A VISION OF GOOD COOKING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 846, 18 June 1910, Page 11

A VISION OF GOOD COOKING.

AT THE TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

[Bv Jennv Wke.v.]

Those people who cr.v out in alarm that the liomo and its needs are suffering by tie influx of women int-o other walks of life than the, purely domestic, iniglit have their 'fears allayed could they step into tho 100111 at the rear ot tho Technical School, dovoted to the domestic economy classes. Here all kinds of cooking are taught—plain, usetul, every-day cooking for every-day households, more advanced cooking for those who wish to go further stilly unci a very / important subjcct, cooking for invalids. ! ■ It was a very wet, cold, morning ; when the writer, guided by a delight- ■ fully savoury odour, found herself inside a large, 'well-lighted' rqom where a. number, of girls mostly botween the f ages of thirteen and fifteen; years •of age, were busily engaged in various '• kinds of cooking. The four gas stoves, I .what with pots boiling merrily upon the top and various kinds of dishes, in their ! . interiors, were well taxed as regards their carrying cajiacity, and suggested . the idea, to the unitiated looker-on that, r when a' large was in attendance, a considerable amount of foresight and management would ho necessary to en- % 'able each, pupil to car,ry out her work. They are taught to make soups, to -i . 'cook joints, vegetables, make up dishes, ■ and various kinds of sweets—everything that tho girls ■ are likely to have in . their own homes. A great deal of their ■ cooking is afterwards eaten for their lunch, the modest sum of threepence being paid by each' girl. The Technical School authorities supply the materials' which Jiiss Wolff,' the instructress, orders in first tiling in the morning—an undertaking that, must need ; iGome thinking out. Sometimes the boys wf tho Amokura training ship, who atttend certain classes while in port; are lalso cooked for by.the girls, and fare exceedingly well. Four long tables,'two running down ihe centre of tho v room and one at each end, are not any. too many and every two girls usually share a board, and work at tho same recipies—at least in ' . tho mornings. It is possiblo that there lire quite a number of homes tliat have not got all the accessories and conveniences for cooking that are to be found here, as everything that is an aid in s,ny way seems to have been supplied. Every encouragement is given pupils to rely upon their own commonsenseand judgment and, if it does sometimes betray them, and end by producing re- . suits that are entirely unexpected and unwished for—well, accidents will .. happen in tho best. regulated families. Now and again : a girl will be seen mak- ' ing a hasty dash for the. stove,. and gazing with a rueful look at her handi- • work while a slightly-burnt odour be- : . comes perceptible, but only now and again that happens. If she has been used- to-cooking with a range at her home she" is rath'er apt to forget that cooking with gas-is a sonlewhat'different matter. ' ■ ' ■ Cooking of a more advanced character is taught to the evening classes,, , 'and a great many of those attending them are girls who have been engaged during the day in offices, etc;, and who <do not wish, in spite of all tliat is said • to the contrary, to lose touch with those very necessary household accomplishments. Some of them, it is whispered, are about.to step into homes-of .their own and are wisely, with a view ■to a peaceful married life, studying how. to keep their future husbands in a state ®f constant amiability.' ■: It was interesting to be told some of ■tho,qucstions that were set the pupils -all the examination held at the school very recently. ' Not only ,is cooking ■taught-, but how to clean pots, and pihis, 1 •a sink and a gas stove, according to tho approved methods of .high.; authorities, Also , they are . expected to . know how ■to read a gasometer. • One of. the questions asked the dinners for a week" that'.you",would give; two children, one three years of .age, and the, other four. . A pupil, riot quite certain as to whether children of that age are - supposed .to have nieat, compromised, •and allowed them a very small quantity on two days. , l< Another, quest-ion demandedthree supper dishes, for a working man riot containing meat. . One rather. wonders whether such supper dishes would quito meet with approval as,- judgiug ', by . much that one has seen, the average New Zealand working man (perhaps the •tramway authorities will: define who is ia working, man and w.ho is not) thinks that he is badly used if ho does, not ■get it three time a day at least. It is evident that these cooking classes cover, a ..wide and very ■ practical range of ground,'and should go far ■towards making every 0110 who attends rihem a capable and efficient helper in the homo. If good ; cooking 'helps to build uj) the physique of the men and /women iiv New Zealand, then it is in great need of every, encouragement.