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  AMERICAN 
  HOMES 
  AND 
  GARDENS 
  

  

  April, 
  1907 
  

  

  Using 
  the 
  Kitchen 
  

  

  By 
  Sarah 
  Adams 
  Kellar 
  

  

  jO 
  MATTER 
  how 
  completely 
  a 
  kitchen 
  may 
  

   be 
  equipped 
  there 
  must 
  be 
  knowledge 
  of 
  

   how 
  to 
  use 
  the 
  permanent 
  fixtures 
  and 
  the 
  

   utensils 
  with 
  which 
  it 
  is 
  supplied 
  or 
  it 
  will 
  

   be 
  utterly 
  useless 
  and 
  a 
  matter 
  of 
  constant 
  

   expense 
  and 
  annoyance. 
  Hence 
  the 
  trained 
  

   cook 
  and 
  housewife, 
  each 
  of 
  whom 
  is 
  sup- 
  

   posed 
  to 
  be 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  familiar 
  with 
  the 
  tasks 
  that 
  must 
  be 
  

   performed 
  here. 
  It 
  is 
  not 
  the 
  province 
  of 
  these 
  papers 
  to 
  

   present 
  directions 
  for 
  kitchen 
  management, 
  but 
  no 
  series 
  of 
  

   papers 
  on 
  the 
  kitchen 
  would 
  approach 
  completeness 
  which 
  

   ignored 
  this 
  aspect 
  of 
  the 
  subject. 
  

  

  Every 
  housekeeper 
  should 
  have 
  a 
  certain 
  familiarity 
  with 
  

   the 
  more 
  ordinary 
  sort 
  of 
  kitchen 
  work. 
  The 
  young 
  woman 
  

   particularly 
  whose 
  acquaintance 
  with 
  a 
  kitchen 
  is 
  first 
  made 
  

   in 
  her 
  own 
  house 
  when 
  she 
  sets 
  up 
  housekeeping 
  is 
  at 
  so 
  

   serious 
  a 
  disadvantage 
  that 
  years 
  may 
  be 
  necessary 
  to 
  over- 
  

   come 
  this 
  difficulty. 
  Expert 
  knowledge 
  of 
  cookery 
  and 
  of 
  

   housework 
  cannot 
  be 
  expected 
  of 
  all 
  women, 
  but 
  no 
  one 
  

   should 
  begin 
  housekeeping 
  without 
  some 
  preliminary 
  expe- 
  

   rience. 
  Even 
  if 
  this 
  is 
  but 
  slight 
  it 
  will 
  help 
  very 
  much 
  in 
  

   bridging 
  vacancies 
  in 
  domestic 
  service 
  and 
  in 
  meeting 
  unex- 
  

   pected 
  contingencies 
  which 
  are 
  sure 
  to 
  arise 
  from 
  time 
  to 
  

   time, 
  and 
  which 
  will 
  certainly 
  come 
  to 
  the 
  surface 
  at 
  the 
  

   most 
  unexpected 
  and 
  inconvenient 
  periods. 
  

  

  There 
  are 
  several 
  ways 
  in 
  which 
  this 
  preliminary 
  training 
  

   can 
  be 
  acquired. 
  Home 
  training 
  is 
  the 
  most 
  accessible 
  and 
  

   because 
  the 
  opportunities 
  it 
  affords 
  for 
  practical 
  work 
  are 
  so 
  

   abundant 
  and 
  convenient 
  it 
  has 
  merits 
  of 
  a 
  very 
  pronounced 
  

   character. 
  Cooking 
  schools 
  offer 
  more 
  elaborate 
  opportuni- 
  

   ties, 
  because 
  they 
  are 
  planned 
  and 
  conducted 
  on 
  a 
  broader 
  

   scale, 
  and 
  the 
  novice 
  will 
  gain 
  in 
  them 
  knowledge 
  and 
  expe- 
  

   rience 
  which 
  she 
  may 
  never 
  acquire 
  in 
  the 
  best 
  kept 
  home. 
  

   The 
  advantages 
  offered 
  by 
  courses 
  in 
  these 
  schools 
  are 
  very 
  

   great 
  and 
  should 
  be 
  availed 
  of 
  whenever 
  possible. 
  

  

  Still 
  another 
  source 
  of 
  information 
  is 
  supplied 
  by 
  the 
  cook 
  

   books. 
  The 
  practical 
  merits 
  of 
  a 
  good 
  cook 
  book 
  are 
  of 
  the 
  

   highest 
  value. 
  There 
  are 
  many 
  such 
  books 
  to 
  be 
  had, 
  and 
  

   many 
  of 
  them 
  are 
  very 
  able 
  and 
  excellent 
  indeed. 
  One 
  or 
  two 
  

   cook 
  books 
  should 
  be 
  in 
  every 
  kitchen. 
  Too 
  many 
  are 
  apt 
  

   to 
  be 
  confusing, 
  but 
  a 
  shelf 
  should 
  always 
  be 
  provided 
  for 
  

   these 
  volumes 
  and 
  it 
  will 
  be 
  strange 
  indeed 
  if 
  they 
  do 
  not 
  

   constitute 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  most 
  valuable 
  features 
  of 
  the 
  kitchen 
  

   equipment. 
  

