New Homes for Old Part 27

Ukrainian Workingmen's a.s.sociation, Inc.

President: George Kraykiwsky 524 Olive Street, Scranton, Pennsylvania

Union of Brotherhoods President: George Hylak 107 Grant Street, Olyphant, Pennsylvania

MENUS

The following menus have been obtained from housewives who were glad to share in an effort toward better understanding between foreign-born groups and agencies either of adjustment or for case work. This small body of material is ill.u.s.trative of the kind of information that is easily available to the agency and that would illumine the treatment of the families under care.

The menus given are those actually used by housewives of different nationalities during the periods indicated. A list of recipes will be found in another volume of this Study.[82]

BOHEMIAN

These menus were given by a Bohemian woman whose methods of cooking have changed very little in America. She has learned new ways of preserving vegetables and fruits, but uses those methods only when they seem to her more inexpensive than her earlier practices. In other respects the diet is said to be typical of the diet of a Bohemian family of moderate income in Moravia.

BREAKFAST

Oatmeal with milk.

Coffee, bread with b.u.t.ter or jelly.

There is always fruit in the house and the child of five is given bread and jelly at ten o'clock in the morning.

LUNCH

Usually a meatless soup is served for lunch, or a simple dish of rice or vegetables. Eggs cooked in various ways, milk, bread, b.u.t.ter, and jelly, and baked porridge called "kashe" made from farina, rice or millet, cooked with milk and sugar and b.u.t.ter, are also used at lunch.

DINNER

The dinner menus do not vary much. Soup made from meat stock is eaten every week day except Wednesday, when there is roast meat and no soup.

On Sunday both soup and a roast are served. The meat from the soup is served with a variety of sauces and gravies. Dumplings are used often when Americans would serve potatoes. Rice and noodles are also used instead of potatoes. Such vegetables as beans, spinach, carrots, cabbage, kohl-rabi, sauerkraut, and salads are sometimes eaten with the meat instead of the sauce with dumplings. The following are typical menus:

Soup.

Meat with sauce and dumplings.

Apple sauce or preserves.

Coffee. Bread and b.u.t.ter.

Soup.

Meat with sauce and potatoes.

Stewed fruit.

Coffee with homemade raised tarts.

Soup.

Meat, beans, sauerkraut.

Apple sauce.

Coffee. Bread and b.u.t.ter.

CROATIAN

The following menus represent the diet of a Croatian family of moderate income. The family came from a village near Zara, and the influence of the Italian customs upon the food habits of the Dalmatians is indicated in the use of polenta.

August 6, 1919:

BREAKFAST--5 A.M.

One cup of coffee with one or two slices of bread. Coffee is made very strong, the cup filled two thirds full of hot milk; the coffee and some cream added.

SECOND BREAKFAST--9 A.M.

A soft-boiled egg, with bread.

One cup of coffee.

The custom of having a second breakfast is Croatian. In this family it has been possible to keep it up in this country because the hours for a street-car conductor can be arranged to allow it.

DINNER--12.30 P.M.

Beef soup with dumplings.

Soup meat with sauce.

Mashed potatoes (browned).

Bread. Coffee.

SUPPER--7 P.M.

Soup with rice (from same stock as was used at noon).

Cabbage.

Bread. Coffee. Fruit.

August 7, 1919:

BREAKFAST

Early breakfast is always the same. The second breakfast varies little; sometimes bread and cheese or bread and meat sandwiches are eaten instead of the soft-boiled eggs.

DINNER

Goulash.

Polenta.

Lettuce salad.

Coffee.

SUPPER

Spaghetti with tomato sauce.

Celery.