Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil InstitutionsSoyer, Alexis
History
Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War.: With The Plain Art of Cookery for Military and Civil Institutions
Soyer, Alexis
Cooking for military personnel; Crimean War, 1853-1856
The day after the receipt of this I went to Kululee, where I had the
pleasure of seeing Miss Hutton for the first time, and met with a most
gracious reception from that lady and her assistants. We next visited
the General Hospital upon the heights, where I was introduced to the
matron and the Irish Sisters of Charity. These ladies were very anxious
to obtain some utensils and have a new extra-diet kitchen built. Captain
Gordon’s assistant made a small sketch of the place, and undertook to
have it done at once, being aware of its necessity. I left quite
satisfied that it would be immediately put in execution.
It only remained for me to give a list of the utensils required to the
purveyor-in-chief; and shortly after, in company with that gentleman, I
paid another visit to the hospital, where, thanks to his attention, they
had a most effective kitchen. I regretted that the large kitchen for the
convalescent belonged to the Turkish authorities, as it could not be
altered to my liking. Nothing could be altered without an order from the
Turkish officials, and to obtain this, would have taken as long a time
as the duration of the war. Upon leaving the General Hospital, we
visited the Barrack Hospital, where we found every department
perfect--the orders given upon our former visit with Lady Stratford de
Redcliffe having been carried out to the letter. I was now introduced to
Doctor Humphrey, who had been appointed in lieu of another medical
gentleman. He accompanied us round the hospital, and kindly offered me a
bed for the night, which I accepted--having to cook for the patients the
next morning, as well as to instruct some soldier-cooks who were at the
convalescent hospital, called the Riding School. The next day I was in
full action, and received visits from every doctor and Sister of
Charity, who all approved of the diets, as well as my new teapot, in
which I made in the space of ten minutes, out of the ration tea, enough
strong tea for about thirty persons; thus effecting a saving of at least
ten per cent. At the desire of Miss Hutton, I afterwards sent a civilian
cook to the Barrack Hospital, to carry out the system, and to set the
various kitchen departments in order. But I must observe in full
justice to that lady, who had succeeded Miss Stanley, that since my last
visit to these hospitals, every department under her care was so much
improved that hardly anything was required to perfect them. Although the
hospitals were full of patients, the lady assistants who attended this
duty appeared to devote their utmost energies to the benevolent and
humane cause for which they had left their native homes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account