Morning journal and courier., 1882-09-21
English and French Cookery

Epicures of all grades and nationalties, from the trutf1e worshiper to him who can not make what Americans call a square meal without the national vegetable of Ireland, will rejoice to hear that the Universal Union of Masters of the Culinary Art is now estab lished on a firm basis. Started only six months ago. the society now numbers nearly 1,2OO members, holding regular meetings in Paris, and has a banner presented by M. Berte chef of the Cafe de Paris This is a mary elously good beginning, and tho effect of such a movement radiating from the cen ter-we had almost written central 3re-of the culinary art cannot fail to be salutary to the entire world At first one is inclined to stare at the idea of professional school of cookery in Paris. There IS & savor Of carry ing coals to Newcastle in the scheme when it is recollected that, apart from high class French cookery, there is caistne b0urge0tSe, as it is called, which includes many excellent and several historic dishes. But it would seem that, good Engllshmen think French cookery, the high professors of the art hold that the nation has yet much to learn. Per. haps this is the case, since, curious to relate, the taste of English people has exercised 8 powerful influence on French cookery. Middle aged persons can easily recollect that when they first visited France there was no ticeable a strong determination toward rich sauces some of which were made with tho reckless prodigality of Quin the actor, who considered the red mullet only it to yield up his liver to make sauce for John Dory. Soles were stewed in white wine in cider and eaten swimming in 8 luscious ocean of mussels mushrooms and butter. Outlets were preferred with an artificial crust over their surface or favored with the rich mix ture called D'Uxelles, and thus known as Maintencn outlets, most unhappy title. as it suggested to generation after generation
 of hungry witIings a jokelet on na0intenGnt. The French were long time in finding out that so far as meat Is concerned the bar
 barous English were really ahead Of them but, to do the Parisian cooks justice, when they once got the correct bearings they
 steered straight enough, and now beat Eng fish cookery out of the field, or off the table, on it's own principles In the early, not
 salad, but sauce, days just referred to, a great fuss was made about the e1tTecoteS, rib or surloin steaks, served up red, or, as the astonished Parisians called them, sdlgSaGntes. i R0sbif and biftecEs were tasteless or leathery masses in fact, the only agreeable piece of | foreign beef to the Briton was the costly | Chateau aubriand-supposed to be cooked with | thinner steak on either side-just as simi-
 lar slices were applied to the cheeks of sleep.
 ing beauty to preserve the complexion. | But the Anglomania brought with 1t several | good things Our French friends learned to
 eat OK properly cooked and to drink beer. l If at the same time they learned the great
 game" of the turf they have only themselves | to thank Their cooks have grasped the se- ] cret of wholesome food so thoroughly that if
 any elderly Britons exist who still talk of
 ''kickshaws," they have only to run over to | Paris to find their outlets plainly but perfect
 ly broiled without the horror of bread crumbs, their beefsteaks and the actual roast
 beef of old England done to perfection, and
 at fashionable restaurants like Bignons
 wheeled about on a table in English tavern
 style Modern French cookery aims at the
 perfection of that simple method which is | only denounced in this country because 1t IS
 badly carried out. What the shade of Bril-
 lat t-savarin-mighty drum major of the
 Court of Cassatlon-would say to this 1t is
 difficult to imagine. What could the feelings
 of a man be who found and admired his son
 in the act of having four turkeys cooked TOT his own solitary dinner, in order that he
 might enjoy the eight juicy morsels, called
 by the French What fools leave," and in
 England oyster pieces?