Comfort for small incomes

Front matter

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Preface

THE result of some years^ experience in small matters, which go to make up great comforts, is offered in this little book. Some may sneer at, and some condemn, these small economics, but it should be remembered that ''there is nothing in this earth so small that it may not produce great things." And amidst every household toil of a wife, and every energy of a husband to obtain money for family needs, what can be greater than to know how comfort is to be had for the money expended. Chief among the chiefest of evils are wastefulness and unskilful ness in cooking, which cannot be too greatly deplored when there is no money but that arising from a limited income ; and where there is ignorance of the art of making the most of everything, there seems to be no remedy. What comfort can there be in dining off stewed meat rendered tough, tasteless, and full of fibre, of eating potatoes Boddened with water, or greens boiled to a mash, and of a rusty colour, of having before one stone-like artichokes, tasteless and rusty-looking carrots, which if one partakes of, a fit of indigestion^ with its train of horrors, is sure to follow. Boiled meats and fish^- which are insipid — or fried fish, greasy looking and white, cause far more trouble to produce than if they were cooked by a proper process ; to help the mistress in giving^ instructions in these important trifles, and on which comfort so much depends, has been the author's um.

In most homes there is a tendency to leave small matters to take care of themselves. With servants there is a perpetual waste of candles, soap, coals, and cinders. These articles are not very

VI FBEFAOE.

often interfered with by mistresses with incomes of X200 a-year, but in all of these an unobserved waste brings a pinching in other requisites which are really necessary for comfort. Even the melting away of a penny a day amounts to upwards of thirty shillings a year. At Christmas many comforts may be obtained for this sum, or it would gladden a starving or sick fellow-creature.

It is against waste of every kind that one should war. A hospitable heart and economy are twins. We should be careful that we might be liberal. Waste in small matters, and profusion in large, is burning the candle at both ends, not to be compensated for by stinginess in any household department.

There is also a great waste in using unnecessary ingredients in cooking, which may not be unnecessary to persons with large incomes, who give entertainments, and who, if suffering from indigestion, can afford the time to be ill, and money to pay the doctor. To these may be safely left the eggs, the cream and butter, which enters so largely into what is termed first-class cooking. A custard is much more enjoyable — and the flavour is equally good — when made with milk, and the exact number of eggs to thicken the milk, than it is when made with an excess of eggs added to cream. Those who desire to have a bilious attack need swallow but half a custard made in this extravagant fashion.

Again, rice puddings are richer tasted and entirely wholesome when made without eggs, and with milk only, no water. But if the precaution be not observed of first washing the rice three or four times in boiling water, then not all the richest ingredients can destroy the offensive musty taste which the grain has acquired. Well-flavoured arrowroot puddings, made with boiling milk only, arc excellent, and these can be made in a moment ; when water only is used for them, an addition of a glass of sherry makes excel* lent jelly for the sick who cannot take meat jellies.

The French cooking of roast meat, poultry, and game, which most English people say they so much admire, owes much of its excellence to the process of larding, and to its being slowly cooked by a proper degree of heat The directions for larding, as given by a French cook, are, to cut up shreds of bacon and tie it on to the article to be cooked, or to introduce these shreds with a larding-

FBBFAOB. Vii

needle underneath the Bkin. Now, the same flavonr and moistne« can be giYen to English cooking by economising and unng the bacon fat which drips from the bacon when cooking it for the morning meal. It is no eztrayagance, but a real comfort for persons of moderate incomes to enjoy a small quantity of bacon for breakfast; if the mistress is watchful to take the bacon fat into her own possession, and to see that the bacon be cooked in the same manner as described in Chapter III., otherwise bacon, butter, or lard must supply the need when called for.

In the Appendix will be found many useful hints, which will assist an unskilled mistress. It may be as well to remark that servants will invariably set their faces against any appearance of economy. Nor is it worth while to dispute the matter with them. If a mistress will once try the recipes and directions given for cooking, superintending the whole process herself, even to the minutest particular, she will then find it so easy to obtain well-cooked food without any uncertainty in the matter, that, howeyer unskilled her servant may be, she will herself hold the power of mastership in her own hands, and be able to create comfort for her household, and a reward for herself in the well-being of her family.

