Street vendors were another popular source of a small bite to eat. Pepper pot soup was commonly sold this way, especially in and around the High Street markets. Vendors with pushcarts holding a big vat of the spicy soup would peddle it door-to-door; others would sell it from their market stalls.56 Waffles were also sold by street vendors who baked them over charcoal burners affixed to their horse-drawn carts.57 Pastries such as cherry tartlets and small “Dutch cakes,” which were oblong-shaped and iced, were piled on trays and sold by hawkers to children for six cents.58
While all these dining opportunities provided another outlet for the wealthy to make food purchases, possibly taking business away from Goodfellow's shop and catering service, they also showed the world that Philadelphia was a place where excellent and unique cooking could be enjoyed. These folks and places were essentially trend-setters, creating not only foods distinctive to the Philadelphia region, but also helping to develop an American style. Mrs. Goodfellow was right in the thick of all this—she knew where her business would thrive.
Mrs. Goodfellow's school set her apart from other pastry chefs and confectioners in Philadelphia. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising, especially in those days of limited press coverage, and she used her two businesses in tandem to market her goods and services. Women may have initially patronized her shop to purchase some cakes and other dainties for a tea they were hosting, and then learned she was giving instruction in how to make them. They could have then enrolled their daughters or even signed up for classes themselves. The news would spread to others within their social circle, ensuring Mrs. Goodfellow a constant supply of customers and students. She probably would have done well in New York, Boston, or Baltimore at the turn of the nineteenth century, but not as successfully as in Philadelphia, the wealthiest city and food capital of the United States.
FOUR
Mrs. Goodfellow's Cooking School
Philadelphia, 64 Dock Street
Wednesday, September 20, 1815
9 A.M.
Mrs. Goodfellow was in her pastry shop boxing up an order of jumbles when Hannah hurried in from the kitchen, wrapped in her cloak and toting a market basket. She was on her way to Sim's Wharf to purchase some lemons. Mrs. Goodfellow had read in Poulson's Daily Advertiser the previous day that seventy boxes from Lisbon would be auctioned there beginning at 9 A.M. Mrs. Goodfellow took a few coins from the cash box and handed them to Hannah, who put them in the plain cotton pocket tied around her neck and headed out the door.
As Hannah started out on her errand, she saw a small group of women and girls approaching the shop. She turned around quickly to alert Mrs. Goodfellow that some of her students were arriving, and then continued toward the wharfs. Mrs. Goodfellow wiped her hands on her apron and walked around from behind the display counter to welcome the group of shy young ladies. Some were accompanied by their mothers or servants who carried baskets filled with groceries they had purchased on the way.
Like Mrs. Goodfellow, several of the women and their daughters wore plain gray linen dresses typical of the Quaker fashion, with white caps to cover their heads. The servants also dressed in plain grays and browns, but their clothing was homespun. Other ladies, however, were wearing gowns or skirts that were brighter shades of blues and yellows, and some even had frills around their necks, as some Friends had begun to break away from the traditional unadorned Quaker dress. The non-Quaker women were also dressed more colorfully because they were not bound to these customs.
As the ladies exchanged greetings, a few more girls came to the door, giggling and nibbling on waffles they had purchased from street vendors as they passed through the markets. Once they were all inside, Mrs. Goodfellow quickly counted heads and determined all ten girls were present and class could begin. They would be making white fricassee chicken, boiled artichokes, and lemon pudding, all of which would be suitable for a company dinner. When done, they would get to sample the dishes as part of their lesson.
The mothers and servants said their goodbyes and headed on their way. Mrs. Goodfellow called for Mary to come into the shop to take over in her absence and then ushered the girls down the cellar stairs to the kitchen. They hung up their capes and carefully unfolded the freshly starched white aprons and caps each had brought with her.
