The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-07-14
Seventeenth Century Cooking.
 Nav York Cra nhic

Seventeenth Century Cooking.
 New York Graphic.
 In general way cooking among the aristocratic and wealthy has under gone many manifest changes during the last two centuries. Our most popular caterers would be likely to stand amazed if they could be for a briaf hour transplanted into the six teenth century to witness one of the swell banquets of that period. Then princely tables were arranged with an eye single to splendor. Notwithstand- ing this, they used to have delicious things to eat. Moreover, their table manners of that age must have been superior to ours in many respects, for one was required to possess sort of intuitive knowledge of the many dishes prepared simply for shows sake ito be seen, not eaten.
 Let us single out for illustration the elaborate menu of a dinner given after the funeral of Duke Albrecht W. of Bavaria, in 1909, at the royal palace in Munich. The show dishes repre- sented the seven ages of the world, commencing with that notorious couple, MT. Adam and Miss Eve. Be- tween the twain stood green tree, and around it was coiled very snake- looking serpent, with tempting ap- pie in it's mouth, its head lowered before Mise Eve. On the side of this quaint looking dish were confections of sugar and almonds, which were eaten.
 The second dish was boiled pigs head. The third consisted of boiled meat with capons, fowl and smoked fish. The fourth was figure de- picting the second age of the world, viz, Noah's Ark, surrounded with waters baked in sugar. Hot salmon and graylings composed the fifth course. The next dish brought on the table was garnished cabbage. The seventh course represented the third age of the world, that is to say, Abra- hams sacrifice, including to VII made out of sugar and almonds.
 The eighth dish was a high trans parent jelly, disclosing within picklcd fish. The ninth was fresh cooked and pickled game. The tenth, represent ing the fourth age-David staying Goliath-was enriched with sweet waters which one now ancient chroni- cler hints were nibbled at. The eleventh dish was composed of vegetables. The twelfth pickled sturgeon. The thir- teenth showed the fifth age-the Tower of Babel, with houses in the background rising out of vegetable concoction. The fourteenth course was pickled bird pie. The fifteenth was leg of mutton. A facetious his- torian here remarks that the company was just beginning to get hungry. Course No. 16 represented the sixth age-the birth of Christ; Mary, with the child, Joseph, the manager, etc., were all depicted out of white march, pane. The seventeenth course com- prised bear pie and vegetables. The eighteenth, pickled birds. The nine- teenth symbolized the seventh age by conception of doomsday, with the Saviour sitting under rainbow, the virgin on his right and on his left St. John in kneeling position. The
 
 carp and shad fish. The twenty first, roast pheasant, woodcock and par tridges. The twenty second course represented the funeral of Duke AL brecht, or rather his tomb in the Church of our Lady, decorated with flags and banners of the kingdom, sur- mounted by the recumbent image of the duke holding banner in one hand and drawn sword in the other. The twenty third course, coming late in the evening, was cake in the shape of an oven, from which, when it was cut open, flew forth living birds.
 A dinner like this, given by one of the Vanderbilts, for instance, would be likely to create a sensation and a lack of appetite among the invited guests.