Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-08


will be a few decanters of wine. as many
piles of excellent crisp bread; and, win
ter or summer, several plates OF fruit.
Soup is served first. Meat and vege-
tables follow; and then fruit and
wine are enjoyed. The entire meal is
without formality, and both as to the
order of serving and manner Of partak-
ing, is invariably to each Individual 8
liking. After fruit and wine come the
cigar and cigarette; and during the en-
tire meal, conversation, often extending
to whimsical gatherings with the bare
armed Criadas or serving girls, whom
both the gentleman and lady of the
house address as ''My daughter, - seems
to be, rather than eating, the chief aim
OF the family gathering. At dinner you
will find the family's habits quite as
simple. The table Is likely to be set
nearer the window. Its linen is fresh
and snowy white. There are gall
Ions of ice-cold water in huge glass
decanters. Fruit, usually melons and or
anges in season, are beautifully piled
upon the table-the melons already sliced
to be handed around, the oranges pared
and set near you by the dozen. Then the
soup is brought by the servant. still
bare-armed, but otherwise in voluminous
folds Of white garments. Following the
soup comes the universal pucherO of the
Spaniards, that stew of all sorts of fish,
flesh, fowl and vegetables, which Is ever
food, drink and desert among poor and
rich, and which, with bread of the
best quality and marvellous bounteouS-
mess make the entire repast. The COM
mon red wine Of Spain is drunk out OF
old fashioned tumhlers throughout the
meal. AT its conclusion, from the quaint
old sideboard or quainter mahogany cup
board, the hostess will bring a glittering
decanter of cherry brandy. This is served
in tiny glasses, and all, including the
servants, who assemble in the dining
room few moments for this kindly Gus
tom, partake. Then again come the
cigars, cigarettes and a half hour of
banter and rally, in the enjoyment Of
both of which
THE HOSTESS OFTEN HEARTILY JOINS.
The regime of the loveliest peasant in
Spain does not differ a whit from the one
described save in degree. The purhero
is everybody's dish twice day if it can
be afforded. Little beyond this is
needed or desii ed, aDd on the tables of
rich or poor no pastry or buildings are
ever seen. The Spanish method of cook
ing fortunately precludes these. No
stoves or ranges can be found in Spain
save infrequeutl7 in the houses of the
nobility, and at those more important
hotels where wealthy travellers are enter
tanned. In these the French cuisine is
in vogue. In every kitchen of the mid
die classes, or cottage of the peas
antry, will be found a solid brick
structure built against the wall and
with a fiat top. Into this, from
the interior side, extended little aper-
lures eighteen Inches deep, with open
ings foot square. Round holes from
four to six inches in diameter are cut
in the top of each. These, literally
"pigeon- holes, - are called, hornillas.
They are all the stoves the people of
Spain ever knew. Charcoal is lighted in
the hornilla, famed to a white heat by
wisps of rushes, of by the tiny tuelle or
bellows, and all food is cooked above
these, chiefly in cumbrous earth enware
ollas or pots. The puchero is ordinarily
made by simmering for four hours finely
cut Jumps of bacon and beef Gotten va
ried with bits of mutton, chicken ana
fish, in one pot. In another, briefly, all
manner of edible vegetables are
placed and stewed until ten
der, and to these are often added
bits of chopped sausage or pork
for seasoning. The vegetable mess is
cooked low, that is, until no more than
juicy. This is first placed in a large re-
ceptacle, and the contents of the other
ola, which have also been cooked until
tender and savory, are turned over the
former. The highest ambition of the
peasant Is that he may have bacon or
other meat in his pucheTo every day of
his life; and anyone who has partaksn Of
the delicious and savory dish, with a
good appetite whetted by miles of tramp
ing behind the grateful act, will know
how to honor his humble longing.
But all the Spanish peasants are not
able to afford the daily luxury of the
puchero. The: other and cheaper stews,
broths and soups take its place. There
Is the bacallao herbido, or soaked Goldfish
and stewed potatoes; the rice stew OF
rice, oil, salt and water; the oil DIVERSE,
q sort of puchero wi whatever can be
scrapsd together for its ingredients; the
potato or pottage of oil, beans, potatoes,
red pepper and water; his sopa de ajo or
garlic soup, of broken bread, oil, salt
and garlic; and that perhaps poorest ex-
cuse for food IN Spain, the gazpaco,
which, IN summer, forms almost the ex-
elusive subsistence of the lowly. 1t is
composed of spring water, chopped
onions, cucumbers and lettuce, broken
stale bread, oil and salt. Fruits and
liquors, both of which at all times are
MARvELoUsLY CHEAP
in spain-the commoner pure wines
selling in rural districts at six and
brandy at eight cents per quart-be-
come really part of the food of the
peasantry. Every morning on setting
forth to labor ali members of the fam
lily take copeta or tiny glass of brandy,
or brandy in which anise seed has been
soaked, and munich few crumbs of
bread. This serves until the desayuno
or breakfast. The wife and children
who remain at home make this meal
upon potato, or oftener of fruit and
bread or raw vegetables and bread.
The husband, when leaving for his days
labor stores his tobacco, matches
and perhaps bit of sausage
in his sOmbrero, and is always
provided with the alforja, small sad
dleba1 which &c s1unp over His shoulder