Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-02-21
HORSE-FLESH FOR FOOD.

A movement has been seriously and energet-
cslly inaugurated in England to introduce
horse-fiesh as an article of food. The second
-'hOrse dinner took place at Lon CHAINS on the
och Of February, and was a success The pre-
viOus experimental dinner at Francotelli's was
limited 10 twenty-five persons. On this ocea-
ZION the largest room al the Longham Hotel
Vas crowded, and artists, surgeons, physicians,
hterateurs, members of Parliament, barrist-
ers, club men, and men about town, assembled
20 discuss in fair but decidedly impartial
spirit the dishes set before them. There was
little to concIlate beforehand; good price was
charged for the dinner, a guinea and a half
70 each participant, and those who paid it
probably did so in the spirit, cynical
Or otherwise, of gastronomic inquiry
The prevailing tone was jocular. Maps of the
dining room and plans of the dinner tables
were treated a. parts OF a huge loke The
arrangements were careful and decorous in the
extreme. Zach visitor found his name and
number on reference to the plans. But hIIarity
reigned supreme. and as journalist, a radical
member, an academician, a queens counsel, a
>'rgesnt-at-law, a dignitary of the church-and
all these were present-came forward, the
recognition grew heartier and heartier until
dinner was announced, Underlying the IN
eNitabie popularity OF IN occasion was deep
able to the community, and that it was the
duty of all present to give it trial, without
far, favor or Affection So keenly was this
felt, that some earnest phlanthropists
thought the Jests in the bill of fare too
light, and complained that grave
phiioeophic experiment should be associated
With either playfulness or humor. The
dinner proved to be all that the most fas-
TEDIOUS epiCure could desire. From the SOUP
which was pronounced excellent. to the h9rs
f0srres, which were unexceptionable, the YER
dict was unanimously favorable. In word
the people dining would have gone away per-
fectly satisfied without any special warning or
preparation. The dishes seemed identical with
iho~e served at any set dinner in London Or
Paris. Great pains had been: saken, and n
thoroughly satisfactory result attained. Every
body dined on horse and made-dishes, Iust as
If the principal material had been beef or
mutton. Here and there a microscopic OBJ.
sery alton might detect a cynic who aues
toned his bread and butter. or in other
words, spoke critically of his horse-meat,
but his questions tnvariably answered
themselves, and left him clearing his plate
for nutritious soup, or made dishes: TO-
ttSt or outlet horsefesh. il seems IL absolutely
unrecognizable from beef. Those who have de-
scribed IL as something between beef and game
labored under a delusion. II i beef without
tat. The fat of horses melts in cooking and
h-comes OIL Hence, according to PSYCHOLOGISTS.
the great recommendation of this flesh is that it
n easily digested food. But the plain Joint is
slightly less tOOthsOme in consequence The
mf al Is excellent, but the absence of fatty SUBJ
stances makes il seem rather like the second
best part Of the OK. 1t is plain. not rich. For
beef tea" medical authorities pronounce il
decidedly more nutritious than other meats
and II would seem that horse flesh cooked In
other wsys is beth palatable and nutritious.
In England the result of the ex periments has
been TO induce the belief that a new and perma-
nent food-supply has been discovered. and that
important social benefits will be the result In
this country, even supposing the common pre-
Iudloe against horse-meat could be overcome
Il Is not probable the the price Of horse-fiesh
will soon come down TO a point to make il an
economical substitute for beef or mutton
I-amed and broken down horses might to b.
,ure, BE- fattened for the shambles, but We
doubt II horse-fiesh having these antecedentS
would present itself in an aPpetizing light t.
most CON umers Of meat