The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-09-23
SWEDISH RAILROAD RESTATRAN TS
Great Quantities of Food Which Must
,.s BE sBolted.


Great Quantities of Food Which Must
,.f BE sBolted.
l had at this railway supper nv first
experience of the Swedish mode OF cater
ing for Travellers We were warned at
the door that every one entering the res
tanrant would have to- pay two kroner.
two shillings and twopence halfpennyj
whether he ate as much as he was able or
ate nothing at all. There was an appall-
| ing rush for victuals and drink. Thanks
To the helpful person, got nicely through
The repast in twenty minutes, the limit of
time allowed. Surely the twenty might
have.been extended to thirty minutes or
more without, in a slow-coach country,
Inconvenience to the railway admins
tration.
For the two kroner one had the run of
all that was displayed with Homeric
righteousness on a long and wide central
table and on great buffet. The variety
OF vlctuals and drinks was infinite What
were they? Soups q To- trdacaise and q la
SuedOtSe, native whets to appetite
(dehcdtesSe1,), including caviar, an
choyies, sliced tongue and sausages,
smoked salmon, smoked goose, and
cucumbers Favored with aniseed.
The fish division included Holsters,
salmon trout. Poached eggs lay on
beds" of cooked spinach. Basins full of
salad were placed among dishes of roast
beef, veal and fowl, the latter of some
diminutive breed. Beside these there
were pies, buildings, jams, cranberry
compotes, pan and oven cakes, sweet
omelettes, and, lastly, wood strawberries
with whipped cream. The coffee was
equal to Ledoyen's, but there was no
time to drink it unless one scalded ones
throat. Knives, forks and plates were
laid In heaps on the central table, Bev-
erages were sold at cost prices. Round
the room stood small tables with nothing
but tablecloths on them. One helped
ones self as one pleased, and ate as one
could.
This is what an "old soldier'' would do
in a Swedish railway restaurant. If with
party, he would appoint himself its
General, directing one of his friends to
pounce upon as many chairs as were
wanted and set them round table. on
which he was to keep guard; another
would be told off TO capture knives.
forks and plates, to order drinks and pro-
vide the party with glasses. His next
duty would be to carry plates, soups and
viands from the big table, to the one that
has been secured. The Generals part
would be to ladle outlsoup and snatch nm
food from the big table, heaping up as
much and of many sorts, on each plate
held out to him as he could. The whole
party would be thus provided for without
loss of time, and could eat, in hot haste
no doubt of nearly everything.
At railway meal in Sweden one may
see as much as seven or eight sorts of
viands on the same plate at the same mo-
ment, and all getting mixed. But the
travellers appetite is proverbial, and the
tastidious person risks being starved All
that is offered is of the best, but, having
to gobble rather than to eat, one can
hardly discern it's good quality. The
Swedes hold that this system of gorging
ones self rapidly has it's advantages, it
enabling travellers to 60 for long time
without further refreshment, because
they cannot digest the food for several
hours and therefore cannot get hungry.
-ToudOn Trufh