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235
The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft
·
George Gissing
202
Our
supremacy
in
this
matter
of
the
table
came
with
little
taking
of
thought;
what
we
should
now
do
is
to
reflect
upon
the
things
which
used
to
be
instinctive,
perceive
the
reasons
of
our
excellence,
and
set
to
work
to
re-establish
it.
Of
course
the
vilest
cooking
in
the
kingdom
is
found
in
London;
is
it
not
with
the
exorbitant
growth
of
London
that
many
an
ill
has
spread
over
the
land?
London
is
the
antithesis
of
the
domestic
ideal;
a
social
reformer
would
not
even
glance
in
that
direction,
but
would
turn
all
his
zeal
upon
small
towns
and
country
districts,
where
blight
may
perhaps
be
arrested,
and
whence,
some
day,
a
reconstituted
national
life
may
act
upon
the
great
centre
of
corruption.
I
had
far
rather
see
England
covered
with
schools
of
cookery
than
with
schools
of
the
ordinary
kind;
the
issue
would
be
infinitely
more
hopeful.
Little
girls
should
be
taught
cooking
and
baking
more
assiduously
than
they
are
taught
to
read.
But
with
ever
in
view
the
great
English
principle--that
food
is
only
cooked
aright
when
it
yields
the
utmost
of
its
native
and
characteristic
savour.
Let
sauces
be
utterly
forbidden--save
the
natural
sauce
made
of
gravy.
In
the
same
way
with
sweets;
keep
in
view
the
insurpassable
English
ideals
of
baked
tarts
(or
pies,
if
so
you
call
them),
and
boiled
puddings;
as
they
are
the
wholesomest,
so
are
they
the
most
delicious
of
sweet
cakes
yet
invented;
it
is
merely
a
question
of
having
them
well
made
and
cooked.
Bread,
again;
we
are
getting
used
to
bread
of
poor
quality,
and
ill-made,
but
the
English
loaf
at
its
best--such
as
you
were
once
sure
of
getting
in
every
village--is
the
faultless
form
of
the
staff
of
life.
Think
of
the
glorious
revolution
that
could
be
wrought
in
our
troubled
England
if
it
could
be
ordained
that
no
maid,
of
whatever
rank,
might
become
a
wife
unless
she
had
proved
her
ability
to
make
and
bake
a
perfect
loaf
of
bread.
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