, 1886-05-04
THE FRENCH DINNER.
HOW ECONOMICAL HABITS lNFLU-
ENcE A couNTRY'S CUISINE.

An improvement on the Ancient Custom
of Reclining at the banquet Tabie-The
French DeJeuner-yaristy Ct Dishes
At an American Restaurant
As regards position at meals II does not
appear that the ancient Greeks and
Romans showed good judgment in reclin-
ing at their ~banGuets. The horizontal
attitude is not favorable to digestion, the
digestive organs being thrown out Of posi-
ton. and the attraction of gravitation not
IN any manner aiding the food to reach its
destination. How much better are orr
present ways of placing ourselves at tablet
We place ourselves about what is hospit-
ably called a board, " which may be either
round, oval, square or oblong, seating our
selves in comfortable chairs, upholstered
In cloth or leather, and thrusting our feet
n~onchalantly under our or some one
else's mahogany. So arranged, serving Is
convenient, all the dinners are mutually
visible. conversation Is easy, and all the
conditions favorable TO the good digestion
which should, II It does not, always wait
on appetite.
In considering contemporary ways OF
eating dinner IL must be confessed that the
world owes a debt Of gratitude to the
French for the great Improvements they
have made in the cuisine. But how did II
happen that 1t fell to their lot to furnish a
majority OF the cooks Of the world as
well as to set standards Of tastes which
the majority Of the civilized world gener-
ally followsi Cpriously enough 1t grew
originally out of the economical habits OF
the people. France is a country in which
economy has Away been necessary, either
-. ~ ~ nAArK1nftAn lnFnRr than
the land could support generously, or be-
cause of frequent wars that devastated
and Impoverished the country, or oppres-
sive burdens borne by the people before
:he French revolution.
RESULTS OF THE ECONOMICAL HABIT.
The economical habit has therefore be
come hereditary. When the best mate
rails OF which TO prepare a dinner were
wanting, ii was necessary to use the bad.
When the best cuts of an animal cost too
much, the less desirable parts-the heart,
liver, kidneys, giblets and bony portions
had to be used. II used at all they had to
be rendered appetizing; hence ingenious
methods OF cooking, and the invention OF
sauces 80 exquisite hat served with an old
pair of boots they would render the dish
not only eatable, but excellent. md uigest-
i've. 1t did not take Long to discover in
this way that riany things previously con
sidered aneatGble were really superior,
while articles OF food hitherto un
dreamed of came gradually to be discov-
cred. But though the origin Of the French
dinner is mainly due to these causes, the
good taste OF the better class of French
people and the luxury Of great mobiles and
royal courts had much to do with its de
velopment and its present elaboration.
But the French dinner, with all its ex-
c~ellencies. has its disadvantages, In which
connection it may not be amiss to mention
the French breakfast, or dejeuner. 1t IS
the first substantial meal of the day, moth
ing having been previously taken except
coffee with a bit of bread, 1t comes froW
II to |. 1t is a meal with a most uncom
mercial aspect, for it can hardly CONSUME
less than an hour and a half Of the best
business portion of the day. If it is to be
eaten with decency and decorum. In the
provincial towns OF France business is en-
tirely suspended during the time devoted
10 It, and banks and many places of bust
ness are entirely closed, to the great incon.
venience OF foreigners and Of all classes
Of persons whose stay in the place is nee
essarily limited. In Paris places OF bust
ness are left open. Principals 60 home o.
to restaurants to take their reakfast al
leisure, while the clerks manage the hes'
way they can with cold food or with soup.
or ragouts prepared on the stove which
warns the office. An unpleasant featur,
Of the French breakfast is that it is tot
much like the dinner. The dishes are
much the same and it is served in the SAINT
manner, though the dishes are not SO nu
merous.
THE vARIETY OF FRENc DISHES.
It must be said in general Of the French
dinner thai it is remarkably absolute ir
its rules. II admits Of a great variety, hni
Is usually eaten with very little. Its fam.
uy likeness the world over, whether in
America, the small towns of France, il
Italy or Algiers, Egypt, India, China, or OF
shipboard, seems extraordinary to a tray
eler who is accustomed to think at al
about what he eats, There Is a soup, @
fish, an entree, n vegetable, a roast, a salad
and a desert. These different articles tast,
the same everywhere. II they are good
they have the same good qualities; if bad
the same bad qualities. To all intents ant
purposes they might nave come out Of the
same oven, pots or saucepans. The SAINT
rules of resemblance extend to pastry
which, good OF bad, has the same appear
ance aud the same at Paris, in the prov
inces and in the colonies, and wherever il
foreign countries a French cook presidei
in the kitchen. Allowing for the greaI
variety and possibilities in the French
dinner, the number Of dishes seems, a,
usually served, too small, and the Likeness
In taste gives m unpleasant impression.
The hotels in America have undoubt
eddy adopted the best system. TIT gen
eral rules of the French cuisine are fol
lowed, but the service at table is alto
gether different, being precisely that o.
the best Paris restaurants. IL is a comb
nation Of the table d'hote and restaurant
systems. The guest sits at the com
mon table, but he selects his soup, fish
meats and desserts from a variety Of eacl
printed on the bill Of fare, instead of hav
ing them forced upon him. There 4
always a profusion. He can never com
plain that he has not had enough, nor II HI
understands the bill. that he has not haC
what he desires. He can have %nationa
dishes il he prefers, for at every good Am
erican restaurant or hotel these are SERVED
In greater or less variety. This system
perplexes or annoys captions Englishmen
who either do not or will not see that a
the American hotel table they do pre-
cisely what they do at the best restaurant
on the continent OF Europe, are in ever
way more generously served and pay mucl
less.-San Francisco Chronicle.
Not Counting the Small Natter.
l. II