Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-12-17
HOW LONDON DIMES.

HOW LONDON DIMES.
4 correspondent of the Brooklyn Times
writes as follows: Being biaden to one OF
London's civic dinners, l partook inter ALA
| Of lark pudding. do think it is shame
to nut The lark which ''at heavens gate
sings" into pudding, but being in a pud.
ding the lark is exceedingly nice. / am
told that lark pudding is quite as expensive
and doubly as rare as birds nest soup, and
certainly The uuanimity with which the
guests, on the occasion l refer to, called for
it, bears out the suggestion. Perhaps Del
morico himself could not have suggested a
rather menu than that which the Ship.
wrights laid before u.s. The lord mayor-as
fine ard yeomanlike q specimen OF English
man as one would wish to see-occupied
the guests place of honor, and at such
times as dared furtively to raise my eyes
in the direction Of that dignitary, I thought
| saw that he enjoyed the repast exceeding
ly. Certainly it was gorgeous affair, from
the soup to the iced pudding, and afterward
to the cigars (great fat fellows of that delic-
iously loose and crumblng make about the
end that domestic worllmen cannot imitate).
The wines, too; the fragrant hooks and
mellow clarets, the dry champagnes, the
rare old ports, the rutty sherries, the Thin
bleful Of oily brandy, and the accompany
ing gup of coffee That is the way Lon
doners-.he great corporation aud city
gulds-dine.
Let Us see At the height of that banquet
it must have been O'Clock From the ma
ies.ic Mansion house, which sees literally
hundreds of such dinners during every lord
Mayors term, TO the New cut, is but short
distance. Here, as indeed in all parts OF
London, there are served up at S o'clock
precisely, in the ham and beef shops, huge
dishes of boiled beef, baked pork, and peas
pudding 1t is not too much to say that
lO0, 600 families in London take their even
ing land heartiest) meal from these shops,
carrying home the steaming viands in hot
basins, at i cost of from one penny to, say
ninepence each family. 1.-Two to Is cents }
The meat, of course cannot be obtained for
this smaller sum, but huge platter of
peas pudding may, and there is no dish
more wholesome and sustaining. TO the
very poor--not 10 the poorest, poor crea-
tures, for they are unable to obtain even
This cheap food freQuently-the hot joints
and hot pudding served from o'clock un-
ii! midnight, and the savory saveloys that
are taken sleaming from the boiler, are g
great boon. Many of the establishments in
which they are served have also midday
hot lunch none being allowed to consume
their food Oh the premises), but for the most
part the morning is occupied by their pro-
prietors in cutting and preparing the meat
Tor the great rush Of the evening, in clear
ing up generally, and il cutting cold meats
for such rs want them. | have often gazed
with mute admiration upon the deft man
ner in which these gentlemen ply their long
knives. They seem TO be able to cut off a
pound Of meat without diminishing the
Joint, and TO do it aud do it again. l am
positive that have seen them shave off q
piece of ham that was no thicker than the
paper on which these lines will be printed.
Such as cannut muster enough money TO
indulge in steal; and kidney pudding
which costs anywhere from TO 10 pence,
according TO how much steak and kidney
there is in it, and Of what variety they are,
can at all events find healthy and cheap
repast in the fried fish shop. There is
great plenty in England, and at all seasons
of the year of fish called plaice. 1t is
something like q founder and some
thing like a sole, but it is neither and
has a distinct flavor. The fried. fish shop
keeper cuts this plaice in two, peppers,
salts, and fours him, and pops him into
gigantic vat Of boiling grease. In ten min
utes he is done. Scores of thousands, especi-
ally in the winter time, are nightly custom
ers of the fried fish shop. l have tried
paice so cooked and have liked him
very much. The great consideration about
him, however, is his cheapness. A satisfy
ing portion of fried plaice, for one, can be
obtained for q single penny, while If the
purchaser desires to spend more he can get
at the same threecornered paper full of
Clipped potatoes for another penny-four
cents of our money in all. Is it not terrible
to think that in this vast town, this in
Vulnerable caravan, there are thousands
| who cannot often approach even this poor
luxury? The poor, however, have certain
~ more opportunities of obtaining cheap
and nourishing TODD in London than in any
other Of the large cities-certainly far more
than in New York or Brooklyn. We will
suppose, for example, that man were land
ed in New York with but % cents in the
world-and hungry. How long could he
support life on it? Certainly not more
than two days-that is to say before he be-
gan to starve. twenty-five cents are a
shilling and half-penuy of English money,
and think you will gather from what |
have written that it would go much further
here than there. For penny here man
NAV have dish of whelks Ia toothsome
shell fish, with pepper and vinegar, or two
very repulsive.looking oysters, or in The
winter time cup of hot eel soup, or meat
or fruit pie, or plate of mussels.
| NOTICE.