“That will be the best plan; and probably his lordship will come with us.”
With this the lady withdrew. Dr. Macgregor and myself next went to the purveyor’s department, to see Mr. Tucker, whom I found to be an old London friend of mine, of ten years’ standing. “You are about the last person, friend Soyer,” said Mr. Tucker, “whom I should have expected to see here.”
“I am indeed in luck, as I hear you are the gentleman from whom I shall probably require the most assistance.”
“Anything you may require, M. Soyer, I have orders to let you have; and you may rest assured that Mr. Milton and myself will assist you to the utmost of our power. There is another person here who knows you—Mr. Bailey, the storekeeper.”
“These are indeed good tidings. To-morrow, Mr. Tucker, I shall be here early, to see how they manage the cooking. Perhaps you will be kind enough to allow some of your men to show me the various store-rooms and the fresh provisions.”
“I will make that all right, you may depend upon it.”
As my house was not quite ready I crossed over to Pera, and in the evening went to the English Embassy, to settle some business with Signor Roco Vido, and to ascertain whether Lady Stratford had fixed the day for our visit to the hospital at Kululee. This was to be my last night in Pera, as my house at Scutari was to be ready the following day.
CHAPTER X.
A TOUR ROUND THE KITCHENS.
Inspection of stores—Methods pursued—Interview with Lord W. Paulet—Scene in a kitchen—Terrible confusion—Only one plate—Underdone and overdone—Receipt for nourishing fare—Mr. Milton—Cordial reception—Plans for a better system—Dr. Taylor—Conversation upon cookery—Importance of culinary science in the medical department—A pleasant night—Value of a greatcoat—Operations commenced—Question of copper vessels—Curious method of marking the lots—A decent trick—Wilful waste—Experiments upon the extra diets—My first-class interpreter.
AT half-past six the next morning I was in the kitchen. The soldiers were at that hour making the coffee and tea for breakfast. I went with the serjeant on duty to inspect the quality of the meat, the quantity allowed, and the place of distribution. I found the meat of a very inferior quality, the method of distribution too complicated. When the weight of the quantity allowed was explained to me I found it correct. I was at first much puzzled at finding that some patients upon full diet received three quarters of a pound, some half a pound, and some a quarter of a pound of meat, accordingly as they were placed upon full, half, or quarter diet allowance—a system unavoidable in a hospital, but which would deceive the best cook. On some days, in providing for a hundred patients, this would make a difference of from ten to twenty pounds of meat, according to the number of half or quarter diets. Yet the same quantity of soup would nevertheless be required.