Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-23
SCENE IN A HOTEL KITCHEN.

more than sufficient to produce a magnif-
cent meal for the Emperor ofa all the Romans;
vet the great earth, as we know it, is barely
large enough to give satisfying dinner to
the commonplace Pittsburg oil or iron man,
who spells at his menu, in the Hotel
Duquesne. Why every
CHINK AND GRANNY
of the globe is probed into for his benefit,
For him cracked that rifle across the
purple Scotch heaths, for him plodded that
weary hunter through Canadian SHOWS.
For him the plunging salmon was flashed
into sunlight from its frozen haunts; for him
the oranges of the South were plucked from
their bending branches And there he sits
and sips his caie noir and cognac, patting
himself, metaphorically upon the back, and
exclaiming like the ingenious youth in the
nursery tale: ''Oh! what good boy am I. !"
No doubt, if he knew anything about those
old rOse-wreathed sybarites that the poet
sneers at, he would feel intensely dis
gusted, like the excellent patriot that he is.
at their aristocratic appetite. But is the
appetite of our friend the oil man, demo-
cratic?
Some dav somebody will write the history
of table d'hote. Not to the inscriber of
these sapient sentences is allowed that glori-
he should write single chapter of the great
work. 1.-THE history of the purchase of a
table d'hote in Pittsburg" will be the name
of that modest fragment
THE CHIEF CATERERS JOURNEY.
On a certain morning when winter had
just taken his departure and spring was still
occupied in fitting on her grass-green hose
behind the scenes, when the tickle sun sbope
IF Vr1fh k,11
plOYer were In season, on such a morning
there sailed from the portals of the Hotel
Duquesne, III. Albert Menjou, chief of that
hotel's catering department Very jauntily
NJ. MenJou strolled on down the bustling
street; and the raiment of NJ. Meniou was
irreproacnable. In the chief caterers button
hole blushed red, red rose ana the heart
OF the chief caterer was as light as a leaf
thereof. Presently he arrived at a certain
well-known butchers establishment, and
here halted to order loins and ribs ior his
guests. Very carefully was the meat
selected, about S125 worth being purchased.
Then NJ. MenjOu, with a wave of his lew.
eled hand, remarked: "Send it up to the
hotel, please, and see that it is sent lust as 1
ordered it,
The reader must note that this big order
OF ioins and ribs was not intended for use on
the daV just begun. When it arrived in the
hotel, little later in the morning, the store
rooms would receive it; and there, on ice. it
would remain until the following day,
Every other eatable ordered in the morning
is used during the afternoon and night.
VEGETABLES AND FRUIT.
When M. Menjou had finished with his
butcher, be sauntered toward the vegetable
and fruit market But little time was ex-
pended on the vegetables, Of which some SIS
worth we're ordered. The venders seemed
to know the caterer very well and to have
a wholesome desire TO please him. At an
Italians fruit stall, however, there was some
difficulty and q little sharp bargaining.
Bananas, apples, oranges, pears, etc., were
purchased. and when the wranging was
over and the price agreed on, NJ. MeDjou
left directions as to the careful conveying of
the fruits to their destination and hurried
of.
Fish is not selected in Pittsburg. It
comes hither from the great emporium, New
York; and Pittsburg caterers have to take
their chances as to its merits or dement's.
Just now Canada brook trout, Kennebec
salmon, HOLSTERS, black bass, etc., are the
FISH in season. and shoals Of them are un-
packed every day. The next place visited
by NJ. Menjou was game shop. Here he
became intensely particular. Duck, ploYer,
sDipe and squad, all suffered a close in
sPection, and many were rejected at once,