of what I intend, may ferve for either Sex; and your Part naturally follows the former, because the Butler and you are joined in Intereft; your Vails are generally equal, and paid when others are difappointed; you can junket together at Nights upon your own Progue, when the reft of the Houfe are in Bed, and have it in your Power to make every Fellowfervant your Friend; you can give a good Bit, or a good Sup, to the little Mafters and Miffes, and gain their Affections: A Quarrel between you is very dangerous to you both, and will probably end in one of you being turned off; in which fatal Cafe, perhaps, it will not be fo eafy, in fome Time, to cotton with another. And now, Mrs. Cook, I proceed to give you my Instructions, which I defire you will get fome Fellow-fervant in the Family to read to you conftantly, one Night in every Week, when you are going to Bed, whether you ferve in Town or Country, for my Leffons shall be fitted for both. If your Lady forgetteth at Supper, that there is any cold Meat in the House, do not you be fo officious as to put her in Mind; it is plain she did not want it; and, if the recollecteth it the next Day, say she gave you no Orders, and it is fpent; therefore, for fear of telling a Lye, difpofe of it with the Butler, or any other Crony, before you go to Bed. Never fend up a Leg of a Fowl, at Supper, while there is a Cat or Dog in the House, that VOL. VIII. E can. can be accused for running away with it; but, if there happen to be neither, you must lay it upon the Rats, or a strange Greyhound. It is ill Housewifery to foul your KitchenRubbers with wiping the Bottoms of the Dishes you fend up, fince the Table-cloth will do as well, and is changed every Meal. Never clean your Spits after they have been ufed; for the Grease left upon them by Meat, is the best thing to preferve them from Ruft; and when you make use of them again, the fame Greafe will keep the Infide of the Meat moist. If you live in a rich Family, roafting and boiling are below the Dignity of your Office, and which it becometh you to be ignorant of; therefore, leave that Work, wholly to the Kitchen-Wench, for fear of difgracing the Family you live in. If you are employed in Marketing, buy your Meat as cheap as you can; but when you bring in your Accounts, be tender of your Master's Honour, and fet down the highest Rate; which, befides, is but Juftice; for nobody can afford to fell at the fame Rate that he buyeth; and I am confident, that you may charge fafely; fwear that you gave no more than what the Butcher and Poulterer afked. If your Lady order you to fet up a Piece of Meat for Supper, you are not to understand that you must set it you may Good Good Cooks cannot abide what they very justly call fidling Work, where Abundance of Time is spent, and little done: Such, for Inftance, is the dreffing fmall Birds, requiring a world of Cookery and Clutter, and a second or third Spit, which, by the way, is abfolutely needlefs; for it would be a very ridiculous Thing indeed, if a Spit which is strong enough to turn a Surloin of Beef, fhould not be able to turn a Lark: However, if your Lady be nice, and is afraid that a large Spit will tear them, place them handsomely in the Drippingpan, where the Fat of roafted Mutton or Beef falling on the Birds, will serve to baste them, and fo fave both Time and Butter; for what Cook of any Spirit would lofe her Time in picking Larks, Wheatears, and other small Birds? Therefore, if you cannot get the Maids, or the young Miffes, to affift you, e'en make fhort Work, and either finge or flay them; there is no great Lofs in the Skins, and the Flesh is just the same. If you are employed in Market, do not accept a Treat of a Beef-ftake, and Pot of Ale, from the Butcher, which, I think, in Confcience, is no better than wronging your Master; but do you always take that Perquifite in Money, if you do not go in Truft; or in Poundage when you pay the Bills. The Kitchen-Bellows being usually out of Order, with stirring the Fire with the Muzzle, to fave the Tongs and Poker, borrow the BelE 2 lows t lows out of your Lady's Bed-chamber, which, being least used, are commonly the best in the House; and, if you happen to damage or grease them, you have the Chance to keep them entirely for your own Ufe. Let a Blackguard Boy be always about the Houfe to fend on your Errands, and go to Market for you in rainy Days, which will save your Cloaths, and make you appear more creditable to your Mistress. If your Miftrefs alloweth you the Kitchenstuff, in return of her Generosity, take care to boil and roast your Meat fufficient. If the keepeth it for her own Profit, do her Juftice; and rather than let a good Fire be wanting, enliven it now and then with the Dripping, and the Butter that happeneth to turn to Oil. Send up your Meat well stuck with Skewers, to make it look round and plump; and an Iron Skewer, rightly employed now and then, will make it look handfomer. When you roaft a long Joint of Meat, be careful only about the Middle, and leave the two extreme Parts raw, which may ferve another Time, and will also fave Firing. When you scour your Plates and Dishes, bend the Brim inward, fo as to make them hold the more. Always keep a large Fire in the Kitchen when there is a fmall Dinner, or the Family dineth Abroad, that the Neighbours, feeing the Smoak, may commend your Mafter's House Houfe-keeping: But, when much Company is invited, then be as fparing as poffible of your Coals, because a great deal of the Meat being half raw, will be faved, and ferve for next Day. Boil your Meat conftantly in Pump-water, because you may fometimes want River or Pipe-water; and then your Mistress, obferveing your Meat of a different Colour, will chide you when you are not in Fault. When you have Plenty of Fowl in the Larder, leave the Door open, in Pity to the poor Cat, if the be a good Moufer. If you find it neceffary to go to Market in a wet Day, take out your Mistress's Riding-hood and Cloak, to fave your Cloaths. Get three or four Chair-women constantly to attend you in the Kitchen, whom you pay at fmall Charges, only with the broken Meat, a few Coals, and all the Cinders. To keep troublesome Servants out of the Kitchen, always leave the Winder sticking on the Jack, to fall on their Heads. If a Lump of Soot falleth into the Soup, and you cannot conveniently get it out, fcum it well, and it will give the Soup a high French Taste. If you melt your Butter to Oil, be under no Concern, but fend it up; for Oil is a genteeler Sauce than Butter. Scrape the Bottoms of your Pots and Kettles with a Silver Spoon, for fear of giving them a Taste of Copper. |