How such a mistake could have arisen — that it is beneath a woman's dignity to superintend the cookery of her kitchen — ^it is hard to telL Surely she need be none the less accomplished in all the refinements and acquirements which are visibly attractive, because she is invisibly invaluable in her domestic experience. Woman should be an adept in all domestic work, not always with her hands, '' unless a scant fortune wills it,*' but with hand and heart, and judgment and skill to guide the rough worker placed by the accident of birth beneath her care. Her husband and children cannot be fed and cared for by song and music, by drawing or dancing; but after a wholesome, well-cooked meal, all these certainly add to their enjoyment, and frequently to their happiness.

Those who suffer from indigestion are always cross, they cannot help it, it is the natural effect of a cause ; and one ill-cooked meal will give the malady for a week, which nothing but frequent exercise in the day in pure air can cure ; and when one badly-

Vm PBEFAOB.

cooked meal presses upon another, a man cannot be amiable, his purse-strings are closed, and his heart has become stone.

When a woman knows the simple principles of cooking well, just as she could learn to sketch and to play correctly, she is independent of the sudden desertion of her servants, and can manage to place a respectable dinner on the table, with but slight assistance, or she can

" sit apart, and in the cool direct —

Observant of what passes — others' toil."

Isaac Disraeli, in his chapter on. Ancient Cookery and Cooks, remarks —

*' No people are such gorgers of animal food as our own j the art of preparing yegetables, pulse, and roots is scarcely known in this country. This cheaper and healthful food should be introduced among those who neglect them, from not knowing how to dress them. The peasant, for want of skill, treads under foot the best meat in the world; and sometimes the best way of dressing it is tlie least cosily"

It is certainly true that no more healthful food exists, even when plentifully eaten, than potatoes, greens, turnips, carrots, and onions, when properly cooked. They are also very nutritious, and added to a very small portion of animal food, will cleanse and purify the blood and banish fever. The authoress is greatly pleased to know that, while the articles which form the present book were appearing monthly in the Ladies' Tbeasubt, her directions for cooking vegetables were appreciated by numberless subscribers to that popular work. After a successful career of nine years, this Magazine, still retaining its old title, will appear in a new and more attractive form, and through the year many subjects of domestic interest will appear in its increased number of pages.

This little book — " Comfort for Small Incomes" — is not intended to supersede the promised Cooking Book, called the ^' Epicure," which, as soon as the author's numerous engagements will permit, will be published ; but it is hoped that it will in a measure render a mistress able to cook her own dinner, if her '' plain cook " should be ignorant or turn restive.

Contents

CHAPTER L

PAQl

OLD SERVANTS — ^NBW PACES — HOW TO KEEP A DINNER WARM — EARLY TROUBLES — AGAIN NEW FACES — HOW PLACES ACQUIRE BAD NAMES — THE SUBVERSION OP ALL ORDER — TO LOCK OR NOT TO LOCK — SERVANT'S ALLOWANCES — IMPLEMENTS AND CLOTHS FOR SERVANT'S USE — KITCHEN NECESSARIES ESSEN- TIALLY REQUISITE^ 13

Chapter II

THE STUDY OP A MISTRESS TO PLEASE SERVANTS — HOW ONE SER- VANT MAY DO THE WORK OP TWO — GOSSIP ABOUT TRAINING SERVANTS — ^AN UNEXPECTED CHECK — SERVANTS* REGISTRY OFFICE — SERVANTS AND THEIR DRESS — HOW BAD SERVANTS GET PLACES — ^A TEACHABLE YOUNG GIRL, • • .23

Chapter III

POTATO EGGS — STALE AND FRESH EGGS — ^BACON FAT — ITS USES — HOW TO WASH CROCKERY — ^A DIGRESSION ABOUT BLACK BEETLES — ^HOW TO DESTROY THEM— TO PREVENT A BOILER FROM CRACKING — TO BOIL MUTTON TENDER — ^A HINT ABOUT THE BONES — TO BOIL CARROTS — TO PREPARE AND PRY CUT- LETS — TO STEAM POTATOES — A RICE PUDDING WITHOUT EGGS — MEAT STOCK — HASHED AND POTTED BEEF — VEGE- TABLES TO BE WASHED IN WARM WATER — PEA SOUP, . 32

CONTENTS.