As they pinned the caps on each other and tied their hair up under the caps, they surveyed the kitchen that would serve as their classroom. Although it was in a basement, the floors and ceiling were made of grooved yellow pine boards and the walls were whitewashed plaster, which made the room seem brighter and more spacious. Some light was coming through the small cellar windows, which had been secured with wire netting on the outside to prevent rats from trying to sneak in.
Rich cooking smells permeated the close space. The cheesecakes Mrs. Goodfellow had prepared earlier were cooling on one of the large wall racks. On another rested little tins of heart- and diamond-shaped Queen cakes, waiting to be prettily decorated later with fluffy sweet meringue icing, colorful nonpareils, and fine sugar sand. The “Spanish Bunns” were baking in the oven, giving off a spicy, yeasty aroma. Mary had placed the artichokes in one of the iron pots hanging over the fire where they were now boiling gently, releasing a fresh, grassy smell.
On one end of the wooden work table Mrs. Goodfellow had set out crocks of fresh butter and cream, and some small bowls of flour, herbs, and spices to make the chicken. At the other end sat earthenware dishes of butter and eggs, the box of powdered white sugar Hannah had prepared, and separate demijohns of white wine, brandy, and rosewater for the lemon pudding. The butcher's apprentice had already delivered the three chickens, which Mrs. Goodfellow had put in a large clay basin of cool water which rested on a side table along the wall.
Some of the girls tittered together and didn't seem overly eager to learn, but Mrs. Goodfellow ignored them and started immediately with the lesson. Gathering the girls around her, she boldly asked them all if they hoped to marry well someday. Most of the girls were taken aback. They blushed and looked down at their feet and nodded or whispered, “yes, Ma'am.” A few of the bolder ones blurted out, “yes,” or “certainly, Ma'am.”
Mrs. Goodfellow then explained the importance of being able to plan and put together a fine table, whether for a simple family supper or a fancy dinner party with guests. She stressed that cooking skills are required not only to attract a worthy husband, but also to keep him satisfied and interested after the marriage. Some of the girls blushed even more, as it was rumored that not only was Mrs. Goodfellow a talented pastry maker, but she also had a knack for providing matchmaking services for her students.
She knew very well these girls would need to understand how to cook and present a variety of rich and wholesome dishes in order to select first-rate cooks for their households. And the ability to create eye-catching pastries and luscious desserts was a must to entertain and impress their society contemporaries.
“Cutting corners is not at all desirable in the cooking process,” Mrs. Goodfellow emphasized to the girls. “Careless and hasty methods will not be tolerated. We must select the finest ingredients in order to produce the tastiest and most nutritious meals.” She guaranteed that by purchasing fresh, high-quality products and making sure that nothing of value was wasted or thrown away, a wife would feed her family very well indeed.
She gestured for the girls to follow her over to the work table. As it was the first session, Mrs. Goodfellow began with the basics, starting with the need for a clean kitchen, from hands and aprons to the work table and utensils. In addition, she told them they must always pull their hair up under a cap to prevent strands from ending up in the food.
It is important to set out all necessary items before beginning a recipe, she instructed, waving her arm over the work table as an example. “This eliminates the need to stop in the middle and search for an ingredient or utensil. The items you see here on this table are what we need to make the two dishes.” Thus, she was already preaching the now-familiar concept o
f mise en place.
Making eye contact with each girl in turn, Mrs. Goodfellow stressed that skill in baking is the result of practice and experience, but much depends on the state of the fire, the size of the items to be baked, and the thickness of the pans or dishes. This holds true for both cakes and puddings, she noted.
She also suggested that the girls bring a little blank book to take notes and write down the recipes, which she noticed a few had already done. She explained that because this was their first lesson, she would do most of the work herself, instructing as she went along, with minimal help from the students. As the classes progressed, she would gradually have them take part in the preparatory work and actual cooking and baking so that by the last lesson she would step back and let them do everything themselves.
