The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-09-25

EUROPEAN HOTELs-A COMPLAINT FROM A
STARVED AMERICAN ToURIsT.-The Ameri-
cans in Europe, or ut least most OF those
with whom [ have couversed, complain con-
stantly of their inability to get good and
palatable food, even at the best of the Euro.
pean hotels You find, after struggling to
yet your food properly cooked, that you are
compelled TO resign yourselves to the table
d'hote, and to cat whatever Is given to YOU,
whether you like it or not, or know what it
is that you are called upon 10 digest. II any
thing comes along that YOU recognize, such
as a chicken, you find it cut up in intinltesi-
mally small particles--about fifty to u
chicken-of which YOU are expected to take
but one. In fear of deprlving your
neiehbor of any, you take the first piece
that your fork lights upon, and gen-
orally find yourself incapable of scrap
ing timbleful of meat from your
share Of the pulet. Next comes some green
spinach, which you are expected to eat by
itself, and be thankful. This is followed by
some veal, which appears to have done duty
In soup before it was roasted, Favored With
onions. dish of potatoes comes along,
which you recognize us Christian food, but
you find that these have been cut up and
fried with onions. As everybody does not
like onions, would it not he well for all
cooks to cook them separately and allow
those who like them to make the mixture I!
An artIchokc comes next, and you must take
few leaves and suck them. But pre-
vious to nil this there is about three
spoonsful Of very thin soup given You,
and then some fish, generally about the
size OF Il minnow cut in two, rs an iUtimation
to the guest that bali of 4 fish is his share.
Then comes some salad, with another chicken
cut up 80 as to give an atom to each of the
forty guests to make chicken salad out of.
This is succeeded by spoonful of pudding,
thimbleiul OF ice-cream, some grapes, and q
cake about the size of an American halt dol
lar, so far as my memory Of that coin serves.
After every mouthful you masticate your
plate and knife and fork Is changed, and If
you get through with this very unsatisfactory
dinner in an hour aud twenty minutes, as we
did to-day, you are very fortunate. Life is
too short " for such waste Of time.
The American who leaves home during
the summer must expect to be deprived Of
all the blessings that summer brings him at
home. lie may pick up hard peach or
thyoriess pear occasionally, and pay seven
francs for five peaches, as we did ut Mar
settles; or, if he Tan stand the climate and
tieas of Italy, he may find palatable fruit |
there, but he must forego all hopes of peaches |
and cream, watermelons, canteloupes; and |
even hot corn must be to him as y thing that |
has no existence. He gets no good bread |
after he passes the capes /; and Us to griddle |
cakes of any kind, why, do not believe they |
know what griddle is in Europe. At
Liverpool we called for the famous English
mullins, and were furnished with cold and |
clammy, halEbakcd dough. France used to
be distinguished for the sweetness of its |
bread, but we have found it.hard and TASTE
less as 1t is possible to make bread. If an |
American has the dyspepsia, and desires to
be where his food will not tempt him to over
load his stomach, Europe is the place for
him, but If he thinks that good living is
essential 10 enjoyment he had better stay ut
home. Geneva correspondence Of he BALI
R,cre dmesicdn. '.t@