Chapter IV

pi.ai

DAILY BILL OF FABE — ^THE MANAGEMENT OF SOME SERVANTS — NOTICE TO QUIT — HOW TO MAKE THE BEST OF AN EBBOB

WHY SOME SERVANTS ARE SO TAWDRILY DRESSED —

WHETHER A MISTRESS IS COMPELLED TO GIVE A CHARACTER OR NOT — THE CONSEQUENCES OF GIVING A FALSE CHARACTER — DECLINING TO GIVE ONE UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, . 46

Chapter V

BOILING SALMON — ^FRYING FISH — REMARKS ABOUT BOILING MEAT — SALTED MEAT — TO PREVENT MEAT FROM CURLING UP — SOUP STOCK — FLAVOURING SOUPS — ^MEAT CAKES — ^RISSOLES — ONION AND CARROT SOUP — ^TO BOIL ARTICHOKES, TO COOK MACCARONI, OB OTHER ITALIAN PASTES, . • . .50

T *

Chapter VI. How A Great Fortune Was Made Out Of Bread Crusts^ . .57

CHAPTER VIL

WHAT TO DO WITH THE PIECES OF BREAD— HOW TO MAKE STALE BREAD NEW — CROUTONS FOR CHEESE — BRE^D PUDDING — BREAD FOR STUFFING — BAKED AND SIFTED BREAD FOR BROWNING — BREAD CRUMBS FOR GAME — CLARIFIED BUTTER — HOW TO FRY SOLES — CRIMPED PARSLEY, . . .61

Chapter VIII. Useless Anger — Servants* Manners — Bills Of Fabe— One

REASON WHY AN OTEN WILL NOT BAKE — HOW TO MANAGE ' IT — HOW TO COOK WITH IT — ^TO MAKE A HASH, A CURRY, A MINCE — TOASTS FOR MINCE — ^WHY MEN ARE FREQUENTLY CROSS — HOW AN ESTATE CAN WASTE AWAY, . . . G4

OONTBNTS. Zi

Chapter IX. Paqb

THE FUSSEL 'SMS — THE UNIVBBSAL MALADY — HOW TO MEET DIFFICULTIES^ TOIL, TROUBLE, WORRY — THE FORM OF A MINISTERING SPIRIT — ^A RAILWAY COMPANION — AN EASTERN APOLOGUE — ^THB VISIT — ^BLUB POTATOES — CARDS FOR THE KITCHEN VERY DESIRABLE, 70

Chapter X

LEARNING FROM . A SERVANT— HOW TO CLEAN SMOKED LAMP- CHIMNEYS — TO CLEAN VARNISHED PAINTS, OIL PAINT, WINDOWS, AND LOOKING-GLASSES — STAIR RODS — A NOVEL WAY OF OPENING OYSTERS — A NEW WAY TO DRESS A HARE — A NEW WAY TO SERVE FOWLS — ^HOW TO MAKE BREAD — TO TAKE THE BITTERNESS FROM YEAST — THE CONCLUSION WITH- OUT CONCLUDING, THERE BEING AN APPENDIX ADDED, • 83

Appendix

HINTS ON COOKING.

L SOUP, 88

II. PISH, 88

IIL MEAT, 89

IV. VEGETABLES, 91

V, SWEETS AND PASTRY, 93

VI. HOMELY BUT EXCELLENT PICKLES, 95

VIL AN EXCELLENT SALAD WITHOUT EGGS, . . . .96

VIII. READY REMEDIES, 96

COMFORT FOR SMALL INCOMES.

Chapter I

OLD SERVANTS — ^NBW PACES — HOW TO KEEP A DINNER WARM — EARLY

TROUBLES AGAIN NEW PACES — HOW PLACES ACQUIRE BAD

NAMES^THB SUBVERSION OP ALL ORDER — TO LOCK OR NOT TO LOCK — servant's ALLOWANCES — IMPLEMENTS AND CLOTHS POR SERVANT^B USE — KITCHEN NECESSARIES ESSENTIALLY REQUISITE.

