Chapter XXXIV: Part 34

“Therefore, admitting that the model kitchen, the new oven, and the new bread could only save 35 or 40 per cent. to the ratepayers, the system cannot be otherwise than particularly interesting to the whole community.

“I am, Sir, yours most respectfully,

“A. SOYER. “REFORM CLUB, _Sept. 23_.”

* * * * *

Under the Patronage of the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of London.

SOYER’S PAROCHIAL MODEL KITCHEN,

FOR THE

POOR WEAVERS OF SPITALFIELDS.

_From the Times of February 21._

“SIR--Having lately been introduced by several gentlemen of
distinction to the Reverend Joseph Brown, the benevolent pastor of
Saint Matthias, Spitalfields, with the view of relieving, if
possible, at a trifling expense, the sufferings of that industrious
but distressed class of society, the Weavers of Spitalfields; and
having, with that gentleman, visited several of their abodes, we
found, in many of the houses, five or six in a small room, entirely
deprived of the common necessaries of life--no food, no fire, and
hardly any garment to cover their persons, and that during the late
severe frost. In one of the attics we visited we inquired of a
woman how they subsisted. Her husband, she said, had no employment
during the last four months, and that they merely lived on what he
could get by begging in the streets; she added, that she and her
children had not tasted a bit of food for twenty-four hours, the
last of which consisted of apples partly decayed, and bits of bread
given to her husband, which food we may consider, if even
plentiful, to be pernicious to health. The only piece of furniture
in that gloomy abode of misery was the weaving machine, now at
rest, and which, in time of prosperity, was used to provide food,
and made, if not a wealthy, at least a happy home for those now
wretched and destitute families, and the scientific production of
which has often, and even now, adorns the persons of thousands of
the aristocracy and gentry of the country.

“I am quite convinced, Sir, that the wearers of those luxuries
possess at all times the most charitable feelings towards their
fellow-creatures in distress; and when they are made aware, through
the medium of your powerful journal, of the facts of the present
lamentable position of those who have by their industry so often
gratified their sights and wishes, none of them will, I am certain,
refuse a small token of charity towards the relief of those
unfortunate martyrs of industry, whose poverty no one can blame,
but whom everybody must pity. After having witnessed such
distressing scenes, I immediately proposed that my Subscription
Kitchen for the Poor, which was being made at Messrs. Bramah and
Prestige’s factory, should be erected, without any loss of time, in
the most populous district of Spitalfields, where there are no less
than 10,000 poor people in one parish, and hardly any wealthy
families among them to give them relief.

“I am happy to inform you, Sir, that my first experiment, made last
Saturday, has been most successful, having been able to make a most
excellent peas panada and meat soup in less than one hour and a
half, and that at a very moderate expense--the quickness and saving
of which are partly owing to the contrivance of my new steam
apparatus, and which food was distributed, without any confusion,
in less than twenty minutes, to about THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY
children, who were selected for the occasion from the different
schools, the remainder of the food, with bread, being given away to
many poor families in the neighbourhood.

“The kitchen will remain open daily, and nothing will be given away
except to those who are proved to be quite destitute; a quart of
food or soup, and a quarter of a pound of bread, will be given for
one penny.

“All information respecting the issuing of tickets and receiving of
subscriptions will be made known by advertisements.

“I am aware that every nobleman, gentleman, and tradesman have to
support their own poor, and therefore propose that not more than a
guinea should be received from any one as a subscription; but from
6_d._ to the above sum will be most thankfully received, and
disposed of with the greatest economy.

“I beg to observe, that any of the subscribers who should wish to
keep their names private, will be pleased to make a private mark,
that they may see it correctly entered in a catalogue, which will
be published monthly, with an account of all the subscriptions
received, expenses incurred, the quantity of ingredients consumed,
with a correct list of the poor relieved.

“I trust, under all these circumstances, you will be good enough to
give a place to this letter in your journal.

“With the highest consideration,

“I am, Sir, your most obliged,

“A. SOYER.

“REFORM CLUB, _Feb. 17_.”

* * * * *

SOYER’S CULINARY INNOVATION.

MINIATURE KITCHEN FOR THE NAVY.

BY AN OBSERVER.

The indefatigable Gastronomic Regenerator, Mons. Soyer, whose mind is always catering for the comfort and the taste of all classes of society, has not only given us a most useful work on Cookery, containing thousands of excellent receipts, but also various plans for the construction of kitchens, such as the matchless Kitchen of the Reform Club, the Kitchen of the Wealthy, his Kitchen at Home, the Bachelor’s, and the Cottage Kitchen.

But when the late famine took place in Ireland, his attention was quickly drawn to the shortest and most economical means of relieving a vast number of the destitute, and that, by the erection of a Model Kitchen on a plan entirely new, and which proved of the utmost importance in Dublin, both as regards superiority of wholesome food, and its immense saving in preparation, which can be tested daily by rich and poor in merely consulting that excellent sixpenny little book, the ‘Poor Man’s Regenerator,’ containing twenty-three invaluable receipts for the working class and the poor.

