Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-04

are in the harbor; for here, as elsewhere,
the ladies have an especial liking for gold
lace and brass buttons.
THE SOCIAL DISPLAYS.
Since that terrible war there have been
few public balls and receptions; and for the
same reason, poverty, there is not nearly 50
much display 10 dress and jewels as for
merly. However, the glitter Of "gaud and
gear" is still dazzling on first nights at the
opera, and on other fiesta occasions; for the
ladies of the present generation inherited
many splendid gems from their fair an
cestresses, bought In the golden days of
Peru when money was poured out like
water. From the same source descended
the priceless lace and the rich. old-fash-
ioned fabrics one sees so much OF in Limaian
"best society,"" which make nineteenth
century senorita. look as if she had just
stepped down and out of an old painting.
Those ancient social restrictions, which
make it breach of decorum foE lady to
see a gentleman alone for one moment until
after marriage, still prevail in Peru among
the upper classes, and the numerous petty
conventionalities are as strongly marked as
is the entire absence of all conventionality
among the lower orders. For example: A
gentleman has had repeated invitations to
call upon certain. family, and some fine
day he goes. In every case he must ask for
the gentleman of the house; or, If he is not
at home, the point may be stretched TO the
extent of asking for the elder brother, should
there be grown up yonng man in the fam
lily. Ifit happens that both are absent, the
visitor must depart at once, leaving his card
for tine master of the casa and his verbal
compliments FOR the ladies, but on no ac-
count must he ask to see the latter.
WILL FLIRT ON OPPORTUNITY
If the father or brother are at home they
will welcome the caller most Hospitality.
One by one the female members of the
family will all drop in; some music, on
harp, piano or mandolin, will be beautifully
rendered by the senoritas, who, coquettish by
nature and eager to entertain and be enter
tanned, will make eyes" at the caller if he
has the faintest approach to attractiveness
about him; tea or chocolate with dulcies will
be served. and a most charming hour or two
may be spent.
Peruvian cookery is an incongruous mix
ture OF foreign and native styles, the latter
predominating at private meals, the former
at all ceremonious reDasts. A dinner table
custom, which was once common and is not
yet entirely done away with, even in proud
Lima, is called the bocadita, and is rather
comical if not always entirely accept
able demonstration of friendship, or
something warmer. It consists in selecting
choice morseI from your own plate, and
handing it on your fork to some lady pres
ent; who, in her turn, privileged to notonly
pay back the delicate compliment, but to in
tensify it by taking a tid-bit from her own
plate, without the aid of a knife or fork,
and presenting it to the gentleman who has
made the challenge, he leaning over the ta-
Bile and receiving it in his mouth from her
fingers. 1t used to be customary in Peru,
on all occasions of formality, for the host
and hostess to eat by themselves, imme-
dlately before the banquet; and then during
the progress of the ceremonious repast to
take nothing whatever, though sitting one
at each end of the table, being supposed in
that way to give their undivided attention
to the guests.
RECIPES FROM PERU.
One article that may be called national
dish OF Peru is known as puchero. have
obtained the recei pit for you. and here it is:
Have kettle according to your puchero;
put into it large piece of beef or mutton,
some cabbage, sweet potatoes, salt pork,
sausage, pigs feet, yucas, bananas. ounces,
Irish potatoes, pears, peas and rice; with
spices, salt and plenty of red peppers. Add
sufficient water, and stew the whole gently
four or five hours; then serve on deep
platter. fucnero is patterned somewhat
after the ola podrida of Spain, the chowder
of New England and the bouillabiasse of
Southern France, but contains more ingre-
dients and more favors than all of them put
together. cannot say that dislike it, but
could get along with it great deal better
if they would put in less red pepper.
Another stew, simpler than puchero, is
called chupe, favorite breakfast dish, but
not often served at dinner. The lower
classes are fond OF the hottest picantes, COM
pounded of meat, FISH, crabs. meal, potatoes,
bananas and red peppers, mixed with the
juice of bitter oranges and stewed in water
We have tasted this wonderful mixture, but
could not get to a second spoonful in conse-
quence of the fiery nature of the peppers.
Swallowing q torchlight procession would
he preferable to i dinner OF picantes
Around the landing place at Callao we saw
women with little braziers of charcoal lad
ling out steaming picantes to the laborers
and idlers OF the port and were told that it
is their only article of food. In the poorer
parts of Lima there is a picanteria every
few yards and each establishment has its
patrons among workmen employed in the
vicinity. There are many varieties of
picantes. each having distinct name; but
every one Of them is redhot with peppers.
EANNTE d