Miss Parloa's young housekeeper; designed especially to aid beginners

Preface

^T THEREVER I have gone in the last fifteen years in following my calling as a teacher of cooking, earnest appeals have been made to me to plan my next book for the especial benefit of those who have just begun, or who are about to begin, to keep house for two or three. The young wives want to know how to buy supplies for a small family ; how to cook economically and well ; what to do with food that is left over from any meal ; and numerous other things pertaining to their daily work. At last I have set about telling them. They will find that it is not necessary to have an immense income in order to live well. Strict adherence to careful instructions will, with a little good sense thrown in, enable a young housekeeper to accomplish wonders. She can practise economy and at the same time have a table that is attractively and wholesomely spread, — something for which most housekeepers strive without knowing the best way to reach the goal. Of course, not all who iv PREFACE.

begin to build a home are obliged to count every dollar they expend. For the benefit of those who can start in their married life with a servant to aid them and money enough to indulge in luxuries, some special information and advice are given. But, after all, the aim has been particularly to lend a hand to those whose incomes are moderate; to make the book a simple one, — one that even a girl may take interest in studying. If it prove of value to those young women who are establishing homes for themselves, its chief mission will be accomplished.

M. P.

RoxBURY, Mass., 1893.

Contents

Page

A Word with the Young Housewife i

Fish 96

Vegetables i77

Vi ."ONTENTS.

Page

Index 391

Chapter I. A Word With The Young Housewife

IF one were to get a hundred reputed good housekeepers to come together and give their ideas of what constitutes good housekeeping, no two would agree upon all points. There are essentials which every one recognizes, but there are many things which one housekeeper considers of the greatest importance, whereas another may think the same things of minor consequence or of no consequence whatever. It is a sad fact that some good housekeepers are not good home-makers. The young housekeeper should bear in mind that, while it is essential that the home should be clean and orderly, and the food well cooked and regularly served, this does not make the home. One can get all these comforts in a well conducted hotel or boarding-house, but the man or woman is to be pitied who has no higher ideal of a home than what is furnished by a hotel or boarding-house, no matter how sumptuous. A selfish woman can make a good housekeeper, so far as the keeping of the house in perfect running order is concerned, but it is difficult for a selfish or lazy woman to make a home. A young woman who would create an ideal home must possess some judgment, and a heart in which charity and sympathy have a large place.

My idea of good housekeeping, is where a woman keeps her home sweet and orderly ; provides simple, well cooked food ; makes her home so restful and cheerful that all who come into it shall be better for breathing the atmosphere of kindness and cheerfulness that pervades the place ; and where the household machinery always runs smoothly because of the constant thoughtfulness of the mistress of the house. A place like this is truly a home, and the woman at the head of it deserves the respect and admiration of everybody. I have seen such homes among the rich and among the poor, for neither wealth nor poverty prevents the right person from filling with the atmosphere of comfort and happiness the house of which she is the mistress.

A housekeeper's duties are many, and, to one nervous and fretful, they are exhausting. What seems to the woman of good digestion and steady nerves a mere trifle, to be laughed at and forgotten, may appear to the delicate, nervous woman a calamity to be wept over. Much of the irritabiUty from which women suffer is due to their expectation . of too much of themselves and others. If women would be reconciled to the inevitable, they might make everybody about them much happier. A choice bit of china may be broken. Is it worth the while to make the whole household miserable for what cannot be helped? A dish may be spoiled in the cooking. It will not help your digestion or that of the family to fret over it. You may be naturally very orderly, but some members of the family may not. Will it pay to make them and yourself uncomfortable by worrying over the matter? If your servant or any other member of the household should not come up to your standard, throw the mantle of charity over the faults that you cannot remedy, and pray that others may be equally charitable to you.

The good housekeeper will certainly look well to the ways of her household, but her eyes will be those of the kind, just woman. She will not look for miracles ; she will not expect to get the best supplies and service -when paying only the

A WORD WITH THE YOUNG HOUSEWIFE. 3

lowest price ; she will not hope to make something out of nothing ; she will be brave enough to live within her means, even if they be small ; she will not be afraid to do her work honestly and well ; and, finally, she will be so true to herself at all times, and so adjust and simplify her domestic duties that she will not exhaust body and mind in trying to do two persons' work for the sake of " keeping up appearances." How many families lose all the comforts of home life in this senseless effort ! If you stop to consider what this " keeping up appearances" means it puts the people in a very unenviable light, for it simply means that people want to give you a false impression of their possessions. No member of the family is so much injured by this deceptive life as the housekeeper. All her power of body and mind is bent to the task of making the best possible appearance with the smallest amount of expenditure. Intellect is cramped in the battle and all repose is gone from home Hfe. No matter how good the housekeeping, the spirit of the homemaker is not there. No young woman has a right to dwarf her life for such a purpose. Let her make the most of the means at her command, but let her never sacrifice her physical, moral, and mental well-being to a desire to make a display disproportionate to her circumstances, for that is not good housekeeping.

