New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-27

Il can't wait on you." said Crum, and he sent
them over to the other side of the lake to rival
house, for dinner. Within an hour they returned.
George" said Mr.. Hilton. "you must wait on
US if we have to remain in the front yard for
two hours"
The coachman sent back to the other place
to pay for the dinner that had been ordered
there. The bill was 500. Mr.. Hilton and his
friends then waited till Crum ready to serve
them, after which tlry went on their way re
joicng.
Il can cook for many can eat here" said
Crum, :" but l cam get walters enough to look
after the tables properly
He never had an assistant in the kitchen. He
makes his own fires and no other hand touches
the broiler. This year closed his eleventh season
and lie made it known that he would cook no
more. But Nance the head and front Of the
place now, the business manager the cashier, the
bartender, the head waiter in fact, the general
superintendent of all that she surveys with her
eagle eye, announces that she intends to reopen
the house peXt year and conduct 1t on big
scale And Crum smiling at her enthusiasm,
says that he is going to cook for her Nance Is
an institution OF German-lndian descent, she
is as clever as she is handsome in figure Juno,
in war with the pots and kettles Minerva. Her
voice carries with it an authority that none dares
TO resist Even Crum quails before Nance, and
as for the guests who has the courage to cross
her? 1t takes such woman TO conduct such a
place. Crum and his Indian wife are very old
and both are glad to have Nance's broad shoulders
1t is in his little kitchen that Crum is seen at
his best, and no living person could watch him
broil fish bird without wanting to devour
it, long table takes up one SIDE. On inc
other not four feet away, is pile OF bricks about
waist high, with three square holes in the top In
the bottom of these holes are CRATES, ana Dencatn
each CRATE is an ash box. sheet-ron bow takes
the smoke away. All the cooking is done over
open fires of charcoal For lake bass, which
does not want TO be cooked too quickly, the grid
iron is placed about twelve inches above the
embels The fish is turned a dozen times, receiv-
ing at each turn a basting with famous sauce
of which Crum is the inventor. when serVea,
seaming hot it is morsei tit for the gN O1SS N
further seasoning is required. ANY cohulhehu
would spoil the delicious flavor. .u.
With each course, and there are generally
three-bass, trout and game1Nance serves lrisi
potatoes stewed by Crums Indian wife after
style of her own that is simply inimitable, ln-
approachable She alone knows the recipe
Guests often make meal of the aged squaw
pet dish. She sits all day in house twenty
yards from the dining-rOoms and brooks no IN
reference from visitors only the most intimate
acquaintance being permitted to call On her.
When. Crum is about to send not iisn 10 h .le
table he tugs twice at wire which rings Dell
at the old lady's ear signlfylng to her that more
potatoes wanted.
The great icebox back of the Kitchen is slgnt
to behold when the season is at its height. Crum
long since gave up the gun and rod lnd all MS
hunting and fishing are done by younger men.
lie employs seven hunters and five fishermen, the
best in the country, and they keep the larder
flied High prices are paid for game and 1ish
brought in by outsiders, in numerous instances
81 25 a pound for trout and 81 IL apiece lpr
woodcocks Mr. Spencer of racetrack and club
house fame once drove out to Crum's to complain
of the scarcity of young birds: All that ne c0uld
buy were old and tough, while Grum always haa
the Youngest and tenderest. The explanation
brought out one of Crums ways of doing bust
ness He had entered into an agreement WIN
all the dealers in Saratoga and other nelghoofng
nr to give them one for and one n
bird. cons ,qucntly tie ordinary customer couid
find only old birds in the market.
Mr.. Spencer acknowledged the corn and thence
forth went to Crums to eat birds.
THE woodcocl, says Crum: " is the only bird
fit for q gentlemans table. You may say what
snipe, prairie chickens and all the rest, out the
woOdc0ck is the king bird
The old man is entitled to speak with authority
Concerning fish he is more LIBERAL though ne
seems to have a leaning toward the trout whose
skin is covered with red and black specks. In his
three springs he has $4,000 of these beautiful
fishes. His breeding ground is q pond near Balls
ten Spa, and when very small the trout are re
moved to Spring No. ] g. which is only feet by 2.
and o inches deep. Spring No. receives them
when half grown, and when full-grown they arc
transferred to No. 3, which is 3 feet by 6, and
feet deep The services of one man required
to attend to their wants. They, are fed twice
day OF fresh fish, nearly bushel being eaten at a
meal, and when brought to the table have the
flavor of the wild trout of the brook. The average
pond-fcd fish is unfit for the table. It's food
sists of refuse from the kitchen its natural
flavor is destroyed and no epicure can eat it
with satisfaction The trout is an aquatic hoc
and its peculiarties are taken advantage of by
eaptors. who feed it on the offscourings Of the
abattoir. Crum's are fed on the food that nature
intended they should have. and they are sleek
and fat and firm. Their food is chopped in small
pieces and more is thrown to them than they
will rush for and devour before it sinks to the
bottom of the spring.
Nance will he ready for the Saratogans in June.
and Crun will hold tho pridiron