ADVENTURES IN COOKING 57

Before the advent of tin bath tubs, hollowed logs with a drain were
used—later water was carried or piped from a spring and heated on the
stove, to give way in recent years to automatic hot water tanks and gleam-
ing bathroom fixtures, of every shape and colour.

The medicine chest contained only bare necessities, usually those
needed for the arrival of a new member in the family—brandy, pain killer,
castor oil, vaseline and always castille soap.

By watching Indian women at work the pioneer housewife learned
to smoke and dry fish and meat, by placing it on willow racks above
a fire; she also learned to dry berries—these, and a year’s supply of staples
purchased from Hudson’s Bay Co. supply houses and Forts, were kept in
a large store house or room next the kitchen. These supplies came in by
pack train as the Canadian Pacific had not crossed Canada then, and all
goods came from England in sailing ships around the Horn. Beef, mutton
and poultry were raised, and later turkeys. The first three turkeys arrived
in the Okanagan over the Hope Trail. Coyotes got one hen and an owl the
gobbler, but one hen remained to do her duty. Eggs were smeared with fat
and packed in bran during the summer when they were plentiful—butter
was bought in wooden kegs—this was in short supply in summer as there
was no ice in those days. Sugar—white, brown and loaf—came in 100 pound
barrels, each lined with blue paper. Coffee and tea came in large canisters—
coffee beans were green and had to be roasted, glazed with a little butter
and salt and ground when needed. Homes had coffee grinders on the wall
beside the kitchen stove. Salt was coarse, had to be rolled with the rolling
pin before it could be used. Dried fruit came in boxes, jams and preserves
with straw covers, came in barrels. Wine and liquors came in kegs, and
stout in stone bottles. Raisins came in twenty-five pound boxes which were
lined with pale blue paper, and covered with a doily and a picture of
the vineyard on top. Nuts were in bulk, and long sticks of barley sugar
came in oblong tins all soldered together which had to be opened with a
can opener. Spices were whole and had to be powdered with a pestle and
mortar before they coud be used. Cheese came in large rounds. ‘There were
no oranges or lemons in those days. ‘These supplies came in summer by
pack train and were carefully stored and wisely used.

At first sourdough was used for bread, but later hop vines were
planted, harvested, dried and used in bread making. ‘The first peach stones
were planted in 1870 and when the precious fruit was harvested out came
the brass preserving kettle and silver spoon for testing the preserve. Jars
were made from bottles—a piece of wool was tied around the neck, soaked
in coaloil and then burned off, the bottle was then thrust in cold water,
and off came the neck, leaving a fine jam jar. The jars were sealed with
a round of white paper dipped in brandy, then with a larger round dipped
in white of egg which dried and made an airtight cover. A jelly bag was
often made by upending a kitchen chair and tying a cloth to the four legs,
the basin to catch the juice was placed under the cloth. Many changes
have taken place since that day.

We have progressed from pioneer days to modern homes with elec-
tricity, and picture windows, automatic heating units and appliances, with