―65―ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.
For the Weekly Magazine.
REVIEW.
Count Rumford's Third Essay.
Of Food, and particularly of Feeding
the Poor.
THE subjects hitherto discussed
by this writer relate, generally, to
the best mode of supplying the neces-
sities of the poor. They are topics,
therefore, in a considerable degree,
political. The field of enquiry in
the third essay is interesting, in dif-
ferent degrees, but in a direct man-
ner to every individual.
It is known that the best book on
the art of cookery extant, is the
work of a philosopher. There is no-
velty, as well as ludicrousness, in
the idea of serious and benevolent
discussion, bestowed on this subject;
and yet, if the composition and pre-
paration of food be capable of being
rendered less expensive, less compli-
cated, less tedious, and, at the same
time, more palatable and more nutri-
tious, than they are at present, few
topics are more worthy of serious
discussion.
Improvements in this art have
much to contend with in the invete-
racy of popular habits. In an affair
of so constant and frequent recurrence
as eating, custom is an arbitrary
despot; and yet, a scheme, accom-
panied with great and incontestible
advantages, may be expected to gain
footing, however gradually, first in
the opinions, and next in the prac-
tice of mankind. A review of the
speculations of this author will shew
their true value.
In cookery the principal medium
or vehicle is water. Some arguments
are used to shew that water prepares
food, not by taking away, or merely
taking away properties before pos-
sessed, but by adding properties of
its own. Water being lately proved
to be a compound substance, essen-
tially contributing to the growth of
plants, it is probable that animals are
likewise sustained in the same way.
Experiment has proved the nutri-
tiousness of food to depend, not
wholly on the nature or quantity of
the simple ingredients, but chiefly
on the mode of mixing and cooking.
Few problems are more curious than
that which relates to the quantity of
nutriment which water, and the ma-
nagement of water may contribute.
That compound, which possesses most
advantages, excludes the flesh of
animals, and comprises pearl-barley,
pease, potatoes, bread-cuttings, vi-
negar, salt, and water in certain
proportions. First let the barley be
put into water and boiled: then add
the pease; and, after two hours'
gentle boiling, the potatoes, peeled.
The boiling having continued one
hour more, and the mass frequently
stirred, add vinegar and salt, and,
just before serving it up, the bread-
cuttings.
―66―Food pleases the palate more, and
is more easily digested, as the masti-
cation is longer and more complete.
Bread is useful to this end; but more
so in proportion to the small degree
in which it is softened or dissolved
by the fluid; or, in proportion to its
hardness, which may be increased by
keeping it till stale, by toasting, and,
lastly, by frying it in oil, lard, or
butter. Of this soup twenty ounces,
or a pint and one fourth, suffices as
a meal for a strong man. In this are
included less than six ounces of solid,
vegetable food. Healthful subsistence
requires not more than two portions
daily.
These facts are copiously detailed
and illustrated. It seems sufficient
to observe that experience demon-
strates their truth. The tendency of
cooking to enhance nourishment, has
been displayed in the treatment of
cattle; kitchens being built, in many
parts of Germany, for the use of
beasts as well as of men. The be-
nefit of this food, in order to be re-
alised, seems to require that great
numbers should be supplied by one
process and from one kettle. As the
means of supplying one person, or
one family, it is liable to objections,
from which, as the means of supply-
ing hundreds or thousands, it is ex-
empt. This circumstance is chiefly
of weight as it regards fuel and la-
bour. A family of ten persons may
be supplied by seven articles, inclu-
ding water; the solid, vegetable
food, consisting of four articles,
weighing seven pounds eight ounces,
and the whole amounting to twelve
quarts and a pint.
The scale, on which this experi-
ment was tried by Count Rumford,
was large. Food was in this manner
supplied to twelve hundred persons.
Potatoes were at first omitted. The
hands of three cook-maids and two
men-servants were sufficient. The
whole cost, including the price of
the ingredients, wages, fuel, repairs
of kitchen, and furniture, amounted,
daily, to £. 1 : 15 : 2¼ sterling, or
one third of a penny to each person.