Leading the girls over to the immense fireplace, she explained they would be cooking the chicken in a pot of boiling water over the open fire. Both of the heavy cast-iron pots Mary had filled earlier were hanging on the fireplace crane and now boiling gently—one was empty and the other held the artichokes. Mrs. Goodfellow demonstrated the wrought-iron crane's swinging motion in and out of the open fire, as well as its adjustable trammels which raised and lowered the pots or kettles suspended from it. She took the lid off the pot that contained the artichokes and carefully pulled one out with a pair of long iron tongs, placing it in a shallow dish. She showed the girls how Mary had removed the coarse outer leaves and cut off the stalks close to the bottom. Since the artichokes had to soak for a couple of hours before boiling, she explained, there wouldn't have been time for the whole process during the lesson. She then placed the artichoke back into the cooking water, and after resetting the crane at the desired height, swung the heavy cauldron over the fire to resume boiling.
Next she beckoned them all to gather around the large central work table. She wrapped one of the chickens in a clean towel and brought it over to the table, laying it down in a wooden chopping bowl with the breast up and the neck to the left. She explained that care must be taken to chop the chicken pieces evenly without splintering the bones, which gives the finished dish not only an unappealing look, but is a potential choking hazard. With a small sharp knife she made an incision in the thin skin between the inside of the legs and the body. She then proceeded to cut the chicken into pieces with a large cleaver, showing the students how the bones easily separate at the joint when the tendon and gristly portion connecting them have been severed. Once the chicken was in pieces, she removed the skin and placed them into another basin filled with fresh, cool water.
She continued this process for all three birds, and then carried the basin over to the fireplace where the pot filled with water was boiling nicely. Swinging it toward her, she gently added the chicken pieces to the pot and called out to Hannah, who had just come back with the basket of lemons. Hannah placed the lemons on the table and walked over to the fireplace. Mrs. Goodfellow asked her to keep an eye on the pot to make sure the water was kept at a gentle simmer and to occasionally stir the chicken with a long spoon so that the meat would cook evenly.
Mrs. Goodfellow then led the girls back over to the work table to start on the lemon pudding. First she carefully picked through the basket of lemons, and choosing a large one with a smooth, thin rind, she wiped it with a soft cloth. She then grated the outer part of the rind onto a plate, explaining to the girls that it is essential to remove only the yellow part of the skin, as the white is very bitter. She then cut the lemon in half and squeezed the juice onto the plate that contained the grated rind. After carefully removing all the seeds with a small dessert spoon, she mixed the rind and juice together.
Next she walked over to the kitchen dresser and used the scales to measure half a pound of powdered sugar. While measuring the sugar, she told the students that scales should hang in a convenient place. If they are stored in the scale-box, the chains can become twisted and unlinked each time they are taken out. The weights, however (of which there should be a set ranging from two pounds to a quarter of an ounce), should be kept in the box, so that none get lost.
After placing the sugar in a deep earthen pan, she weighed half a pound of fresh butter and then washed it in some cold water, carefully squeezing and pressing out water with her hands. She explained this removed any excess buttermilk and salt. She then mixed the butter with the sugar using a knife. Once the butter was in small pieces, she took a long, round hickory paddle and creamed the butter and sugar together, her arm a dizzying blur. As she vigorously stirred, she explained that if a recipe calls for butter and sugar to be mixed together, this should always be done before the eggs are beaten. If the eggs are beaten before the other ingredients are ready, they fall quickly, she warned.
She kept up this brisk pace until she was satisfied with the consistency of the butter and sugar, which took quite a long time and required a strong arm. Instructing the girls to gather closer, she tilted the dish a bit, letting them get a good look at the smooth, silken mixture. It was a lovely pale yellow color and stood up in the pan like thick cream.
