The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-12-08
A California Dinner.

~ correspondent VI me New YORK EV-
press ives the following spirited description
Of a California dinner. 1t occurred at a
place called Piscadera, a collection of five
or SIX ranchos about ten miles sonh Of the
mission of Todas Santos. The party of
whom the correspondent formed one, took
possession Of the rancho for the night.
AS the old rancho las too miseraLly poor
to furnish us anything but beef, we sent
messenger to some Of the neighborinc farm
houses TO purchase quantity Of chickens,
which We turned over to the oil mans
daughters TO be cooked fora general supper.
The old ranchero had five unmarried tanch.
tiers, from fifteen To nineteen years Of age,
aud as pretty as need be looked for in Cal
iiornia farmhouse. To good Spanish fea.
lures, without a mixture Of Indian blood,
were added forms that Venus herself might
envy, wearing dresses without sleeves, and
low IN the bo,oms, (like our bellies at home
when they wish to display their charms il
a ball ROOM and being too poor 10 afford
roboSes, with which the Mexican ladies usu.
ally conceal their budding beauties, these
simple bellies of Pescadera in their calico
robes, and without the aid Of cotton, grass,
ofan, or whalebone, presented as lovely fig.
ures as the eye could ever wish TO gaze up-
on so that with "beauty unadorned," aud
chickens well cooked, we anticipated very
pleasant evenings entertainment.
AT length the chickens made their APP
pearance in the shape OF a Spanish stew,
well seasoned with chill and with savory
smell not unpleasant to the olfactories Of
hungry men. Ii came IN upon an immen se
earthen dish, and difficulty now presented
itself III serving it up III proper style for the
feast. Being foray or hasty reconnaissance,
we brought with US no other table furniture
than our clasp knives and metallic drinking
cups. The latter answered well enough for
our coffee in the field, and the former serv-
ed us perfectly for cutting up our beef into
slips suitable for roasting by our camp. fires.
But now that we had ladies to entertain, the
case was different, aud it was no easy mat
ter to supply the deficiency, for one large
dish and knife or two constitute the usi al
furniture of California rancho; and an
eartheD pot with an iron skinner, the en-
tire bdtteris de cuiSer. The house of our
friends, however, was better provided than
most establishments Of the kind, and on ex.
animation three cracked plates were found
slowed away under the bed. These being
produced, All old wooden trunk, which vas
the only thing of the sort in the house, W as
hauled out into the middle of the room to
serve as table, and blocks Of wood were
arranged around it for seats. The big dish
Of savory meat being placed in the centre,
aud surrounded with the cracked plates,
each one selected fair companion, who.
nothing 10th, seated herself by his side re
dy 10 do justice TO her own cookery.
The block of wood being rather short, it
bee anne necessary for the gentleman aud la
dy TO sit in rather close proximity, and lest
she might slip of the seat, it was equally
necessary for him TO keep one arm rather
tightly round herwaist, while the other hand
did the double duty Of feeding both the en-.
tertalned and the entertainer. As each gen
'leman had but single cup. of course the
fair lady was obliged to drink from the same
cup with her cavalier; aud as there were
but three plates for FIVE couples, six persons
helped themselves from those plates, while
the other four were obliged to feed from tile
general reservoir in the centre. II is true
| that Ne were deficient in knives md forks
but then you know Haomus discovered thai
fingers were made before either, and thosf
who have never tried the experiment car
hardly imagine what convenient things
chicken legs are to hold up to the rosy lips
Of your sweetheart, while she delicatsly nib.
bts Oft the Heshy encasemPnt.
! After the dinner dance came of, which
continued into the small hours.