CHAPTER 11.

ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE.

IN these days of lavish ornamentation and bric-a-brac, the young housekeeper must be on guard against filUng her house with such furnishings as would make it stuffy and cause it to lack individuality. The home should be an index to the character of the family. D<^ not furnish your house fully until you have lived in it a while. Buy at first only such furniture as you need for comfort. When you are settled you can study the needs of each part of the house, and, after you have fully determined exactly what you want, buy it whenever you see an advantageous chance.

Never decide hastily upon a piece of furniture ; purchase for the future as much as for the present. It is true fashions change in furniture from year to year, but it is only people of large means who can follow a fashion of this kind. The plain, elegant styles are quite expensive as compared with the ordinary pieces which are turned out of factories by the thousand, and which are covered with ornamentation to catch the popular fancy. One quickly wearies of such furniture ; besides, it is not so well made as the plainer styles, and therefore gets out of order very easily.

Get the things necessary for kitchen, bedroom, dining-room, and sitting-room before doing anything about the parlor, and let every article be of good quality, no matter how plain. Make an estimate of what you can spend on each room; then get the best things possible.

What to Buy for the Chambers.

One can get a chamber set for as low a sum as twenty-five dollars ; but the prices run up rapidly until the hundreds are reached. Handsome, well made sets, with little or no ornamentation (the quality of the wood, and the finish, giving them a simple elegance not found in more showy pieces) cost from forty to seventy-five dollars. ( The set includes bedstead, dressing-case, wash-stand, towel-rack, a small table, two common chairs, and a rocker. \ The more expensive sets have the English wash-stand. No marble is used with the finest chamber furniture. The springs, mattresses, etc., must be purchased separately, as a rule. Have good ones. Have shades and plain muslin curtains for the windows. Stain the floors, if possible. If you prefer not to do that, use straw matting, with one rug beside the bed and another in front of the wash-stand. In buying the toilet set select one that has a plain, fine shape and simple decoration.

Dining-room Furniture.

There are two articles which one must have for this room : a table and some chairs. It often happens that the young housekeeper, not realizing the necessity for having these of generous size, and well made, chooses articles that appear good, but which, in a short time, become unstable. Oak is the most satisfactory wood for the dining-room. Have the table of good width, as a narrow one never looks well. The chairs should be strong, broad-seated, and with high backs.

Having the chairs and table, you can wait for the other things, although a sideboard table is a desirable thing, if one can afford it. If you cannot have exactly what you want, be patient. Sideboards, sideboard tables, and china closets of glass all come in such simple yet tasteful designs that one may be sure to like them all one's life. It will pay to wait for such a piece of furniture. Have a hard- wood floor, if you can ; otherwise have the floor stained. Just enough of the floor may be stained to make a deep border, and a simple rug be placed in the centre of the room. Shades, without any draperies, answer very well for this room.

Comfort in the Sitting-room.

In the sitting-room, where the family gathers for the evening, and where some members of the household spend a good part of each day, put all the comfort you can. Let it be one of the largest and brightest rooms in the house. There should be a bookcase, a firm table of good size, several comfortable chairs, a couch with plenty of pillows, a good lamp, with a shade that will not try the eyes, some pictures, a few plants and shades and draperies that will soften, but not exclude, the light. If possible, have an open fireplace. Let this be a room that shall always be remembered as one of the pleasantest spots in the world. When possible, have a hard -wood or a stained floor, with a rug in the centre.

Selecting Carpets and Rugs.

In buying carpets remember that the best are always the cheapest. The more limited one's means are, the more essential it is that only a good article shall be purchased. The best quality of body Brussels will outwear two or more of the cheaper tapestry carpets. A finely woven smooth ingrain carpet may cost half a dollar more per yard than one of common texture, but it will be cheaper in the end. Nothing is more unsatisfactory than one of the loosely woven straw mattings. A fine matting, costing say from sixty to seventy cents a yard, will last a dozen years or more, with constant wear, too. It is so fine that but little dust sifts through, and the strands do not pull apart, as in coarser grades. Rugs for the centre of the room can be made from a body Brussels, with a border to match.

