Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-11-05
THE GREAT ART OF EATING.
DeImonicO Tells FOrcibIy About
Big DInnersNnd Good
Dinners.
yo,t Gov pbiIadelpbia Times.l

v AA - way WV w. 1891 49,
pairons?" was asked.
81 don't know: in the way of hearty
caters it would be difficult enough to
discriminate. Themost artistic feeder
| have seen here was probably George
Augustus Sala, the English author and
Journalist"
"You have given some very big din.
ners here. What was the greatestY'
"Well l guess the one to Sir Morton
Peto, by MoHenry, who was creating
the Atlantic and Great Western rail-
way at that time, was the greatestpub-
lie dinner. 1t cost in round figures
nearly $4,000, of which $1,000 were
for flowers alone and Sll,7OO for
wine
THAT was a big dinner you gave to
Dorsey"
"O6, yes; that's the time that Pres,
ident Arthur, then Vice. President
elect, sat beside Grant. They had
about as good a dinner as any that has
been sgiven lately. 1t didn't cost
much, but there we're more public
men there than | have ever
gathered at any public dinner in New
York" ~.
"Trouble about getting money, eb?'
"Get it though, and no serious
trouble. | am not talking politics"
"What was the grand swan dinner
| hear Of sometimes
"That was a dinner at which we had
a small lake built up on the table, in
the center-no, not so very small
either-and at which the dessert was
served in swans eggshells, cut out Of
marble, while in the lake swan five
live swans. The table was q bed of
rosebuds. That was a tolerable din
ner."
what was the big private dinner7"
"Well, there was a gentleman who
gave a dinner to ten people that cost
him $500 a cover. 1t was luxurious
enough to be classical. The bills Of
fare we're the feature Of the dinner.
Let me see, they drank-or rather
tasted-every vinted liquor that has
ever been brought to America. l do
not mean that they drank every brand
of wine, but the best was not good
enough for their taste. They finished
with a pOusse cafe made Of eleven
liquors"
What is your idea of a good din
ner2'
"As a caterer, l answer the one
that gives the most Satisfaction to
those to whom it is served and returns
the best profits; as a dinner, the best
that which gratifes the taste, satisfies
the demands of hunger, tickles the
appetite and completes its courses Just
at tie time the person who eats feels
himself no longer hungry and begins
to wonder why, because he does not
remember to have eaten anything
Can you accomplish that blissful
condition Of things for y~Ourself2"
Sometimes, bat not always. Wis
dom in feeding, | notice, is rare, and
flesh is weak. One either gets too
much wine at the start or commits
some such folly as taking a drink Of
brandy and soda or cocktail before he
begins. and then he will find it no end
of trouble to balance his stomach"
If wisdom Of this kind is rare, per.
haps you can tell me the names Of
some of the few people who are really
wiser
That's pretty hard. There's I'm
Gle Sam Ward. Hes a good and SEN
sible eater, but is inclined to take food
too highly Favored. He'll get equity,
maybe"
Among the politicians, who eat
well2"
Let me see. l can't recall many
right of the reel. There's Evarts.
he eats a great deal and eats good food.
and knows it. Tilden knows what is
good, and the way he orders the first
in season indicates how he keeps trace
Of the times when new things are due.
Ex-Governor Jewell, of Hartford, is a
careful and delicate feeder. The New
Englanders, as a rule, do not excel in
%gastronomy. They order things out Of
season and generally hash up their
food. Let me see you were asking
about politicians. Ben Butler, be is a
splendid exception to the average
Yankee. Don Cameron is a comforta.
BILE but not real good orderer. Wayne
MacVesgh knows how TO order a taste
full dinner"
Arthur ever eat here?"
Used to do so regularly. Hearty,
but not delicate"
Grant"
Eats what is given him, drinks
what he likes"
Hayes"
Don't know. He has been here
frequently, but l really don't know"
who among the local people know
how to order a good dinner?"
We'll, most all Of the Young men
Of wealth, Jeunesse doree Of New
York know how. Vanderbilt-W. H..
mean-is one of the heartiest
feeders | know Of"
How about the journalism
Mr.. Dana frequently orders 2
butfet-a stand-up lunch. | have
served several down at Glen Cove. Mr..
Jones, Of the Times, 1 do not know.
Mr.. Bennett eats yacht club dinners.
Hugh Hastings is a regular good one"
Who makes the best after dinner
speeh?"
General Horace Porter is ipdis.
putably the best speaker after dinner.
The Rev. DR.. r.. s. Storrs and Beecher
are very popular"
Theatrical people good feeders?"
None worse, i'll except John Nc.
How about the women?"
They never know, or at least onlv .
few Of them. Bernhard had no ides
what to put in her stomach. Gerstsr
always wanted garlicky and onion-sea.
soned dishes. Kellogg eats oysters
and t%arrapin. As rule ladies WHO
come here to lunch eat salads. Men
always order betterand more e~arefnilv
than women. The Southerners 20 for
any dish that is fried, and become dis.
peptie in haste. The people Of the
: Middle States are the best diners
bngllshmen get the best breakfasts
%brenehmen are the best wine drinLors
and judges Of wine, and f~oreieners
generally know more about eating and
drinking than Americans. Taken 1nIl
and large, the Baltimoreans who v;s;t
2 mere are the most tasteful eaters the
P~hiladelnhians III oi tie