What leads us to the above introductory remarks is, that for a little while we find him abandon the inhabitants of _terra firma_ for the wide ocean, to show us that he can devote also a portion of his time and exertion to the comfort of seafaring life in the fitting up of a commodious Miniature Kitchen on board every-sized vessel laying claim to real improvement.

Lately the beautiful and splendid steam-ship the Guadalquiver, built at Liverpool, left that wealthy mercantile town for the Spanish Main with a kitchen such as never was before attempted to be erected.

To give our readers an idea of the completeness of this Marine Miniature Kitchen, they will be surprised when we say that in a confined space of seventeen feet long and eight wide, a range with vertical bars, smoke-jack, screen, spits and dripping pan are erected, where roasting may be done in great perfection: next is a bain-marie, for keeping soups and sauces very hot, without the danger of burning or of being upset in rough weather: three charcoal stoves, hot plate, gridiron; and a steam boiler for dressing vegetables, and even meat or fish, is found to be a very great convenience. There is also a good oven for baking bread, pastry, and biscuits, and a hot closet above; a kitchen table, with drawers and sliding shelves, under which is a cupboard for preserves, a pestle and mortar, vegetable and washing boxes; under the stove and hot plate are two recesses for fuel; above the stoves are placed rows of shelves, upon which blocks of wood are fixed for each saucepan; on the edges of the shelves the _sauté pans_, covers, and ladles are suspended, and secured with bands of India rubber to prevent the rattling: in fact a complete ‘batterie de cuisine’ is at the disposal of the cook; and the last but not the least ingenious design is a moveable balance grating, with something new in its contrivance, as it prevents the upsetting of any saucepans used upon it in stormy weather. Two perpendicular pieces of iron of about fifteen inches are fixed into a circle, the size of the charcoal stove, at the extreme points of the square, where pins of iron are fixed to keep the circle in its place; between the two uprights is the grating, supported by two rods on each side, finishing in a point, and turning at the end like a hook, to go into the holes perforated at the top of the uprights, thus acting like the compass, the saucepans are thus always on a level; and by merely turning the circle to whatever point is required, this balance grating will support its burthen over the fire constantly on a level, despite the rolling of the vessel. Outside, leading to the deck, are rows of hooks covered over to hang up meat, game, and poultry. In fact, the whole of the fittings are so contrived that they have the appearance of fixture.

This kitchen is also well ventilated and fire-proof, and in it a _recherché_ dinner can easily be dressed for one hundred persons, being the average number of passengers likely to be taken up by the Guadalquiver on the coast of Cuba, in connexion with the railroad constructed right through the Island.

For a kitchen in a vessel of less dimension, one steam pan, the hot plate and oven would be sufficient, and only a few of the useful articles mentioned would be required, thereby considerably diminishing the expense, and then possess a kitchen very superior to those now constructed.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] A very minute description and drawings of the kitchen and apparatus will be found at the end of the Receipts devoted to the Kitchen of the Wealthy.

[2] The mashed potatoes which are to be used for dishing up as described throughout this work, are simply prepared as follows:--Plain boil or steam six or eight large mealy potatoes; when well done, peel and put them into a stewpan with two ounces of butter, a little salt; then with the prong of a fork whisk them till quite in purée; then add two tablespoonfuls of milk, work up with a small wooden spoon till forming a paste; then lay a small quantity on a clean cloth, roll it to the circumference of a fourpenny or sixpenny piece, and form a round with it in your dish according to the size of the entrée; alter the proportion according to the size of the flanc or remove.

[3] The veal stock mentioned in the several receipts is made precisely as the stock for white sauce.

[4] A culinary term.

[5] In France we have silver dishes on purpose for _au gratins_, in which they are dressed and served to table, the gratin adhering to the bottom of the dish.

[6] See Kitchen at Home.

[7] It would be advisable to have a mould purposely for borders of this description two inches in height, half an inch in depth, and eight inches in diameter, with a cylinder five inches in diameter; these borders are by some always used instead of a border of mashed potatoes, but I prefer the last-mentioned, being quicker made, the entrées resting more steadily upon it, and, being laid thinly upon the dishes, never interfering with any description of sauces.

[8] A cylinder copper mould is preferable to a plain one, but as almost every kitchen has plain moulds, I describe this in preference.

[9] The flesh of the wild boar being rather difficult to obtain in this country, the head being the only part considered worth presenting, the flesh of the common pig may be used for the forcemeat and interior, as well as the rind, which must be selected in pieces as large as possible; a bottle of common port wine is an improvement in the pickling.

[10] Some amateurs would prefer them stewed gently for eight hours, but I consider they then lose half their flavour.

[11] If no mould, pat half a pound less butter in the paste and raise the pie with your hands, making a bold ornament round and upon the top.

[12] The first time I served a salad of the above description after inventing it was in a dinner which I dressed for some noblemen and gentlemen who had made a wager as to which could send the best dinner, myself or the artiste at a celebrated establishment in Paris, where they had previously dined; my first course being full of novelty, gained the approbation of the whole party, but the salad created such an unexpected effect that I was sent for, and had the honour of sitting at the table for an hour with them and over several rosades of exquisite Laffitte; the salad was christened à la Soyer by General Sir Alexander Duff, who presided over the noble party.

