Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-01-09
English aud French Cookery.

English aud French Cookery.
Says London Queen: ct certainly
will not be owing to any dearth of lit
erature upon the subject Of cookery and
the benefits to be derived from domestic
economy if in due time few culinary
instincts be not developed in the minds
Of some Of the youth of the period.
Every month, every week, we hear of
fresh courses OF lectures being started,
new books being written, and fresh
pamphlets being published on these
subjects but, Notwithstanding all this
scientific and practical teaching, we
somehow fail to produce cooks who can
succeed in making dainties out of moth
ing as it were, and in serving up tempt
ing repasts at an hour or even half an
hours notice, as do our French neigh
bors and yet. as far as l have been
able to discover, across the Channel
they require no such amount OF lectur-
ing and teaching as we do, and never
theless turn out first-rate artistes, both
in private and public life. Some cor
respondence has, of late, been going on
in our daily papers upon the relative
merits of French and English cooking,
and it must be confessed that the for
mer, with far inferior means at COM
mand, very much surpass us in their
culinary productions, especially those
of q simple and economical style. I
will not deny that some English women
can cook, and cook remarkably we'll
too; but almost all French women,
even women in obscure country VII
lagos, are capable of setting dinner
on table prepared in such way as to be
fit for "any nobleman's table," Now,
If we look somewhat into the inner life
of the people, it will be seen that this
difference can hardly be wondered at.
In the middle classes especially they
live less for effect and show, and more
with view of producing the maximum
amount of comfort with the minimum
amount of expense. Then they are so
much more free from prejudices with
regard to what they eat and drink than
we are. They are ready for any emer-
gency, and can turn everything whether
great or small to account. Cali is fish
that comes to their net" Jays and mag
pies, hedgehogs and frogs, snails and
sea-fowls, all ut pinch may be turned
to some use. And it must be owned
that though they do not live so expen-
sively. SO extravagantly as do our mid
die classes, they certainly seem to get
more comfort and pleasure out of
what they do spend on eating and
drinking. Now this is, doubtless. be-
cause they bring their minds to bear
upon the subject, and are brought from
their earliest days to consider dinner as
a matter of some moment-not one to
be triaed with and negligently pre-.
pared. What Frenchwoman, in how
ever low position, would think of
setting before her husband burned
up brOiled piece of tough steak, with
badly-boiled potatoes. as his midday
repast? Would she not probably rather
stew it with fresh herbs and we'll
trimmed vegetables, gathered from the
garden or the field or, if living in the
town, would she not go and buy at the
market or at neighboring shop, for q
few sous, just what she fancies would
make her savory mess tasty and palata
BILE? By gently simmering-happily,
fuel is more expensive in France, con-
sequently not 30 wastefully used-a
tough junk of beef French meat is, as
rule, not to be compared to English
would be metamorphosed into deli
cious and wholesome morsel, and would
be served with dainty vege tables and
suitable accomplishments. But here
again, with our insular prejudices. we
are at a disadvantage. In England
vegetables are very dear, and so, doub.-
less, are some in France but the French
cook knows what she is about, and uses
many O vegetable which we consider
only fit to be burned as q weed. Fungi
of all descriptions are used abroad, and
make no Indifferent accompaniment to
meat when real mushrooms are unat-
tainable. Sorrel, rarely seen at an
English table, is gathered from the field
and prepared in most delightful man
ner, not to speak of many other vege-
tables utterly unknown to us, with
which the thrifty housewife enhances
the flavor of her succulent viands, or
which she converts into refreshing sal.
ads and wholesome green meat. "Via-
tors" experience, as described in the
Times, concerning dinners to be obtained
at riverside inns in France for 81. or
3Hf. per head, will doubtless at this
time Of year call forth many pleasant
recollection of cheap dinners in out.of-
the.way places in foreign parts. for
France is not the only country where
good and inexpensive food can be OBJ
tanned. Turning to italian cookery,
what, in simple way, can be more de-
licious and economical than macaroni
or rice (risotto) dressed to turn, as
only Italians know how to do it, with
the exquisite fsvoring of tomatoes and
the sprinkling of sound Parmesan
cheese? Such dishes can be procured
we'll cooked, for the small sum of from
~. to II. for each person at most res.
taurants anywhere in Italy, and for my
part l can wish for nothing better or
more nourishing with which to make
q tirstrate luncheon than good plateful
OF macaroni or heaped-up dish Of ri
soto. And why cannot the same sort
OF thing be produced in England :?
Macaroni is cheap enough rice is still
cheaper tomatoes and cheese are not
unattainahle. 1t il true that the to-
mato in its pristine beauty is not to be
procured 30 easily in England but
timed and " conserved it is almost as
good as in its original state, and cheap