Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-11-08
The Philosophy of Cookery.
THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS OF CULINARY ART

AS there has been sequence in dress, so there
may be found certain stmilaritieS when the
culinary art Of to-day and that of other times
are compared. AS to the effects Of food on the
human race, It's character and method of pre-
paration, some rather wild deductions have
been made. One rather cratic person has adj
vanced the theory that If we come in true de-
scent from the anthropoid apes the straighten-
ing of the lines OF the face, the greater promi-
nence OF the nose, and the diminishment Of the
canine teeth, are entirely due to the fact that
man has less use for jaw. depends In less degree
on his maSticating powers, now that food Is bet
ter prepared and better cooked. 1t Is the sur
something Of interest. Old cook-books Of two
centuries ago furnish very curious reading
Mixtures Of sweets with meat were very COM
mon. There are methods OF serving chine of
beef with sugar. cinnamon and ginger, which
would hardly suit the tastes of to-day. Almonds
pounded and blanched are introduced into
fowls and capons. A German book OF the seven
teenth century tells how to stew oysters In
syrup, and how they can be candied. 1t
is quite. possible that as, in former Pc
RODS, the means OF transportation were
or game must have arrived at its point
Of consumption in very bad order, and that
these high-spiced condiments were used to dis
Still eat game which is high, and expatiate over
what is really disgusting simply arises from the
fact that in England weeks might elapse before
the partridge or hare killed in the country could
arrive in the city. IT, then, in old times, sweets
were eaten with game, the current jelly of to-
day with wild ducks, having fiShy flavor or
somewhat gone or bad mutton may have It's
such as fresh pork or goose, apple sauce This
sweet with sour tScertatnly survival In use by
France and Italy. st. Petersburg cooks pre-
serve 1nnumerable Dishes composed of cream,
milk, cucumbers strange mixtures, which must
be directly derived from their Tartar forefathers.
OF course, such remnants OF strange dishes
found In New York, which some families re-
tain, come direct from their Holland an
by the Jews is the best. Based upon certain
laws OF cleanliness, no matter how untidy may
be the Jewish cook In appearance, the whole
bdtte,'ie de cuisine is kept in the best order, and
religious surveillance is directed to the choice of
the food. These people have retained, strangely
enough, no matter what may have been their
surroundings the peculiar dishes of their people,
which are mostly excellent and nutritious, and
it is cuisine quite apart from all others. Per-
haps its fault Is its ver-richness From being
restricted by their dietary laws, they search,
and show their good sense by having few
prejudices, using many kinds of fish which
more ignorant Christians neglect. AS to the
and excellent method In this respect have been
frequently cited in these columns, and their gen.
eral thrift and economy in cooking are admlra-
ditions of cooking are the best, and references
can be made to tones Of culinary lore Of
century or two old, which furnish excellent
receipts to-day. The great Vatel, who died q
cookery to-day. The argument has been some
times raised that the main excellence of French
cookery arose originally from the fact Of the
scarcity OF food and fuel, and that the faculty
French cook has OF making little 90 a great
way, arose from absolute dearth OF materials
and the necessities of economy. Another idea,
which seems to have more weight, is that deli
cacy OF taste can only be found In an essentially
wine drinking people, for the great use OF ale or
beer and proof spirits is inclined not only to
pau the appetite, but to prevent the proper APP
probation OF food. " How can q man who has
taken q gallon Of beer or pint OF spirits tell
what he Is eattng7" This is TIE argument Bril-
lat Sayartn uses, and there is great truth In it
| II really does seem, then, that In Countries
where an excess Of malt liquors are INDUCED In
the excellence In fc.N preparation diminishe6.-
/ (M II. Times. GEE ! -