Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-08

linen is fresh and snowy white. Ihere are
gallons of ice-cold water in huge glass
decanters. Fruit, usually melons and Or
anges in season, are bountlfully 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 gar
ments. Following 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 bounteousness,
make the entire repast.
The common red wine of Spain is drunk
out of old-fashioned tumblers throughout
the meal. At its conclusion, from the quaint
old sideboard, or quanter mahogany cup
board, the hostess will bring glittering
decanter of cherry brandy. This is served
in tiny glasses, and all. including the ser
wants who assemble in the dining room
few moments for this kindly custom, par
take. Then again come the cigars, cigarettes
and half hour of banter and rally, in the
enjoyment of both OF which the hostess often
heartily joins.
PECULIAR COOKING STOVES.
The regime of the lowliest peasant in
u
scribed save in degree. The puchero is
everybody's dish twice day ii it can be af-
torded. Little beyond this is needed or de-
sired, and on the tables of the rich or poor
no pastry or puddings are ever seen. The
Spanish method of cooking fortunately pre-
cludes these. No stoves or ranges can be
found in Spain save infrequently In the
houses of the nobility, and at those more
important hotels where wealthy travellers
are entertained. In these the French cuisine
is in vogue. In every kitchen of the mid
die classes, or cottage of the peasantry, will
be found solid brick structure builtagainst
the wall and with fiat top. Into this, from
the interior side, extended little apertures,
perhaps 1S inches deep, with openings a foot
square. Round holes from four to six inches
in diameter are cut in the top of each.
These, literally "pigeonboles, are called
hornillas. They are all the stoves the peo-
pie OF Spain ever knew. Charcoal is
lighted in the hornilla. famed to white
heat by wisps of rushes, or by the tiny
fuelle or bellows and ali food is cooked
above these, chiefly in cumbrous earthen-
ware ollas or pots.
The puchero is ordinarily made by SIM
mering for four hours finely cut Jumps Of
bacon and beef Gotten varied with bits of
mutton, chicken and fish, in one pot. In
u
ables are placed and stewed until tender,
and to these are often added bits of chopped
sausage or pork for seasoning. The vegeta-
BILE mess is cooked low, that is, until no
more than juicy. This is first placed in a
large receptacle, and the contents of the
other ola, which have also been cooked un-
til tender and savory, are turned over the
former. The highest ambition Of the peas
ant is that he may have bacon or other meat
in his puchero every day of his life; and
anyone who has partaken of the delicious
and savory dish, with good appetite whet-
ted by miles of tramping behind the CRATE
| full act, will know how to honor his humble
longing.
POOR EXCUSES FOR FOOD.
But all Spanish peasants are not able to
afford the daily luxury of the puchero. Then
| other and cheaper stews, broths and soups
take its place. There is the bacallao herbi-
do, or soaked Goldfish and stewed potatoes;
the rich stew of rice, oil, salt and water; the
ola diversa, a sort of puchero with what
ever can be scraped together for its lngre-
dients; 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 excuse
for food iu Spain, the gazpaco, which, in
summer, forms almost the exclusive subsist-
ence of the lowly. 1t is composed of spring
water, chopped onions. cucumbers and let
tuce, 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 dis
tricts at and brandy at 8 cents per quart
become really part of the food of the peas
antry. Every morning on setting forth to
labor all members of the family 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 per-
haps bit of sausage in his sombrero, and
is always provided with the alforja, small
saddle-bag, which is slung over his shoul-
der. This contains two or three pounds of
bread, salt, raw vegetables, especially to-
matoes, which are eaten by the dozen, and
fruit in its season. When he returns at
night, if in summer, the entire family take
their comida upon stones or three-legged
stools outside the choza door, or if in winter
the sayory puchero. or other stew is eaten
from the same huge dish, or as 1 have seen
in Brittany, fairly divided and dished into
cavities in the thick top of the stationary
table within. Then if it be within the peas
ants means, draught of wine from the
wine-skin is taken and this family Of few
needs or an1eties, after the never-failing
cigaretts, are ready for sweet and dreamless
sleep.
FAMOUS BULL-FIGHTERs.
Strolling through the magni icent cafes of
Barcelona yesterday with my friend, the ad-
vocate, he was able to do me what he re-
garded as the highest favor and honor that
can come to a stranger in Spain. This was
an introduction to an ambitious and already
almost famous bull-fghter, or espada, of
this city. This recalled personal reminis-
cences of this class of men and some inter-
esting facts concerning the greatest two Iiv-
ing espadas, Francisco Sanchez and Luis
Mazzantini. The latter 1 have known
Perhaps the most famous of all matadors
the espada primero of the world, is Francisco
Sanchez (alias Lagartijo). He is probably
the most daring, skillfuI bull-fghter that
ever lived. His handling of the wild and
savage bulls of Jarama is something marvel
ous He now seldom appears, $4,000 being
the price demanded and secured in advance
for each performance He is very great
pet with the Spanish nobility. is very rich,
and was the warm personal friend of the
are Rafael Molina, Angel Pastor, Jose
Gomez, HermosiIla, Juan Sanchez and Luis
Mazzantini.
The latter is rapidly becoming the first
Spanish fayorite. His life has been full of
romance and adventure. He was destined
for the priesthood by his parents, who were
people of refinement and proper aspiration.
He possessed poetic, restless nature, and
ran away from the university. Joining a