Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/188

 WOMAN'S HOME 1 66 THE SERVAMT QUESTIOH f/m'^ THE DUTIES OF THE COOK AND THE PARLOURMAID How the Day Should be Portioned Off— Time Tables With or Without Help-Duties for Each Day— The Right Dresses— The Importance of Quiet Shoes— Perquisites and Commissions— Extra Duties of help is given, there should be ample time for quite good cooking ; but where cook has no extra assistance the cooking must necessarily be more simple. Wages vary from ;^20 for a plain cook to Cook's Duties THE cook is a very important personage in the house, and her duties vary consider- ably according to the number of servants kept and whether or not she has assistance given her from either a kitchenmaid, or " between-maid " (one who's time is divided between up and down stairs), or a char- woman, or a boot-boy. If the help of a charwoman is given, she does the rough cleaning of the kitchen premises, leaving the cooking and the lighter cleaning for the cook. If a boot- boy is employed, he cleans the knives, boots, fills coal-scuttles, and sometimes cleans the windows as well. In the country this work is frequently done by the gardener or odd outdoor man. In a family of average size, if this amount COOK'S TIME TABLE about £^o per annum. Beside the list of duties given below, the cook-general takes charge of the maid's bed- room, fills the coal-scuttles, washes up all the dining-room crockery, except glass and silver, answers the back door all day and the front door up to 12 o'clock. With all this daily work and special clean- ing it can be easily understood that she has only time to prepare, cook, and serve simple dishes. Anything specially elaborate is usually done by the mistress or daughters of the house. Where only one other servant is kept it Two maids kepi, and a charwoman for half a day on Tuesdays and Fridays. DAILY 6.30 a.m. : Light kitchen fire ; sweep hall, do doorstep, brasses, etc. ; clean boots. 7.30 ; Prepare and have kitchen breakfast. 8.30 ; Prepare dining-room breakfast ; tidy kitchen ; wipe out larder. 1 0.0 .• Receive orders for the day from the mistress. ii.o .• Prepare lunch and kitchen dinner. 12 noon : Have kitchen dinner {usually one hour allowed). DUTIES I p.m. : Serve lunch ; clear and wash up kitchen dinner things ; tidy kitchen ; do any light cooking or cleaning. 4.0 ; Change dress. {Housemaid usually prepares and clears away kitchen tea.) Prepare and — 7.30 .• Serve dinner. 8.30 ; Wash up and tidy in scullery ; have supper ; tidy kitchen. 1 0.0 ; Go to bed. SPECIAL DUTIES Monday : Clean larder and kitchen store- cupboard. Tuesday : Charwoman cleans outside places and area {if there is one), and washes kitchen cloths. Cook cleans all tins and brasses. Wednesday : Clean scullery. Thursday : Turn out own bedroom. Friday : Charwoman cleans kitchen stairs and passages, and special kitchen work. Cook makes cakes and pastry for the week. Saturday : Weekly clean of kitchen stove and dresser. FOR A SMALL HOUSE Only a house-parlourmaid kept and no extra help allowed. 6.15 a.m. : Light kitchen fire ; do dining- room and library grates ; sweep dining- room, library, and hall ; clean front doorstep and brasses ; clean boots ; prepare and have kitchen breakfast ; prepare and serve dining-room break- fast, tidy kitchen and larder; clear dining-room breakfast. 1 0.0 .• Receive orders for the day from the mistress ; prepare and serve kitchen dinner and dining-room lunch, and do any special work ; take an hour for kitchen dinner and rest. 2 p.m. : Wash up dinner things ; tidy kitchen and scullery ; do any light cleaning, or wash cloths. 4.0 ; Change dress ; prepare and have kitchen tea. 7.30 ; Prepare late dinner ; tidy kitchen and scullery ; clean knives. 9.0 ; Have supper ; wash up supper things. 10. o ; Bed.