WHEN I first went to my new home after our bridal tour of only a fortnight — for my husband, a surgeon, having his way to make, deemed it impolitic to remain longer from his patients — I found everything belonging to household matters that could give me comfort had been arranged by my mother and my husband's sister, Anna Wynter. My chief cause for thankfulness was in two servants, who had lived for some years with the latter when she kept her father's house.

With these domestics, mother and daughter, the last about eighteen, everything went smoothly. I could listen complacently to the narratives of the trials with servants of my lady visitors, and in my heart deemed that they, and not the domestics, were in fault. I argued that if girls were treated kindly and considerately, they would be well-behaved and grateful, and that mistresses alone were to blame for taking any with indififerent characters. For these presumptuous thoughts I have been well punished since, " The same measure ye mete to others shall be meted to you again,'' has been amply verified in my case. I have repented of all such uncharitable constructions.

For four years my happiness was complete. My two children were healthy, loving, little creatures ; my husband's practice was increasing; and my servants were all that could be desired^ obliging, clean, industrious, and methodical. Susan was nurse

14 COMFORT FOB SMALL INCOMES.

and housemaid combined, and her mother was a good and faithful housekeeper. One day, about three months previous to the birth of my third child, as I was in the kitchen arranging for dinner, and giving directions for some particular cleaning, cook said, '^ If you please, ma'am, Susan is going to be married to Alfred Jones, the wheelwright, as soon as you can get suited, and they are going to Australia, and I am to go with them.''

My dismay at this announcement may be conceived. I had nothing but good wishes to ofifer both, for the intended husband was not only industrious, but had recently come into property worth £300, and in their taking the mother with them they were fulfilling their duty. There was nothing for it, but to promptly supply their place, which I thought could be easily done ; only there might be a little confusion at first, soon to be got over.

Just a week before my confinement the new servants entered upon their duties. I had an excellent character with them from a lady who lived a few miles distant They wanted higher wages than she could give, and that was the reason for the separation. The house of the lady was scrupulously clean, so that I was satisfied on this important point. Within a few days after their arrival I had misgivings as to their capabilities and competency for their situations; the rooms looked dusty, the grates dull, the knives stained, and there was a general air of discomfort exceedingly annoying to me. I knew that for a month I could not interfere, and thought it best not to commence fault-finding, but to bear with all shortcomings till I could be about again. My chief care was for my husband and children.

Allen could rarely dine at our regular time; he could never say when he would be at home. I did not grumble at this, but devised a remedy whereby he could at any hour have his principal meal at a moment's notice. His dinner of meat^ potatoes, and gravy was arranged in a soup plate and covered ; other vegetables in a second plate, also covered, and both were kept hot over two saucepans of nearly boiling water, so that not an instant was lost in serving when it was needed. At the same time that the family cloth was laid another was placed on a separate table with serviette, knives and forks, and the usual condiments. I do not say that the dinner had all the fresh flavour which belongs to one eaten at the right time, but habit made the loss unperceived. My little ones dined with me every day, but the housemaid waited, cut up their food, and attended to their wants;, and as they were taught never to touch the things on the table, nor to ask or cry for anything, it was a peaceful, comfortable meal j and if my buibaud

was fortunate enough id join us then, he was never worried, though come when he would, if not present when the dinner was served, he found it cut off and sent to keep warm. He was first cared for, whether present or absent

For his tea boiling water was always ready ; and up to this time I had never any trouble about it ; but with the new servants a different order of things was introduced. I remonstrated without effect two or three times at the neglect, and it ended in my having the kettle brought into the sitting-room, and then I could see if the water was kept boiling. I did not mind this in the winter, and in the summer I hoped a change would come.

Time went on until my baby was bom, and I was able to sit up. The children had been brought to me each day, but I had observed that nurse was absent previously for a longer time than she ought to have been. I suspected how matters stood; but the little things were well in health, and I forbore inquiries, though it was evident from their rough hair, tumbled frocks, and unsmoothed pinafores, that but small care was expended on them. Still, silence was the best policy.

When I first came down-stairs I saw with dismay the dirt and disorder which reigned supreme. I thought the nurse might have seen to much of this, and said so, but she turned away without reply.

