The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-12-31
THE MAXIMS OF A CHINESE
GOURMAND.

THE MAXIMS OF A CHINESE
GOURMAND.
Dinuer-giving is a science which is
carefully cultivated in China, and the
table has there, as elsewhere, played
an important part in politics. iitera-
ture, and arr. A distinguished apostle
OF this cult was certain Yuan Tsu-
tsai, who lived in the last century and
Rogers of the day, for he cultivated
the muses. in dilettante fashion, and
also collected around his hospitable
board all the celebrities OF the time.
He was originally an official. but re-
tired into private life at the age of 40,
and settled in charming residence in
the country, where he devoted himself
to literature, his garden, and the pleas
ures of society and the table. The
most eminent literary men of the day
sought his company; he wrote polished
verses; and VI as epicurean in his tastes.
His character was not wholly ire
proachable; but he 1iFed until he was
30 Yeas Of age, and left behind him a
cookery -beok, in which he discussed
the snbjectof food and drink from a
scientific and artistic point of view.
Parts of this volume were recently
trsnslsted BY the North China Asiatic
society in Shanghai, and are thus rend-
cred accessible to English readers. His
maxims are more polished and more
ambitious than those of the immortal
Mrs. Glasse, but they are equally sensi-
BILE and practical
Cooks are declared to- be low '.fei-
lows of the baser sort." !" who must be
constantly scolded OF rewarded, other
wise they deteriorate sadly. Hence
Mr.. Yuan bestows on them some good
advice. They should keep the utensils
clean. and not use the same one for
two different things; they should not
slice bamhoo-shoots with knife which
has Just been used to cut onions (from
which it would seem the minor ills of
life are much the same all the world
over); they should know whstshould
be served with what, and the different
times required for cooking various
things, what is in season and what is
not, and they should allow nothing to
remain on the fire beyond its proper
time.
The food being cooked, the service is
the next subject that comes to be con-
sidered, and ON this head some excel
lent counsel is given. Elegant food,
says the writer. 10 not SO important as
elegant service. Everything on the
table should be scrupulously clean.
and the various dishes should be sent
up in their proper order. For instance.
salted meats should precede those of a
milder flavor; thick food should pre-
ceds thin ones, and foods without
gravy should precede those with gravy.
Five consecutive dishes should not be
all salt; this would tax the stomach too
severely. Three of the five should con-
tain either mustard or pepper to recov-
er the palate. just as acid and sweet
things should be used to prevent the
palate from being dulled by too much
wine. When the dinner is cooked and
served, the rest remains with the din
ers, and to these Mr. Yuan devotes
several chapters. His first maxim Is:
Don't eat with your ears"-in other
words, do not have whatever you have
heard is dainty. Remember. he
says, ..that well-cooked bean-curd is
much nicer than badly-cooked birds
nest; and that sea-slugs, if not good,
are not equal to common bamboo
shoots. The fowi, the pig, the fish and
the dnck-these are the heroes of the
dinner-table. Each has its character
istic flavor. and each forms school
by itself. Sea-siugs and birds'-nests
are but their rstaincrs. having nothing
OF their own, but living, as it were, in
other mems houses That is, fish,
pork, and poultry form the backbone
of the banquet; the other delicacies are
merely to set off or improve these. To
1Ir1ct ctr-of 70 l, rol tos moi ha
was once invited to d banquet by q GER
the rice-bowls were very Large, and
nest, but quite tasteless. Somebody
began to say something in praise of the
display, but Yuan laughed and said:
81 came here to eatabird's-nest, not to
deal in it wholesale. Now, you might
deal in this, but you couldn't eat it,
So, what is the use Of it all? 1t only
makes show, it would be better to fill
your bowls with pearls, which would
cost more money, but this is not eat
ing" The philosopher was averse to
display. he loved little dinners. An
other maxim is, Don't eat with your
eyes. % This is warning to hosts
against providing too many courses.
He frequently points out how the diff
ferent parts. of any given food are
adapted. and even essential, in order
to produce the best result from the
whole. 1--WE know" he says, ''that
the yelk of an egg is richer than
the white, but he is fool who eats on
u yelks and throws away the whites"
With regards to wine he is very en-
phatic; Don't take wine too freely.
Only sober man knows right from
wrong. and it is the same with food.
1t has been wisely observed that Ian
guage fails to describe the delicate
naances of flavors. How, then, should
a half-tipsy sot know anything about
thsmf / have myself often seen two
men playing at guess fingers and
shoVeling ia their food the while as
Thoughts were so much sawdust, sacri-
fcing everything to the enjoyment of
wine. No, ! say. food first and wine
afterward. Thus we can enjoy both"
He warns cooks against using hot
water dishes (Which have long been
known in, China), for they destroy the /
favor OF aFery deiinate dish.