Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-01
DINNERS MADE TO ORDER.
How They Are Produced and the Diff
cuities Which Attend Providing Them

IL,
How They Are Produced and the Diff
culties Which Attend Providing Them.
II go to Paris every summer" said the pur-
veyor of delicate edibles to a STAR reporter
ito procure for my establishment the latest
fashions in catering paraphernalia. Such
things as ice cream molds in new styles have
to buy and the freshest things for breakfast
favors, bon-bon boxes, sachets, &c. or course
such merchandise is imported to this country
from abroad by Wholesale dealers, but if /
should go to them would have no assurance
that what l bought was not of a mode past
and gone 1t is necessary in my businesses
much so as in that of a irst-rate dressmaker-
to serve everything after the most recent
Paris manner. Peaple like ourselves, who have
reputation to sustain, cannot afford to supply
ices IN last years forms, to sell pretty
things OF any sort that have been on the
market and grown stale. Therefore, l visit
once a year the French establishments which
produce such articles aud chose what like
best. | am shown all at once the samples for
the season that Is past and the season that is
to come and | can make my selection. Thus /
have the satisfaction of knowing that whatever
offer my customers in Washington apart from
mere eatables is unexceptionabie."
HOW THE EArABLEs ARE PRODUCED.
"But where do you get your edible supplies9"
asked TIVE STAR writer.
eve make nearly all of them ourselves. In
this establishment are employed four EXPERT
cooks, highly paid, and six other servants for
supplementary work III the kitchen. Our ice
creams and CAKES of all sorts we manufacture
ourselves, as we'll as very many of our candies.
All such confectionery as will not keep we'll
like fruits gacees. we make here. Likewise il
is with whatever made dishes we serve and with
pls
ceiye an order for a supper, say, the first thing
necessary Is to consult with the customer as to
the makeup of the menu. Next the marketing
must be done. Very likely go myself to the
market and select the meat and vegetables re-
quired, the number of pounds of beef and NUT
ton estimated for, the game or what not of the
sort requisite, and the things necessary that
grow out of the ground. All these provisions
are then placed in the hands Of the cooks with
| a copy of the menu proposed, and instructions
as to the time when the feast is to be ready.
Usually they need no further teaching as to the
affair. 1T being their business to understand
| such things. All this applies equally to a din
ner or to any other form Of repast. When the
| time comes-say couple OF hours before the
banquet, if dinner is to be given-alI the ma
terials in readiness for cooking are conveyed
to the house where the entertainment is TO be
given and there prepared. Usually, however,
IN the case OF supper, the viands are made
| ready. save possibly the two or three hot dishes.
at the caterers, the other things being served
cold"
THE PALAZZo DI MoaToNE.
'Do you ever prepare and cook the entire
spread at the house where it is to be served?"
''Once in awhile, though few houses are
equipped with kitchens and apparatus suffici-
| emily complete for that. There is only one
honse In Washington where such q thing could
be done comfortably for q banquet of consider
able size and eiaborateness. 1 refer to the es-
tablislnent OF Vice President Morton. whose
cuisine Is like that OF hotel. Mrs. Morton
never employs caterer to serve anything in
her house; she has catering plant on her own
premises To begin with, there are two chefs
one the head cook and tie other pastry cook
who are able to manufacture cakes and creams
| as well as we can. There is attached to the
kitchen department an enormous refrigerator,
such few caterers have, into the drawers of
which are put the nodded ices and all such things
as fast as they are done, to freeze. Also there
are number or women assistants for the ordl-
| nary work which does not require culinary
! genius. The range itself is "a feet long, and
| everything else is on such scale that it is no
wonder that there is feast at every meal in
| the great house on Scott circle. Necessarily,
! Mr.. Mortons chief cook is a man of distin-
guished reputation in his craft-an enthusiast
in mis- profession, in fact-though, doubtless,
| he would not initiate certain martyred French
| Gordon bleu, who threw himself upon his sword
| because royal guest at his masters house
| added salt 70 his SOUP"
| THINGS LOST AND BROKEN
"You provide silver and crockery, do you
not?'
GAS rule. yes. We would lose in that way
! did we not charge such things up in the bills
| For the breakables are often smashed-I have
known guests to get rid of their plates by
throwing them under the table-and the silver
spoons and forks frequently disappear. don't
think that people steal them; it is more likely
that they get emptied carelesslv into the Stops
An important item in our charges is always. in
| large affairs. for walters. We don't keep wait
ers ourselves on salaries and rent them OUT
but we have number on our books who do
other work in the daytime and who are very
glad to obtain such employment as attending at
parties. They get for work of the sort % for
dinner or supper, and, il there il q reception
afterward, at which they are expected to be on
hand, they get IS. A funny thing We see some
times ut the feasts we supply is the grabber. In
every city, l suppose, there are certain per-
sons who are known to do that sort
OF thing. For instance, the wife Of a
former minister, and for years . prominent
| society woman, was accustomed to produce a
paper bag of large dimensions at every en-
! tertainment that she went to and fill
it up with whatever was most delicate of the
caterers edible property. She never made any
disguise about it. and SO 1t Is usually with per-
| sous who commit such offenses The notion OF
getting something for nothing il too much for
| them TO resist"
She Qaughingiy)-" are you looking 20
intently into my eyes? Are you looking for the
moteY'