  

  If 
  one 
  has 
  a 
  prejudice 
  against 
  cook 
  books 
  one 
  will 
  do 
  well 
  

   to 
  get 
  rid 
  of 
  it 
  at 
  once. 
  A 
  good 
  cook 
  knows, 
  of 
  course, 
  how 
  

   to 
  prepare 
  many 
  dishes 
  without 
  recourse 
  to 
  printed 
  directions; 
  

   but 
  the 
  seeking 
  of 
  such 
  authority 
  should 
  not 
  be 
  regarded 
  as 
  

   detrimental 
  to 
  the 
  cook's 
  status. 
  Good 
  cooks 
  are 
  scarce; 
  

   very 
  good 
  cooks 
  are 
  too 
  high 
  priced 
  for 
  the 
  average 
  pocket 
  

   book; 
  a 
  cook 
  book 
  is 
  by 
  no 
  means 
  a 
  substitute 
  for 
  a 
  good 
  

   cook, 
  but 
  it 
  is 
  a 
  very 
  great 
  help, 
  and 
  in 
  these 
  difficult 
  days 
  of 
  

   domestic 
  servants 
  everything 
  that 
  helps 
  in 
  the 
  kitchen 
  work 
  is 
  

   to 
  be 
  welcomed 
  with 
  a 
  glad 
  hand. 
  

  

  The 
  recipes 
  given 
  in 
  any 
  cook 
  book 
  fall 
  naturally 
  into 
  two 
  

   classes; 
  easy 
  and 
  difficult. 
  The 
  beginner 
  will 
  do 
  well 
  to 
  

   avoid 
  the 
  latter, 
  for 
  delightful 
  as 
  the 
  results 
  promise 
  to 
  be 
  — 
  

   and 
  are, 
  when 
  successful 
  — 
  the 
  work 
  involved 
  often 
  seems 
  dis- 
  

   couraging. 
  The 
  elements 
  should 
  be 
  mastered 
  first, 
  and 
  when 
  

   success 
  has 
  been 
  achieved 
  with 
  them 
  it 
  will 
  be 
  time 
  enough 
  to 
  

   think 
  of 
  moving 
  on 
  further. 
  The 
  simple 
  recipes 
  are 
  numer- 
  

   ous 
  enough 
  for 
  all 
  ordinary 
  purposes, 
  for 
  the 
  most 
  common 
  

  

  foods 
  are 
  prepared 
  simply 
  enough, 
  and 
  those 
  who 
  have 
  mas- 
  

   tered 
  the 
  easiest 
  of 
  them 
  will 
  not 
  want 
  for 
  variety 
  and 
  inter- 
  

   est 
  in 
  their 
  table 
  furnishings. 
  

  

  There 
  is 
  one 
  general 
  rule 
  that 
  should 
  be 
  followed 
  in 
  using 
  

   cook 
  books 
  in 
  every 
  instance, 
  and 
  that 
  is 
  to 
  do 
  exactly 
  as 
  the 
  

   directions 
  say, 
  using 
  the 
  quantities 
  given 
  in 
  exact 
  measure, 
  

   mixing 
  the 
  ingredients 
  in 
  the 
  order 
  indicated, 
  arranging 
  the 
  

   cooking 
  vessels 
  precisely 
  as 
  stated, 
  and 
  in 
  every 
  way 
  following 
  

   the 
  given 
  order 
  literally. 
  One 
  must 
  assume 
  that 
  all 
  the 
  

   recipes 
  in 
  a 
  given 
  book 
  have 
  been 
  tried 
  again 
  and 
  again 
  by 
  

   the 
  author 
  who 
  puts 
  them 
  forth. 
  It 
  must 
  be 
  assumed, 
  there- 
  

   fore, 
  that 
  the 
  printed 
  directions 
  give 
  precisely 
  the 
  way 
  to 
  

   prepare 
  the 
  dish 
  and 
  any 
  variation 
  from 
  them 
  will 
  give 
  dif- 
  

   ferent 
  results 
  and 
  lead 
  to 
  well-merited 
  disappointment. 
  The 
  

   directions 
  are 
  intended 
  to 
  be 
  followed 
  literally 
  and 
  a 
  particu- 
  

   lar 
  dish 
  should 
  not 
  be 
  undertaken 
  unless 
  this 
  is 
  done. 
  

  

  Even 
  with 
  the 
  utmost 
  care 
  the 
  beginner 
  may 
  meet 
  with 
  

   failure. 
  The 
  lesson 
  taught 
  by 
  this 
  experience 
  is 
  simply 
  that 
  

   of 
  more 
  care. 
  But 
  one 
  should 
  not 
  be 
  discouraged 
  because 
  a 
  

   desired 
  result 
  is 
  not 
  obtained 
  the 
  first 
  time. 
  You 
  may 
  not 
  

   get 
  it 
  at 
  first, 
  be 
  you 
  as 
  careful 
  as 
  you 
  may, 
  but 
  you 
  will 
  

   have 
  better 
  luck 
  the 
  second 
  time, 
  and 
  may 
  have 
  complete 
  suc- 
  

   cess 
  the 
  third. 
  So 
  many 
  experiments 
  may 
  not 
  always 
  be 
  nec- 
  

   essary, 
  but 
  one 
  should 
  not 
  condemn 
  a 
  cook 
  book 
  or 
  a 
  certain 
  

   recipe 
  because 
  it 
  was 
  not 
  a 
  success 
  at 
  first 
  trial. 
  

