The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-05-16
Miss Evarts' Chocolate.

1t was Miss Bette Evarts to whom
the housekeeper's laurels best belonged,
by her skill and knowledge in such mat
tiers she could instruct Miss Juliette
Corson and all the culinary priestesses.
The Chocolate served at. Mrs. Evarts'
Wednesday afternoons had fame be-
yond anything in the refreshment line
known here. The Mexican Minister was
wont to say that even in his own land of
aloes could anything be had approach
ing to it; and praise from a Mexican is
praise indeed, since all the travellers
agree in eXtravagant praise of the choc-
olate of Old Mexico. The beverage,
as prepared there. is first made by
pounding up and beating the chocolate
with the white of an egg. My inform
ants having all been male travellers, the
recipe never progressed beyond this
white of an egg, Even so distinguished
and close IN observer of Aztec traditions
as General Lew Wallace could not give
working instructions to a Hibernian
cook, and the secret waits for the civil
lizing railroads to scatter it broadcast.
Miss Evarts' chocolate. made by her
own skilled and thereby beautiful hands,
was thick, delicious, jelly-like sweet,
with a bit of whipped cream resting on
its top. The rare and exquisite harle-
quin cups and the tiny golden spoons
that held it were fit accompaniments,
and the large dining-room was pretty
picture, when filed with ladies and an
occasional diplomat, discussing and
praising the chef q 0eucre of the fore
most art Miss Bette herself was fair
to see, blonde of the purest and rarest
type, with a satiny skin white as snow,
colorless complexion and large blue
gray eyes under the shadow of a lovely
Wound mass of abundant pale golden
hair. Her pretty fingers went in and
out among the cups, pouring the fam
Gus chocolate from a superb silver jug
and dropping the whipped and airy
cream into each wonderful bit of china.
Every one talked of it and housekeepers
besought for the receipt, which that
charming young lady gave willingly
and gracefully. Ihave it before me now,
hastily witten in Miss Evarts' own clear
hand upon the back of visiting card,
while two people talked to her at once:
Break up the chocolate and place in
a warm spot to melt Put in a farina
kettle and pour on boiling milk. Stir
while pouring in the milk, and stir con-
stantly while cooking. Let it boil some
minutes and serve with whipped cream.
s'Use Maillard's chocolate already
sweetened MISS EvARTs."
The practice and discretion of skill
ed housekeeper are necessary to its COM
plete success, but by few trials the
merest tyro can find the difference be-
tween this richest and most delicious
article, and the watery aud miserable
decoctions that assume the of choc-
olate. Before Miss Evarts, the palm
for the most perfect table and rarest
dainties was greenest in the day of Mrs.
Gideon We!les, whose husband was the
Secretary of the Navy in the Lincoln
Cabinet Mrs Welles was the model
housekeeper of her circle, and her choc-
olate was as famous and as much sung
by men and matrons as that of Miss
Evarts The little riva1ries of the
housekeepers have diversified every
Administration, end while Mrs. Hayes
even added culinary talents to her sum
of winning Projections, she used laugh j
ingly to bow down before the blonde
Miss Evarts and announce her suprem-
acy-St Louis Globe Democrat.