'* This is something like,*' was Allen's remark at his dinner that day ; and as I looked up, inquiringly, he went on : " I have been treated to some frizzled dinners during . your absence, which I didn't quite like ; I suppose' things will go right now.*' Nurse heard this, and coming over to me, said,

^' Another week and you will be stronger, ma'am ; don't say anything yet."

Three days after both servants came to me, just as I was down-stairs.

** If you please, ma'am, our month is up to-day, and as your place don't suit us, we wish to leave."

^' But surely you should have given me notice of this before," I said. *

'* We were only on a month's trial, and we never gives notice, then," was the reply.

" You cannot leave for a week," I said. " I have no servants, and must seek some."

*' Well, ma'am, we don't mind staying two or three days to oblige you, but we must go away on Saturday."

This was Wednesday, and the following Monday, at a village

16 COMFORT FOR SHALL INGOMSL

three miles off, an aniraal revel was held, which I thought explained their haste to depart In the afternoon, though not strong enough to do so, I went into the kitchen to take a survey. The sight that met my view was by no means encouraging— dirty corners, stained tables, lustreless coppers and tins, and a dose, unhealthy, drain-like smell pervaded the placa Things were bad, indeed, but complaint could only make them worse. I did not even insist upon the house being cleaned, for they would have left me on the instant. Moreover, I was afraid to complain, fearing they might give me a bad name. Saturday came without my finding their successors. The nurse that was with me was a comfort, and so we muddled as we best could ; but now her stay could only depend on her services not being called for. With my former servants I had never made any kitchen allowances — they were treated just as my mother's had been : they made their tea from our supply ; sugar and butter they used at their own discretion ; they were neither extravagant nor wasteful.

During my month's absence from the household I had directed that no bills should be paid till J was about again, but that everything ordered was to be entered in a book. On inspecting this I was astounded at the quantity of articles consumed — tea, sugar, bacon, and butter enough for a &mily of a dozen people, and I bad no remedy but to pay for the robbery. Nothing was left, not even a piece of soap or jar of dripping. My husband and myself were surprised at the unprincipled mistress who had given us such excellent characters with these servants ; and as her residence lay in the way of bis daily route, he volunteered to call and remonstrate upon the deception which had victimised us.

The lady received and listened to him with all courtesy, and explained that she had answered all my inquiries satisfactorily, but it was out of her way to volunteer information ; that the girls had left because she could not give high wages, as she did much of the work herself, such as dusting, making pastry, and also constantly overseeing them. Besides, she never deprived girls of characters for want of cleanliness, because that was only a matter of opinion ; the dirt some ladies would not tolerate, othefs would think scarcely worth notice. Servants were not to be had as formerly ; there was no one to train them. If girls were honest, it was all that must be looked for, the mistresses must make them do their work well. ^

*'B\it their extravagance was great. Allen, did you mention thisT'

** YeS; but Mrs Slater said it was better to allow the girls the

NEW ARRANGEMENTS. 17

articles they would require for their own use, lock up all the rest, and give out a daily supply for the family's consumption."

^' Look up I " I exclaimed ; " I never did such a thing in my life, and bow can I tell how much they will eat and drink 9 I don*t think even mamma knows, for I am sure she never put her servants on allowance.*'

^' Then call on Mrs Slater and ask her ; she is a shrewd woman^ and I don't think the minxes would have served her as they have you."

This advice did not quite suit mo. I said I would consider. Meantime I sought and olitained two other servants, one an elderly woman, the other about twenty, both with good characters. All went on pretty well for a time, but it is necessary to recollect the proverb, " The eye of the master is of more worth than both his hands." I now began to find that the housekeeping was running beyond the sum allowed for it ; the consumption of butter, tea, and coffee, was nearly as much again as in the previous year ; for ourselves we consumed no more than usual, but there was waste or peculation somewhere. I said at last to the cook, that as my expenses were increasing, I must devise some plan to lessen them. <' I will give you and Mary sufficient tea and sugar for a week, and as the beer has only lasted eight days instead of a fortnight, you had better give me the key and I will regulate the consumption."