Next she took an egg and broke it into a saucer. Once she determined it was fine, she tipped the egg into a broad clay pan and then repeated the process with five more eggs. She explained that every egg needs to be tested for freshness in this way before adding to the pan so that one bad egg does not spoil the whole recipe. When all six eggs were in the pan, she then beat them with a hickory egg beater until they were glossy and thick, like a boiled custard. As her arm tirelessly swirled the wooden whisk, she explained that eggs should always be beaten in a shallow earthen pan like the one she was using, and butter and sugar in a deep one. Pans made of tin are not suitable, as the coldness of the metal prevents the mixtures from becoming light, she added.
She then stirred the eggs gradually into the butter and sugar mixture. Once they were well combined, she poured some white wine and then some brandy into a wine glass, and added it to the pan a little at a time, alternating with two dessert spoonfuls of rosewater. Finally, she gradually blended in the lemon juice and rind, and then stirred the pudding thoroughly, making sure all the ingredients were well incorporated.
Mrs. Goodfellow then walked over to the larder to retrieve the plate of puff paste she had made earlier. She brought it to the work table, and then turned to get her pastry board, rolling pin, and some flour. She told the girls that although she would fully demonstrate how to make puff paste from beginning to end in a later lesson, she always covered the fundamentals of pastry making in the first session. She felt this skill was of utmost importance and therefore repeated its guidelines throughout her classes, encouraging the students to take detailed notes.
As she sprinkled some flour on the board and rolling pin and then carefully unfolded one sheet of paste, she explained that it was essential to use only small amounts of flour to sprinkle and roll with, as too much flour will make the pastry tough when baked. Placing the sheet on the board, she picked up her rolling pin and rolled out the dough with short, quick strokes, demonstrating how it was important to always roll away, not toward yourself. As it was the second rolling, she told them she was also using a firmer touch with the rolling pin than when she had first made up the paste that morning. A lighter hand in the beginning produces a lighter paste, she advised. Then, cutting the large sheet in half, she folded up each piece and rolled them out again into two separate circles, pressing down so that the paste was thinner in the middle and thicker toward the edges.
Picking up a soup plate, she explained to the girls that the paste had to be just large enough to cover the bottom, sides, and edges. Taking a little piece of linen cloth, she rubbed some butter on the inside of this dish and another of the same size and then gently lay the rounds of pastry in each, making it neat and even around the broad edge of each plate. She then trimmed off the extra dough and notched the edges around the rims with a sharp knife. Giving the pudding mixture one last stir, she spooned some into one dish, and then the other, making sure it was divided equally betw
een the two.
She then asked the girls to follow her over to the fireplace to test the heat of the bake-oven. She showed them how to hold their hand in the front of the oven, and to start counting; if they were able to count to twenty, the heat was about right for the puddings.
The girls took turns tentatively reaching their small pale hands toward the brick opening, turning their faces away from the intense heat. They all made it to a count of twenty and nodded their heads that it seemed the correct temperature. Mrs. Goodfellow agreed, and went back to the table to get the puddings. She put one inside the oven and pushed it back further with the peel. She then went back for the second pudding and pushed that one into the oven as well.
Wiping her hands on her apron, she told the girls it was time to check on the chicken, so they all turned toward the fire where Hannah was busy stirring the bubbling pot with a long iron spoon. As Mrs. Goodfellow adjusted the crane, lowering the pot so they could see inside, they all caught a whiff of the savory, peppery smell. Taking the spoon from Hannah for a moment, Mrs. Goodfellow stirred the pieces around a bit, scooping up a few with the spoon so she could have a better look. She told them that although the chicken was coming along nicely, it needed a bit more cooking time. So she placed the pot back over the fire, but raised it a bit higher than before so the heat was less direct. She told Hannah she no longer needed to watch the pot and asked her to please start preparing the necessary items for the dinner table. She then peeked into the other pot where the artichokes were simmering. Lifting one out, she gently pulled on one of its outer leaves with a fork. Since it was not yet detaching easily, she determined they also needed a little more time in the pot, so she replaced the lid and then walked back over to the work table, gesturing for the girls to follow.
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