They should be tacked down. Japanese cotton rugs, pretty and durable, cost from three to six dollars. They are good for bedrooms, bath-rooms, and sitting-rooms. Buy handsome rugs whenever you can afford to. They are a good investment; for, unhke carpets, they do not wear out, and you can hand them down in the family the same as silver or diamonds. A beautiful Oriental rug is a joy forever. In selecting one be particular to see that the colors are rich, and have some brightness. In general, when choosing carpets, have the groundwork rather light, and the colors somewhat neutral. Such a carpet will always look clean, and you will not feel the need of shutting out the sunlight through fear of the carpet's fading.

Choosing a Dinner and Tea Set.

To the young housekeeper of limited means the choice of her table china is quite an important matter. One can get sets for seven and eight dollars, but I should not advise buying anything cheaper than a fifteen-dollar set. If a decorated set be wanted, take one having soft tints, because people soon get weary of seeing pronounced colors or patterns.

Very pretty English sets of one hundred and fifty pieces, decorated in blue, may be had for fifteen dollars. Minton sets of one hundred and thirty-six pieces, basket-pattern border, and decorated in a fine shade of blue, are offered as low as twenty-five dollars.

American china sets in colored decorations are sold at about the same price as the English. Plain white French china sets of one hundred and thirty pieces cost about thirty-five dollars. The quality and prices rise rapidly until sets costing hundreds of dollars are reached.

In making a choice from the great variety displayed there are several things to consider. For instance, what price can you afford to pay ? Is the style one that will be lasting, and are the goods durable? It often happens that the decoration of a cheap set is much daintier than that of some of the more expensive kinds.

The English and American wares are thick, and do not chip or break easily ; but when they do chip, the broken part soon becomes dark. The glaze on these wares cracks readily when exposed to a high temperature. In a dinner set one does not notice particularly that the ware is thick ; but thickness in the cups and saucers is disagreeably noticeable, especially in the English wares. Then, too, unless one get a " stock pattern," it will often be difficult and expensive to replace a broken piece. The dealers intend to carry a pattern five years; after that one cannot feel sure of replacing a broken piece without much delay and expense. Plain white French china can always be replaced ; the glaze does not crack when exposed to a high temperature ; if chipped, the broken part does not become discolored ; the ware is in good shapes ; the cups and saucers are delicate and pj'etty, so that a full set of the china is desirable, which, to my mind, is not the case with the English or American wares.

In buying the French china it is wise to get plates with rolled edges. It seems to me, all things considered, that the French china is the most satisfactory, unless there is to be rather rough handling, when I would advise the purchase of the English or American productions. In that case I would further advise that only a dinner set be bought, and that something daintier be taken for the tea and breakfast table.

Odd cups and saucers are quite proper, and give variety and brightness to the table. Odd dessert and salad plates, also, are to be preferred to the regulation sets. The dessert plates and cups and saucers that may be picked up here and there in one's travels are constant reminders of pleasant experiences.

Dainty Things for the Table.

Glass has largely taken the place of silver on some of the most elegant tables, many housekeepers collecting and prizing cut-glass as they would jewels ; but the woman of moderate means and good taste will find it possible to set her table with plain, clear glass of dainty and elegant shapes which will add brilliancy to the entire table service. Water bottles, or carafes, as they are commonly called, are much used, and are a great convenience. Individual salt-cellars are again used instead of the salt-shakers which were so popular for many years. These salt-cellars come in glass, dainty china, and silver. A small silver salt-spoon is placed by each one. The china and silver are by all odds the most effective on the table. Pepper bottles of odd designs are placed by the salt. Castors are not in favor.

Bread-and-butter plates may be used at all meals, but are particularly suited for breakfast, luncheon, and tea. They are placed at the left of the regular plate. When the butter and bread are passed, you put them on this plate, dispensing with the small butter plate. These little plates are a great help in keeping the table-cloth clean. They come in several sizes and tasteful patterns.

Fashions in Cutlery.

Table cutlery, as the designation was formerly understood, included all the knives and forks, nut-picks, etc. To-day, among well-to-do people, all the forks, except that which belongs to the carving set, are either sterling- silver or silver-plated. It is astonishing how the table appliances have multiplied in this luxurious age. For the fish course there are sterling- silver knives and forks of special shapes, and a broad silver knife and fork for serving the fish. Oyster forks of another shape are considered indispensable when raw oysters are served. Knives and forks of medium size are used for entrees, the forks being silver and the knives having silver, silver-plated, or steel blades. For the meat course the forks are silver and the blades of the knives steel. The dessert knives and forks are silver-plated ; the butter knives that are placed by the little bread-and-butter plates are silver. So it will be seen that the cutlery of to-day does not mean for fine tables what it did formerly. Common knives and forks are made with flat tangs, to which pieces of wood or bone are joined for the handle. In fine knives the tang is made round, and is pressed into a round groove made in the handle. Sometimes this is fastened with a rivet, sometimes with a spring, and again with some cement.