The storm of words this proposal raised I long remembered. She quickly replied that " no lady would do sich things," and as she was not to be trusted she would leave that day month ; and leave she did, successfully using all her influence with Mary to accompany her. The next lady this cook went to she told her our place did not suit her, as we were mean enough to starve our servants. So soon is a bad name given to a place by unprincipled characters.

The next helps I obtained from a registry office in a neighbouring town. I was very averse to this course, but a fortnight with but a charwoman's assistance made me glad to get servants from any source. This time I determined to control the expenditure, and the verbal agreement I made with them was most- precise. I was to give them so much money beyond their wages that they might find themselves in tea, sugar, beer, and washing. After obtaining personal and satisfactory characters, I felt like one from whom a great burden has been lifted. Now, I thought there can be no cause of dissatisfaction. Alas 1 alas ! things went just the same. If I left the room with the tea-caddy unlocked^ its contents speedily vanished; the sugar went faster than ever; and the

B

18 OOMFOBT FOB SMALL IITCOHBS.

butter, of conne that was always consumed in the parlonr, and the eggs were used in the puddings.

Mamma came to spend a week with us, and to her I unfolded my trouble. I had shrunk hitherto from telling her my misery, fearing she might think I was a bad manager, but she consoled me by saying that good servants suitable for midd^"^ class families were not to be had — ^they had all emigrated ; among the higher class it was altogether different.

''But what ought I to allow for a servant's consumption T' I asked. " This is my great trouble."

''Just the quantity you consume yourself, excepting in the article of tea, and of this I would give them an extra allowance, because a cup of tea is to them as refreshing as a glass of wine, and when they are working hard a stimulant of this kind is very grateful. Give me a pencil and I will write down what is a liberdil but necessary weekly allowance for each servant : — A quarter of a pound of tea ; half a pound of sugar ; half a pound of butter. One shilling a week beer money to the cook, and sevenpence to the housemaid. The washing, too, if you put it out, must be limited for them, or you will have white sleeves and frilled or worked petticoats to pay for.

" Ton may fancy the tea is rather extravagant, but it is only two teaspoonfuls at breakfast and the same at tea for each ; if they choose to drink coffee instead of tea, by all means let them have it — three-quarters of a pound to each. Bread, cheese, and meat, of course, as much as they please, but no waste. Bread is a very prolific source of disagreement ; the tops and bottoms of the loaves, the well-fingered crusts that have been left from grating bread crumbs, are all wasted — thrown or given away to beggars, who in their turn despise them and throw them in any convenient secret place ; they never eat them. Don't suffer bread to be used in this way for crumbs. Cut off the loaf as thick or thin a slice as may be needed, pare off the crust, and set it by to be eaten at the first opportunity; peel off, also, the hard or outside and give to the binis, then the remainder break up and rub through a colanderthere will be no waste ; and in cutting bread for dinner, pare off a very thin slice of the outside, as no one likes this, and if needed cut the loaf to within a finger's length of the bottom, then divide it into six pieces, and there will be no waste.

" The cutting of bread should, as in olden time, be seen to by the mistress.* One loaf ought to be consumed before another is

* The word ladj ii deriyed from the Saxon, and meami, " to serre bread.** so LOOK OB NOT VO LOOK. 19

eut, and new bread on no account be eaten. I am glad there is no side-door to your house. I knew one lady with a large grown-up family, who, dosing this up, her bread-bill was reduced four. shillings a week. All the pieces had gone to the beggars, who threw them away."

'* But, mamma, I allowed the last servants money to find their tea, sugar, and beer ; why could they not be content, and not take minef"

<< Why not, indeed 9 Simply because they do not consider the taking these articles to be theft, so save their money, and supply themselves from your stores, to which keys are no barriers. I know an instance where for a fortnight a lady regularly filled her sugar-basin and tea-caddy, kept them locked, but used none herself, yet the contents were daily abstracted ; of course the thief was discharged. I observe you keep beer in the house ; if you can trust your servants with the key, it is all very well ; but unfortunately the love of drink is so powerful, that it is a dangerous experiment. In our house, you remember, no one drank beer^ so practically I know nothing about it j but if you have it in cask, you must not give the girls money to find their own, otherwise they will keep their money, and drink your beer.'*