New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-03
GOOD DINNERS.

Henry PATTERSON IN The Louisville CoWier,JouyTGl.
My friend Lucullus, who has the choicest wne-
cellar III this country and gives the best dinners
on side of the Neutrality-suspicious. | am disposed
TO think the best dinners are given,once asked me
to take pot-iuck. with him. Il was ruse. The
dinner was something superb The company some
thing distinguished. The purpose, on wager, TO
show me my prOvncialism. There were Moorish
wines in lcathern pouches long. crooked necks and
no end OF oil and wax: port nifty years out of the
docks OF London; Madeira old enough to have
grandchildren. " hen the ladies went and the
" discussion" was called. and my host canle
and took the vacant chair of the hostess,
modestly asked for u glass of champagne, which
was instantly supplied which occasioned great
mel riment round the table and was told that the
argument" i'll hand H. g. What CONSTITUTES Pro-
vincialISm y was over; since my going by the rare
wines OF Lucullus an. preterring champagne proved
me to be rustic. Not so, not so, quOth l. when |
was able to get hearing 10 proves just tie con-
trary. 1t proves me cosmopolitan. II | were
provincial | should only nc too glad 10 keep ny
mouth open TO these rare wines of Lucullus. l
should twist my feet beneath his mahogany la awe
struck silence. do not do this. because used 10
them. ask him for what want-for what know
TO be abundant and accessible IN this house as
water. That is a liberty which pay = compliment
to his hospitality. Now. il | had asked him for
glass of buttermlk-which might, and doubtless
wOud have embarrassed him-l should be pro-
vlncla You, dear friends, are provincial IN taking
note OF anything that happens nc centlemans
table y This merely as an interlude an illustration
to show that those who consider themselves men OF
the world do not knew " hat is good dinner nor
how TO serve OF ENJOY one.
ihdChcldl, WIN, upon NlCluAls IN Ntif Pi''~
Horace has an essay entitled Memorials OF Cor
mandiZing' Ii is II noble pean to food not 50
tender as The Ballad of Bouabaise," but very
witty and ELUSIVE. In this delightful prose poem
the most humane of English satrists tells how
one murky afternoon in Paris, he met old friend.
between whom and himself GOODNESS had existed;
they met face TO face; they alone and lonelyj
they had been wandering for hours IN quest OF
somebody; they entered an adjacent restaurant
and had beefstcak and Il bottle of red vine; they
beamed, they glowed, they sopped their bread IN
tho residuum OF gravy left in the bottom OF tile dSu
and they loved one another That, that was soou
dinner
The best dinner / can recall was in the woods OF
Georgia with James Eustls, "A stan oiheer OF uenera
Joe Johnston, who afterward became tinted
States Senator. and Harry Yeatman, General Folks
aide-decamp' Ii consisted of single leg Oh
mutton, some hot wheat bread little pure butte,
and halt phial of Scotch whIskoy, which We had
puIloned from the Generals camp-chest. A.
good dinner is perfect -sfood perfectly
dressed; not a great array of dishes, The art
OF cooking is the first or the fine arts
The first woman in. America is not she VINO
bears most children "a brutal Napolconism -
but she who prepares the best dish becauec.
by this act tins superior accomp lie hment, sue
contributes to tho health OF her children and the
fidelity of her husband. In my poor way, have
tried to disseminate in Kentucky the idea Of Coo"N
and Clean AID wholesome food.