Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-12
How Some Restaurants Impose Upor
the Principles of Economy.

ing their ideas Of economy from long theoreti-
cal dissertations on that subject, or attempting
with wizzard-like adroitness to attain astonish-
ing results in cooking from the manifold in
tricacies Of a French chefs "reminiscences, can
find some striking bits of information from
bird's-eye view Of the kitchen of a hustling
Washington restaurant when the city is filled
with visitors, as it has been the past week. In
deed, there is q good deal to learn when "all is
quiet along the Potomac" and the capital city
is slowly moving on in the even tenor of its
way. Take seat at one OF the slippery mar
ble-top tables, call for and cast an eye over the
inspiring bill of fare placed on the cold. bust
ness-like slab before you.
Here you see four or five kinds Of soup done
up in the purest and most stylish French an
de terre," ''potage au riz," 'potage aux con-
somme aux oeufs pOches," ETC., etc. There are
also on the list many kinds of fish, half dozen
assorted roasts, all kinds Of vegetables known
to agricultural science, any number Of made
dishes, pies, puddings and pastries to suit any
fastidiOus palate.
LOOKING OVER THE BILL OF FARE
with the waiter bending attitudinally with a
patronizing hauteur over your shoulder, one
hand on the table, the other on the back of the
chair. one, who did not know, would
imagine that to prepare and keep this immense
list OF eatables or the materials subject to
order, would require an extensive range, nu-
merous cooks Of high and low degree, plenty of
room and space and as much crockery as may
be found in any one of our leading queensware
establishments
1t is perfectly natural and excusable, there
fore, to be surprised when this delusion is dis
PEELED and the cold fact laid bare that the en-
tire culinary department is usually no larger,
If not much smaller, than many Of the kitchens
OF small families in Washington, and that gen.
orally one cook, with an alleged dish washer or
two, comprises the entire catering outfit.
PEEP THROUGH THE OPENING
made by broken Stat in the swinging door or
the slit punched in the time-honored screen,
which are used for concealing the inner work.
ings from the outer world. Here comes a
waiter fighting and scrambling through of his
the Japanese juggler Of edibles deftly slide
the lid from large boiler Of clear soup made
from the bones and scraps Of beef, mutton
chicken, veal, etc. Whether these bones have
been picked once by the customer at the tables
in front or not is question no one should in
sist upon being answered. This is time when
one must have largo bank account Of blind
faith to draw upon. Out of this boiler the
chef secures the desired amount Of clear SOUP
and into it he pops in quick succession little
tables. He gives this a vigorous stir, and
presto! pours into the plate your vegetable
soup.
Is IT coNsoMME YOU WISH.
II so, he pours into this clear stock some brown
thickening fluid and there you are. If maca-
roni, pot of boiled macaroni is at hand and
he forks a few strings into the same clear stock.
A big tin can Of condensed ox-tail soup stands
on handy shelf and a spoonful Of this lends
its flavor il that kind is wanted. A little
thickening and a kidney from another pot
makes kidney stew in short order. A good
deal Of RICE some thickening and a handful of
curry powder and you have your curry. And
20 on.
SEE HIM WELD THAT MAGIC WAND,
which looks so much like the carving knife we
all use at home. Roast lamb and roast mutton
come from the same joint at its touch or by the
aid OF peculiar sauce and some jelly slice Of
venison will lay before you. Veal is veal, or it
is chicken for salad, or turkey for fricasse, or
rabbit for stew, or ii is lamb for pie, Just as he
desires and the order demands. plain old
cod fish is boiled and then, BY the aid of sting
ing sauces and his simple touch, it becomes
any kind Of fish the patrons palate seems to
crave.
As FOB THE MATTER OF DESSERTS
the plum pudding and fruit cake are the same,
except one il served hot with sauce and the
other IL cold. The boiled rice used for the
curry or rice soup with milk, sugar and little
nutmeg becomes rice pudding instantly
Tapioca and sago come out Of the same dish
for furnishing all the improved connections of
those two palatable articles.
Thus he goes ahead with cunning ingenuity.
never at q loss to furnish promptly any dish on
the bill OF fare, NO matter whether there is q
particle Of the desired article in store or not
There il one thing, however, among Q few
others, and few only,
WHICH DErIEs HIS CRArrINxss,
and that IL the boiled egg. When 50 boiled"
10 called for boiled egg, pure and simple, is
the only thing that will answer. No leftover
from-Easter, China or painted wooden substi-
tute can al the bill But then the yeik of an
egg can impart TO his greasy lookinR white
butter beautiful golden hue and enter into
other magical examinations with him which 20
DO inflated ip boiled capacity.