Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-02

| etiquette ana good man.
| ners take wide range
also, and it seems strange that two centuries
ago the first gentlemen of England habitually
wore their hats while eating Forks were not
introduced into England before the reign OF
James l. The English derived this piece of re-
hnement from the Italians. The use of forks
was at first much ridiculed in England as an
eheminate piece of luxury. The word fork
occurs only once or twice in the Bible and
once In the Pentateuch, where mention is made
| OF flesh forks;'' the other instance is an ac-
count OF the riches Of Solomon's temple, where,
slnGularly enough, the Vulgate has the word
furca," which the English translation renders
py spoon" The Greeks, with all their ele-
gance, were ignorant of the use of forks.
FIRST USE OF THE FORK.
The first instance that history records of the
| use Of forks was at the table of John the Good,
duke of Burgundy, and he had only two. At
! that period the loaves we're made round and
they we're cut in slices, which were piled by
the side OF the carver. He had pointed carv-
ing knife and a skewer of drawn silver or gold.
| which he stuck into the point. Having cut off
a slice with the point of his knife he would
place 1t on a slice of bread, which was served
TO the guests. 1t was customary at one time in
france when gentleman was invited to dinner
Tor him to send his servant with his knife. fork
and spoon, and the request to do SO was almost
Sitations. The peasantry OF the Tyrol and Of
parts OF Germany and Switzerland generally
carry case In their pockets containing knife
fork and spoon.
There is considerable interest connected
with the word dip" which is still used in
| some parts of the country for sauce aad per-
petuates the memory OF the days when the
sauce was common dish, into which each per-
son at table dipped his bread or meat. 1t was
this custom that led to the Identification Of
Judas as the one who should betray Christ, for
he dipped his sop in the dish with the Master.
The nabit of pouring few drops of wine from
freshly opened bottle into the host glass be-
fore the guests are served is popularity sup
posed to be for the purpose of getting rid of
small bits OF cork that may adhere to the
mouth OF the bottle. but in reality it is relic
OF those uncomfortable days when host first
tasted wine as a guarantee to his guests that it
was not poisoned. The old Virginia custom of
drinking the first glass of wine standing is a
survival OF the same sort. The host held his
glass up to the light in the presence of all his
guests and then drank its contents as guar
antee of good faith.
The Chinese claim to be the original discov-
erers OF the process Of sugar making. and it is
said that sugar was used in China 5000 years
ago. 1t was certainly manufactured 200 years
before the Christian era began. Refined sugar
WAS not made in Europe till 1863.
The costliest dinner set ever made was by
Tiffany Mr.. Mackey brought from his mines
S75, 900 worth Of bullion and this the jewelers.
made up into a service asking SO, 900 for the
work, making the cost in all S195 0G0 and no
sovereign i'll Europe eats from such gorgeous
plate.
An expert who claims to ''speak whereof he
knows asserts that wine Is a good investment.
taking the chances Of thirsty mobs and earth
quakes and revolution i'll public opinion all
over the world. A good port of 1915 sold in
1853 for Sl75 per dozen. Iokay laid down in
loOO sold In 1850 for $50 per dozen, and that
must be considered as paying a fair interest on
their cost and keep.
ORIGIN OF THE MrNcE PIE.
Mince pie is emphatically New England in
stitution, but it is Sa nvention Before their
conversion to Christianity they used to make a
stew or porrldge consisting of everything held
sacred to their gods, as the flesh Of birds, ami
mails, grains and dried herbs which had beer
gathered at the full Of the moon. This was
partaken of in honor OF Wooden With some
improvements in the ways of fruits and tavors
| the Wooden pie came to be in the middle ages
| the great Christmas pie, celebrated in English
| song and known today as mince pie.
Here Is receipt for mince pies given bv one
| OF the best housekeepers in New England
| the writer's wife: 'Alince meat for pies: One
cupfui OF chopped meat one and a half cum
| fuls OF ralsins. one and half cupfuls of cur
rants, one and u half cupfuls Of brown smear
| one-third OF a cupful of molasses or one cnnf,i
apples. one cupful of meat LIQUOR two tea
spoonfuls Of salt, two tesspoonfuis of Cinnamon
one half of a teaspoonful of powdered cloves
one lemon, grated rind and juice, one Quarter
piece OF citron, one quarter OF a cupfuI of
brandy, one quarter of a cupful of wine. three
teaspoonfuls OF rose water
Another celebrated New England dish ia the
genuine Nantucket chowder. The dish usually
| served under that name, mixture OF potatoes
crackers, DC, Is more properly a stew or fish
rlnl atoh ia
der. This Is the genuine article. Get a cod
hsh, fresh caught and weighing about five
pounds. Don't buy it unless Its eyes are bright
and its gils a bright red. Have it cleaned as
for boiling. leaving the head on. Cut it into
1--WE pieces, the head forming one; wash clean
and leave the pieces in cold water slightly
sailed. Take three-quarters Of pound of
| clean, fat salt pork, cut this up into fine dice.
the finer the better, and put into pot over a
slow fire. While it is slowly frying out cut an
onion very tine, and when the pork is n rich
brown turn In the onion, stirring it frequently,
and after the onion is cooked lay the fish on it
and cover with boiling water. Wet two table
spOonsful Of corn starch in half a pin: of milk
and add salt and pepper to taste. When the
fish has boiled fifteen minutes add the thick
ened milk. Boil five minutes and serve with
pickles, olives or celery.
THREE DISHES OF THE QUEEN
The three dishes which are invariably to be
found on Queen Victoria s.deboard on Christ
mas day are the royal baron of beef, the boar 8
| head and the woodcock pie. They are always
cooked at Windsor Castle and forwarded to
Osborne on Christmas eve. The queen usually
receives presents Of several wild boar heads
from German relatives. A roast sucking pig
which has been carefully nurtured on mother 5
milk from the hour Of its birth was formerly
another royal dish on Christmas day, and
George ~ was particularly fond Of the head of
a sucking pig. SPLIT. well seasoned and deviled
The old Duke of Cambridge reveled in pig and
whenever shown the menu for dinner nd asked
whether there anything else he fancied
would answer: "Yes; a roast pig and an apple
dumping" The royal baron OF beef usually
weighs about $40 pounds, cut from a Devon
bullock fed on the royal demesne, takes u day
to cool aud is decorated with the queens mono
gram formed of shredded horse radish.
Emperor Williams favorite salad ia az fol-
| lows: From six lettuces remove outer leaves
and strip from remaining ones the good
part They should be broken up, but not cut;
wash and soak half an hour. Rinse and place
| in napkin and swing till dry For dressing
| take yoiks Of two hard-boiled eggs crush them
| to paste. add half tablespoonful French vine-
gar, three of mustard, one salt spoonful salt and
| beat up well together; then add by degrees six
| one OF wine vinegar, and when thoroughly
mixed, q little terrigon finely chopped, a des-
sert spoonful coarse white pepper. as pepper in
| powder irritates the palate. When ali is well
| mixed place the salad in it and turn over and
over patiently till there remains not one drop
of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Put the
I~Sht - rfth h. ~