The handles of the finest knives are weighted, unless made of a heavy material like silver. This is important, as it causes the knife to lie flat upon the table. Handles are made of sterling silver, mother-of-pearl, ivory, grained celluloid, plain celluloid, etc. Buckhorn and imitations of buckhorn are used a great deal for carving sets. Ivory has been used the most for the best class of knives and forks, but in furnace- heated houses the ivory is apt to split. Even the greatest care does not insure against it, and dealers find that this often happens while the goods are kept in their stores. As a substitute for ivory, celluloid, grained celluloid, and ivorine are coming into use. These substances neither crack, stain, nor turn yellow, as does the ivory ; which, of course, is a great consideration. Mother-of-pearl handles cost about twice as much as ivory. With proper care one can keep them in good condition through a hfetime. Sterling- silver handles are very handsome and satisfactory. Knives and forks with metal handles, which are plated with the rest of the knife or fork, are the most commonly used, because they are so easily cared for and are not liable to get out of order. They are, however, not found upon elegant tables.

ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE. II

WHAT IS NEEDED IN THE KITCHEN.

The kitchen is so important a part of the home that the furnishing should be such as to make the work there both easy and successful. The following list may aid the young housekeeper when making her purchases. The woman with a limited purse may find that she will have to strike out many things from the list, while the woman with a large house and money in plenty will probably extend it.

The Range.

Upon no one article of household furniture do the comfort and well-being of the family depend so much as upon the kitchen range or stove. A poor range will spoil not only food, but also good temper and happiness; whereas the right sort of range, well treated, will be a source of the greatest comfort and economy. No matter what else you feel you must economize in, do not let it be in buying the kitchen range. Some ranges have reached such a degree of perfection that it is hard to see where they can be improved. The plainer the range the easier it will be to keep it clean, and of course the cost will be less than if it be trimmed very much. Before making a choice, examine every part thoroughly. x\lways try to get one that has a large oven in proportion to the size of the range. There should be plenty of dampers that can be used to hasten the fire or to check it, so that it will keep twelve hours, if necessary. Ranges are made that will do this. Learn all the characteristics of your range, and treat it well ; then it will be an invaluable friend to you.

In the kitchen, as in every other part of the house, it is economy to furnish with good articles. Poor cooking utensils are never cheap. In buying iron utensils, be sure to get those that are thoroughly finished. The steel goods come higher than the cast-iron, but they are so smooth

MISS PARLOA'S YOUNG HOUSEKEEPER.

that they are four times as valuable in the kitchen as the rougher makes.

The granite or agate ware lightens the labors in the kitchen wonderfully. It is, however, very expensive, and is not so well made as formerly. When buying this ware, examine it closely to see that there is no defect in the enamel. A careful housekeeper who does her own work will find this ware a great comfort, it is so light, smooth, and clean ; and with good treatment it will last well.

Mixing-bowls come in yellow and white ware. The white is stone china, and is more durable than the yellow; and although it costs more than the latter, it is cheaper in the end. A steamer of medium size is one of the most useful utensils. If it be hght and simple, it will be used frequently for making puddings and for warming over food, etc. The cheapest kind is made of tin, and in two parts, the lower part being a deep saucepan, into which the water is put, and the upper part a round pan with a perforated bottom. Be particular to see that the cover and all other parts fit well.

Here is a list of articles with which all kitchens should be supplied : —

List of Articles most in Use.

Basins, of granite ware, — one three-pint, one two-quart, one one-gallon.

Bowls : yellow, — two two-quart, one three-quart, one one-gallon, two six-quart ; white, — six, each holding about a pint ; two smooth ones, each holding about a quart.

Bread board.

Bread pans, two, for small loaves.

Broilers, — one for fish, one for other uses.

Broom.

Bucket, or tin box, for sugar.

Cake pans, three, — one deep, two

shallow.

Carving knife and fork.

Case knives and forks, six each.

Chairs, three, — one to be low and

comfortable.

Chopping knife and bowl.

Coffee-pot.

Colander.

Cups and saucers, half a dozen.

Dipper, long-handled.

Dishcloths, two, — one being of

wire.

Dishpans, two.

Dish rack.

ABOUT FURNISHING THE HOUSE.

Double boilers, two, — one holding one quart, the other two.

Dredgers for salt, pepper, and flour.

Dripping-pans, two, — large and small.

Duster.

Dustpan.

Egg-beater.

