The morning call., 1891-04-26
QUEER FOOD.

Choice Dishes From the Menu of an
Oriental Dinner Table.
George keenan,, whose letters about Rus
slams have made him famous the world
over, was recently interviewed by a reporter
for the Chicago News on the subject of food
used by the 0rientals and in answer to a
question said: "Well, the first dish that
produced a queer sensation in my stomach
was served TO me in the tent of Korak
Chief on the peninsula of Kamtschatka,
across which L was riding on horseback. The
Koraks are warlike people, living almost
entirely on animal food. Vegetables do not
grow in their country. This dish was made
of clotted reindeer blood, reindeer talIow
and the half-digested contents of REIN
deer's stomach. the latter Ingredient being
reindeer most invariably. The whole mass
is boiled until it is thick soup.
Reindeer moss is very nutritious, but the
human stomach will not digest it in its nat
ural condition. So the natives let the REIN
deer chew it and digest it partially, and
when they eat it they receive the assistance
of the gastric juices furnished by the REIN
deer. 1t is really peptonized food.
couldn't 90 the stuff. although the natives
relish it highly. 1t tastes Shiny, something
like clay might taste. The Koraks serve
boiled reindeer meat in long wooden
troughs. The meat is cut up in big chunks,
and II you want piece you pick 1t out of
the trough with your myers.
"When the host wishes to do you a great
honor he takes piece of the meat in his
teeth and one hand, and with the other
hand he cuts the piece in two The piecein
his mouth is then handed to you with the
expectation that you will feel highly COM
plimented. In the extreme northern part
of Siberia the natives freeze large fish and
then with sharp knife they cut off thin
shavings. This is not a bad dish when
served with pepper and salt.
The hardest time / ever had to obtain
something to eat was during my stay in
Stamboul. or old Constantinople Icouldn't
speak Turkish. and the Turks didn't speak
Russian or English. l was very hungry,
and by signs TO the waiter made him under
stand that / wanted something to eat.
He brought ME what looked like big
bologna sausage. 1t was made OF JI1ube
paste and walnut meats, and of course
| couldn't eat it even In my hall
famished condition. Looking out OF the
window | saw a man carrying a tray
in which were a number Of small tin cans
containing what l suspected was coffee. 1
motioned for him to come up. When he
came to my room he poured me small tin
cupful of what looked like whitish mo-
lasses, busted it with cinnamon and sugar
and handed it to me. 'One taste was SUI
ficient The stuff was nothing but gum ara
bic not thin enough to drink and too thick
'iWhat was the worst dish you ever en-
countered, Mr. KEENAN,, and where did you
find it?"
"The vilest stuff ever tasted" said Mr..
KEENAN,, after some reflection, twas stew
offered me by Prince Dj0rdjadki while was
his guest in the Caucasus Mountains. This
stow was made of the feet of cattle, includ-
ing the hoofs. The thing that made the
stuff intolerable was the taste and smell of
the stable that peryaded the dish. 1t was
prepared especially for. me, but l couldn't
appreciate the honor"