  

  A 
  kitchen 
  scrap 
  book 
  should 
  be 
  placed 
  in 
  every 
  kitchen, 
  

   and 
  in 
  it 
  the 
  mistress 
  should 
  place 
  every 
  recipe 
  that 
  has 
  been 
  

   found 
  successful 
  or 
  which 
  appeals 
  to 
  her 
  in 
  any 
  way. 
  Recipes 
  

   from 
  the 
  family 
  cook 
  books 
  should 
  be 
  copied 
  out 
  and 
  kept 
  

   together 
  in 
  this 
  book, 
  as 
  this 
  will 
  facilitate 
  reference 
  and, 
  in 
  

   a 
  measure, 
  separate 
  the 
  wheat 
  from 
  the 
  chaff. 
  It 
  will 
  add 
  

   very 
  much 
  to 
  the 
  ease 
  with 
  which 
  such 
  a 
  book 
  is 
  consulted 
  if 
  

   the 
  contents 
  is 
  typewritten. 
  In 
  copying 
  recipes 
  the 
  utmost 
  

   care 
  should 
  be 
  taken 
  to 
  see 
  that 
  the 
  ingredients 
  and 
  their 
  

   quantities 
  are 
  accurately 
  given, 
  for 
  mistakes 
  are 
  frequently 
  

   made 
  in 
  copying 
  and 
  too 
  much 
  care 
  cannot 
  be 
  exercised. 
  

  

  For 
  the 
  "latest 
  things" 
  in 
  kitchen 
  work 
  and 
  recipes 
  there 
  is 
  

   a 
  goodly 
  list 
  of 
  special 
  periodicals, 
  from 
  which 
  much 
  of 
  value 
  

   and 
  of 
  interest 
  may 
  be 
  gained, 
  but 
  which 
  will 
  be 
  found 
  chiefly 
  

   of 
  interest 
  to 
  the 
  mistress. 
  The 
  servant 
  cannot 
  be 
  expected 
  

   to 
  cull 
  these 
  papers 
  systematically; 
  but 
  the 
  interested 
  house- 
  

   keeper, 
  bent 
  on 
  keeping 
  her 
  house 
  in 
  the 
  latest 
  way, 
  intent 
  on 
  

   knowing 
  the 
  latest 
  and 
  best 
  way 
  of 
  doing 
  things, 
  will 
  find 
  

   them 
  of 
  great 
  help 
  and 
  assistance. 
  

  

  The 
  daily 
  press, 
  not 
  to 
  be 
  behind 
  hand 
  in 
  the 
  noble 
  work 
  

   of 
  bettering 
  the 
  kitchen, 
  prints 
  daily 
  or 
  weekly 
  installments 
  of 
  

   contributions 
  to 
  kitchen 
  lore 
  which 
  the 
  inquisitive 
  may 
  consult 
  

   for 
  such 
  guidance 
  as 
  she 
  hopes 
  to 
  find 
  there. 
  Signed 
  recipes 
  

   and 
  suggestions 
  by 
  competent 
  persons 
  are 
  always 
  valuable, 
  

   and 
  the 
  best 
  of 
  these 
  should 
  find 
  their 
  way 
  into 
  the 
  kitchen 
  

   scrap 
  book. 
  The 
  scope 
  of 
  that 
  book, 
  by 
  the 
  way, 
  should 
  not 
  

   be 
  limited 
  to 
  immediate 
  needs, 
  but 
  should 
  include 
  anything 
  

   and 
  everything 
  which 
  may 
  seem 
  to 
  be 
  of 
  future 
  value. 
  

  

  There 
  are 
  few 
  things 
  more 
  important 
  in 
  the 
  kitchen 
  than 
  

   for 
  the 
  mistress 
  to 
  have 
  entire 
  control. 
  If 
  one 
  can 
  employ 
  a 
  

   corps 
  of 
  servants 
  this 
  is 
  not 
  needed 
  because 
  in 
  that 
  event 
  there 
  

   are 
  always 
  others 
  to 
  do 
  work 
  which 
  the 
  mistress 
  would 
  not 
  

   undertake 
  under 
  any 
  circumstances. 
  But 
  in 
  families 
  of 
  mod- 
  

   erate 
  means 
  the 
  mistress 
  must 
  be 
  mistress 
  literally. 
  She 
  can 
  

   turn 
  her 
  kitchen 
  over 
  to 
  her 
  servants 
  and 
  rest 
  content 
  with 
  re- 
  

   sults, 
  but 
  she 
  should 
  never 
  be 
  compelled 
  to 
  appeal 
  to 
  them 
  

   for 
  ordinary 
  information. 
  

  

  