The subsequent addition of potatoes
reduced the cost to £. 1 : 7 : 6⅔, or
one farthing to each person. The
price of articles is variable; but the
proportions being fixed, the compu-
tation is, in all cases, easy. These
proportions, in a single mess, are
almost too small for calculation. In
this view, indeed, they are of little
moment, since a single mess could
not, and need not be prepared. The
proportions in soup prepared for ten
persons may be set down thus; a
fractional exactness is superfluous.
| lb. | oz. | |
| Pearl barley | 10 | |
| Peas | 9 | |
| Potatoes | 1 | 15 |
| Bread | 10 | |
| Total solids | 3 | 12 |
| Salt | 3 | |
| Weak vinegar | 7⅔ | |
| Water | 8 | 2 |
| Total | 12 | 8⅔ |
This writer computes the expence
of the same provision to twelve hun-
dred persons in London, November,
1795, a period of scarcity, to be
£. 3 : 9 : 9¾, or nearly thirteen dol-
lars and a third; which is less than
a cent and an half to each person.
A public kitchen, established on
these principles, might supply a man
with dinners, at the annual expence
of four dollars and ten cents.
This soup, though palatable as
well as nutritive, is susceptible of
various improvements. The addition
of flesh is an obvious improvement.
Salted or smoked meat is best adapted
to this purpose. It should be boiled
in the soup, cut up, and mixed with
the bread. It may likewise be used
in the form of dumplins, composed
of meat, minced, and flour or bread.
So small a proportion as one ounce
of meat to eighteen ounces of soup,
will impart a considerable relish.
Salted or smoked fish is another valu-
able ingredient. The common gar-
―67―
den vegetables may be added at
pleasure.
In the preparation of this food the
management of fuel is matter of par-
ticular importance. The boiling
should be as gentle as possible; and
it would be still better if the water
were kept no more than boiling hot.
The heat of water cannot be raised
beyond the boiling point: To create
bubbles is merely to generate steam
and consume fuel.
The inconvenience of what is
termed by the cooks burning to, may
be avoided by the use of vessels with
double bottoms. The two plates of
metal should be brought, by ham-
mering, as nearly into contact as
possible; but no soldering should be
used unless it be to join the edges.
Great advantages would accrue from
the use of double bottoms in all kinds
of cooking vessels.
The writer introduces a curious
account of military house-keeping in
Bavaria. It is a model not unworthy
of the attention of the wise. If imi-
tation be practicable, what should
hinder us from practising it? To sim-
plify our servile toils, and limit our
expences, is the dictate of the highest
wisdom.
According to the first representa-
tion, each soldier, in a mess of twelve,
consumed, during the day, two
pounds and three ounces of solid
food, consisting of bread (lb. 1 13½)
beef (3 1/10 oz.) herbs, salt, and pepper.
A knowledge of prevailing prices
may shew us the expence, accruing
to ourselves, from the adoption of
this mode of living. In Bavaria,
two pence sterling was the amount
of a soldier's daily expences for food;
so that his annual expence did not
exceed thirteen dollars and an half.
Those whose utmost labour can
only procure them necessaries, had
need to economise their pittance and
to live upon as little as possible. The
rich if they pay regard to their duty
to themselves, which prescribes to
them temperance, and their duty to
others, which exacts from them the
employment of their funds to supply
the needs of others, when their own
necessities are supplied, will be equally
sedulous in searching out means for
cheapening and nutrifying food.
The poor, at Munich, consumed
but one meal a-day, and lived at a
much less expence than the soldiery.
The annual amount was no more
than three dollars and forty cents.
They received their food gratis, the
institution being a charitable one.
Let us image to ourselves a similar
establishment, for the purpose of gain.
The food was delicious and whole-
some; and no doubt its superior
cheapness would have attracted no
less a number of customers. Suppose
the director should levy on his cus-
tomers a profit of three or four hun-
dred per centum. The charge to
each man would be four cents for his
dinner, and the daily amount of clear
profit on twelve hundred customers
would be more than forty dollars,
which are 14,600 dollars per annum.
This profit may be considered as a
tax upon the customer. Let us sup-
pose this institution to be general
and national, in a country like Eng-
land for example. According to
this writer's computation a London
dinner, in this style, could be fur-
nished for two farthings, and, in
other parts of the kingdom at a
smaller rate. If the price were fixed
at three pence two farthings, and
one in ten of the inhabitants were a
customer, it would produce an annual
revenue of £. 190,000.
That schemes for supplying the
public funds should be blended with
those whose end is to annihilate po-
verty and all its miserable and cri-
minal progeny, may seem absurd;
yet if national like private income
may flow from the rise of stock, and
if nations like men may be contented
with less than the highest possible pro-
fit on their commodities, the scheme
will no longer be deemed absurd.
The remainder of this essay, con-
taining speculations on the properties
and uses of Indian corn and potatoes,
will be noticed in a future number.