The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-03-07
Lunch With the Celestials.
From Pail Mall Gazette.

From Pail Mall Gazette.
If the multitudinous dishes inscribed on
the menu of the trial lunch with which the
Chinese restaurateurs lately opened their
campaign at the Health Exhibition are set
before the British public next week, it is
easy to forsee that the British public will
be at a great loss which to choose. 1t is
right, therefore, to give little advice.
The hungry sightseer may with confidence
order bird soup. As served in tiny
slop-basin, it is excellent. 1t will have
great success in London, and will proba-
bly be naturalized in England from and
after 1884. Let one only of the party
order Shaohsing wine. 1t is warm ike
the soup, and also served in a tiny slop-
basin. But taste of it will be enough for
each of the guests 1t is made from rice,
and its flavor is indescribable. Besides
birds 's-nests the Chinese eat many things
which we do not eat Either of the two
following dishes, called respectively, in
Franco Chinese jargon, "Timbale Biche-de-
Mer au Madere" or Sharks fin la Ba-
grafton" will give to any curious barbarian
some notion of the skilful manner in which
they utilize treasures of the deep which we
waste. This so-called ssBiche de-Mer' is
a sea-slug two and half inches long and
three-fourths of an inch thick. 1t lies at
the bottom of the deep seas off the Chinese
coast, and looks when dried like piece of
india rubber, from which protrude rows of
short spikes When cut open it is found
to consist of an alimentary canal, surround
ed by tough gelatinous substance OF the
consistency and color of india rubber. This
unprepossessing little animal keeps long
time in dried state. 1t is cut up and
cooked in minute pies. The British public
will not find these sea-slug pies so bad as
might be imagined, their taste being not
unlike that of turtle. The sharks FIN,
however, is for the more audacious only.
1t is cartilaginaus, and eaten with rice.
And here the chopsticks which lie beside
your plate may be tried. 1t is to be hoped
that real Chinaman may be deputed to
show the use Of chopsticks. That alone
would make visit to the Chinese restaur-
ant deeply interesting. There is another
dish never seen in London before, the seeds
of the sacred Lotos This is what Lotos
caters lived on. The seeds are soft, white,
and about the size of bean, and may be
recommended to the Poet Laureate and
others interested in the subject. The
French chief who directs the energies CT
five Chinese cooks and who interprets their
dishes calls them "Noisettes de Lotus a
HeIianthus." Helianthus, however, is, we
understand, merely thrown in "pour arron-
dir la phrase" Such is the effect of the
genius of France acting upon the material
resources eff China. There are other dishes
too numerous to mention. They are all
served in small saucers. Last comes the
imperial tea. This tea costs in Pekin eight
shillings pound 1t never comes to Eu-
rope, because no one would pay so dear for
it. 1t is made from the choicest leaves and
dried in the sun, instead of over fire. 1t
is of the color of barley water, and the
leaves, which half fill the cup, are light
green in color. The aroma and taste are
both excellent.