[13] For the description to make hot water paste for raised pies, see pâté chaud (No. 618).

[14] Flan moulds are generally fluted, and about an inch and a half in height.

[15] The only way to shape them properly is by taking a piece the size of a walnut, and moulding it with your finger at the rim of the stewpan; drop them upon a baking-sheet, and make them still more round with the paste-brush in egging them over.

[16] In emptying the interior of this or any of the following cakes for removes, care should be taken not to leave them either too thick or too thin; if too thick it would not hold sufficient ice, and eat very heavy, if the reverse it would be too delicate, and not hold together in dishing up. About three quarters of an inch in most cases would be the thickness required. Any of the Removes may be curtailed in point of size, but the above would be sufficient for a dinner of eighteen persons.

[17] These round paper cases are to be procured at Temple’s, Whitcomb street, Belgrave square.

[18] To freeze quickly any description of ice the freezing-pot must be well set, place it in the centre of the pail, which must be large enough to give a space of four inches all round, break twelve pounds of ice up small, which put round at the bottom six inches in depth, over which put two pounds of salt, beat down tight with a rolling-pin, then more ice, then salt, proceeding thus until within three inches of the top of your freezing-pot, saltpetre mixed with the salt will facilitate it in freezing.

[19] For this purpose I can recommend the stone bottles and apparatus for preserving fruits invented by Mr. James Cooper, of No. 7, St. John-street, Clerkenwell; I have used them upon several occasions and for different descriptions of fruit, and have never met with any system that so well preserved the freshness of the fruit, or which is more simple in its operation.

[20] I consider too large a table to be as bad as too large a kitchen, in which much time is lost in the cleaning, and more in running about for articles required for use.

[21] The old fashioned triangular trivets seemed to have been made as inconvenient as possible, being made only for one large stewpan to stand over the fire, not leaving room for any smaller ones round.

[22] The maker of these gas stoves is Mr. Rikett, who constructs them to perfection at a trifling expense according to their merit.

[23] Especially in France, where cookery was first cradled, and has ever since been well nursed.

[24] Being a brown earthen pot, which costs about sixpence or a shilling, and which with care would last twenty years; the more it is used the better soup it makes.

[25] The receipts for paste being so simple in the other department of this book, I shall, upon all occasions, refer my readers to them, (p. 478.)

[26] If you should have a little gravy, use it instead of water, if not a piece of glaze added to half a pint of water would make a very good gravy.

[27] It would be very easy to ascertain when done, by running a packing-needle or sharp-pointed knife through, if tender it is done; this remark also applies to any description of meat pies.

[28] Extracted from my “Délassements Culinaires,” lately published by Jeffe, Burlington Arcade; a second edition of which will shortly appear.

[29] To show plainly the interior of this dish, it has been drawn one size larger than it is in reality. These dishes are only to be had by applying to Mr. Soyer, of the _Reform Club_, or at Mr. George Smith’s, No. 57, Conduit street, Regent street, he being the only manufacturer.

[30] “But though in his manner, none of her works has the least subserviency of imitation, or the stiffness of copy.”--_Times._

[31] Gentleman’s Magazine.

[32] “La Cérès Anglaise.”

* * * * *

Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber:

when add two tablespoonfuls=> then add two tablespoonfuls {pg 29}

two tablespoonfuls of liason=> two tablespoonfuls of liaison {pg 37 x 2}

when fill it up and your consommé=> then fill it up and your consommé {pg 54}

have ready boiled a a quart=> have ready boiled a quart {pg 183}

have an ox tonge=> have an ox tongue {pg 210}

eight square dieces=> eight square pdieces {pg 402}

with which garnish the ballotins=> with which garnish the ballotins {pg 426}

Pocure ten fine heads => Procure ten fine heads {pg 451}

Brussels Sprouts sauté au buerre=> Brussels Sprouts sauté au beurre {pg 462}

cream served upon in was cut=> cream served upon in was cut {pg 483}

and a a little powdered cinnamon=> and a little powdered cinnamon {pg 497}

into a a round bowl=> into a round bowl {pg 525}

when completly but thinly=> when completely but thinly {pg 541}

a little powdered cinamon=> a little powdered cinnamon {pg 497}

see if coloured sufficently=> see if coloured sufficiently {pg 510}

cotelettes de mouton en suprise=> cotelettes de mouton en surprise {pg 555}

untill becoming very light=> until becoming very light {pg 564}

make a litttle white sauce=> make a little white sauce {pg 648}

but six tablespoonfuls of salad-oil=> put six tablespoonfuls of salad-oil {pg 658}

with a little scraped horeradish=> with a little scraped horseradish {pg 660}

place upon you dish=> place upon your dish {pg 666}

End of Project Gutenberg's The Gastronomic Regenerator:, by Alexis Soyer