet to match, with a very 

 curly plume set with a ruby aigrette. Strings 

 of cotele silk tied ; a Louis XVI. toque in 

 lapis blue bouillonne velvet, edged with small 

 black lace, behind the toque of a bow of 

 velvet to match with a double coque. Knot 

 on the side to match. On the other side, 

 demi-couchee aigrette with bird of paradise 

 feathers. Strings of lapis blue velvet, lined 

 with yellow taffeta glace with white. 



Regent toquet, Black velvet, fonning a de- 

 cided point on the front ; on the side tuft of 

 purple velvet eyelets. Barbes of black lace 

 forming the hood behind, and enclosing the 

 chignon. The strings, tied behind, in black 

 velvet, passing under the barbes. 



