Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-24
COOKERY FOR CHRISTMAS.
How Goodies Of Various Sorts Are AIad
for Holiday Consumption.


''DoNT PUT ANY OF THOSE QUEER
~ looking red, black and green speckles
on my fish for tonight" said the stout lady
with the corsage bouquet Of chrysanthemums
rs she got out of her carriage ON Connecticut
avenue and rushed into a caterers shop. "'Per-
fectly harmless you say? Well, may be so, but
don't like em. They look poisonous" And
with that she swept ont.
Would you like to know what those 'speckiss'
are made OFF" asked the caterer Of writer for
The STAR who was buying some little French
cakes. Come with me and will show you. !"
Whereupon he led the way to the basement
There, in room Just below the sidewalk, stood
the chef at large table surrounded on all
sides by brightly shining copper vessels and by
shelves on which stood molds, little and big, of
tin and copper Along one side Of the room
ran an enormous range. The chef was quite An
imposing looking person, in white apron and
cap.
Poisonous, indeed!' he exclaimed indig-
nantly. What nonsense! However / happen
to be making some little fishes of force meat
now and you can watch me if you choose"
Down from the shelf came the cunningest
little molds imaginable in the shape of red
then began their decoration. First q trufle
was divided into very thin slices and cut into
cubes by tin machine One of. these repre-
scented the eye Of each fish, while two more
adorned its tail. This done dish was taken
from the open oven, with some red pieces from
the claws Of = boiled lobster, which had been
drying. These powdered and sprinkied into
the molds gave the fishes brilliant scarlet col
oring. Presently from the refrigerator room
was brought great yellow bowl Of Ash force
meat. This had been chopped, favored mixed
with cream sauce and put through q fine
colander, after which it had been pu. On the ice
until needed A little of it was put on plate
and with II was beaten some bright green COL
oring matter made by the chef from spinach.
This, reduced to the desired consistency, WAS
put into little white paper cornucopia, with q
small hole In the end, through which it was
s9ueezed, so as to outline fms tails. and heads.
This completed the force meat was tightly
packed into the molds and they were ready to
be heated and turned out, 30 that each guest at
the lunch for which they were destined might
be the happy possessor Of beautiful red
snapper
Little molds representing ducks were next
taken down from the shelves. These are quite
new, having been lately brought from Paris
They wore decorated and filed with pate de
fois gras. Duck force meat IL sometimes used
instead. For another entertainment little
hsart-shaped melds we're filed with "brisotins'
yard bird also played the principal part In q
most elaborate dish known as 'poule en- TIM
Ibale. which was destined for large dinner
party. 1t WAS oval in shape and in two Stories
while on tho top, resting in nest of grass, sat
u chicken of force meat On . table near by
we're arranged some tomatoes all ready for the
final touches. They filed with celery
mayonnaise, and each one rested On a leaf Of
lettuce. AiongAide were some cunning little
roses of celery waiting to be put on each to-
mato. Two new dishes, the recipes and even
the ingredients Of which are kept a profound
secret, are called "capucinss OF grouse" and
zephyr de partridge
In the next room stacks Of ice boxes and
molds for ice cream we're arranged while in the
center was q huge freezer. At the marble table
stood man beating cream, while all sorts of
goodies we're stored in shelves at his side. OF
course all the fancy glaces nowadays are served
with SAUCES, and the making ane favoring of
these Is quite an art in itself.
The bakery, which opened from the ice cream
room, Was large, but about third of it was &C.
cupied By great brick oven. Under the win
dows ran q wide and long shelf, at which stood
one OF the white-capped and aproned pastry
cooks He was pouring hot sugar strip over
wine cakes. This accomplished, he fetched
from the fire decoction in which. to Judge by
the smell, rum played a prominent part. At a
round, handicapped table Young man was
beating with strong white hands a pastry, in
which butter. a lot of eggs, hot milk, sugar and
yeast were mixed with the flour. At the oven
door another baker stood watching some pate
molds browning, and at stand near by were
rows OF bright saucepans, each holding an icing
OF different color. In browns there were choc-
olate, maple sugar and caramel. White had
vanilla. cream colored had lemon, green had
pistaehio nut and pink had several favorings
In the midst Of these stood young man care
fully putting on tiny and most elaborate cakes
their proper decorations. All these delicious
things were for Christmas feassing.