The Portland daily press., 1866-05-12

Mons. Blot IN BosToN.-The series OF
lectures on cookery, by Monsieur Pierre Blot,
designed to instruct the ladies Of Boston in
the mysteries which have made the French
cuisine so famous, began Wednesday after
noon. The audience was composed almost
entirely of ladies, fully two hundred of them
occupying the main portion OF the hall, while
halt . dozen or SO OF the other sex sat basil
fully on the outer benches. The scenery ar
ranged for M. eChaler's dramatic entertain
ments still occupied the platform, but the cui-i
tam was raised, and the stage filled with the
apparatus for illustrating this exceedingly prac-
teal course OF lectures. On the right was a
small desk for the lecturer; the rest of the
space was occupied by large gas stove, with
oven and arrangements for boiling and fry
ing, and a small kitchen table. Here lady,
French, buXom and comely, whom we subse-
quenty learned to be Mime. Blot, and who
speaks no English, was Rusily engaged in az
patent Inconsistencies OF the eyes directed
upon her movements, in preparations for the
dinner, assisted by a subordinate, whose duties
were OF the palmer kind Of culinary labor.
The audience was quite a brilliant one, be-
ing composed entirely Of ladies from the
higher classes OF society. Each had hidden
in her pocket a teaspoon, according to the adj
vertised instructions, 'tO TASTE" and bore in
her hand pencil and paper, blank book or
tablets, for memoranda. @--
M. Blot, a gentleman of progressing APP
pearance and agreeable manner, who speaks
English dramatically but with marked for
eign accent appeared, promptly at one
O'Clock, illustrating in his own person that
most important element of good cookery
punctuality-and setting an example which
he especially requested the patrons or his lee
lures to initiate. The opening lesson lasted
until considerably after three O'Clock, and the
doings OF the two hours were such as can be
described but not reported. The lecturer first
exhibited the bill OF fare of the days dinner,
or lesson, which the pupils were requested to
copy. 4G aail s5}-.iI = y
The dishes were all in process of cooking at
once, and NJ. Blot gave his instructions by de-
scribing each process as it was actually going
on. Thus his words were governed by Mime.
Blots movements, and the pencils OF the pu-
pills were kept hulrying back and forward, now
noting an important fact about preparing po-
tatoes, now another about cutting meat, now
something about economy in the use OF butter,
now jotting down an axiom about the mode OF
beating eggs, then recurring to the potatoes as
they We're taken out OF the pot, now reporting
bit of advice about the soup, then describing
the stufiing Of the veal. In spite OF thlsseem-
ing confusion, the whole was entirely clear
and ineligible. as the subjects discussed ID
turn were those with which Mime. Blot's def
hands, with a skin which only long practice
could give, were busy at the moment. ~.
Each point was very minately discussed as
it came up, and the ladies OF the audience
were earnestly requested to question the lect-
urer as to any matter not made clear to them.
This Privilege was quite freely exercised. The
discourse was full Of simple, useful and novel
recipes which were seized upon Tor the laales
note books with much eagerness. go
M. Blot's conversational lecture was full also
ofpithy and almost Emersonian maxlms, Wnch
the housewife would find invaluable, such as
these: SIN boiling any kind of green vegetable
always put it in when the water first begins to
boil;;" Railways beat eggs in cool place, in a
draught of air, and setting the bowl ON ice ).
XII does not accelerate cooking to boil fast :"
"'The best Fart of potato is that nearest the
skin;' "a chicken to ficcassee must always
be at least year old,s etc. l9uo
The tasting was done as the audience passed
out the ladies passing in single file by the ia
BILE, and each inserting her spoon in the re-
spectiye dishes ranged in row along its edge.
Boston Advertiser.
PERsoNAL.--We see it stated that DIR. j. G.
Hole, N (7y,,o tbu TitnopbN hoe raf;,od fro,,,