Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-09-17
THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED OF COOKS
Henry watersOn's Account of the
Finest Kitchen and Wine-Cellar In

Finest Kitchen and Wine-Cellar In
America.
Henry Batterson in the Louisville Courier-Jour-
nal
Nv friend Lucullus, who has the
choicest wine cellar in this country, and
gives the best dinners on our side of the
Atlantic-where | am disposed to think
the best dinners are given-once asked
me to take pot. luck with him. IL was
a ruse. The dinner was something sub
erb; the company something distln-
guiShed; the purpose, on wager. 10
show me my provincialism. There
were Moorish wines in leathren
pouches, long, crooked necks, and no
end of oil and wax; port fifty years out
of the docks of London; Madeira old
enough to have grandchildren. When
the ladies went, aud the discussion"
was called, and my host came over and
took the vacant chair of the hostess, L
modestly asked for glass of cham
payne, which was instantly supplied,
which occasioned great merrlment
round the table, and was told that the
argument" in hand ii. G. What con-
stitUtes provincialism" was over;
since my going by the rare wines OF
| I.uculus and preferring champagne
proved me to be rustic. mot SO, not
sou uuoth |, when | was able to get a
hearing. ut proves Just the contrary. If
| were provincial should only be too
glad to keep my mouth open to these
rare wines of Lucullus. should twist
NV feet beneath his mahogany in awe
struck silence. | do not do this, because
| am used to them. ask him for what
want-for what / know to be as
abundant and as accessible in this house
as water. That is liberty which pays
a compliment to his hospitality. Now,
if | had asked him for glass of butter
milk-which might, and doubtless
would have embarrassed him should
be n provincial. You, dear, friends, are
provincial in taking note of anything
that happens at gentleman's table,
This merely as an interlude, an illuttra-
tion. to show that those who consider
themselves men of the world do not
know what is good dinner, nor how
to serve or enjoy one.
Thackeray, who, upon victuals, Is
very prosy Horace, has an essay entitled
"M. morials of Commanding" 1t Is
noble pecan to food; not so tender as
"The Ballad of Bouillabaise," but very
witty and ELUSIVE. In this delightful
prose poem the most humane OF Eng
fish satirists tells how, one murky al
ternoon in Paris, he met an old friend,
between whom and himselfa coolntss
had existed; they met face to face;
they were alone and lonely; they had
been wandering for hours in quest OF
somebody; they entered an adjacent
restaurant and had beefsteak and a
bottle of red wine; they beamed, they
glowed, they sopped their bread in the
residum of gravy left in the bottom OF
the dish, and they loved one anoth-
er. That-that was good dinner!
The best dinner ] can recall was in
! the woods of Georgia with James. Els
lis, a staff officer of General Joe john.
son, who afterward became United
States Senator, and Harry Geatman,
General Folks aide-de-eamp. II CON
sisted of a single leg Of mutton, some hot
wheat bread, little pure butter and q
half a t1hial of Scottish whisky, which
we had purloined from the Generals
camp-chest.
A good dinner is perfect food perfect
" dressed; not a great array OF dishes
Is not she who bears most children "a
The art Of cooking is the first OF the
fine arts. The first woman in America
brutal Napoleonism-but she who pre-
pares the best dish; because by this one
act, this contributes to the health OF her
children and the fidelity OF her husband,
In my poor way, have tried to OLSEN:
inate in Kentucky the idea of good, and
| clean, and wholesome food.