Flour scoop.

Flour sieve.

Frying-basket.

Frying-pans, — one, small, with short handle; four with long handles, Nos. i, 2, 3, 5.

Glass jars for rice, etc.

Graters, — one for nutmegs ; one coarse, for general use.

Griddle.

Lemon squeezer, glass.

Measuring cups, two.

Meat board.

Meat rack, small.

Moulding board.

Mufifin pans, two, — each holding eight or twelve muffins.

Pitchers, four, for milk, etc.

Plates, one dozen.

Platters, two stone-china, for meat.

Pudding mould, melon, three-pint.

Quart measure.

Range.

Rolling-pin.

Roll-pans, French, holding six or

eight rolls.

Scotch bowl. No. 4.

Skewers, set of steel.

Soap-shaker.

Spice boxes or jars.

Spoons, — six teaspoons, two

table spoons, two wooden

spoons, two large iron spoons.

Steamer.

Stewpans, — two one-quart, two

two-quart, two three-quart, one

six-quart.

Stone pots, several small ones,

with covers, for various kinds

of meal.

Stove-brush.

Strainers, two, small, — one for

general use, the other for gravy ;

also one of fine wire.

Tables, two ; if possible, have one

covered with zinc or enamel

cloth.

Teakettle.

Teapot.

Tin boxes for bread and cake.

Tin plates, four, deep.

Tin sheet.

Towels, — three kinds for dishes,

and others for the hands.

Vegetable masher.

FURNISHING THE LINEN CLOSET.

In olden times the bride came to her new home with a generous supply of linen, the greater part of which was spun and woven by her own hands ; in many cases, indeed, the flax was raised and prepared for the spinning-wheel by her. In some parts of Europe this custom still exists. The bride of to-day takes great pains and pride in providing her household hnen, many months being given to dainty sewing and embroidery. Each article has stitched into it many bright hopes and day dreams. Nothing else in the furnishing of the home has blended with it so many tender, loving thoughts, and to the woman of sentiment it is more sacred than almost any other household possession. Once acquired, this love for fine household linen will cling to a woman all her life. Indeed, what material thing can she bring to her new home that will give more pleasure than a generous supply for her linen closet ?

Imported Linens.

Irish, French, Scotch and English table linens cover many grades, from the coarsest to the finest weaving and the most elaborate patterns. All the new designs are large, but in some of the choicest damasks it is possible to get small patterns, if they be preferred. The damask sold by the yard rarely reaches a higher price than two dollars and a half. If one wish for especially pleasing designs and extremely fine quality, it will be necessary to buy the set, — table-cloth and one dozen napkins. The usual width of the best table damask is two yards and a half, but it may be three yards in width. The cloths come from two and a half to four yards in length. In these handsome cloths the border is deep, and the centre frequently perfectly plain.

Table-cloths and Napkins.

The range in quality and price of table Hnen is greater than that of almost any other fabric. It is a long step from the materials that are so coarse, so loosely woven that they might be used for sieves, to the double damask, so fine that even under a magnifying glass it is almost impossible to discern the threads. One can buy three or four yards of the coarse fabric for about a dollar, and it is possible to be asked one hundred times as much for a dozen napkins and a table-cloth, three or four yards long, of the finer quahty.

But the average housekeeper does not go to these extremes. It does, however, often happen that a woman with a limited purse, and a thousand calls upon it, makes the mistake of buying table linen of too inferior a grade. It is not economy to purchase a mixture of cotton and linen. Better a coarse all-linen table cloth than a fine one with part cotton, which may look attractive in the store, but cannot be laundered well, whereas the pure hnen will improve with age and wear. In purchasing table linen the questions that the housekeeper should ask herself are : Will it be subject to hard wear, and be laundered by inexperienced hands? Can I afford to replenish it frequently? Shall it be fine and beautiful, or shall it be durable, with as much beauty as possible under the circumstances?

The finest goods are of Irish and P'rench manufacture ; but the German, while coarse, wear wonderfully well, and some of them have very handsome designs. Nothing in the way of linen lasts longer than the half- bleached damask, and if one live in the country, this may be bleached to a snowy whiteness in a few months. In purchasing these German goods it is wise to get a cloth that costs at least one dollar and a half or two dollars per yard. A cloth of this kind will outwear several of the cheaper grades that are mixed with cotton, and if properly laundered it will always look well. Of course, one can get in these goods a fair piece of table linen at seventy-five cents or a dollar per yard, but the better quality will be found to be the cheaper in the end. Dinner, • luncheon, and tea sets may be had, the cloth costing no more than if bought by the yard, with the advantage of having a border all around it.