MESS MANAGEMENT. 433 
ordering dinners and luncheons will enable him, with the aid of the 
cook, to arrange variety and change. 
Unless he shows an interest in this, the cook will soon find this out 
and cook what suits her best if a woman, and what gives least trouble 
if a man; it is here where the economy of a good cook comes in, the Heonomy ae 
plain (generally bad) cook, at say £30 a-year, as a rule can only roast °° is 
and boil and make what are called plain soups, generally greasy and 
never clear, his or her cutlets are bad chops covered with bread crumbs, 
the hashes shine in grease and her only entrée is a beef olive (an 
abomination). The plain cook invariably suggests fresh joints and big: Plain cook, 
ones for every meal, they are simpler and suit the butcher better. 
Your plain cook has no ideas on the subject of made dishes and does 
not care about the trouble of learning. It is by far cheaper to pay £10 
to £15 a-year more in wages and get a real cook, who can make soups 
and thoroughly understand entrées and made dishes; in fact, who 
knows how to send up a small dinner without ordering 20lbs. of beef. 
A good cook can always make up luncheon ‘and breakfast dishes from 
cold game, chickens and bones, which the bad or plain cook would very 
likely throw away, and the saving in the butcher’s bill in two months | 
will be found to be nearly equivalent to the extra wages of the cook | 
for twelve months. | 
When cooks, whether they be men or women, see that the Mess 
Secretary and the commanding officer interest themselves in their work, 
they will naturally take more trouble to please. 
The kitchen should be made thoroughly comfortable and clean and Te, Kitchen 
the utensils should be kept quite up to date. As a rule the condition  fortable. 
of the utensils in Mess kitchens is not creditable; the cook should be 
made comfortable and there should be a good easy chair or two in the 
kitchen, a nice table and a few flower-pots in the window. 
In a large Mess an assistant cook will be wanted, in a small Mess a ALOR 
soldier assistant does very well; a clean smart man should be selected ; 
of a certain age, who does not go out much, and who has had, if possible, 
a term in the regimental cook-house, it is an easy billet and many old 
soldiers take to it readily. 
To find a good ready-made butler in a regiment or a battery is rare, The butler. 
although there may be some waiters by trade ; the post is a responsible 
one and has a good many temptations. 
If there be no butler already in the Mess, it is best to take a smart, 
steady, old soldier and teach him ; with a week or two’s trouble a quick ei 
man may soon pick up the work; a few lessons on waiting can be given : 
and one or two of the officer’s servants are sure to know something of 
the work and will help him; for the first few days the Secretary must 
devote his time and attention to his instruction and must put him right 
fifty times a day in small details of waiting, standing, handing dishes, 
decanters and glasses. 
The Aldershot and Woolwich Messes will sometimes send a man 
already trained to out-stations if application be made. 
The butler must be a reliable man and one who does not drink or 
want to go out much; the work is not hard when he gets into the way 
59 
