The Chemistry of Cookery

Count Rumford, by Sergeant Wickelhof’s mess, in the first company of the first (or Elector’s Own) regiment of Grenadiers at Munich.’ JUNE 10, 1795.—BILL OF FARE. Boiled beef, with soup and bread dumplings. DETAILS OF THE EXPENSE. First, for the boiled beef and the soup. lb. loths. Creutzers. 2 0 beef 16 0 1 sweet herbs 1 0 0¼ pepper 0½ 0 6 salt 0½ 1 14½ ammunition bread cut fine 2⅞ 9 20 water 0 ------------ ---- Total 13 9¾ Cost 20⅞ The Bavarian pound is a little less than 1¼ lb. avoirdupois, and is divided into 32 loths. All these were put into an earthenware pot and boiled for two hours and a quarter; then divided into twelve portions of 26-7/12 loths each, costing 1¾ creutzer. Second, for the bread dumpling. lb. loths. Creutzers. 10 13 f fine semel bread 10 1 0 of fine flour 4½ 0 6 salt 0½ 3 0 water 0 ----- --- Total 5 19 Cost 15 This mass was made into dumplings, which were boiled half an hour in clear water. Upon taking them out of the water they were found to weigh 5 lbs. 24 loths, giving 15⅓ loths to each portion, costing 1¼ creutzer. The meat, soup, and dumplings were served all at once, in the same dish, and were all eaten together at dinner. Each member of the mess was also supplied with 10 loths of rye bread, which cost 5/16 of a creutzer. Also with 10 loths of the same for breakfast, another piece of same weight in the afternoon, and another for his supper. A detailed analysis of this is given, the sum total of which shows that each man received in avoirdupois weight daily: lb. oz. 2 2-34/100 of solids 1 2-84/100 of ‘prepared water’ ------------- 3 5-18/100 total solids and fluids. which cost 5-17/48 creutzers, or twopence sterling, very nearly. Other bills of fare of other messes, officially reported, give about the same. This is exclusive of the cost of fuel, &c., for cooking. All who are concerned in soup-kitchens or other economic dietaries should