The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-07-31
AN OMELET DUEL.
The Rivalry Between Famous Cal
ifornia Cooks in 40.
San Francisco Bulletin.


San Francisco Bulletin.
"When managed the Isthmus house."
said captain Scott, one of the pioneers Of
'49, IL made q speciality Of omelets. knew
nothing suited men better who had been
accustomed to rough it. Eggs plain are
very well, but for dish that strikes right
at mans stomach there is nothing like an
omelet. 1t must be good, however; stale
fruit won't do. knew that and gave moth
ing but frst-class article. 1t cost money,
though. Fresh eggs were 50 dozen, and
hard to get at that Still there was a big
margin of profit. Each Omelet brought S.;
sometimes when eggs were scarce, rising as
high as IS and So. There are men, you
know, who are bound to have luxuries,
COS, what they will.
81 had Frenchman IS cook, who con-
sidered himself as without an equal in this
branch of cookery. He was a little sallow-
faced chap, wore paper cap and sang the
"Marsellaise" so frantically that some peO-
pie swOre he was crazy. But he was a
good cook. His omelets rar up the name
of the house and made money hand over
fist. have sold as high as sixty omelets a
day, at an average profit of 50 apiece not
bad for one article.
But success breeIs envy. The "CalifOr-
MIA hotel" on Dupont street, had a Ger
man baron as chief cook, who also pro-
posed to register number one as an omelet
cons ruciOr. His employer set him up as
the champion Omelet maker of the Golden
state. l couldn't stand this; / claimed the
title for my cook, and offered to bet 81 1000
that 'Frenchy' could beat the baron all
hollow and have a vacuum to spare. Mo-
reno, who ran the hotel, accepted the chal-
lenge, the money was put up, and arrange
menls made for the match. 1t took place
in big lent pitched for the occasion on an
open space, now covered by the Hibernian
bank 1t called out all the epicures in the
city, and was an event in every particular.
Three noted gastronomists were appointed
judges. one being Cavalier, afterward
banker, and who, at later period, was
shot by a crazy man, went to France and
died.
"Both cooks appeared in white suits, the
baron wearing Prussian dag as an apron,
| the Frenchman French one. also made
him wear the American colors as q sash
around his waist and Bear flag across his
shoulders. meant him to typify this
country, and he did it, for he rode over all
opposition. Well, TO chip of, his omelettes
were simply magnificent. The judges sid
they had never tasted anything like them,
and proved it by slowing away $3.50 worth
of 'Frenchy's' gems to $50 worth of truck
manufactured by the German nobleman.
Il was justified in feeling happy. My
champion had come out winner; . rival
house had lost its biggest card, The stakes
were mine and the gate money ran up to
$1,000. 1t was q clean sweep. Poor Mo-
reno couldn't stand misfortune. He cursed
me as . sMaldito Americana jumped on q
jackass and rode of, As he said, to Pesca-
dero. He may be riding yet, As he never
reached his destination. The next man
was the German baron. Meeting 'Frenchy'
at the fandango, he called HIM . coward.
The Gaul couldn't stand this; be sent .
cartel to the baron, who, after finding that
his opponent was also q nobleman BY
right, accepted-swords being the weapons
with the privilege of using shields.
81 shall never forget that duel. It was
amusing to a degree. Each man came on
the ground armed with sabre and round
target made of sheet iron. The combat
took place in Binney's gymnasium, in the
presence of about q hundred persons. Old
Captain Seidenstophier acted rs second for
the baron, and Ronout de Boullon,
afterwards shot at Sonora, served in the
same capacity for the Frenchman. The
combat lasted for fifteen minutes, when it
came to an abrupt termination by the ap-
pearance OF Jack HAYS, then sheriff, with .
posse of deputies, who jumped the princi-
pals and scattered the spectators. Not q
drop Of blood was drawn, for, though the
combatants thrust and cut at each other
with an energy decidedly commendable,
they failed to score point the shields. ~
they both remarked, being always in the
way. SD much for making the best ONE
lettes in San Francisco thirty years ago."