Soyer's Culinary Campaign: Being Historical Reminiscences of the Late War. Soyer Alexis
probable that this one would vary daily, I made a supplementary scale for it, from five diets to one hundred, leaving only a few pounds to be guessed. If any mistake occurred, it could be of no material consequence. I also had tinned iron, skewers made, with numbers to each, to prevent the meat being mixed in the boilers, as expedition, cleanliness, and proportion should be the motto of all such establishments. This plan was followed to the last.
As all the boilers had been well tinned, I showed the men how to make tea on a large scale. Their plan was to tie the tea in a piece of cloth, and throw it into the boiling water. In a few minutes the cloth had shrunk so much, that the aroma of the tea, instead of being diffused, was retained in the centre, the inside of the bag being scarcely soaked. This I proposed to remedy by having fine nets made for the purpose. Miss Nightingale immediately had this done, and they were a great improvement. This, after all, was not quite satisfactory, as the tea had to be made in the same boilers as the soup and meat. The coppers were fixtures, and of such large dimensions, that it was almost impossible to clean them properly. I therefore invented my Scutari Teapot, with its valuable and economical improvement upon the old system, the model of which is given at the end of the book. (See Addenda.)
DESCRIPTION OF TEAPOT.
I had a large kettle made, holding eight quarts, and put a coffee filter to it. I then placed the rations of tea for about twenty men in the filter, poured in the boiling water, and, to my astonishment, made about one-fourth more tea, perfectly clear, and without the least sediment. Four of these kettles made enough tea for all the hospital, and this at once induced me to order some upon a smaller scale for the various wards, where at night it is often of the greatest importance that tea should be prepared quickly, in large quantities. I cannot too strongly recommend it to large families, institutions, and other establishments, for its economy of time, and a saving of at least twenty-five per cent, upon the quantity of tea required. I tried it in Miss Nightingale’s room at Scutari, before several persons; and the Reverend Mr. Blackwood, the chaplain, persuaded me to bring them out for the benefit of the poorer classes, as much for its cleanliness as its economy. This, reader, I claim more as a happy thought than an invention; but I always had an idea that tea should be suspended in the water, instead of being allowed to fall to the bottom, as is generally the case. Coffee may be made in these vessels, as the construction is the same as that of a coffee-pot.
By this time my kiosque, or, as it was afterwards named, Soyer House, was ready. It was situated in Cambridge-street, near the Scutari Grand Champ des Morts. Thanks to this, my daily trip across the Bosphorus was at an end, and as the March winds had a great influence upon its current, I preferred terra firma, to rolling about in its whimsical stream of daily pearls, evening diamonds, and shoals of immense porpoises, which towards sunset commence to accompany you with their nautical summersaults. These at first terrified the uninitiated, who could not help fearing the sudden appearance of an unexpected passenger on board the caique.
The time having been fixed by Lady Stratford de Redcliffe for our visit to Kululee, in company with a doctor from that hospital I rode over there. It is about five miles from Scutari, along the edge of the Bosphorus; and from an ancient Jewish cemetery on the top of one of the hills the beauty of the panorama is such as to defy description. My opinion is, that such another view does not exist in any other spot under the canopy of heaven. Under its inspiration I entirely forgot the annoyance I had endured in that labyrinth of ruin and filth. From this spot the metropolis of Constantine, backed by a sky of fire, presented so sublime and picturesque an appearance, that in an enchanted dream alone could one hope to realize the effect of the mirage. It embraced the city and the whole length of the Bosphorus, down to the entrance of the Black Sea. Leaving this beautiful landscape, we passed through several dull, though very pretty villages, and shortly after arrived at the hospital and barrack of Kululee. It is surrounded by kiosques and country seats. The country appears very rich and fertile, but owing to the indolence of the inhabitants, “which may be adopted as a proverb,” produces little. Although Nature has done so much for the Moslem race, she seems also to have deprived them of the faculty of exertion, and consequently of doing anything for themselves.
Shortly after our arrival we saw, through the golden rays of a dazzling sunlight, several caiques gaily dancing on the turbulent waves of the Bosphorus. They darted swiftly towards us; the caidjees wore white jackets with flowing sleeves. In a few minutes Lady Stratford landed, attended by several of her fair companions. “Have you been over the hospital, Monsieur Soyer?” said Lady Stratford, on landing.
“No, I have not, my lady.”
“I am glad of that, as I wish to explain everything to you respecting the various kitchen departments myself. You must know, Monsieur Soyer, that we have three separate hospitals here. Although they are under the direction of one doctor, they form three distinct establishments. We will now visit the Barrack Hospital, as we are so close to it, and then the other two.”
Several remarks were made upon the delightful situation of Kululee. Lady Stratford in the meantime sent Signor Roco to apprise Dr. Humfries of our arrival. We commenced visiting the store-rooms, provisions, kitchens, larders, &c. I found in the extra-diet kitchen several very good and well-prepared diets; and amongst these some very nice calves’-foot jelly, and excellent rice pudding made by the Sisters of Mercy. I took notes of what was required in kitchen utensils—alterations and improvements in that department; and as one of Captain Gordon’s best men was with me, our business proceeded very rapidly.
Lady Stratford proposed that we should next visit the principal kitchen. “I think, from its appearance, Monsieur Soyer, that it is in a very bad state.” Such proved to be the case. It was in perfect darkness, full of smoke, and the stoves, as large as those at Scutari, required considerable alterations, the furnaces being inside, instead of out, as at Scutari. The brick-work was quite burnt out, and all the smoke came in the kitchen, blinding the men, who could not support the extra fatigue caused by this nuisance, even preferring their dangerous duty in the trenches to this kind of culinary inquisition, as it might very justly have been called. They were in consequence changed every week, or even oftener. The result of this was bad cookery and the consumption of about 170 per cent. more wood than was necessary. The men actually piled small trees, cut into lengths of five or six feet, upon the fires; and when the soup boiled too fast they threw pailsful of water upon the burning wood, thus filling the place with dust and steam. As the boilers were screwed down in the same manner as those at Scutari Barrack Hospital, they had never been tinned since first used. I at once had the furnaces put in order, and the skylight over them repaired. I gave them my receipts, and sent one of my men over for a few days to teach them how to make the soup. I also promised Lady Stratford, who took so much interest in the success of that hospital, to call as often as I could; and, after the opening of my kitchens at Scutari, to spend a few days there, and superintend the cooking myself.
We then went to the General Hospital, on the top of the hill, which contained three hundred patients. Having had the honour of being introduced to the Sisters of Mercy, I took notes of all that was wanted there, and we lastly proceeded to the Riding School Hospital, appropriated to the convalescents. There I had the pleasure of being introduced to Miss Stanley, who had the superintendence of the Sisters. This establishment had neither kitchen nor cooking utensils. However, by the aid of the engineer who accompanied us, everything was soon settled.
Yet, after all, I ordered nothing that was not indispensable; and I must remark that, with all the power with which I was invested by the War Department, coupled with the willing assistance of Captain Gordon, I found it a difficult matter to get a plank, or even a nail, fixed in any of the hospitals. At the same time, I may add, with pride and gratitude, that throughout the Crimean campaign I was most highly favoured by every department; for if anything I required was procurable, I had it.
Lady Stratford and visitors having expressed their satisfaction at the success of our visit, I was on the point of retiring with Signor Roco Vido, when Lady Stratford asked what day the kitchen at Scutari would be opened. “On Monday next,” was my reply. “I presume we shall be honoured with your ladyship’s presence, and that of your suite.”—“I shall not fail to attend, Monsieur Soyer,” were her ladyship’s words.
The