Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-20
aux truffes sold at Ruffec, a small waysIde
place between Poitiers and Angouleme; and
so on throughout France.
TO THE FRENCH CLERGY.

respecting the rlgnt sort OF Omelet 10 De pu
before hungry traveller who comes thei
way. One is Ridel, who holds out for tn
old Gallo omelette aux fines herbes; whil
Poulard, his rival, contends that the gen
unine article is an omelet the secret of which
has been transmitted down through ages b.
the antique religious order of the place
Such rivalry is an honor to either party.
have tasted both dishes, and is difficult t.
decide between them. Perhaps that of thu
monks is the more epicurean of the two. L
is easily prepared. The whites and thu
yolks Of the eggs are not mixed. The white.
are well hogged up to a creamy consistency
to obtain which much elbow grease is re-
quired; the yolks are only slightly beaten
The whole is then poured into the frying
pan and large lump of butter put in at the
same time. After cooking for two minutes
the result is miracle in its way.
The monks and cures OF France have,
say, done as much for their country in the
preparation of savory delicacies as the mos
renowned chefs. 1t has been suggested thai
during the long season of Lent these holy
men have been in the habit OF relieving theil
prlvations by employing their ingenuity in
the invention of pleasant foods and drink:
in readiness for the return OF the days ol
feasting.
SOME OF THEIR INVENTIONS.
One of the largest oyster parks in the
country was started by the Able Bonnetard
of La Teste, whose system of artificial cult.
walton is SO successful tnat, of the number
of oysters distributed throughout France
every year, perhaps quarter are produced
by the Able. Canon Agen was the dis
coyerer of the terrines OF Nerac. The
rillettes of Tours are the work of a monk oi
Marmoutiers. The renowned liqueurs
Chartreuse, Trappistine, Benedictine and
others betray their monastic origin in their
names, and the strangest part OF their pro-
duction is that they should be the work OF
the most severe and ascetic of religious
bodies. The Elixir of Garus is the in
vention of the Able Garus. The Beziers
sausages were first prepared under the di-
rection of the Prior Lamoureux.
The popular Bergougnou1 sauce was first
mingled by the Able Bergougnoux. The
delicate Floguard cakes are the invention
of the Able Floguard. Even the immortal
glory OF the discovery of champagne is at
tributed to monk. To these may be added
the innumerable delicacies in bonbons, con-
fectionerY, and the like, which owe their
origin entirely to nuns in the French con-
vents scattered throughout the land.
DREAM OF THE EPIcURE.
An Englishman, at once thoughtful and
ingenious, gave himself up one day to a
strange speculation. He imagined an epi-
cure, after the manner of Lord Seldom,
Baron Brisse or Grimod de la Reyniere,
placed. at 20 years of age, on the summit of
a lofty eminence, whence his eve might en-
brace at glance all the multitudinous array
of animals and things that had served to
appease the pangs Of hunger in such a
gormand since he first had an appetite for
solid iood. The author of Gle Ventre de
Paris" zola, would recoil at sight OF such
an enormous concourse of animals and
vegetables. In broad plain would be seen
grazing all the oxen, calves and sheep he
had eaten; out of the waving corn-whereof
his bread was made-would be seen to escape
thousands of larks, quails and young part
ridges which had deeked his table.
At the foot Of a hill would be seen river
and its tributary streams. which would be
all the wine, beer. tea, coffee and cordials
the septuagenarian had drunk in his day
In the river swim the fish that were his de-
light, and on its banks swarm the ducks,
brakes and rabbits upon which his cook
daily made such sanguinary onslaught. A
huge fortiication, including triple row of
cakes, tarts and puddings, piled on numer-
Of the whole display; while, at regular
breaks along the whole line enormous bar
rels Of rice, pepper, aIlspice and mustard
project outward like so many pieces of ord
nance. - So"
SUCH IS THE PRICE OF LIFE.
The old gormand's eye wanders over all
the treasures of this blessed land. He smiles
with evident satisfaction at the prodigious
number of his repasts; his mouth waters at
the souvenir of SO many good things. He
would fain renew the strife; his eyes dilates
and his arms extend; his every movement
seems to say: "Such is the price of life!'
Our century has made great strides in the
art of feeding. First came Grimod de la
Reyniere with his Alnldndeh des Gour-
mands, which he published for eight con-
secutive years; later on, during the Restora-
ton, Brlllat-Savarin appeared on the scene
with his Physiologic du Gout, and, at the
same time. Careme with his own we'll di-
gested work. The labors of Bernard and
] Jules Gouffe have since upheld the tradi-
lions of the French school of gastronomy.
1t seems to me that the moderns, however,
have not been over prodlgal in their praise
Of Baron Brisse. He was a typical, perhaps
a transcendant, epicure, and therefore de-
serving of encomium. His corpulence was
such that the Paris cabmen denied him the
use of their vehicles. He was little ruffled
1t this refusal on their part, and rather took
vanity from the thought that he was one of
The very few in the gay capital to whom such
4 thing could happen.
FAITHFUL TO THE LAST.
The verve OF Baron Brisse delighted
although somewhat vehement and
-afish. The Baron was then at the height of
MS culinary reputation, and had just
brought out his journal, La Sale Manger.
About that time Emile de Girardin got him
20 compose the bills Of fare for his daily
paper, and his menus got to be quite the
rage. The Baron, who had great powers of
was of southern stock, from
Mines or Barbentane-induced his patron to
give some of those dinners he was so we'll
qualified to arrange. NJ. France, the direc-
,or of the organ La PreSSe, was present at
,ne of these convivial bouts; when he, like
he rest of the guests that evening, wore the
white apron and the white cotton cap OF the
,het de cuisine. Fancy the author of Les
Questions de mon Temps in this ludicrous
Until his last hour Baron Brisse fought
he good fight for gastronomy. Death found
lim with fork in one hand and pen in
he other. In the modest village of Chatil-
on, where he now lies digesting his life, 1
propose that the following words be in
cribed on his tombstone: "Served up piping
rot % MAURICE DANCOURT,
Editor in Chief of the ART Culinaire, Or
gan of the Society of French Cooks.
Whof NTov ha ExnpcrcH N,wf