The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-09-02
French and American YlCtuals.

French and American VTUtuals.
Mr.. Henry Watterson de7otes letter
from Paris to the subject Of "Parisian
Victuals" Speaking of the worldwide
reputation Of French cooks aud restaur-
ants, he says he has gradually come to
the conclusion that he prefers to dine at
home, and continues: But l wander way
from nv text, which was the Giving" in
Paris, Let Us return TO our mutton, for
il IS, with beeI, about the best We shall
get. The two staples form the basis Of
everything. BY the aid oftrutties, mush'
rooms and olives they are tortured into o
thousand forms; and, to thisext emit, one
has no right to complain. To cannot
complain Of good beet. HeCSnnOt CON-
plain of good mutton. He 10 an ass II he
complains OF truiHes, mushrooms and
olives. But, in the long run, a man grows
tired Of cen these luxurieS and begins to
"hoan" after something plain and simple,
after something natural, such as q bit OF
stewed terrapin or q crisp soN'shell crab,
or o canVas.back duck, or pOmpano, or
a plump, fresh partridge, or u young con.
traband prairie hen, or even broiled
chicken. lie can get mono Of these
In Paris. Their game Is nearly al.
ways foul. II you get 1t pure and sweet
It is by chance. In cities oil such mag.
nilude as this the keeping Of game
Is sort Of necessity. This be-
ing the fact, the Paris caterers long ago
got out the notion that game Is brtier tho
longer it is kept-a rank and poisonous
lie. But 1t has got 10 be the fashion, and
the poor devil who has lived all his lile
under its baneful influence gobbles down
.ainted pheassnte and decsyed hares with
the gusio of the devoted Brahmin, who
considers himself blessed in being per-
mitted to walk into the grave OF his de-
ceased vile and-be buried, alive and
kicking, with her inodorous remains. l
am indebted to Jacob Churchill Tor the
practical and conclusive lesson that thel
sooner q bird or fish is cooked after i is
taken the better 1t Is at table, and ] be.
lieVe this applies to every species Of deli
cate animal food. Nor Is this all, Game
is priced for It's game flavor, and when
ever it Is smotherod by extraneous appli.
ances it IS spoiled. A partridge, fat and
tender, is as good as mushroom. Trut-
files do not improve wOOdcOcks. The
birds can afford to go 1t on their own
hook, without any assistance whatever.
So with such fish as the pOmpano, the
mountain trout, the jack. salmon and
the shad. They are able to stand
alone. Over here they do not stand
at all. Their best shelltlsh arc the
crawtlah and the snail, for the lobster Is
indigenous everywhere, and Is not to be
counted in the list. They know nothing
of the sofI.shell crab, Of the teTrapiu, oroi
the oyster as o cookable Wand. Their
turbot will not compare with our hallbut,
nor their sole with our chad. The Eng.
fish whitehall Is simply minnow, and
only trihe better than the smelt In
SOUPS, which is thing of condiments,
they do excel us. As general rule
their service Is peaicr than ours. But you
can give, on few hours notice, better
dinner at the st. Nicholas, in Cincinnati,
or at Rulers in Louisville, wines included,
than you can give In Paris, at the Cafe
AngliGs, or in London, at the Burlington.
The American prices will range some
what higher, certainly. But we pay
higher duties on wine, and It is here that
the figures will chiefly tell in the bill. Not
very much difference will be found as to
the dishes. A word or two about these
prices and / may as well bring this
round about essay 10 close To be
sure there is considerable art in order
Ing q, dinner, invol wing both q knowledge
Of the French language and knowledge
Of the particular restaurant whOrS you orc
dining. The American who understands
neither may expect to pay thirty per cent
more than other people, who do. Igno'
rance OF every sort, and all over heworld,
has to I've paid for. But, Of the best, he
who expects to dine like a swell must also
exDect 10 settle like a Rwell. / have never
heard Of good, a first.ClaSs cheap dinner
in Paris. At tho Diner de Paris, where
they charge you six francs % dollar and
a halrin greCnbacks). the food ID all messed
and the wine Is sour. There Is no thor.
ouCly good table d'hote at 0 fixed price
in Paris. When you order Ia carte you
will have TO take tho consequences, and
three or four dollars head will secure Q
square, well served meal-not gorgeous or
Claborate-and that Is all. It Is sheer
nonsense 10 talk about chespncsS in Paris.
II one Is to live like dog lot him stay a.
home If he Is to live like Q naboh he
must fetch plenty Of money with him and
spend It freely. There Is not the least
doubt Of this, and the old, contrary Idea,
founded on by.gone prices, ought TO be
dIssIpated. It Is sheer illusion.