The reason why cooking in America is, as a rule, so inferior is not
because American women are less able and apt than the women of France,
and not because the American men do not discuss and appreciate the
merits of good cooking and the pleasure of entertaining friends at their
own table; it is merely because American women seem possessed with the
idea that it is not the fashion to know how to cook; that, as an
accomplishment, the art of cooking is not as ornamental as that of
needle-work or piano-playing. I do not undervalue these last
accomplishments. A young lady of _esprit_ should understand them; but
she should understand, also, the accomplishment of cooking. A young lady
can scarcely have too many accomplishments, for they serve to adorn her
home, and are attractive and charming, generally. But of them
all--painting, music, fancy work, or foreign language--is there one more
fascinating and useful, or one which argues more intelligence in its
acquisition, than the accomplishment of cooking?
What would more delight Adolphus than to discover that his pretty
_fiancée_, Julia, was an accomplished cook; that with her dainty fingers
she could gracefully dash off a creamy omelet, and by miraculous
manœuvres could produce to his astonished view a dozen different
kaleidoscopic omelets, _aux fines herbes_, _aux huîtres_, _aux petits
pois_, _aux tomates_, etc.; and not only that, but scientific
croquettes, mysterious soups, delicious salads, marvelous sauces, and
the hundred and one savory results of a little artistic skill? Delighted
Adolphus--if a sensible man, and such a woman should have no other than
a sensible man--would consider this as the _chef-d’œuvre_ of all her
accomplishments, as he regarded her the charming assurance of so many
future comforts.
From innate coquetry alone the French women appreciate the powers of
their dainty table. Cooking is an art they cultivate. Any of the _haut
monde_ are proud to originate a new dish, many famous ones doing them
credit in bearing their names.
One thing is quite evident in America--that the want of this ornamental
and useful information is most deplorable. The inefficiency, in this
respect, of Western and Southern women, brought up under the system of
slavery, is somewhat greater than that of the women of the Northern and
Eastern States; however, as a nation, there is little to praise in this
regard in any locality. Professor Blot endeavored to come to the rescue.
Every _man_ applauded his enterprise; yet I can myself testify to the
indifference of the women--his classes for the study of cookery
numbering by units where they should have numbered by hundreds. He soon
discontinued his instructive endeavors, and at last died a poor man.
There is little difficulty abroad in obtaining good cooks at reasonable
prices, who have pursued regular courses of instruction in their trade:
not so in America. Hospitality demands the entertaining of friends at
the social board; yet it is almost impossible to do so in this country
in an acceptable manner, unless the hostess herself not only has a
proper idea of the serving of a table, but of the art of cooking the
dishes themselves as well. In some of the larger cities, satisfactory
dinners and trained waiters may be provided at an enormous cost at the
famous restaurants, where the meal may appear home-like and elegant. But
unfortunate is the woman, generally, who wants to do “the correct
thing,” and, wishing to entertain at dinner, relies upon the sense,
good taste, and management of the proprietor of a restaurant. She may
confidently rely upon one thing--an extortionate bill; and, generally,
as well, upon a vulgar display, which poorly imitates the manner of
refined private establishments.
However, “living for the world” seems very contemptible in comparison
with the importance of that wholesome, satisfactory, every-day living
which so vitally concerns the health and pleasure of the family circle.
But why waste time in asserting these self-evident facts? They are
acknowledged and proclaimed every day by suffering humanity; yet the
difficulty is not remedied. Is there a remedy, then? Yes. This is a free
country, yet Dame Fashion is the Queen. Make it the fashion, then, that
the art and science of cookery shall be classed among the necessary
accomplishments of every well-educated lady. This is a manifest duty on
the part of ladies of influence and position, even if the object be only
for the benefit of the country at large. Let these ladies be
accomplished artists in cookery. The rest will soon follow. There will
be plenty of imitators.
Many ladies of rank in England have written valuable books on cookery,
and on the effects resulting from the want of the knowledge. None wrote
better than Lady Morgan. Speaking of clubs, she says:
“The social want of the times, however, brought its remedy along with
it, and the reaction was astounding.... Then it was that clubs
arose--homes of refuge to destitute celibacy, chapels of ease to
discontented husbands. There, men could dine, like gentlemen and
Christians, upon all the _friandises_ of the French kitchen, much
cheaper and far more wholesomely than at their own tables upon the
tough, half-sodden fibres of the national roast and boiled, or on the
hazardous resources of hash, gravy soup, and marrow puddings.
“Moral England gave in. The English ‘home’--that temple of the heart,
that centre of all the virtues--was left to the solitary enjoyment of
the English wives.
“To your _casseroles_, then, women of Britain! Would you, with a
falconer’s voice, lure your faithless tassels back again? Apply to the
practical remedy of your wrongs; proceed to the reform of your domestic
government, and turn your thoughts to that art which, coming into action
every day in the year during the longest life, includes within its
circles the whole philosophy of economy and order, the preservation of
good health, and the tone of good society--and all peculiarly within
your province.”