Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-02-12
Chinese Delicaeies.

A CORRESPONDENT OF the Pittsburgh
CisrOntcle writes of a dinner in China
town, San Francisco, as follows: "The
table presented an appearance at once
novel and attractive. AT each place was
a china plate, pair of ivory chopsticks,
a china spoon, wine cup and a knife
and fork (of course we scorned to use the
last-named implements) Of the twenty
persons who sat down together no two
had plates, cups or saucers alike. Scat
tered about were dishes of curious
shapes and various sizes. These were
filled with Chinese almonds, water
melon seeds lot which the Celestials are
very fond), water chestnuts and Chinese
fruits of various sorts. An antelope, a
lion, devil-fsh and several other ami
mails, which it would have puzzled a
zoologist to name, kept guard over the
dainties. These resembled the sugar
creations of our confectloners; but were
made, we learned, of flour. There was
quite variety Of hues displayed by
these animals, every one of the prismatic
colors lending its aid to enhance the
brilliancy and naturalness of their ap-
pearance. A number of bouquets con-
tributed beauty and fragrance to the
scene. At each end of the table stood
one in which was placed little rack,
made of wire covered with bright paper.
In these were cards announcing
each course as it was placed upon the
table. The first to which we directed
our eager gaze was 'Stewed Bird-nests.'
This is great luxury among the Chi
nese 1t is obtained in caves among the
islands of the Orient. A species of
swallow collects the material from sea-
weed, macerates it with her bill, and
then of the gummy substance thus made
builds her nest against the walls of these
caves. This is collected at great peril.
When prepared in sort of soup it is
very tempting to the Celestial palate
We were somewhat prejudiced against
the article; however, we found it not un-
pleasant, only little insipid. Then fol-
lowed dishes of all sorts; meats fried and
meats stewed, fish, fowls, vegetables,
shark-fns, bonbons, and almost every
imaginable eating thing. The meats
were all nicely cooked, and had pecul-
lar relish which made it possible to eat
more than we had supposed ourselves Ca
pable of. One dish impressed us as
peculiar; it was mushrooms and duck
web-foots' Our nearest neighbor re-
marked, with glance at the web-fOots,'
We cook him Mellican man throw him
away We repressed our inclina-
ton to act in accordance with the
customs of our country and smilingly
ate the mushrooms. Our hosts
drank to our health collectively, in
dividually and repeatedly, with the rose
wine without which it would be impos-
sible to have Chinese dinner. The
tiny china cups which held this beverage
would have had to be filled and emptied
many times, however, to have produced
an serious result After the fourteenth
course we were invited to leave the ia
BILE few moments. We walked about,
admiring the pictures, examining the mu-
sical instrumentsIW which hung in one cor
ner; stood on the balcony, listening to
notes of melody from the theater next door
and some in order to lose no time, sat in
the handsome chairs, drinking fragrant tea
from most tempting little cups. In
few moments we were invited back to
the table to partake of Chinese fruit and
pastry. The former is delicious, the lat
ter most curious. There were groups of
animals which defed description, cats
and dogs of every hue, birds and beasts
of indescribable forms and colors. 1t
was little surprising to find a lemon
made of sponge cake, and somewhat
startling, on biting beautiful rose or
exquisitely tinted sea-shell, to find it full
of mince-meat"