The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-07
TO The QUEENS TASTE.
Mrs. John Sherwood Writes an In
teresting Letter on How
Royalty Entertains.
and Queens and High
Born People Much Like
Poorer Mortals.
They Eat, Drink and Have Much Fun
When They Can--HOw They
Deport Themselves.
! Written for THE SUNDAY ISDEpENDEHT.i
"Thrones, Nominations, princedoms, vir-

; lHlOIlcSy uOilllutLlOls5y DIllCcuOulS, VII
tpes, powers"
When we approach the subject of royal
entertainments we cannot but feel that the
best of us are at a disadvantage. They
have palaces and retainers furnished for
them. They have n purse which knows no
end. They are either by the divine right
or by lucky chance the personages of the
hour. 1t is only when one of them loses
his head or is forced to abdicate, or falls
by the assassin's dagger, that they approach
at all our common humanity.
Doubtless to them, entertaining being a
%perfunctory affair, it becomes very tedious.
Ppmp is not an amusing circumstsnce-and
they get SO tired of it all that when off duty
kings and queens ave usually the most
plainly dressed and the most simple of NOR
tails. The "age Of strut has passed away.
No one dares much to assume the pufiness
of Louis XIV. or George ~.
Royal entertainments, however, have this
advantages; they open to the observer the
historical palace, and the pictures, gems of
art and interesting collections Of which
palaces are the great conservators.
1t seems that Louis XIV, called le grand
ulOuhTuuS. iOulb, IuS Iidku tACtIl, WH3 q
master of the art of entertaining. Under
him the science of giving %banquets received,
in common with the other sciences, great
progressive impulse. There still remains
some memory of these festivals, which all
Europe went to see, and these tournaments,
where for the last time shone the lancea
and the knightly suits of armor.
The festivals always ended with a sump-
tuous banquet where we're displayed huge
center pieces of gold and silver, painting
and sculpture and enamel, all being tribu-
tary to the hero of the occasion.
This fashion made the fame of Benven-
uto Cellini in Italy in tine previous century.
To-day monarchs content themselves with
having these center pieces of cake, sugar or
ices. There will be no record of their great
feasts for future ages
Toward the end of the reign of Louis
XIV, the cook, the ''corden blen," received
side that of his patron, he was called in
aftef dinner. 1t is mentioned in some of
thbsEnglish memoirs that this fashion was
not unknown SO lately as fifty years ago in
great houses in England, where the cook
was called in. IN his white cap and apron,
publicly thanked for his efforts and a glass
of wins offered him by his master, all the
CoAlB uHy III llthilS ilo Oit
This must have had an excellent effect on
the art of %gastronomy.
Mme. de Maintenon, whose gloomy sway
over the old king reduced the gay court to
the loneliness of an empty cathedral,
threw q wet napkin in the science of good
eating, and put out the kitchen fires for a
season.
Queen Anne, however, was fond of good
cheer, and consulted with her cook. Many
cookery books have this qualification, latter
Queen Anne's fashion,"
Under tho Regent Orleans, a princely
prince, in spite of his faults, the art of good
eating and entertaining was revived, and he
has left Il reputation for piques Of superla-
tive delicacy, matelops of tempting quality
and turkeys superbly stuffed.
The reign of Louis XIV. was equally fav-
CRADLE to the art of entertaining. The
eighteen years of peace had made France
rich, u spirit of conviviality was ditfused
amongst all classes. And the proper set
ting of the table, the order, neatness and
elegance as essentials of a we'll ordered
meal date from this reign. 1t is from this
period that the history of the petit supers
de Choisy begins. We need hardly 90 into
that history of all that was reckless, gay,
witty and dissolute in the art of entertain
ing, but, as one item, a floor was con-
structed SO that the table and sideboard
sank into the lower story, after each course,
W. 10 icRitSCN Dy obkC4o WtlCu
rose covered with Il fresh course, We may
imagine its luxury and detail.
The famous Louis Nv. was proficient in
the art Of cookery; he also worked tapestry
with his own hand. We should linger over
his feasts with more pleasure had they not
led III the French revolution as a horrible
dessert. His carving knives became later OH
the g%u,llotine.
Under Louis XVI. there was a constant
in all the occupations which
are required Ill the preparation of food
Cooks, traiteurs, pastry cooks, coutection-
ers. and the art of preserving food so that
one could have the fruits of summer in the
midst OF winter. all were started then: al
though the art of canning" may safely be
said to belong to our own time-much
later on.
In the year 17i0 dinner was served in
this order: Soup followed by the bouilli.
an entree of veal cooked i'll its own gravy
as n side dish. Second course: A turkey,
a dish of vegetables, Il salad and sometimes
u cream.
Dessert: Cheese. fruit and sweets. Plates
are changed only thrice after the soup. at
the second course and ut dessert. Coffee
was rarely served, but cherry brandy or
liquor was served.
The reis n of Louis NNIll., who grew to
be an Immensely fat man. was q remarkable
gaStrononle. Let anyone read Victor
AiaSS ItN 4i iNVt t'lNrs tAAN III tNoult "
his reign. to get an idea of this magnificent
entertainor. His most famous maitre d
hotel was the due d Oscars. When he and
his royal master We're closeted together to
Il dlsh, the ministers OF state were
kept waiting in The aute-chamber, and tho
next day an official ani ouncement was
made: "Mousieur lc DUO d Oscars Il ira
eaiile dams le cabinet
How strangely would it affect tho Ameri-
roople if President Harrison kept them
waiting for his signature because he was
discussing tesrapin with Madeira sauce
With his chef.
The king had invented the "trui1les a In
puree d. ortolaus," and Invariably D. prepared
it himself assisted by the duke. On one
they Jointly composed II dish of
more than ordinary dimensions and duly
the whole of 1t. In the night tho
luke was seized with a tit of indigestion
HIS case was declared hopeless. LOYAL
% the last he ordered an attendant to wake
ind inform the king. who might be exposed
10 u similar attack. His majesty was
reused accordingly and was told that
d Escars was dying of his invention.
"Dying.' exclaimed the king, well, /
said had the best stomach of the
So much for the gratitude of kings. The
farlsian restaurants, those world-renowned
tdens of the s~astronomer, were formed and
founded on the the theories of these cook
sry-loving kings.
But political disturbances were To inter
III tho wear ITO after tho glorious lavs