1885 New Guide Hotel Bar Restaurant

THE NEW GUIDE FOR HOTELS, ETC.

196

Small Kitchens. Small kitchens often display a most extraordinary want of working materials. A lady would no more dream of attempt- ing to paint without her tubes, her palette, brushes, knives, board, easel, and all complete, than of washing without water, soap and towel ; but the lady who sees the necessity of every accessory for her art work, expects her cook to pro- duce art work in the shape of piquees without a larding needle; clear soups and aspics without whisks or strainers suitable; iced cakes and pipings, without even a receptacle for mixing, or the cornets to work with. It is a melancholy fact that the rough and ready ; the cheapest way to work and carry on a household, governs the hearts and exhibits the narrow-mind- edness of the woman who keeps up appearances by having a cook, and then stints her with apparatus, and is always telling how Lady M. can have this and Lord X. the other from their cooks, but never reasons that they are better supplied than the poor white slaves she is continually dismissing. It is the old tale of Egyptian taskmasters ; history repeats itself. Small kitchens ought to be as carefully and well furnished as large ones ; smaller quantities will be needed, thus, say one stockpot, one digester, one moderate sized fish kettle, one frying ditto, one small case of larding needles, a couple of double milk or porridge saucepans as they are called ; a Fletcher's six guinea stove and a couple of extra-detached burners, if in a town. Where gas is dear and bad, if it be preferred, a small Wilson range; these few hints will show what a little forethought on the part of a mistress will do towards producing art work in cookery.